EP3743559B1 - Stock rail - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a stock rail for use in a rail switch, comprising a rail head, a rail web and a rail foot, the stock rail having a first longitudinal section forming a contact area for a tongue rail and a second longitudinal section lying outside the contact area, the stock rail in second longitudinal section has a basic cross-sectional profile which has a central axis running through the middle of the rail head cross-section, the rail head being machined in the first longitudinal section starting from the basic cross-sectional profile, comprising a chamfer which runs inclined from a running edge in the direction of the rail web, the running edge is formed at the point of the rail head cross-section with the greatest normal distance to the central axis, and comprising a continuous width reduction of the rail head, so that the running edge compared to the basic profile closer to the central a Axis of the stock rail, wherein the rail head has at least a first location within the first longitudinal section substantially no reduction in width and at least a second location within the first longitudinal section a maximum reduction in width.

The invention also relates to a rail switch, comprising a stock rail and a tongue rail.

When driving over a switch, high forces act on the rails and, in particular, high lateral forces, which in particular depend on the radius of curvature and the deflection angle of the switch, on the speed at which the switch is driven over and depend on the axle load. Most of these transverse forces have to be absorbed by the switch rail, with particularly high loads being observed in the case of inside curved points, in which the branch track branches off from a curved main track towards the inside of the curve, due to the high inertial or centrifugal forces. This leads to increased wear, which greatly reduces the service life. In addition, modern switches must be able to be driven at very high speeds, which inevitably leads to tongue rails with long, thin tips and, associated with this, increased susceptibility to wear. It has therefore already been proposed several times to produce tongue rails from special, wear-resistant materials or to harden them by subsequent treatment. However, this has a number of disadvantages, for example head-hardened switch rails are generally not used for safety reasons because any signs of wear on the switch rail should be visible, so that a risk of breakage can be identified early. In the case of head-hardened tongue rails, however, a fracture usually occurs as a brittle fracture, so that early detection is not possible.

In the past, therefore, tongue rails have been proposed several times which are designed to be thicker in order to be able to reliably absorb lateral forces. So are from the DE-OS 2,046,391 Switch rails have become known whose tongue ends have reinforcements in the direction of the stock rails, which correspond to recesses on the running edge of the stock rail. When in contact with the stock rail, the tongue rail engages in the recesses in the stock rail so that there is a continuous running edge in the transition area from stock rail to tongue. When training according to DE-OS 2,046,391 However, the cutouts formed in the stock rail result in a significant weakening of the stock rail and the cutouts in the stock rails must therefore be filled with adjusting wedges when the tongue is in the open state. An embodiment in which the tongue rail engages in a recess in the stock rail when it is in contact with the stock rail is also known from US-A-175,699 known. From the EP 040533 A2 has also become known in an area in which the tongue rail rests against the stock rail to reduce the width of the stock rail in the head and foot areas in such a way that the tongue can be designed in accordance with the rail head profile in this transition area. However, the profile of the stock rail is also greatly weakened with this solution, so that there is an increased risk of breakage. In order not to have to excessively reduce the cross-section of the stock rail and still achieve adequate reinforcement of the switch rail, the rail head profile of the stock rail is often milled downwards in the switch contact area, as can be seen, for example, in DE PS 487877 is known.

With these suggestions for strengthening the cross-section of the tongue rail in the plant area, however, it has been found that a significant improvement in the wear resistance of the tongue rails cannot be observed and, moreover, the material removal on the running edge of the stock rail results in an undesirable change in the running edge profile. Deviations from Straight running edges produce hard impacts on the vehicle at high speeds and must therefore be avoided at all costs.

To reduce or avoid these problems, is in the EP 1516091 A1 a switch has been proposed in which the width of the stock rail cross-section or the reinforcement of the tongue rail is not uniformly reduced in the area where the tongue rail rests on the stock rail, but increases in a first area and decreases in a second, adjoining area . This creates the possibility of adapting the degree of reinforcement of the tongue rail to the transverse force curve, which means that the tongue rail has increased wear resistance and a longer service life due to the reinforcement of the tongue in the front area, so that safety is increased by reducing the risk of breakage, while at the same time the original The course of the running edge is influenced as little as possible in order to increase comfort when driving over the points.

However, this design has the disadvantage that there is a risk of burrs forming in the contact area due to the reduction in the width of the stock rail head due to a chamfer in the upper area of the stock rail head, because the angle between the chamfer and the adjoining surface of the stock rail head increases with increasing material removal, i.e. with decreasing width of the stock rail head, becomes more pointed. When driving on the stock rail with the switch rail in the open position, a running wheel comes into lateral contact with the stock rail in the area of the burr, because the stock rail has its greatest head width here. Due to this burden the risk of breakouts in the area of the burr, which significantly increases wear on the stock rails compared to an unmachined stock rail head. In addition, in this configuration, the contact geometry is also changed when the tongue rail is off, which causes uneven running in this area.

