Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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VARIABLE GAUGE BOGIE WITH ROTATING AXLES AND FIXED TRACK GAUGE
CHANGE INSTALLATION
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a bogie with means for traveling
on tracks having different gauges, and more particularly to a
bogie with rotating axles provided with a gauge changing device
in cooperation with a changing installation arranged between two
tracks having different gauges, and to a fixed track gauge
change installation.
Background of the Invention
The applicant of this invention developed several decades
ago a track gauge changing system, object of patent ES 332,453,
in response to Renfe's initiative to ask for tenders for
solutions to prevent passengers from having to change trains at
the Spanish-French border, which up until that time had to be
done due to the different gauge of the tracks on the Iberian
peninsula (1668 mm) in relation to European tracks (1435 mm).
On one hand, that system involves incorporating in railway
units a translation device of the wheels of their axles and, on
the other hand, a fixed installation assembled between the
tracks having different gauges. The operation for changing the
distance between wheels is performed automatically, without
human intervention, with the passage of the train over said
installation in five continuously occurring phases; in the first
phase, the wheels are released from their vertical loads; in the
second phase, the wheel axle assemblies are released from a
lateral locking mechanism holding them in their running
position; in the third phase, the wheels, which are released
from the vertical load and from their lateral lock, enter into
guides which, as the axle moves forward, laterally move them to
their new running position, in accordance with the new track
gauge; in the fourth and fifth phases, the wheel assemblies are
laterally locked again and the vertical load is applied to the
axle again, thereby concluding the change operation.
After this innovation, which was a major milestone in
railway technology, the applicant of this invention has made
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different developments to apply the system to different railway
structures: independent axles, bogies, freight bogies and motor
bogies and, among them, the one described in patent ES 2 130 039
"Conjunto de eje ferroviario dotado de cambio automatico de
ancho de via y adaptable a bogies convencionales de mercancias"
("Railway Axle Assembly provided with Automatic Track Gauge
Change and Adaptable to Conventional Freight Bogies"), which can
be incorporated the conventional freight bogies to replace the
assembled fixed-gauge axles without requiring a substantial
modification thereof.
The axle integrates two independent running assemblies
(wheel with short axle or half-axle and two bearings), the gauge
change between wheels being performed by the simultaneous
transverse movement of the two running assemblies in a manner
similar to that used in TALGO trains although, rather than
including locking devices in the two bearings of each running
assembly, they only incorporate the locking device in the inner
bearing.
Structurally, the axle assembly comprises an axle chassis
on which are assembled the two running assemblies and their
locking systems, a connection device between running assemblies,
two translation frames of the brake blocks, an electrical
continuity system between the wheels or an electrical shunting
system and a device for detecting hot inner bearings.
Although the technology described in patent ES 2 130 039
has facilitated the adaptation of traditional freight bogies to
variable track gauges, the railway industry constantly demands
new solutions to face the different problems posed by the
adaptation of railway freight wagons to tracks having different
gauges. In this sense, it must be indicated that, particularly
in Spain, the implementation of the European gauge in the high-
speed network has intensified the technological needs relating
to the track gauge change.
The present invention aims to meet this demand.
Summary of the Invention
An object of the present invention is to provide a freight
bogie that can adapt to railroad tracks having different gauges
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in which the non-suspended weight component is minimized.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a
freight bogie that can adapt to railroad tracks having different
gauges in which the risk of the accidental unlocking of the
device which allows varying the distance between the wheels is
minimized.
These and other objects are achieved with a bogie
comprising a bearing platform of a railway wagon and at least
one rotating axle on which are assembled two wheels by means of
a coupling device which allows their lateral movement and which
is provided with a track gauge change device using means which
prevent/allow the lateral movement of each wheel and between
them a lock which is vertically movable when actuated by
locking/unlocking guides provided for that purpose in a fixed
installation for performing the track gauge change, in which:
- Said coupling device has connected thereto fixing guides
by means of which its lateral movement is controlled so as to be
located in the positions corresponding to the two track gauges.
- Said rotating axle includes bearing parts of said
platform internally including bearings and housings to receive
said fixing guides and said lock, as well as means to facilitate
its locking/unlocking by cooperating with those of said fixed
installation;
- Said rotating axle incorporates at its ends bushes fixed
to the axle.
