ITBO930177A1 - IMPROVEMENT OF A RAILWAY WAGON FOR THE RECOVERY AND TRANSPORT OF INDUSTRIAL ROAD VEHICLES. - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

attached to a patent application for INDUSTRIAL INVENTION entitled:

IMPROVEMENT OF A RAILWAY WAGON FOR THE RECOVERY AND TRANSPORT OF INDUSTRIAL ROAD VEHICLES.

The present invention relates to an improvement to a railway wagon for sheltering and transporting industrial road vehicles.

Is it now known to all and always topical? the big problem created in the safe and fast circulation on roads and highways by the considerable number of large goods transport vehicles (commonly called TIRs) that circulate there.

To try to alleviate, at least in part, this problem, yes? thought (also through traffic bans decreed at set times) to make these vehicles travel by rail, especially if most of them only have to cross certain territories or states without stopping there.

For this purpose, the same Applicant has made a railway wagon (see patent application IT? 3568A / 90) essentially comprising, interposed between a pair of carriages for transit on rail:

? a fixed structure consisting of a pair of parallel beams presenting at the ends? corresponding platforms connected, by means of a spherical constraint, to the pair of carriages;

? a mobile, rigid cradle structure, to lodge stable for a road vehicle, which can be supported and constrained, at its ends, on the pair of platforms, which? provided for lifting means of the same structure with respect to the carriages and to the plane of the tracks, means which are arranged constrained centrally and below the latter;

- of the rotation means of the mobile cradle structure, interposed, barycentrically, between the lifting means and the structure itself, acting on the latter so? to allow its movement, from a shelter position, parallel to the fixed structure, to a position rotated on its own barycentric axis;

- relative coupling means between the beams of the fixed structure and the mobile cradle structure, acting on the same beams in correspondence with the passage from the shelter position to the operating lifting position, to allow a lifting of the beams such as to originate a mutual separation of the platforms.

This solution allows the loading / unloading of the industrial vehicle in a convenient and fast way without the need for particular infrastructures inside the railway station used for the purpose (if not a square with a height equal to that of the rotating structure to allow the aforementioned loading operation /I unload); the vehicle housing structure also d? the possibility? to diversify the load according to the e? needs of the moment (a single truck without a tractor, a series of tractors, more trucks of small and medium tonnage, etc.).

Of course, after the study and design phase, yes? passed to the construction phase of the wagon in question and, through practical tests, yes? denoted that the means of rotation which materialize in a central rotating part of the mobile part which in practice also supports all the weight of the same mobile wagon, were not sufficiently suitable to support both the static weight (i.e. during the transport phase on rails) , that the horizontal alignment of the wagon during the rotation for the loading and unloading: in practice the central fifth wheel, even if oversized, can? cause a faulty operation of the mobile carriage, such as for example an excessive tilting of the carriage itself during rotation with consequent possible damage to the whole structure; not to mention the fact that such a solution involves certainly not negligible weight and bulk.

The purpose of the present invention? therefore that of eliminating the aforementioned drawbacks through the improvement of the railway wagon for the shelter and the transport of industrial road vehicles of the aforesaid type which allows a greater quick and easy handling of the mobile carriage and greater stability safety both during the loading and unloading phases of the vehicles and during the rail transport phase.

The technical characteristics of the invention, according to the aforementioned purposes, are clearly evident from the content of the claims reported below and the advantages thereof will become more evident in the detailed description that follows, made with reference to the attached drawings, which represent a purely exemplary embodiment and non-limiting, in which:

? Figure 1 is a side view of a part of the improved railway wagon object of the present invention;

- figure 2 illustrates, in an enlarged side view with some parts removed and others in section, a detail A of which in fig. 1, in which locking latches forming part of the improvement in question are visible;

- figure 3 illustrates, in an enlarged side view with some parts removed and others in section, a detail B of fig. 1, in which further locking latches and stabilizing means are visible;

Figure 4 is a schematic top plan view of the improved railway wagon in question;

