EP0085790B1 - Railway track reconditioning train - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Train for renewing a railway track, which comprises a working car (3) consisting of a frame-car with an empty frame of a length (L) in excess of the length (l) of one track span, said car having two trucks, the rear truck (5) being on the new track and the front truck (4) on the old track and, ahead of said frame-car, a set of cars provided with equipments for loading the excavation and, at the rear of said frame-car, transport cars for transporting the track spans, the sand and the ballast, guide rails installed on said transport cars and said rame-car, two gantries (9) adapted to roll on said guide rails installed on said transport cars and said frame-car, said gantries supporting hoisting means for lifting a track span and means for handling buckets (11) for transporting the sand and ballast, and a rolling truck (10) movable on said guide rails ahead of said two gantries and from which at least one vertically adjustable excavator (12) is suspended, said excavator covering either the full width of the excavation or only a reduced width and being movable laterally or adapted to pivot for excavating the ballast, characterized in that said train is adapted to perform also the draining of the railway track and comprises for this purpose an adjustable digging device (16, 20) mounted at the rear of said excavator (12), and consisting preferably of an endless chain (14) associated with helical transverse fins (15, 15'), said digging device being provided with hydraulic cylinders (28, 29) for moving same in the vertical and longitudinal plane, said digging device being so designed that it can dig to a depth greater than the excavator and covers the full excavation width.

Description

The invention relates to a train for carrying out the renewal of a railway track comprising a working wagon formed by a frame wagon with an empty frame of a length greater than the length of a span having two bogies, the rear bogie being on the new track and the front bogie on the old track and, at the head of the frame wagon, a train of wagons fitted with equipment for loading excavated material and, behind the said working wagon, transport wagons for the spans, sand and ballast, tracks installed on the transport wagons and the frame wagon, two gantry cranes which can roll on these tracks installed on the transport wagons and the frame wagon and being equipped with a lifting device for a span and with an operating device for skips for the transport of sand and ballast and a rolling carriage moving on said tracks, placed in front of the two gantries, and which is suspended at least one height-adjustable excavation element constructed either for the entire excavation width, or of a reduced width and laterally movable or pivoting to excavate the ballast.

This train is already known according to patent CH No. 583 822 which describes a process and a train for the complete renewal of a railway track comprising the operations of removing the old track, stripping-screening of the ballast and laying of the new track, the progress of these three operations taking place continuously, in the order indicated, in a single pass of the renewal train provided for this purpose. However, this device does not make it possible to clean up the track, that is to say the replacement of the platform.

We have already proposed in European patent application No. 28 668 a method and a train for this sanitation, the progress of the work being as follows: using a working wagon, two gantry cranes and wagons of transport equipped with tracks, all part of a first train, we proceed to the dismantling of the old spans which are replaced by working spans. On these working spans, an excavator is advanced, preceded by transport wagons which are part of a second train which is located in front of the first train in the direction of work advance. The ballast and the platform are excavated using this excavator, then the excavated earth is replaced by a layer of sand forming the new platform and which is brought by skips, fixed on the gantries of the first train, and emptied through the frame of the work car. We then proceed to the leveling and tamping of the sand. We bring, distribute and compact the ballast and finally we put the new spans always using the first train.

This solution, although satisfactory in terms of its efficiency, has the disadvantage of having to have two separate trains, the start of operations, that is to say the removal of the old spans, having to be accomplished by the first train then the excavation by the second train after the installation of working spans, then it is again the first train which distributes and compacts the new platform and the new ballast.

The methods used previously for this remediation consisted in simply using excavating machines completely independent of the track, for example excavators or excavators mounted on crawlers, which made it difficult to obtain regular digging and above all presented difficulties for the evacuation and transport of excavated material.

The purpose of the present invention is to rationalize the remediation work while saving the working time, the means used and the movement of the train provided for these works.

To this end the train according to the invention is characterized in that it is arranged to also carry out the cleaning of the track and that it comprises for this purpose an orientable digging element mounted behind the excavation element , preferably consisting of a chain with transverse spirals, said digging element being provided with hydraulic jacks for its movement in the vertical and longitudinal plane, this digging element being designed in such a way that it can dig deeper than the excavation element and covers the entire excavation width.

The advantages obtained thanks to this invention are above all the improvement in performance compared to trains known to date, the use of a single train which is supported by the rear bogie on the new track and by the front bogie on the old track, the elimination of an intermediate work track, the reduction of the work area to the length of a span plus the storage area. In addition, the machine works step by step, without interruption, to carry out all the operations necessary for the sanitation of the platform with the possibility of laying with the gantry cranes new spans, or old spans if they are recoverable , or spans consisting of old rails and new sleepers. The excavation operation can be carried out in two stages: first the ballast which can possibly be recovered, then the platform and the unloading of gravel can be done directly behind the excavator.