- Said bearing parts also include a side chassis with
support shoes in the fixed installation and a central collar
serving as support for the end of the axle during the passage
through the fixed installation through a semicircular bush
connected to said central collar.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the bogie also
comprises a bolt as an additional safety element connected to
each lock through a horizontal spring for the purposes of
preventing its vertical movement in cooperation with a retaining
element of said bolt connected to a bearing part.
Another object of the invention is to provide a fixed
installation to perform the gauge change operation adapted to a
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bogie provided with means which minimize the risk of the
accidental unlocking of the device which allows varying the
distance between the wheels.
This object is achieved with a fixed installation for
performing the track gauge change comprising sliding and bearing
guides, lateral movement guides and locking/unlocking guides, in
which the head of the locking/unlocking guides is configured
such that it can laterally move said bolt, overcoming the force
of said horizontal spring.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will
be understood from the following detailed description of an
illustrative and non-limiting embodiment of its object in
relation to the attached drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figures lA to 1E are cross-section views of half an axle of
the bogie according to the present invention in the five phases
of the track gauge change process.
Figures 2A to 2E show side views of half an axle of the
bogie according to the present invention in the five phases of
the track gauge change process.
Figures 3A and 3B are simplified side-section and cross-
section views of the axle of the bogie according to the present
invention showing the basic elements of the track gauge change
device.
Figures 3C, 3D and 3E show plan and section views of the
ring incorporating the fixing guides.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the fixed track gauge change
installation.
Figure 5 is a section view of the track gauge change
installation, taken along line A-A of Figure 4.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments
The bogie according to the present invention includes:
- A platform the load of which is transmitted through the
suspension springs 11 .
- At least one rotating axle 2 on which there are assembled
at each of its ends:
a) A wheel 1 by means of a coupling device allowing its
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lateral movement.
b) A bearing part 10 of said platform,
c) A track gauge change device using means which
prevent/allow the lateral movement of the wheel 1 and between
5 them a lock 22 which is vertically movable when actuated by
means provided for that purpose in the fixed installation.
In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the
figures the coupling device for coupling the wheel 1 to the axle
2 comprises:
- A bush 3 integral with the wheel 1 and sliding on the
axle 2 including at its end a ring 7, with an axial inner
bearing 8, to which the fixing guides 18 are fixed.
- A tubular element 4 fixed to the central part of the axle
2 by means of the bushes 5 and 6.
There is a separating bush 9 between the wheel 1 and the
bearing axial 8 to constantly maintain the distance.
The bush 3 cooperates with the tubular element 4 for the
lateral movement of the wheel 1 during the gauge change
operation. For that purpose the tubular element 4 can be
provided with inner grooving and the bush 3 can include a head
3' cooperating with said grooving during the lateral movement of
the wheel 1 in the gauge change operation taking place, as will
be seen below in further detail, by means of the movement of the
fixing guides 18, integral with the bush 3 which, in cooperation
with the lock 22, determines the two positions of the wheel 1
corresponding to the two track gauges involved.
The bearing parts 10 are in contact with the axle 2 through
the bearings 12 and include inner housings to receive said
fixing guides 18 and said lock 22 as well as stops 20 provided
to serve as positioning and insertion means for the lock 22.
The central part of the axle 2 on which the wheels 1 are
located in the positions corresponding to the two track gauges
by means of the coupling device which has been described has a
larger diameter than that of its end parts. There is a bush 8'
serving as a stop for the movement of the bush 3 in the area of
transition between the two gauges. At the ends of the axle 2
there is arranged a bush 13 together with a cover 15 fixed to
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the axle 2 by means of screws serving as a protective element
for the same during the track gauge change operation as well as
for the stop of the bearings 12.
The bearing parts 10 also include a side chassis with
support and sliding shoes 16 in the fixed installation, for
which purpose they have nylon guides 17 and a central collar
serving as support for the end of the axle 2, covered by the
bush 13, during the passage through the fixed installation
through a semicircular bush 14 connected to said central collar
which is preferably made of bronze. As will be seen below,
during the track gauge change operation, the bogie is supported
and slides on these shoes 16, the wheels 1 being load-free.
As a person skilled in the art will understand, this
configuration of the side chassis of the bearing parts is
determined at least in part by the arrangement of the centering
and sliding guide rails 19. If these rails had any other
arrangement, the configuration of the side chassis would
logically be modified such that it carried out the indicated
functions.
