Renewal of the ballast bed of a railway

Abstract

 A wagon train is designed or operated such that when it is completely filled with new bulk material, such as ballast, it can at a longitudinal end simultaneously deliver said bulk material and receive old bulk material by operation of conveyor means that belong to the train. In one aspect, the train is longitudinally provided with stationary containers for the bulk material and conveyor to convey the bulk material between the containers and to load and unload. The conveyor means are adapted to longitudinally move the bulk material in counter flow through the train, and this simultaneously, wherein a flow follows a serpentine track. The conveyors are designed such that the fed old bulk material is conveyed to a distal container, bypassing containers in between, and is unloaded into it, and is subsequently removed there from to be unloaded into a more proximal container. Alternatively, the containers can move/displace longitudinally of the train during loading and/or unloading, while the train is stationary, in a cycle of the containers in a closed loop.

Description

From renewing the ballast bed, the following is known:

[0001] With a so called chain digger of a ballast cleaning machine (hereafter BCM) which also has a stopping machine and a ballast finishing machine, the existing ballast bed is removed from below the track and the sleepers. At the front and back of the BCM a train of wagons stands in the same track. At least a part of the old ballast is removed to the train of wagons at the one side. New ballast is fed to the BCM from the train of wagons at the opposite side of the BCM. The wagons have a special design with conveyors, such that the ballast can be loaded from the one into the next wagon of the train. Drawbacks are e.g.: high failure rate; if the conveyor of a single wagon fails, the wagons upstream or downstream are also useless; expensive wagons; complicated logistics to load/unload the trains of wagons with ballast at a different location.

[0002] The following is invented:

[0003] A train of wagons, according to the enclosed claims, with which simultaneously ballast can be fed to and, respectively, removed from the BCM, wherein the train of wagons remains at a single side of the BCM.

[0004] Preferably two transport means can alternatingly be activated, e.g. by retracting and/or pivoting, e.g. for dumping onto or next to the train.

[0005] The aspect of containers displacing relative to the train of wagons is also applicable to unloading of the train of wagons filled with old ballast (and driven away from the BCM) and reloading of it with new ballast. In this connection it can be an advantage, to design or operate the train of wagons such that the containers for containing the ballast are moved/displaced in the direction sideways of the train of wagons, while said train is stationary.

[0006] The wagons of the train are preferably identically. The containers are preferably open at the top and/or bottom.

[0007] The invention can be embodied in different manners, and they all are within the patent protection. Herefater a presently preferred embodiment is illustrated by way of the enclosed drawing. All features disclosed in the following description can in isolation or arbitrary combination also be used to embody different examples of the invention, possibly in combination with one or more features disclosed above. In the drawing shows:

Fig. 1 in side view a complete train of wagons according to a first embodiment;

Fig. 2 a perspective view of a part thereof;

Fig. 3 a perspective view of a part of a train at a loading/unloading station;

Fig. 4 a perspective view of a part of another train;

Fig. 5 a perspective view of a single wagon of fig. 4.

[0008] The train of fig. 1 has four wagons an contains twelve loose containers that are displacably received in the train and designed to contain ballast. The in the drawing left and right wagon contain a feature to displace the containers between a low and high level. The two wagons there between have containers in two layers above each other. The left wagon also contains a feature to feed ballast to the BCM and receive it from it.

[0009] As fig. 2 clearly shows, the containers bear in each layer with their bottom onto rollers below the containers which can rotate around a horizontal axis and are mounted to the wagon. Thus the containers can with little friction can move lengthwise of the train. At both sides of the containers there are rollers near the bottom that rotate around vertical axis and are mounted to the wagon. Thus the containers are guided sideways with little friction. The one and/or other type roller can be driven to provide thrust for the containers. Different moving or guiding means can also be applied. Both roller types are present at the two levels of the containers.

[0010] Fig. 3 shows the situation at a loading and unloading platform. The platform has around a horizontal axis rotating rollers to advance the containers with little friction. In the drawing a single container is illustrated partly broken. It has a bottom that can be closed by flaps (shown opened) that pivot around a horizontal axis, to be able to unload downwardly.

[0011] The procedure is as follows: The containers are filled at the platform (fig. 3) with new ballast, for which the containers are horizontally moved sideways from the stationary train from the wagon part adjacent the platform and at the lower level to move across the platform. Subsequently the filled container is moved from the platform back into the train and then advances longitudinally of the train until arrival at the last or first wagon. At that location the container is lifted to the higher level and thereafter advances in the opposite direction through the train.

[0012] The now filled train drives to the BCM, where the container closest to the BCM first transfers its contents of ballast to the BCM and then is filled with old ballast. Thereafter the relevant container advances in the direction of the opposite end of the rain and a next, with new ballast filled wagon advances towards the BCM. The containers at high level move towards the BCM and those at low level there from, or the other way around.

[0013] The containers can mutually push or pull, such that failure of a part of the propulsion does not cause a stop of the cycle of the containers.

[0014] The containers are so called put down containers with a contents of e.g. 6 m3 or 40 m3 or between that. Such containers are e.g. 5 or 7 m long, approximately 2,4 m wide and between 1 and 2 m high. They are square with open top and available in large numbers.