Another advantage of this sanitation train is a rational use of the digging element which is preferably constituted by a blade which can fulfill two functions either for leveling or for digging by adjusting it more deeply than the chain to release the material to excavate

In addition, to excavate large stones or boulders, the leveling blade, fitted with hydraulic cylinders, can make movements similar to the bucket of a mechanical shovel. To improve the penetration of the blade, it can be designed in three units each with an independent control. On the other hand, large stones that cannot be transported with the chain are put out of the platform using leveling blades. For this purpose, the large stones are wedged between the blade, the chain and the spirals and will be moved laterally until the stones arrive on the shoulders. It should also be noted that like all operations, and in particular those of excavation and leveling, are done directly from the frame wagon carried by the track, the regularity of the digging of the platform is ensured, this one taking place in the direction of the track, at a chosen depth, which makes it possible to obtain perfect flatness of the ground after the removal of the old platform and therefore good preparation before the installation of the new platform.

• La figure 1 représente schématiquement une vue d'ensemble du train d'assainissement.
• La figure 2 représente, à plus grande échelle, le wagon-cadre et son équipement.
• La figure 3 représente, schématiquement, une vue en coupe de l'excavatrice munie de spirales latérales.
• La figure 4 représente la même vue que la figure 3, mais avec une lame abaissée par rapport aux autres lames.
• La figure 5 montre une vue détaillée d'une spirale avec l'élément de creusage formé par une lame en position abaissée par rapport au niveau de l'excavatrice.
• La figure 6 représente une vue de profil de l'extrémité de l'excavatrice et de la lame de creusage repliée en position de travail.
• La figure 7 représente une vue schématique, en perspective, de la lame et de ses dispositifs de commande indépendants.
• La figure 8 représente une vue de profil d'une variante d'exécution de la lame munie d'un râteau-arracheur.
• La figure 9 représente une vue partielle, de face, de la lame selon la figure 8.
• La figure 10 représente schématiquement une vue d'ensemble d'une variante d'exécution du wagon-cadre.

In what follows, the invention is explained in more detail using drawings representing several embodiments:

• Figure 1 schematically shows an overview of the sanitation train.
• Figure 2 shows, on a larger scale, the frame wagon and its equipment.
• Figure 3 shows, schematically, a sectional view of the excavator provided with lateral spirals.
• Figure 4 shows the same view as Figure 3, but with a blade lowered relative to the other blades.
• FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of a spiral with the digging element formed by a blade in the lowered position relative to the level of the excavator.
• FIG. 6 represents a profile view of the end of the excavator and of the digging blade folded back into the working position.
• Figure 7 shows a schematic perspective view of the blade and its independent control devices.
• Figure 8 shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of the blade provided with a rake-puller.
• FIG. 9 represents a partial front view of the blade according to FIG. 8.
• Figure 10 schematically shows an overview of an alternative embodiment of the frame wagon.

The train, partially shown in Figure 1, and driven by a locomotive not shown, consists of several head wagons 1 intended for the loading of excavated material which is transported by a system of telescopic conveyor belts 2. A working wagon 3 supported by two bogies 4 and 5, has an empty frame 6 of a length L greater than the length I of a span I. This empty frame 6 is provided with tracks, extending on the rear wagons, and intended to support the different gantry cranes, two gantry cranes 9 equipped with a lifting device for a span and an operating device for skips 11 for transporting sand and ballast and, in front of these two gantry cranes 9, a rolling cart 10 to which is suspended an excavator 12 which, in principle, can be similar to that described in Swiss Patent No. 583 822 and designed either for the entire excavation width e, or as illustrated in FIG. 3, for a reduced width and laterally t mobile according to arrow F. This train further comprises rear wagons 13 for the transport of skips loaded with sand and new ballast and for the transport of new spans or new rails.

Referring to Figure 2 which illustrates in more detail the working wagon 3, we can see that the excavator 12, supported by the carriage 10, is provided with a hydraulic cylinder 13 which allows its height adjustment , other cylinders, not shown, allowing its transverse and longitudinal adjustment. This excavator 12 consists of an excavation chain 14 with two lateral spirals 15, 15 '(fig. 3), a digging element 16 constituted by a blade which will be described below in more detail, and behind the digging blade 16, a tamper 17 also controlled by hydraulic cylinders. This excavator 12 could, moreover, be pivotally mounted on a vertical axis.