- figures 5 and 5a show, in an enlarged top plan view and a side view respectively with some parts removed, a detail D of which in fig. 4, which illustrates a part of the virtual fifth wheel for rotation of the wagon in question;

- figures 6 and 6a show, in an enlarged top plan view and respectively side view with some parts removed, a detail E of which in fig. 4, which illustrates another part of the virtual slewing ring of the wagon in object;

- Figure 7 illustrates, in an enlarged top plan view and with some parts removed for me? it is better to highlight others, a detail G of which in fig. 4 in which part of the lifting means of the wagon in question are visible;

- Figures 8, 9, 10 'and 11 illustrate, all in a schematic top plan view, the various opening phases

In accordance with the attached figures, the improvement in question? built on a railway wagon for the shelter and transport of industrial road vehicles (indicated with S in the figures).

The railway wagon includes in its essential parts (visible in figure 1, where only a part of it is illustrated as the wagon is almost mirrored in its structure with respect to a vertical plane):

- a pair of standard trolleys 1 for rail handling 3 among which? interposed a fixed structure 6 for joining them by means of a pair of parallel and coplanar beams & a and 6b arranged above the rolling surface of the carriages 1 and connecting, at their ends, a pair of platforms 6c and 6d coinciding with the platforms of the corresponding trolley 1;

- a mobile, rigid, cradle-like structure 4 for stable housing for the road vehicle 5 provided, at its ends, with support arms 4a for the cradle structure itself on the pair of platforms 6c and 6d; - means 7 for lifting the cradle structure 4, with respect to the trolleys 1, arranged below the latter and centrally with respect to the cradle structure itself and movable, on command, between two extreme positions, one of rest, in which the means 7 are housed inside the vertical dimensions of the railway wagon, and an operating lifting unit, in which the means 7 are located outside the vertical dimensions of the wagon, in an extended configuration and in contact with a reference P below;

- of the means 9 for rotation of the cradle structure 4 acting on the latter so? to allow its movement, on external command, between a shelter position, in which the cradle structure 4 is located in the interior. no of the overall dimensions defined by the pair of trolleys 1 and a position for unloading / loading the road vehicle. 5 in correspondence with the aforementioned position o? perative of the lifting means 7, in which the cradle structure 4 is rotated around a vertical barycentric axis X, and outside the plan dimensions of the carriages 1;

- the means of attachment or contact? relative between the pair of beams ?? a and? b of the fixed structure and the mobile cradle structure 4, acting on the same beams in correspondence with the transition from the shelter position to the operating lifting position; so ? It is possible to obtain a lifting with bending of the beams 6a and 6b such as to originate a mutual separation of the platforms 6c and 6d with a consequent increase in the relative internal bulk in the longitudinal direction.

For simplicity? some of these elements specified and others, not essential, but still present, will not be fully illustrated as they are of a known type or in any case already? widely described in patent application IT? 3568A / 90 of the same Applicant.

Pi? in detail, the improvement in question refers to the aforementioned rotation means 9, which are constituted (see in particular Figs. 4, 5, 5a, 6 and 6a>) by a virtual frame, indicated as a whole with Rv, comprising a rotation pivot 10, not load-bearing, stably interposed and connected between the fixed structure 6 and the mobile cradle structure 4, in correspondence with the vertical barycentric axis X, with which the two structures 4 and 6 are connected and with which The rotation of the cradle 4 is possible thanks to movement means preferably constituted by hydraulic actuators interposed between the same pin 10 and the fixed structure (illustrated here simply with a pair of cylinders indicated, schematically colored because they are of a known type). 4 it is clearly visible how the hydraulic actuators 10c are constrained, each at its own end, to the external part of the relative beams 6a and Ab, while the stem 10s of each is connected to an arm 10b horizontal integral with the fifth wheel pin 10.