It is therefore an object of the invention to reduce the risk of breakouts on the stock rail, which are caused in particular by the running of a running wheel when the tongue rail is off, and thereby reduce wear on the stock rail. Furthermore, smooth running of the impeller should be made possible, especially when the tongue rail is off.

To solve this problem, it is provided in a stock rail of the type mentioned above that the running edge at the first point and the running edge at the second point lie essentially in a common running edge plane, which is arranged at right angles to the central axis. The running edge is preferably not only in the same running edge plane at the first and at the second point, but over a continuous longitudinal section between the first and the second point, in particular over the entire first longitudinal section, ie over the entire contact area of the tongue rail. This keeps the altitude of the running edge from the . Width reduction unaffected, so that the angle between the chamfering going away diagonally downwards from the running edge and the adjoining surface of the stock rail head can be formed in such a way that burr formation can be avoided. In particular, the said angles are also formed in the area of the maximum reduction in width essentially as at the first point formed without reduction in width, at which the chamfer runs downwards away from the running edge of the basic profile. In other words, the invention enables a design in which the width of the stock rail head is reduced essentially by horizontal displacement of the chamfered stock rail basic profile. Unlike in the prior art, the intersection of the chamfer with the adjacent curved surface area of the rail head with increasing width reduction does not cause the running edge to rise associated with an increasingly acute angle of intersection, but the geometric relationships can be designed to remain constant over the length.

The basic cross-sectional profile preferably corresponds to a Vignol rail.

Provision is preferably made for the cross-section of the rail head to have a curved surface section extending upwards away from the running edge and for an angle to be formed between the chamfer and the tangent of the curved surface section running through the running edge, which angle is at least at the first and at the second point , preferably along the entire first longitudinal section, is 0-20° greater than the angle between the chamfer and the central axis, said angle preferably being the same at the first and at the second location, preferably along the entire first longitudinal section. The choice of said angle ensures on the one hand that the running edge of the widest point of the head of the stock rail and, on the other hand, that the kink or bend formed by the running edge on the surface is not too pronounced.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the rail head has a region in the first longitudinal section in the transverse section arranged vertically above the running edge plane, the shape of which essentially corresponds to the corresponding shape of the basic profile. As a result, the tried-and-tested shape of the basic profile is retained as far as possible in order to enable the running wheel to run smoothly on the stock rail. Provision is particularly preferably made for this area to be adjacent to the running edge. A curvature with a smaller radius, for example, can be provided above this area in order to provide a transition to the basic cross-sectional profile.

Provision is particularly preferably made for the normal distance between the central axis and the edge of the rail head to decrease continuously above the plane of the running edge. This succeeds, for example, with a curved course. In this case, therefore, no areas are provided above the running edge in which the normal distance between the central axis and the edge of the rail head increases, so that no additional burr that would be susceptible to wear is provided.

Provision is preferably made for the chamfer to have a pitch of 1:2.5-1:3.5, in particular 1:3. This creates a narrowing vertically downwards, which enables the tongue rail to rest securely on the stock rail.

It is preferably provided that the running edge at the second point within the first longitudinal section is 5-15 mm, preferably 6-10 mm closer to the center axis than the first point, so that the tongue rail can be correspondingly reinforced. This achieves a sufficient increase in the width of the switch rail without the running edge of the stock rail being offset too far when the switch rails are off.

The running edge of the rail is at the rail head at the widest point, which is measured at a predefined or standardized vertical distance from the running top edge. Provision is preferably made for the running edge plane to be arranged in the first longitudinal section at a vertical distance of 10-20 mm, in particular 14 mm, from the running top edge of the rail head.

In a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the normal distance of the running edge from the central axis decreases continuously, starting from the first point to the second point, and increases again, preferably continuously, in the area adjoining the second point. In particular, this creates the possibility of adapting the degree of reinforcement of the tongue rail to the transverse force profile along the rail. In particular, it can be provided that the normal distance of the running edge from the central axis decreases linearly, starting from the first point to the second point, i.e. along a straight line, and increases again linearly in the area adjoining the second point.

Alternatively, it is provided that the normal distance of the running edge from the central axis, starting from the first point to the second point, decreases in an arc and then increases the area adjoining the second point increases again, preferably in an arc.

According to the invention, a rail switch is also provided, comprising a stock rail according to the invention and a tongue rail, the tongue rail being arranged such that it can be placed against the stock rail.