To guarantee perfect digging depth and inclination of the platform, the frame of the working wagon 3 is kept horizontal or inclined according to the slope of the platform using pendulums. To maintain the longitudinal profile, that is to say to allow to orient at any time the frame 6 parallel to the platform, respectively to the bench, the frame is mounted on the rear bogie 5 via a hydraulic cylinder 40 which allows its height adjustment.

The excavation chain with the spirals 15, 15 'makes it possible to excavate the bench seat to a depth of, for example, 90 cm and over a width of 5 m. The chain brings the material excavated on the conveyor belt 2, telescopic, mounted on the front wagon 1 and which links with the trash removal train placed at the head of the machine.

In this first embodiment considered, the digging blade 16 is mounted directly on the excavator 12 which allows, as will be described later, collaboration between the blade and the excavator to remove large stones. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the excavator 12 also supports the tamper 17.

To improve the penetration of the digging blade, of a length, for example, of 2.6 m, it is designed in three lateral segments 16a, 16b, 16c (fig. 3 to 7), each controlled independently by hydraulic cylinders. 28a, 28b, 28c, to which they are articulated by a pin 30, these jacks being themselves mounted on arms 18a, 18b, 18c articulated by a pin 32 on the excavator 12 and which are also each controlled by hydraulic cylinders 29 articulated at 31 and only one of which is visible in FIG. 6. These different controls and articulations allow print individually or simultaneously with each segment 16a, 16b, 16c movements similar to those of a bucket of a mechanical shovel, this to allow excavation of large stones, rocks or large pieces of agglomerated ballast. These stones excavated by the blade are then brought back by the spirals 15, 15 'towards the chain 14 of the excavator and the stones of too large volume which cannot be transported with the chain, are put out of the platform to using blades 16a, 16b, 16c. For this purpose, the large stones will be wedged between the blade 16, the chain 14 and the spirals 15 and the whole will be moved laterally until the stones arrive on the shoulders.

Of course, the blade 16 could be manufactured in a single segment, in two segments or in addition to three segments, but it is obvious that a blade in several segments, individually adjustable, allows better removal of the stones and easier handling. than with a large blade. As illustrated in FIG. 4, if necessary, a single segment 16c can be lowered by a height h with respect to the level of the other segments 16a, 16b to tear off a stone which would be there, or as illustrated in FIG. 5, the segments 16a, 16b can be lowered by the same height h2 from the level of the excavator. In the case of a blade composed of several lateral segments, it would also be possible to provide a pivoting of each segment on an individual vertical axis.

To guarantee a sufficient breakout force, the excavator 12 is moved to the working wagon 3 using winches mounted on the front and rear wagons.

The gravel and the ballast are equalized with the blade 16 and spirals 15 which allow the material to be transported outside either with an orientable blade mounted on the suspension of the groomer, as will be described later.

According to the embodiment shown in Figures 3 to 7, the lower part of the blade 16 is provided with teeth 19 which ensure better stripping of the ballast but which have no disadvantage when using the blade for leveling of the platform or bench, these teeth forming only small unimportant grooves.

According to another alternative embodiment illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, the digging element is constituted by a rake-puller 20, consisting of three lateral parts 20a, 20b, 20c adjustable in the longitudinal plane and in depth and which allow further improve the excavation of the old ballast. Each part 20a, 20b, 20c of the rake-puller is mounted on an arm 22 articulated by an axis 26 to a second arm 21 itself articulated on the excavator 12 by an axis 32. The arm 21 can be tilted around the axis 32 by a hydraulic cylinder 29 while the arm 22 can tilt around the axis 26 under the action of a hydraulic cylinder 25 which is articulated on the one hand by an axis 25 'on the arm 21, d' on the other hand by a pin 25 "on the arm 22. This rake-tearer 20 is also combined with a leveling blade 23, also consisting of three segments 23a, 23b, 23c and which is independently adjustable in depth, by means of jacks 24a etc, so that the three segments of this blade can work, or not, on the same level as the three parts 20a, 20b, 20c of the rake.

According to another alternative embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the excavator 12 comprises only the excavation chain 14 and the spirals 15, 15 ′, but it is not combined, as in the embodiment previously described, with the digging and leveling blade or a groomer. The digging blade 36, subjected to the action of a system of hydraulic cylinders 38, shown diagrammatically, is in this case mounted on an independent carriage 35 which rolls on the track of the working wagon, behind the carriage 10 supporting the excavator 12 and this carriage 35 is provided with an independent traction system so that it can be moved independently of the excavator 12. This carriage 35 can also support the groomer 37.

