RAILWAY VEHICLE FOR TRANSPORTING RAILS

Abstract

 Comprising at least two railroad tracks (1,2), a first railroad track (1) and a second railroad track (2), a tower (3,4) for each railroad track and rails (8) that are stored by arranging one end of the rail on a fixed support (25) in the first railroad track (1) and the other end of the rail is arranged on one fixed support in the second railroad track (2), the railroad tracks (1,2) being mutually connected by an axle (5).

Description

[0001] Railway vehicle for transporting rails, of the type comprising at least two railroad tracks, a first and a second railroad track , a tower for each railroad track , wherein the rails are stored by arranging an end of the rail on one fixed support in the first railroad track and another end of the rail is arranged on one fixed support in the second r railroad track , the railroad track being mutually connected by an axle, and comprising at least two rail storage levels, a first and a second level, the second level comprising articulated supports that support the rails, which rotate from the transversal to the longitudinal position, thus allowing access to the rails in the first level; the axle is a tubular axle through which all the cabling passes, thus defining two ends that are connected in an articulated manner at one end to the axle of the wheels axle of the first railroad track and is connected in an articulated manner at the other end to the wheels axle of the second.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Different railway vehicles are known in the state of the art that are adapted for transporting rails, which are first loaded, then to be subsequently unloaded.

[0003] Thus, state of the art is Spanish Patent nº 201830117 (ES2722348) RAILWAY VEHICLE FOR RAIL LOADING, UNLOADING AND TRANSPORT," of 2018, in the name VIAS Y CONSTRUCCIONES S.A. and COMSA SAU, referring to a vehicle for rail loading, unloading and transporting, formed by coupling several railroad tracks -type carts by subsequent latticework trusses that form an articulated vehicle capable of moving on a railway track. Each cart is provided with coupling means for coupling with other carts, with a guide and fixing means a series of railway rails, supported by the upper area of the frame of each of the carts that make up such transport vehicle; and a central tower that incorporates a rail loading and unloading crane. This vehicle is capable of loading, unloading and transporting considerably lengthy rails, for example, 72 m long, on track sections with reduced radii and limited clearance, at a stable, safe and sufficient speed.

[0004] Also known is Spanish Patent nº 200931279 (ES2384150) "RAIL UNLOADING SYSTEM", of 2009, in the name of FERROVIAL AGROMÁN S.A., which refers to a system for unloading rails comprising at least a pair of utensils for unloading rails that are supported on beams, having horizontal bearings and vertical bearings in the upper part of the utensil, and a metal frame; at least two transition platforms on the arranged rails, with horizontal and vertical bearings; each of said platforms having a rail support, a cross bar and a pair of upper structures having horizontal and vertical bearings; the transition platforms having different heights, the heights decrease the further they are from the rail carrier vehicle; and at least one anti-roll crossbar with two end clamps, each capable of coupling the respective rail to be unloaded.

[0005] It is also worth pointing out European Patent nº 0752499 (ES2122746), "RAIL LOADING WAGON", of 1996, in the name GEORG ROBEL GMBH &CO. The invention relates to a wagon for loading and unloading longitudinal rails, having a wagon structure supported by a mechanism for moving on a track. On the longitudinal direction of the wagon there are guiding rollers spaced among themselves with respect to the longitudinal rail guide between a track plane and a loading plane, which is placed on a structure of the wagon for supporting the rails. On the transversal direction of the wagon, they are spaced among themselves and run in the longitudinal direction of the wagon, being affixed to crane rails that are attached to the wagon structure. The wagon structure has at least one recess placed between the rail moving mechanisms and is provided with guiding rollers for running on the rails.