In this case, it is preferably provided that the tongue rail is reinforced towards the stock rail in accordance with the reduction in the width of the stock rail head in cross section.

Another preferred embodiment provides that the width of the stock rail head decreases, starting from the tip of the tongue rail when the tongue rail is in contact, to a point within the first longitudinal section that forms the contact area, at which point a running wheel traveling on the track comes into lateral contact with the tongue rail and increases in the subsequent first longitudinal section and that the tongue rail is designed to be reinforced towards the stock rail in accordance with the reduction in the width of the stock rail head in cross section. The greatest reinforcement of the tongue rail is therefore in the sensitive transition area of the load from the stock rail to the tongue rail, and this results in an increase in cross-section and thus an increase in the moment of inertia of the tongue rail, so that the tongue rail can better withstand the increased lateral forces. By preferably constant change in cross-section, a sudden track change is avoided, so that the Ride comfort is not negatively affected and impact loading of the rails is avoided.

A particularly resilient and wear-resistant switch results when the greatest reinforcement of the tongue rail is formed in that area in which the running wheel comes into lateral contact with the tongue rail and the switch according to the invention is therefore further developed according to a preferred embodiment in such a way that the point with the greatest reinforcement of the tongue rail or with the smallest width of the stock rail head at a distance of 1/6 to 1/3, preferably 1/4, of the length of the system of the tongue rails on the stock rail from the point of the tongue.

Alternatively, it can be provided that the point of the greatest reinforcement of the tongue rail is near the tip of the tongue and in this context the design is such that the point with the greatest reinforcement of the tongue rail or with the smallest width of the stock rail head is at a distance of 1 /20 to 1/10 of the length of contact between the tongue rail and the stock rail from the point of the tongue.

In order to achieve a particularly smooth transition of the running wheel from the stock rail to the switch rail, the switch is advantageously further developed in such a way that the vertical height of the switch rail in the area of contact with the stock rail increases, starting from the tip of the switch towards the end of the system. This results in a continuous transfer of the rolling load from the stock rail to the switch rail.

In particular, it is provided that the tongue rail is arranged at the point of the tongue below the running edge of the stock rail, so that there is no contact between a wheel and the tongue rail at the point of the tongue, and that the tongue rail extends into the plane of the running edge at the point of the maximum width reduction of the stock rail. Because the tongue rail extends into the running edge plane at the point of maximum width reduction of the stock rail, the running wheel can come into lateral contact with the tongue rail in the area of this point.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing. in this show 1 a plan view of a first embodiment of a rail switch according to the invention, 2 a plan view of a second embodiment of a rail switch according to the invention, 3 a plan view of a third embodiment of a rail switch according to the invention, 4 a cross section of the rail switch according to the invention along the line AA Figures 1-3 , figure 5 a cross section of the rail switch according to the invention along the line BB Figures 1-3 , 6 a cross section of the rail switch according to the invention along the line CC of Figures 1-3 , 7 a detailed view of the cross section of a stock rail according to the invention and 8 a detailed view of the stock rail according to the invention with an adjacent tongue rail.

In 1 a rail switch according to the invention is shown in a first embodiment, comprising a stock rail 1 and a tongue rail 2. In the illustration, the tongue rail 2 bears against the stock rail 1 in a first longitudinal section 3 forming a contact area. A second longitudinal section 4 is arranged in the longitudinal direction before and after the first longitudinal section 3, in each of which the stock rail 1 has a basic cross-sectional profile. In the first longitudinal section 3 the basic cross-sectional profile is machined, so that the head of the stock rail 1 is chamfered and has a width reduction compared to the longitudinal sections 4 . The tongue rail 2 is reinforced in accordance with the reduction in the width of the stock rail head in order to be able to interact with the stock rail 1 in the first longitudinal section. In the area of section BB, in which the impeller comes into lateral contact with the switch rail, the greatest reinforcement of the switch rail is provided because in this area the wear due to the sudden introduction of lateral forces is greatest.

The width of the head of the stock rail 1 decreases continuously from the beginning of the first longitudinal section 3 (section A-A), i.e. from the tip of the tongue rail 2, to a point at section B-B with a minimum width. Then the head of the stock rail 3 becomes wider again until the basic cross-sectional profile in the longitudinal section 4 is reached again.

In 2 a second rail switch according to the invention is shown, in contrast to the embodiment according to FIG 1 the course of the stock rail width, starting from the point of the tongue rail, first decreases in an arc and then increases again in an arc.

In 3 a third rail switch according to the invention is shown, in contrast to the embodiment according to FIG 1 the progression of the stock rail width, starting from the point of the tongue rail, decreases within a short longitudinal section near the point of the tongue and then increases again.