In cooperation with the fifth wheel pin 10 are provided a plurality of of rollers 11a and lib slidingly interposed between the base surface of the cradle 4 and the plane defined by the pair of beams 6a and 6b, and tangentially disposed with respect to the barycentric axis of rotation thus? to define a plane of rotation of the mobile cradle of large diameter (although the fifth wheel pin is small and not load-bearing) and able to allow the adaptation of a rigid support surface R of the cradle 4 with respect to the pair of beams 6a, & b in correspondence of the aforementioned lifting with bending of the same beams: in practice, the fifth wheel, which we have defined as virtual, measures in diameter the maximum distance between the pairs of rollers or wheels pi? distant.

Pi? in detail (see always figs. 4, 5, Sa, 6 and 6a) the plurality? of rollers 11 consist of a first 29 (with a smaller distance or diameter) and a second 30 (with a greater distance between centers) series of four rotatably idle wheels: each wheel of the first series 29? connected, by means of a relative plate 29p welded to the mobile cradle 4 and bolts 36 which connect the small wheel to the same plate, below the cradle structure 4; the wheels 39 are stably arranged two by two on opposite sides of the barycentric axis X of rotation of the same cradle and are sliding on a pair of arched corridors or guides 31 presented by the pair of beams 6a and 6b.

Each wheel of the second pair 30? instead fixed to the lower plane defined by the pair of beams 6a and 6b, also by means of a plate 30p welded transversely to the outside of the relative beam and connected to the small wheel by means of the bolts 37; the wheels 30 are arranged, in pairs, at the ends? of the fixed structure 6 and slide on a corresponding second pair of arched corridors or guides 33 presented by the lower surface of the cradle 4.

The latter? also provided with stabilization means 31, movable vertically, arranged at the ends? of the same cradle and agents between the latter and a walkable surface C where these means 31 slide, in correspondence with the loading / unloading position of the same cradle so? to allow it to be balanced in such a way as to keep it substantially parallel to the reference plane P-Pi? precisely these stabilization means 31 are constituted (see in particular Figs. 1 and 3) by a pair of hydraulic actuators 33 for each vertex of the cradle 4, which are fixed, at one end, to the same cradle, or more? precisely to the relative arm 4a, through screw means 34. Each actuator 33? expected, on the end? free opposite, of. an idle wheel 35 arranged on a tangential line with respect to the rotation axis X and is vertically movable between two extreme positions (see arrow F in fig. 3): a non-operative raised wheel, in which the wheel 35 is located inside the 'vertical overall dimensions defined by the cradle 4, in correspondence with the aforementioned sheltering position of the cradle itself, and a lowered operating one, in contact with the walkable surface C in correspondence with the passage of the cradle 4 from the admission to the loading / unloading position ( the lowered position is shown in a discontinuous line in fig. 3).

The. Idler wheel 35? furthermore provided laterally with a vertical pin 40 and parallel to the axis of development of the actuator 33, external to the same and fixed below the support base 35b, and sliding vertically with the same wheel 35 so as to define the aforementioned angled position and avoid the same wheel to rotate on its own axis during contact with the walkable surface C.

Between the cradle 4 and the fixed structure & there are second relative hooking means 12, in correspondence with the aforementioned shelter position, acting between the two structures 4 and 6 at the ends. of the cradle 4 and in correspondence with the resting area of the arms 4a on the aforementioned platforms? c and? d for joining the carriages 1 and suitable for allowing longitudinal and lateral locking of the cradle 4 on the fixed structure 6.

Pi? precisely these second coupling means 12 consist (see Figs. 2 and 3) of a first 13 and a second 14 series of four hydraulic actuators: the first series 13 provides that each individual actuator is fixed stably on the fixed structure. by means of screw means 15, and arranged horizontally opposite to a corresponding lower side of the cradle 4 in such a way as to engage, in an advanced operative position (see arrow F1 of figs. 2 and 3), with its own end? free wedge-shaped 1, defining the final protruding part of the stem 20, in a complementary and corresponding first open seat 17 made on the cradle 4; the second series 14 instead provides that each actuator is fixed vertically substantially on the extremity? of each arm 4a of support cos? to be engaged, as in the previous case, with the wedge 16 in an advanced operating position in a complementary second seat 19 a? door made on the corresponding said support platform 6c and 6d.