• - démontage des anciennes travées au moyen des portiques 9,
• - excavation de l'ancien ballast et de l'ancienne plate-forme et transport du matériel à l'aide des tapis roulant 2 sur les wagons 1 en tête du train,
• - égalisation et compactage de la plate-forme ou banquette,
• - transport et déchargement du nouveau gravier au moyen des portiques. Cette opération peut être exécutée dès que les premiers mètres de la plate-forme sont excavés et damés,
• - égalisation du gravier avec la lame d'égalisation et compactage,
• - transport et déchargement du nouveau ballast au moyen des portiques,
• - égalisation et compactage du nouveau ballast,
• - pose des nouvelles ou des anciennes travées ou des travées se composant d'anciens rails et de nouvelles traverses, à l'aide des portiques,
• - avancement du train d'assainissement.

The work which is always done through the empty frame is as follows:

• - dismantling of the old spans by means of gantries 9,
• - excavation of the old ballast and the old platform and transport of the material using the conveyor belts 2 on the wagons 1 at the head of the train,
• - equalization and compacting of the platform or bench,
• - transport and unloading of new gravel by means of gantry cranes. This operation can be carried out as soon as the first meters of the platform are excavated and groomed,
• - leveling of gravel with the leveling and compaction blade,
• - transport and unloading of the new ballast by gantry cranes,
• - equalization and compaction of the new ballast,
• - laying new or old spans or spans consisting of old rails and new sleepers, using gantries,
• - advancement of the sanitation train.

Claims (11)

1. Train for renewing a railway track, which comprises a working car (3) consisting of a frame-car with an empty frame of a length (L) in excess of the length (I) of one track span, said car having two trucks, the rear truck (5) being on the new track and the front truck (4) on the old track and, ahead of said frame-car, a set of cars provided with equipments for loading the excavation and, at the rear of said frame-car, transport cars for transporting the track spans, the sand and the ballast, guide rails installed on said transport cars and said rame-car, two gantries (9) adapted to roll on said guide rails installed on said transport cars and said frame-car, said gantries supporting hoisting means for lifting a track span and means for handling buckets (11) for transporting the sand and ballast, and a rolling truck (10) movable on said guide rails ahead of said two gantries and from which at least one vertically adjustable excavator (12) is suspended, said excavator covering either the full width of the excavation or only a reduced width and being movable laterally or adapted to pivot for excavating the ballast, characterized in that said train is adapted to perform also the draining of the railway track and comprises for this purpose an adjustable digging device (16, 20) mounted at the rear of said excavator (12), and consisting preferably of an endless chain (14) associated with helical transverse fins (15, 15'), said digging device being provided with hydraulic cylinders (28, 29) for moving same in the vertical and longitudinal plane, said digging device being so designed that it can dig to a depth greater than the excavator and covers the full excavation width.

2. Train as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the digging device (16, 20) is so designed that it can be utilized as a means for levelling the formation of the roadbed foundation, the sand and the ballast.

3. Train as claimed in claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the digging device (16) consists of a blade made of several pivotally-mounted lateral sections (16a, 16b, 16c) each provided with hydraulic cylinders (28a, 28b, 28c) so that they can be moved separately or together in the vertical and longitudinal plane in the fashion of a power shovel bucket.

4. Train as claimed in claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the digging device (20) is constructed like a grubbing rake adjustable in the longitudinal plane and for depth, said digging device comprising a grading blade (23) disposed above said grubbing rake and adjustable independently in depth so that the blade can also operate at the same level as the excavator.

5. Train as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the grubbing rake (20) and the grading blade (23) consist each of several pivotally-mounted sections (20a, 20b; 23a, 23b); each section being controlled independently of, or in conjunction with, one another, by means of hydraulic cylinders (29, 25; 24).

6. Train as claimed in claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the digging device (16, 20) also acting as a leveller is adapted to be tilted along the track axis for obtaining the proper slant of the formation of the roadbed foundation.

7. Train as claimed in claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said digging device (16) is mounted to the excavator (12) and so arranged as to cooperate with said excavator.

8. Train as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that a rammer (17) for compacting the formation of the roadbed foundation, the sand and the ballast is mounted to said excavator (12) behind said digging device (16), and is adjustable both vertically and for inclination.

9. Train as claimed in claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said adjustable digging device (36) is mounted to an independent truck (35) rolling on the guide rails of said frame-car, behind said excavator, and provided with independent traction means so that it can be moved independently of the excavator, said truck (35) being preferably provided also with a rammer (37).

10. Train as claimed in claims 1 to 9, characterized in that traction means are provided for moving said excavator (12) and said truck (35) respectively supporting said digging device, said traction means comprising a winch mounted on the front and rear cars.

11. Train as claimed in claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the rear end of the empty frame (6) is mounted to the rear truck (5) by means of a hydraulic cylinder (40) so that the height of said empty frame can be adjusted to a position parallel to the formation of the roadbed foundation or the bench.

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