The lock 22 is formed by two vertical rods connected to one
another by a hollow bridge designed so that the head of the
double T-shaped unlocking guide 24 of the fixed track gauge
change installation is introduced through said bridge, and it
has nylon guides 23. To prevent accidental locking/unlocking,
the lock includes pretensed safety springs 28 to prevent
unwanted vertical movements of the lock 22 when it is not in
contact with the unlocking guide 24.
In the embodiments shown in the figures, the fixing device
has an additional safety element formed by the bolt 25,
connected to the lock 22 and laterally movable, overcoming the
force of the horizontal spring 21, and a retaining element 26
connected to the bearing part 10. When the spring 21 is at rest,
the bolt 25 is in contact with the retaining element 26
preventing the vertical movement of the lock 22. In order for
this movement to be possible it is necessary to apply a force in
the spring 21 which laterally moves the bolt 25 and prevents its
being retained by the retaining element 26.
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The track gauge change process upon the passage through the
mentioned fixed installation, the essential components of which
are listed below, is described below in reference to Figures 4
and 5:
- Ends of the rails 31 of the larger-gauge track.
- Ends of the rails 32 of the smaller-gauge track.
- Centering and sliding guide rails 19.
- Unlocking and locking guides 24 of the locks 22.
- Translation guides 27 of the wheels 1.
The fixed installation is bidirectional, the change from a
larger to smaller gauge track being performed in one direction
while the reverse is performed in the opposite direction.
The track gauge change process of a wagon reaching the
installation from the larger-gauge track is performed as
follows.
First Phase
When the wheels 1 reach the downward area of the end of the
rails 31 the gradual lowering of the bogie starts until the
sliding shoes 16 contact with the centering and sliding guide
rails 19. After this time, the wheels 1 are load-free, remaining
that way during the entire change process until contacting with
the smaller-gauge rails 32 at the end of said process.
Second Phase
Once the axle 2 is centered and supported on the centering
and sliding guides 19, the heads of the end of the unlocking
guides 24 are introduced into the bridge of the lock 22 and
given the downward profile of this guide, the force of the
vertical springs 28 is overcome and the locks 22 are forced to
drop down, leaving the fixing guides 18 unlocked, therefore
being free to move laterally, and with them the wheels 1.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention in which the
fixing device includes the bolt 25 as an additional safety
element, in this phase it is also necessary to act on the
horizontal spring 21 in order to laterally move the bolt 25,
thereby preventing the retaining element 26 from preventing the
lock 22 from dropping. For this purpose one of the sides of the
head of the unlocking guides 24 of the fixed installation has a
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double T-shape with a progressively variable gauge from the ends
to the center, smaller at the ends than in the center, as can be
seen by comparing figures 1B and 1C; therefore the guide 24
serves as an element for actuating the horizontal spring 21
controlling the lateral movement of the bolt 25.
For their part the guides 27 cause the lateral movement of
the coupling device for coupling the wheels 1 to the axle 2
until reaching the position corresponding to the smaller-gauge
track 32.
Third Phase
The downward profile of the guide 24 forces the lock 22 to
move up, locking the guide 18 in the new position.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention including the
bolt 25 and the guide 24 with one of the sides of the variable
gauge head, at the end of the phase the spring 21 remains at
rest and the bolt 25 is retained by the retaining element 26.
Fourth Phase
When the wheels 1 reach the rails 32 the shoes 16 are no
longer supported in their sliding guides 19, the track gauge
change operation ending.
Although the present invention has been described entirely
in relation to preferred embodiments, it is obvious that
modifications can be introduced in its scope as the latter is
not considered to be limited by the foregoing embodiments, but
rather by the contents of the following claims.
Reference Numbers
1 wheel
2 rotating axle
3 bush
3' cooperating head
4 tubular element
5 bush
6 bush
7 ring
8 inner axial bearing
9 separating bush
10 bearing part
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11 suspension spring
12 bearings
13 bush
14 semicircular bush
15 cover
16 support and sliding shoes
17 nylon guides
18 fixing guides
19 centering and sliding guide rails
20 stops
21 horizontal spring
22 lock
23 nylon guides
24 locking/unlocking guides
25 bolt
26 retaining element
27 translation guides of the wheels
28 vertical safety springs
31 rails of the larger-gauge track
32 rails of the smaller-gauge track