Each of these hydraulic actuators 13, 14? provided, on the end? opposite to that in which? present the wedge 16, with safety spring means 19 acting axially on the stem 20 of the actuator 13 and 14 so? to determine the advanced operating position of the wedge 16 in the event that the hydraulic system (indicated with 41) does not work perfectly (see, for example, oil leaks from the cylinder) and such as to keep the wedge in a rear non-operating position. In practice, the spring means 19 consist of a real spring coaxially fitted on a pin 42 integral with the stem SO and retained at the ends? respectively by the same stem and by a closing cover 43 forming part of a cover 44 of the actuator 13 and 14.

As can be seen in Figs. 4 and 7, the lifting means 7 are fixed to the pair of beams 6a and 6b in proximity to each other. of the X axis center of gravity of rotation; these lifting means 7 consist of four pairs of pistons 22 and 23. two by two counterfaced and pivoted, at one end, to a support platform 24 (defining the aforementioned means 60) always transversely integral with the pair of beams 6a and 6b, and centrally to the aforementioned fifth wheel pin 10 and on the other, each pair, mutually constrained to a single support foot 25 to the reference plane P constituted by the aforementioned via ferrata 3.

Any pair of pistons 22 and 23? housed, in the aforementioned rest position, inside a corresponding seat 26 made on the platform 24, which has a double pair of horizontal and parallel brackets 27 and 23, fixed to the corresponding beam 6a and 6b, outside the overall dimensions of the same ; the pairs of pistons 22 and 23 are arranged, individually, coaxially within the horizontal brackets 27 and 23 (one of which is fully visible in Fig. 7). In this way the platform 24 also defines the aforementioned means 60 for relative coupling between the cradle 4 and the fixed structure 6.

In practice, the wagon structured in this way foresees the following phases (schematically illustrated in figs. 3 to 11): the railway wagon is stopped and braked in correspondence with a shelter of the yard (or more simply in any space useful for the movement of the road vehicle ), the direction of rotation of the cradle 4 is then set up on a control unit (not shown here because of a known type, i.e. a normal centralized control unit with sequential phases) and then the wedges 16 are released from their relative seats 17 and 19 bringing the same wedge to the rear inoperative position, cradle that remains so? simply resting on the platforms 6c and 6d of the trolleys 1 (see fig. 8); at this point they come to? once the lifting means 7 are activated, which thanks to the pairs of pistons 55 and 53 equipped with the corresponding support foot 55 raise the whole fixed structure 6 and with it the cradle 4 connected to it, resting on the reference plane P. Obviously the wheels 11a and 11b allow the cradle 4 to remain stably resting on the beams 6a and 6b.

The platform 54 (which in practice, as previously mentioned, defines the means 60) also acts on the beams 6a and 6b and the cradle structure 4 by interference between them in correspondence with the passage from the aforementioned shelter position to the operating position of lifting, cos? to have a coupling with bending of the beams 6a and 6b such as to originate a distance from each other of the platforms 6c and 6d with a consequent increase in the relative internal bulk in the longitudinal direction.

At this point the rotation means 10c are activated which allow the rotation of the cradle structure 4, around its own barycentric axis X, of a value close to 30? with respect to the longitudinal development axis of the whole railway wagon: during the first degrees of opening rotation all eight wheels 29 and 30 are active which, as the angle of divergence 1 increases between the cradle 4 and the fixed structure 6 (see arrow F3 in fig.

9), they lose contact two by two until the end of the operation in which only two wheels (opposite each other diagonally!) Actually remain operational (in figs. 9, 10 and 11 the active wheels are shown with a solid circle, while inactive ones are shown with an empty circle).

Always during the rotation phase there? also the actuation of the hydraulic stabilizers 13 and 14 which, thanks to the wheel 35, rest on the walkable surface C and allow a parallel sliding of the cradle 4 with respect to the same plane. At the end of the rotation there? the descent of slides that allow the loading or unloading of the road vehicle, an operation not illustrated here. already? widely known.