[0006] Last, it is worth mentioning European Patent nº 0682148, the utility model owned by this applicant company n° 201331466 (ES1098106) "INSTALLATION FOR TRANSPORTING LENGTHS OF ASSEMBLED TRACK", of 2013, which refers to a mobile installation for receiving, positioning and transporting track yokes configured from rails and sleepers, having a lifting device with a supporting structure having carriers with adjustable height, and a transporting cart independently positioned for positioning the track yoke next to the lifting device. The height of the supporting structure may be adjusted by means of a pair of lifting pins separated among themselves in the direction of the rail, to be laid on the track body and adjustable by means of an actuating device. The transport cart is provided, at its end sides, respectively with a track moving mechanism y and a moving mechanism connected to the rail, whose height is adjustable. The transport cart has an articulation spot between the articulation connected to the moving mechanism in the end side and the supporting structure. The transporting cart is laid on the area of the articulation spot by means of another rail moving mechanism and another moving mechanism connected to the rail, its height being adjustable, and the supporting structure of the lifting mechanism has, in its articulation spot, another pair of lifting pins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention provides an improvement in the sector of railway vehicles for transporting rails.

[0008] The closest document is Spanish Patent nº 201830117 (ES2722348).

[0009] Said document mainly solves the problem of how to transport very long rails by using a latticework joining the railroad tracks by the towers.

[0010] This solution has various drawbacks. Firstly, it does not provide for the arrangement of more rail layers. This is so because the latticework complicates the loading and the unloading both on the ground or on second floor support. For each floor of rails, the number of displacements necessary in each work is divided by two.

[0011] In addition, when lifting more than one layer of rails, the weight between the railroad tracks is increased and the positioning of the latticework becomes unstable, especially when braking and cornering.

[0012] In addition, the latticework pulls on the towers, which are the most fragile element in the whole arrangement, and therefore they may loosen and even fall down due to the weight of the rails on the railroad tracks.

[0013] Thus, the inventor has tried, at first, to increase the number of rails to be transported, as a timesaving solution, since many of the repair works are done at night. It is important to point out this improvement, since the line maintenance is usually performed between 00:30 and 04:30 a.m.

[0014] To avoid the pull of the towers and to make the whole arrangement more stable, a tubular element has been provided which is attached to the axle of the vehicle wheels, so that, being the gravity center nearer to the ground, the whole arrangement becomes more stable when the vehicle brakes and corners.

[0015] In addition, by eliminating the latticework between the towers, nothing obstacles laying second floors by placing supports to hold said rails and which, for unloading works, once the second floor has been completely unloaded, the supports are articulated and give way to the first floor.

[0016] An object of this invention is a railway vehicle for transporting rails, of the type comprising at least two railroad tracks, a first and a second railroad tracks, a tower for each railroad tracks and a number of rails that are stored by arranging an end of the rail on one fixed support in the first railroad tracks and another rail end on one fixed support in the second lorry, the lorries being mutually connected by an axle, characterized in that it comprises at least two rail storage levels, a first and a second level, the second level comprising a number of articulated supports which support the rails and which rotate from the transversal to the longitudinal position, thus allowing access to the rails at the first level, and in that the axle is a tubular axle through which all the cabling passes, defining two ends, connecting in an articulated manner at one end to the wheels axle of the first railroad tracks and connecting in an articulated manner at the other end to the wheels axle of the second railroad tracks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to facilitate the explanation, the present description includes three sheets with drawings illustrating a practical embodiment, which is provided by way of a non-limiting example of the scope of this invention:

• Figure 1 is a side view of two connected railroad tracks,
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of a railroad track having two axles, and
• Figure 3 is a front view of an embodiment including the rails.

PRACTICAL EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Thus, Figure 1 represents a first railroad track 1 and its wheels 13, and the relative wheel axle 12, a second railroad track 2 with its wheels 17 and the relative wheel axle 16, towers 3, 4 and an axle 5 with its ends, 10, 11.

[0019] Figure 2 shows a first railroad track 1 having wheels 13, frame 21 and wheel axle 12, axle 5 with its ends 10, 11, and tower 3 having a hoist 18, a structure 24 and a frame 19.

