[0001] The present invention relates to a bogie for a railway vehicle, the bogie comprising
a bogie frame having two opposite longitudinal sides and a secondary suspension system
located on the bogie frame, wherein the secondary suspension system includes at least
two spring assemblies including an air spring and equally distributed on both longitudinal
sides of the bogie frame and an emergency spring device operating in case of air pressure
loss in the air springs and having an emergency spring within each spring assembly.
[0002] Such a bogie is known and is shown in cross-section in Figure 1, where it supports
a vehicle body B. This bogie 100 comprises a bogie frame 102 having two opposite longitudinal
sides 104 and 106. The two opposite longitudinal sides are defined by two longitudinal
beams of the bogie frame 102. Bogie 100 is fitted with a secondary suspension system
108 connecting vehicle body B to bogie 100. Secondary suspension system 108 is delimited
by the box in dashed lines. Secondary suspension system 108 has two spring assemblies
110, 112 sitting on opposite longitudinal sides 104, 106 of bogie 100. Each spring
assembly 110, 112 includes an air spring 114 and an emergency rubber suspension pack
116 located inside the air spring 114. The rubber suspension packs 116 are redundant
and provide a minimum suspension of the vehicle body B on the bogie 100 in case of
air pressure loss in the air springs 114. Secondary suspension system 108 is equipped
with an air pipe 118 interconnecting the air springs 114 to balance the loads between
the two air springs 114. The air volume is transferred by the air pipe 118 from the
air spring 114 with higher vertical load to the air spring 114 with lower vertical
load.
[0003] A drawback of this type of known secondary emergency suspension is a limited protection
against derailing. Indeed, under emergency operation when the vehicle body B is directly
supported by the rubber suspension packs 116, there is little room for any relative
rolling movement between the vehicle body B and the bogie 100. Thus, the bogie 100
cannot sufficiently adapt its position when it encounters twisted rails, which results
in derailing.
[0004] A second known bogie is shown in Figure 2. This bogie 200 comprises a bogie frame
202 having two opposite longitudinal sides 204 and 206. The two opposite longitudinal
sides are defined by two longitudinal beams of the bogie frame 202. Bogie frame 202
also comprises two crossbeams 203, 205 extending between the longitudinal beams 204,
206. Bogie 200 is fitted with a secondary suspension system 208. Secondary suspension
system 208 is delimited by the box in dashed lines. Secondary suspension system 208
has two pairs P1, P2 of air springs 214. Secondary suspension system 208 also includes
two emergency springs 216. The central part of each crossbeam 203, 205 supports one
of the emergency springs 216. The emergency springs 216 are redundant and provide
a minimum suspension of a vehicle body on the bogie 200 in case of air pressure loss
in the air springs 214.
[0005] By arranging the emergency springs 216 in the bogie's centre, in emergency suspension
mode, bogie 200 and its vehicle body can perform a compensating rolling movement relative
to each other when encountering twisted rails, which prevents derailing.
[0006] However, in emergency suspension mode, the weight of the vehicle body is taken up
via the emergency springs 216 by the crossbeams 203, 205. This means that the crossbeams
203, 205 must have a sturdy and complex design, which makes the bogie 200 heavier
and more expensive.
[0007] An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a bogie for a railway
vehicle with a secondary suspension system having an emergency spring device that
combines good derailing protection with great constructional simplicity.
[0008] This object is achieved with the above-defined bogie, characterised in that the emergency
spring device comprises a load balance device adapted to, during operation of the
bogie as a vehicle body support and in case of air pressure loss in the air springs,
balance the loads between emergency springs on opposite longitudinal sides by moving
these emergency springs in opposite directions, and thus enable a relative rolling
movement between the bogie and the vehicle body.
[0009] Thanks to the inventive load balance device that compensates a load difference between
two opposite emergency springs by moving them in opposite directions, in emergency
suspension mode, the inventive bogie and its vehicle body can carry out a rolling
movement relative to each other when encountering twisted rails, thus preventing derailing.
[0010] At the same time, the inventive secondary suspension system is of simple and inexpensive
design since the emergency springs are integrated with the air springs into one spring
assembly.
[0011] According to preferred embodiments, the inventive bogie also comprises one, several
or all of the following features, taken in all technically feasible combinations:
- the bogie has two pairs of two spring assemblies, the two spring assemblies of one
pair facing each other on opposite longitudinal sides of the bogie frame;
- the load balance device operates hydraulically;
- the hydraulic load balance device comprises:
- for each spring assembly, a hydraulic piston connected thereto;
- for each spring assembly, a hydraulic pressure chamber supporting the spring assembly
and slidingly receiving its hydraulic piston; and
- for each pair of spring assemblies on opposite longitudinal sides, a hydraulic pressure
balancing line hydraulically connecting the two hydraulic pressure chambers of the
two spring assemblies;
- the two hydraulic pressure balancing lines of the two spring assembly pairs are hydraulically
interconnected;
- the two hydraulic pressure balancing lines of the two spring assembly pairs are hydraulically
separated;
- each hydraulic piston is integrally formed at the lower end of the emergency spring
of the corresponding spring assembly;
- the hydraulic load balance device includes a hydraulic liquid reservoir;
- a failure sensor for detecting a failure of the load balance device.