Once the loading has been completed, the cradle 4 is returned to the shelter position by reversing the aforesaid operations until the wedges 16 are closed in the relative seats.

It should be emphasized that all the mobile elements taken into consideration in the various phases are connected to a pneumatic control system (ie each element provided with a special valve) connected in turn to the braking system of the wagon; in this way, if even only one of the elements has not returned to its correct position, consent is not given for the carriage to be released.

Thanks to this type of improvement, the fei? roviario is considerably more? stable in all phases of cradle handling:

? the virtual fifth wheel of large diameter allows to react the (unbalanced) masses of the industrial vehicle and continuously adjusts the cradle to the type of variable geometry of the flexible frame, thus allowing? correct rotation of the cradle regardless of the layout of the underlying tracks;

? the stabilizers with wheels allow to keep the cradle constantly balanced during the vehicle loading / unloading phases where mass imbalances are considerable;

? the hydraulic actuators with locking wedge allow the former the longitudinal constraints, but not the mo? lateral vimeriti, and the second the lateral locks, but not the vertical movements, so? to allow also the recovery of the elastic deformations of the wagon when the load varies, thanks to the open trapezoidal seat.

The found so? conceived? susceptible to. numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept. Furthermore, all the details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS 1. Improvement of a railway wagon for sheltering and transporting industrial road vehicles of the type comprising, interposed between a pair of rail handling trolleys (1) (3): - a fixed structure (6) consisting of at least one pair of beams (6a, 6b), parallel to each other and coplanar, arranged substantially on the same plane as said pair of carriages (1, 2) and having, at its ends, a pair of platforms (6c, 6d) connected on the corresponding said trolley (1) so as to allow the mutual union of the latter; - a rigid cradle structure (4) for stable housing for said road vehicle (5) provided, at its ends, with support arms (4a) for supporting the cradle structure itself on said pair of platforms (6c, Ad); - means (7) for lifting said cradle structure (4), with respect to said trolleys (1), arranged below the latter and centrally with respect to the cradle structure itself and movable, on command, between at least two extreme positions, one of rest, in which said means (7) are located almost? housed within the overall dimensions of said railway wagon in a configuration of minimum bulk in height, and an operating lifting device, in which said means (7) are substantially arranged outside the overall dimensions of said railway wagon, in an extended configuration and in contact with an underlying reference plane (P); - of the rotation means (9) of said cradle structure (4) acting on the latter so? to allow its movement, on external command, at least between a shelter position, in which said cradle structure (4) is within the space defined by said pair of trolleys (1), and an unloading position / load of said road vehicle (5) in correspondence with said operative position of said lifting means (7), in which said cradle structure (4) is rotated, around a vertical barycentric axis (X), and outside the encumbrance of said trolleys (1); ? of the relative coupling or support means (60) between said pair of beams (6a, 6b) and said cradle structure (4), acting on the same in correspondence with the passage from said shelter position to said operating lifting position, thus ? to allow a lifting with bending of said beams (6a, 6b) such as to originate a mutual separation of said platforms (6c, 6d) with consequent increase of the relative internal dimensions in the longitudinal direction, characterized by the fact that said means (9) of rotation consist of a virtual fifth wheel (Rv) comprising a wheel pin (10)? non-load-bearing, stably interposed between said fixed structure (6) and said mobile structure (4) in cor? correspondence of said vertical barycentric axis (X) adapted to allow the connection between said two structures (4, 6) and said rotation of said cradle (4), by means of relative movement means acting on the same pei? no, and from a plurality? of rollers (11a and 11b), slidingly interposed between the base surface of said cradle (4) and the plane defined by said pair of beams (6a and 6b), and tangentially arranged with respect to said barycentric axis (X) of rotation so ? to define a rotation plane of large diameter to allow the adaptation of a rigid support surface d? said cradle (4) with respect to said pair of beams (6a, 6b) in coi? correspondence of said lifting with bending of the same beams and the fact that said cradle (4)? provided with stabilization means (21), vertically movable, arranged at the vertices of the same and acting between said cradle (4) and said reference plane (P) and sliding on the latter in correspondence with said loading position / discharge of the same cradle cos? to allow the balancing of said cue (4) in such a way as to keep it substantially parallel to said reference plane (P). 