[0020] Last, Figure 3 illustrate the first railroad track 1 having wheels 13 and wheel axle 12, axle 5 having end 11, a first level 6 having articulated supports 9 and having rotation axles 22, a second level 7 having fixed supports, a number of rails 8, rail positioners 23, and tower 3 having hoist 18, structure 24 and frame 19.

[0021] Thus, in a practical embodiment, the railway vehicle for transporting rails comprises at least two railroad tracks 1, 2, a first railroad track 1 and a second railroad track 2. In this embodiment there are two of them, although there can be used as many as needed.

[0022] Comprised is also a tower 3, 4 for each railroad track.

[0023] The rails 8 are stored by arranging one end of the rail on one fixed support 25 in the first railroad track 1 and another rail end on one fixed support in the second railroad track 2.

[0024] The railroad track 1, 2 are mutually connected by an axle 5, as shown in Figure 1.

[0025] The vehicle that is the object of this invention comprises at least two storage levels 6, 7 of the rails 8, a first storage level 6 and a second storage level 7. In this embodiment, two levels are shown. However, depending on the resistance of the materials used in the railroad track, more levels could be envisaged.

[0026] The second level 7 comprises articulated supports 9 which provide support to the rails 8 and which rotate from the transversal to the longitudinal position, thus allowing access to the rails in the first level 6.

[0027] In other words, then all the rails 8 in the second level 7 have been unloaded, the articulated supports 9 are rotated from the transversal position to the longitudinal position, thus providing a free access to the first level 6.

[0028] At the same time, if we are at the loading stage of the rails 8 onto the vehicle, once the first level 6 has been completed, the articulated supports 9 are rotated from the longitudinal position to the transversal position and then the vehicle is ready for loading the rails 8 onto the second level 7.

[0029] Axle 5 is a tubular axle through which the whole cabling passes (brakes, electricity cabling, etc.). This has an advantage over the latticework of the nearest document, as the cabling is now protected from the weather and besides, it provides rigidity to the vehicle.

[0030] The axle 5 defines two ends, 10, 11, connected in an articulated manner through one end 14 to one wheel axles 12 of the first railroad track 1 and connects in an articulated manner through the other end 15 to one axle of the wheels 16 of the second railroad track 2. In other words, it is connected to one of the most resistant parts of the vehicle, the axle of the wheels 12, 16, in contrast to the nearest document, in which connection was at the tower, which made it fragile if we consider that the towers wear with the loading and unloading movements of the rails 8.

[0031] Optionally, the towers 3, 4 comprise at least one hoist 18 mounted on a frame 19 over which it moves, and the frame 19 moves transversally with respect to the tower 3,4.

[0032] An additional alternative would be to mount a crane instead of the hoist, or, alternatively, two hoists, each on each side, in order to unload simultaneously from both sides. Assembling the two-hoist option and working simultaneously, would again divide the unloading of the rails by two.
In order to decrease the unloading time (the loading time is not critical, since the loading may be performed away from the servicing line), the inventor has sought the possibility of unloading the rails from both sides simultaneously. In so doing, the inventor has optionally provided the towers with a continuous frame that allows the attachment of two hoists in each tower, having an independent synchronization and independent operation, which may allow simultaneously unloading both sides of the rail.

[0033] EI inventor has envisaged, as a security variant, the provision of a UIC braking system to the vehicle, which confers great braking efficiency.

[0034] Compared with Spanish Patent nº 201830117 (ES2722348), such patent only has a truck-type braking system, which is a limitation both in terms of the traction system and the approved of the invention, since many railway networks demand that all vehicles have a UIC (International Union of Railways) braking system.