[0015] Fig. 4 shows a train with stationary containers. Each wagon is provided with a single container that is suspended in a frame. This frame is easily removable mounted to the flat top of the wagon. The bottom of the container is provided by a first conveyor belt that conveys longitudinally of the wagon. This conveyor has a fixed position and length and unloads onto a second conveyor belt that extends longitudinally and at an angle upward and unloads into the open top of the next container. The second conveyor belt is near its end close to the first conveyor belt upward pivoting mounted and is also longitudinally retractable to give space for a third conveyor belt (not shown in fig. 4). This third conveyor belt is shown in fig. 5 in the horizontal, longitudinally retracted, disengaged state. The third conveyor belt can pivot around an upright axis to extend at an angle upward transverse to the longitudinal direction of the wagon t project sideways beyond the wagon with its free end.

[0016] Above the containers a conveyor track extends which for each wagon is made of two in mutual extension positioned and mutually partly overlapping fourth and fifth conveyor belts. The fourth respectively fifth conveyor belt of the subsequent wagons also overlap, such that all fourth and fifth conveyor belts unload onto each other. The fifth conveyor belt of the distal wagon is absent, such that the fourth thereof unloads in this container.

[0017] The operation of the train of fig. 4-5 is as follows: All containers of the train are completely filled with new ballast. This ballast is provided to the BCM by the proximal container through its first and second conveyor belt. For that, all first and second conveyor belts operate. Thus the distal container 1 is first emptied of new ballast that proximally flowing through the first and second conveyor belts and containers in between arrives in the proximal container and then the BCM. At the same time the BCM supplies old ballast to the fourth conveyor belt above the proximal container. This ballast moves distally across all fourth and fifth conveyor belts to, while bypassing all more proximal containers, be dumped into the distal container and fill the space in said container that came available by supplying new ballast to the BCM. From that moment the old ballast is advanced proximally by the first and second conveyor belts and follows then the same track, extending between a high and low level, as the new ballast. Thus an interface between new and old ballast is formed, which interface moves proximally through the train. As soon as this interface arrives at the proximal container, the train has delivered substantially all new ballast to the BCM and is substantially completely filled with old ballast from the BCM. Now the train can be driven to a ballast depot, where the third conveyor belt is engaged. The third conveyor belt is extended and pivoted aside and up. The first conveyor belt unloads, possibly with the aid of the (partly retracted) second conveyor belt, onto the third conveyor belt which unloads to the side of the train.

[0018] Alternatively the first, second and/or third conveyor belt can be integrated or replaced by a similar functioning unit. The same is valid for the fourth and fifth conveyor belt. A conveyor belt can be made to be variable in length. In another alternative the old ballast flows exclusively distally through the train, such that old ballast is not continuously dumped into the distal wagon. In stead the distal end of the conveyor track provided by the fourth and fifth conveyor belts is advanced proximally to be located successively above each container and unload old ballast in it.

[0019] In another alternative the ballast is conveyed from the distal container proximally while bypassing the containers in between, e.g. underneath at a continuing conveyor track. The containers are then provided with a closable bottom.

[0020] The invention can also be used for applications different from processing ballast.

[0021] All described or in the drawing illustrated features provide in isolation or arbitrary combination the subject matter of this invention, also independent from their arrangement in the claims or their references.

Claims

1. A wagon train designed or operated such that when it is completely filled with new bulk material, such as ballast, it can at substantially stationary location, such as a longitudinal end, substantially simultaneously deliver said bulk material and receive old bulk material, preferably by operation of conveyor means that belong to the train.

2. Train according to claim 1, longitudinally provided with stationary containers for the bulk material and conveyor means, e.g. conveyor belts, to convey the bulk material between the containers and to load and unload, wherein the conveyor means are preferably adapted to longitudinally move the bulk material in counter or unidirectional flow through the train, and this preferably substantially simultaneously, e.g. in flows at different levels and/or next to each other, wherein preferably a flow follows a sideways and/or upward serpentine track.

3. Train according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the conveyor means are designed such that the fed old bulk material is conveyed to a distal container, preferably bypassing containers in between, and is unloaded into it, possibly to subsequently remove it there from to be unloaded into a more proximal container.

4. Train according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein transport from a proximal to a distal container takes place at high level and transport from a distal to a proximal container takes place at a low level, and/or a container is unloaded at a low level where after the bulk material is lifted to be unloaded into a next container.

5. Train according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the containers can move/displace longitudinally of the train during loading and/or unloading, while the train is stationary, preferably in a cycle of the containers in a closed loop, for which the containers are provided e.g. in layers above and/or next to each other, wherein the one layer moves in the direction opposite the other layer, for which the train is preferably provided with a feature to advance a container within the train and/or transfer it from the one flow to the opposite flow, e.g. a lifting device.

6. Train according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein near the bottom of a container a preferably the bottom of the container providing conveyor means is present, onto which the container unloads and conveys longitudinally and/or upwardly and preferably unloads at the top of a next container.

7. Train according to any of the proceedings claims, wherein the conveyor means can be switched between longitudinally and transversely conveying, possibly with movable unloading location, for which preferably one or more conveyor means are one or more of retractable, collapsible, shortenable, slidable, pivotal around a horizontal and/or upright axis.

8. Train according to any of the proceeding claims with above the containers a conveyor track, e.g. for each wagon made of two in mutual elongation extending and partly overlapping fourth and fifth conveyor belts.

9. Train according to any of the proceeding claims, with a first conveyor belt onto which a container unloads, a second conveyor belt onto which the first belt unloads, a third conveyor belt onto which the first or second belt unloads, wherein preferably the second belt is designed for unloading into a container of the train and the third belt is designed to unload aside the train.

10. Wagon to provide a train according to any of the proceeding claims.

Drawing