2. Improvement according to claim 1, carette? provided by the fact that on said cradle (4) second means (13) are provided for hooking the cradle to said fixed structure (A), in correspondence with said shelter position, acting between said two structures (4, 6 ) at the ends? lower of said cradle (4) and in correspondence with the resting area of said arms (4a) on said joining platforms (6c, 6d) and adapted to allow longitudinal and lateral locking of said cradle (4) on said fixed structure ? pa (6). 3. Improvement according to claim 3, characterized in that said second coupling means (13) consist of a first (13) and a second (14) series of four arranged hydraulic actuators, the first series (13), individually and horizontally to the four lower sides of said cradle (4), stably fixed to the same by means of screws (15), and able to engage with its own extremity? free wedge-shaped. (16), in an advanced operating position, in a complementary and corresponding first seat (17) open laterally made on said fixed structure (6) and the second series (14) arranged, each said actuator individually and vertically , in correspondence with a relative said support arm (4a) so? to be committed, with one's extremity? also free with? wedge-shaped (16), in an advanced operating position, in a complementary second seat (18) laterally open made on the corresponding said support platform (6c, 6d); each said hydraulic actuator (13, 14) being provided, on the end? opposite to that of said wedge (16), of safety spring means (19) a? axially on the cylinder (SO) of said actuator (13, 14) so? the said advanced operating position of said wedge (16) to be determined. 4. Improvement according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said lifting means (7) are fixed to said pair of beams (6a, 6b) and in proximity to it. of the said barycentric axis of rotation (X); said lifting means (7) being constituted by four pairs of pistons (22, 23), two by two facing each other and pivoted, at one end, to a support platform (24) integral transversely to said pair of beams (6a , 6b), and centrally to said fifth wheel pin (10), and on the other hand, each pair, mutually constrained to a single support foot (25) to said reference plane (P) constituted by said via ferrata (3); or? gnuna of said pairs of pistons (22, 23) being allog? ' located, in said rest position, inside a corresponding seat (26) made on said platform (24) having a double pair of brackets (27, 28) or? horizontal and parallel, fixed to the corresponding said beam (6a, 6b) and externally to their encumbrance, said pairs of pistons (22, 23) being arranged two by two coaxially on said horizontal brackets (27, 28); said platform (24) also defining? said means (60) for relative coupling between said cradle structure (4) and said fixed structure (6). 5. Improvement according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said rollers (10) consist of a first (29) and a second (30) series of four fastened rotatably idle wheels, the first series (29) of said wheels, to said cradle structure (4) and arranged two by two on the sides of said barycentric axis (X) of rotation of the same cradle and sliding on a pair of arched corridors (31) presented by said pair of beams (6a, 6b ); said second pair (30) of four wheels being fixed to the lower plane defined by said pair of beams (6a, 6b), arranged in pairs at and? external ends of said fixed structure (6), and sliding on a second pair of arcuate corridors (32) presented by the lower surface of said cradle (4). ' 6. Improvement according to claim 1, characterized in that said stabilizing means (21) consist of a pair of hydraulic actuators (33) for each end. of said structure? cradle (4), fixed to the same cradle - at one end of its own? by screw means (34), and each of which? expected, on the end? opposite free, of an idle wheel (35) disposed on a tangential line with respect to said axis (X) of rotation and vertically movable between two extreme positions, one of which is not operating raised, in which said wheel (35) is at the of the space defined by said cradle (4) in correspondence with the said shelter position of the cradle itself, and a lowered operational one., in contact with said walkable surface (P) in correspondence with the passage of said cradle (4) from the position of hospitalization in said gosizioir? and of loading / sea rico, 7. Improvement according to the preceding claims and according to what is described and illustrated with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings and for the aforementioned purposes.