[0012] The invention also pertains to a railway vehicle including at least one bogie as
defined above.
[0013] Preferred embodiments of the invention will be now described in detail with reference
to the appended drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a railway vehicle with a bogie having a first
type of known secondary suspension system;
Figure 2 is a top view of a bogie having a second type of known secondary suspension
system;
Figure 3 shows a cross-section of an inventive bogie with a pair of spring assemblies
interconnected by a hydraulic load balance device according to the invention;
Figure 4 is a top view of a bogie according to the invention, with a hydraulic load
balance device having two hydraulically separate hydraulic pressure balancing lines;
and
Figure 5 is a top view of another bogie according to the invention, with a hydraulic
load balance device having two hydraulically interconnected hydraulic pressure balancing
lines.
[0014] With reference to Figure 3, there is shown a railway vehicle bogie 300 according
to the invention. Bogie 300 comprises a bogie frame 302. Bogie frame 302 has a first
and a second longitudinal beam 304, 306, as well as a crossbeam 303 extending between
the two longitudinal beams 304, 306. The longitudinal beams define two opposite longitudinal
sides 304, 306 of the bogie frame 302. A secondary suspension system 308 is installed
on the bogie frame 302. Secondary suspension system 308 is delimited by the box in
dashed lines. Secondary suspension system 308 is interposed between bogie 300 and
a vehicle body B.
[0015] Secondary suspension system 308 includes a first and a second spring assembly 310,
312 and an emergency spring device 311. Emergency spring device 311 is delimited by
a chain-dotted line. The first spring assembly 310 is mounted on the first longitudinal
beam 304. The second spring assembly 312 is mounted on the second longitudinal beam
306.
[0016] Each spring assembly 310, 312 comprises an air spring 314 and an emergency spring
316. Each air spring 314 is supported by its corresponding emergency spring 316. In
other words, each emergency spring 316 is arranged below its corresponding air spring
314, between said air spring 314 and the corresponding longitudinal beam 304, 306.
Preferably, each emergency spring 316 is a rubber spring. An upper side 317 of each
air spring 314 supports the vehicle body B.
[0017] The emergency spring device 311 comprises the two emergency springs 316 and a hydraulic
load balance device 319. The hydraulic load balance device 319 is delimited by the
dotted line. The hydraulic load balance device 319 comprises one hydraulic piston
320 and one hydraulic pressure chamber 322 for each spring assembly 310, 312. The
hydraulic load balance device 319 also comprises a hydraulic pressure balancing line
324 and a hydraulic liquid reservoir 326.
[0018] Each hydraulic piston 320 is integrally formed at the lower end of the emergency
spring 316 of its corresponding spring assembly 310, 312. Each hydraulic piston 320
is slidingly received within one of the hydraulic pressure chambers 322 and can reciprocate
therein. The bottom 328 of each hydraulic pressure chamber 322 is fluidly connected
to one end of the hydraulic pressure balancing line 324. Accordingly, hydraulic pressure
balancing line 324 hydraulically interconnects the two hydraulic pressure chambers
322. A branch-off 330 connects the hydraulic pressure balancing line 324 to the hydraulic
liquid reservoir 326. The hydraulic liquid reservoir 326 may be attached to the crossbeam
303.
[0019] The two hydraulic pressure chambers 322, the hydraulic pressure balancing line 324
and the hydraulic liquid reservoir 326 are all filled with a hydraulic liquid L, such
as oil. Together, they form a closed hydraulic liquid containing vessel.
[0020] The operation of the secondary suspension system 308 is as follows:
During normal operation, the air springs 314 are pressurised and provide a suspension
for the vehicle body B in the usual manner. In the case of air pressure loss in the
air springs 314, i.e. during emergency operation, the vehicle body B is lowered onto
the emergency springs 316. Then, let us assume that the bogie 300 encounters a section
of twisted rails such that one of the emergency springs 316 is subjected to a higher
load than the other opposite emergency spring 316. Thanks to the inventive hydraulic
load balance device 319, this excess load is transferred from one longitudinal side
304 to the other longitudinal side 306 of the bogie 300, resulting in a lowering of
the emergency spring 316 with the higher load and a rising of the emergency spring
316 with the lower load. The rising and lowering movement in opposite directions of
the emergency springs 316 is indicated by the arrows dz. More precisely, as a reaction
to the excess load, the corresponding piston 320 moves downward inside its pressure
chamber 322, thus pushing hydraulic liquid L out of this pressure chamber 322, through
the hydraulic pressure balancing line 324 (indicated by arrow F) and into the opposite
pressure chamber 322. The additional hydraulic liquid L in the opposite pressure chamber
322 then pushes the corresponding piston 320 upwards. Thanks to this load balancing,
the bogie 300 can adapt to the rail twist, which prevents derailing.