[0035] The inventor has provided the vehicle with the double-braking system, which increases both the security and the possibilities of being approved for different networks and, additionally, allows the vehicle to be driven by any type of driving system. On the one hand, the vehicle has a truck-type braking system (yellow and red knobs) and on the other hand, the vehicle has a UIC braking system having a tube arranged inside axle 5 between the railroad tracks 1, 2. Through this automatic brake pipe of the railroad tracks, with the brake lever of the unit towing the equipment, a 5 bar pressure may be introduced in the running position. Braking takes place upon the loss of pressure of these 5 bars, either incidentally or purposely. The difference between this type of brake and that of a truck is that here the brake is fully proportional and has braking steps for exercising different pressures according to the depression occurred. These pressures will always be known and homogenous if we control the depression with a manometer in the driving cabin; all machines having this type of braking have this type of control manometer. Thus, in this braking system, if the automatic brake pipe shows a pressure of 5 bars, the braking cylinders will show a 0-bar pressure; if the TFA shows 4.3 bars, the cylinder will have 1.4 bars; with 4 bars in the automatic brake pipe there will be 2.2 bars in the cylinders and with 3.5 bars in the TFA, the cylinders will have 3.8 bars of pressure.

[0036] Thus, the operators will have two railroad tracks 1, 2, and they will join them by axle 5 through the respective wheel axles 12, 16 of each railroad track.

[0037] The wheel axles 12, 16 are part of the frame 21 of the railroad track, together with the wheels 13,17 and the braking systems (not shown).

[0038] Furthermore, the towers 3,4 thanks to the hoists 18 of the two towers 3,4, will move synchronically to lift the rails 8 from a position to the first level 6 of the vehicle. The rails 8 will stay perfectly positioned thanks to the positioners 23 provided in the supports 9, 25.

[0039] If a greater reach of the hoist 18 be needed, it may be moved relatively to the structure 24 of the tower 3, 4 thanks to its frame 19, which provides a greater range of expansion.

[0040] Once the first level 6 is filled with the rails 8, the articulated supports 9 will rotate from their longitudinal position to their transversal position thanks to the rotation axle 22; the vehicle will be available for rails 8 to fill the second level 7. Said articulated supports are provided by the positioners 23.

[0041] Once the second level 7 has been filled, if there are no more levels, the towers 3,4 will be arranged in a running position, that is, by rotating the frame 19 and the structure 24 until they are in the longitudinal position.

[0042] Next, the driving machine will drive the vehicle with the railroad tracks 1,2 that will have been mounted thereto and will drag them on the tracks. When reaching the designated site, it will proceed to perform the opposite operation and unload the rails 8.

[0043] This invention describes a new railway vehicle for transporting rails. The examples mentioned here do not limit the present invention, which may therefore undertake different applications and/or adaptations, all included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. Railway vehicle for transporting rails, of the type comprising at least two railroad tracks (1,2), a first railroad track (1) and a second railroad track (2), a tower (3,4) for each railroad track and rails (8) that are stored by arranging an end of the rail on a fixed support (25) in the first railroad track (1) and another end of the rail is arranged on one fixed support in the second railroad track (2), the railroad tracks (1,2) being mutually connected by an axle (5), characterized in that:

- it comprises at least two storage levels (6,7) of rails (8), a first level (6) and a second level (7), the second level comprising (7) articulated supports (9) which provide support to the rails (8) and which rotate from the transversal to the longitudinal position, thus allowing access to the rails in the first level (6),

- and in that the axle (5) is a tubular axle through which all the cabling passes, defining two ends (10,11), and connecting in an articulated manner on one end (10) with an axle of the wheels (12) of the first railroad track (1) and connecting in an articulated manner on the other end (11) to an axle of the wheels (16) of the second railroad track (2).

2. Vehicle according to Claim 1, characterized in that the towers (3,4) comprise at least one hoist (18) mounted on a frame (19) on which it moves, and in the frame (19) moves transversally relatively to the tower (3,4).

3. Vehicle according to Claim 2, characterized in it comprises two hoists for each tower, each for each side of the railroad track, independently synchronized.

4. Vehicle according to Claim 1, characterized in that is comprises UIC brakes.

Drawing