[0021] In the case of a failure of the hydraulic load balance device 319, e.g. by a loss
of hydraulic liquid L, the pistons 320 will move down to the bottom 328 of the pressure
chambers 322. Preferably, the bogie 300 is equipped with a failure sensor that can
detect such a breakdown of the hydraulic load balance device 319. The readout of the
failure sensor may be displayed to the driver.
[0022] Figures 4 and 5 show how the secondary suspension system 308 of Figure 3 can be implemented
in a bogie requiring four suspension points. Secondary suspension system 308 is simply
duplicated on the bogie. In a first variant shown in Figure 4, we have two spring
assembly pairs P1, P2 whose hydraulic pressure balancing lines 324 are hydraulically
separated. In a second variant shown in Figure 5, we have two spring assembly pairs
P1, P2 whose hydraulic pressure balancing lines 324 are hydraulically interconnected
via a hydraulic connection line 332.
[0023] In the inventive secondary suspension system, the emergency springs are arranged
directly below the air springs. Hence, a separate emergency spring arrangement in
the centre part of the bogie, as shown in Figure 2, and a corresponding special design
of the vehicle body underframe and of the bogie frame is no longer necessary.
[0024] In the inventive secondary suspension system, the vertical loads are directly transferred
from the vehicle body underframe to the longitudinal beams of the bogie frame.
[0025] Furthermore, the inventive secondary suspension system frees up the centre space
of the bogie for other components, such as a traction rod or a kingpin.
1. A bogie (300) for a railway vehicle, the bogie (300) comprising:
- a bogie frame (302) having two opposite longitudinal sides (304, 306); and
- a secondary suspension system (308) located on the bogie frame (302),
wherein the secondary suspension system (308) includes:
- at least two spring assemblies (310, 312) including an air spring (314) and equally
distributed on both longitudinal sides (304, 306) of the bogie frame; and
- an emergency spring device (311) operating in case of air pressure loss in the air
springs (314) and having an emergency spring (316) within each spring assembly (310,
312),
characterised in that the emergency spring device (311) comprises a load balance device (319) adapted to,
during operation of the bogie (300) as a vehicle body support and in case of air pressure
loss in the air springs (314), balance the loads between emergency springs (316) on
opposite longitudinal sides (304, 306) by moving these emergency springs (316) in
opposite directions, and thus enable a relative rolling movement between the bogie
(300) and the vehicle body (B).
2. The bogie (300) of claim 1, the bogie (300) having two pairs (P1, P2) of two spring
assemblies (310, 312), the two spring assemblies of one pair facing each other on
opposite longitudinal sides (304, 306) of the bogie frame (302).
3. The bogie (300) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the load balance device (319) operates hydraulically.
4. The bogie (300) of claim 3, wherein the hydraulic load balance device (319) comprises:
- for each spring assembly (310, 312), a hydraulic piston (320) connected thereto;
- for each spring assembly (310, 312), a hydraulic pressure chamber (322) supporting
the spring assembly and slidingly receiving its hydraulic piston (320); and
- for each pair (P1, P2) of spring assemblies (310, 312) on opposite longitudinal
sides (304, 306), a hydraulic pressure balancing line (324) hydraulically connecting
the two hydraulic pressure chambers (322) of the two spring assemblies (310, 312).
5. The bogie (300) of claims 1 to 4, wherein the two hydraulic pressure balancing lines
(324) of the two spring assembly pairs (P1, P2) are hydraulically interconnected.
6. The bogie (300) of claims 1 to 4, wherein the two hydraulic pressure balancing lines
(324) of the two spring assembly pairs (P1, P2) are hydraulically separated.
7. The bogie (300) of any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein each hydraulic piston (320) is
integrally formed at the lower end of the emergency spring (316) of the corresponding
spring assembly.
8. The bogie (300) of any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the hydraulic load balance device
(319) includes a hydraulic liquid reservoir (326).
9. The bogie (300) of any one of the previous claims, further comprising a failure sensor
for detecting a failure of the load balance device (319).
10. A railway vehicle comprising at least one bogie (300) according to any one of the
previous claims.