In Figures 4, 5 and 6 are three cuts along lines AA, BB and CC in den Figures 1-3 shown.

The section A-A is at the beginning of the first longitudinal section 3 at the tip of the tongue rail 2. The rail head 5 of the stock rail 1 has a chamfer 6 which interacts with a corresponding chamfer on the tongue rail 2 when the tongue rail 2 is in contact. The running edge of the stock rail 1 is denoted by 7, which lies in a running edge plane 8, which is arranged at right angles to a central axis 9 running through the center of the rail head 5. The running edge 7 is formed at an intersection of the chamfer 6 with an adjacent curved surface section, the greatest normal distance between the stock rail head edge and the central axis 9 being in the running edge plane 8 in which the running edge 7 is arranged. At this first point, the running edge 7 is not shifted towards the central axis 9 in comparison to the basic cross-sectional profile. The tongue rail 2 has a reduced height at the tip of the tongue, so that it lies well below the running edge plane 8, so that contact with a running wheel is not possible.

The cut BB is at the second position, namely the point of greatest reduction in width of the stock rail head 5. Compared with the stock rail 1 in section AA, which is shown in broken lines, more material has been removed by the chamfer 10, so that the chamfer 10 is arranged closer to the central axis 9. In this section, the running edge 7 is also closer by the distance x to the central axis 9 and in the same running edge plane 8 as the running edge 7 in section AA. The tongue rail 2 is widened by the same amount x. The tongue rail 2 is designed with a height that increases away from the tip of the tongue, so that the tongue rail 2 at the in figure 5 shown point already extends into the running edge level 8.

Section C-C is at the end of the first longitudinal section 3 and the stock rail 1 has essentially the same profile as section A-A, the tongue rail 2 having reached the same height as the stock rail.

In 7 a detailed view of the stock rail head 5 is shown. With a solid line, the cross-sectional profile in section BB is according to Figures 1-3 shown, with broken line 11, the cross-sectional profile in section AA or CC according to Figures 1-3 and with broken line 12 the cross-sectional basic profile in the second longitudinal section 4. It can be seen that starting from the cross-sectional basic profile 12, a chamfer 6 is made in order to arrive at the profile according to line 11, with the running edge 7 not being processed. In order to produce an even greater removal of material on the stock rail head 5 , the chamfer 10 is arranged vertically below the running edge plane 8 and a curvature originating from the running edge 7 is arranged vertically above the running edge plane 8 . The curvature is characterized by a tangent running through the running edge 7, where the Angle of this tangent to the central axis 9 in cross section AA is the same as in cross section BB. In this case, the running edge 7 is not shifted in the vertical direction and is still located in the running edge plane 8 .

In 8 the stock rail 1 according to the invention is shown according to section BB together with an adjacent tongue rail 2 and a running wheel 13 and it can be seen that at the point of the greatest reduction in width of the stock rail or at the point of the greatest widening of the tongue rail, there is lateral contact of the running wheel with the tongue rail takes place.

Claims (14)

1. A stock rail for use in a railroad switch, comprising a rail head (5), a rail web and a rail foot, wherein the stock rail (1) comprises a first longitudinal section (3) forming an abutment region for a tongue rail (2) and a second longitudinal section (4) lying outside the abutment region, wherein the stock rail (1) in the second longitudinal section (4) has a cross-sectional base profile with a central axis (9) extending through the center of the rail head cross section, wherein the rail head (5) in the first longitudinal section (3) is machined starting from the cross-sectional base profile, comprising a chamfer inclinedly extending from a running edge (7) to the rail web, wherein the running edge (7) is formed to have the largest normal distance to the central axis at the point of the rail head cross section, and comprising a gradual width reduction of the rail head (5) such that the running edge (7), compared to the base profile, lies closer to the central axis (9) of the stock rail (1), the rail head (5) having substantially no width reduction at least at a first point within the first longitudinal section (3) and having a maximum width reduction at least at a second point within the first longitudinal section (3), characterized in that the running edge (7) at the first point and the running edge (7) at the second point lie substantially in a common running edge plane (8) disposed at a right angle relative to the central axis (9).
2. A stock rail according to claim 1, characterized in that the rail head (5), when viewed in cross section, has a curved surface section extending upwardly from the running edge (7), and an angle is formed between the chamfer and the tangent of the curved surface section passing through the running edge (7), which angle, at least at the first and second points, preferably along the entire first longitudinal section (3), is larger by 0-20° than the angle between the chamfer and the central axis (9), wherein said angle is preferably equal at the first and second points, preferably along the entire first longitudinal section (3).
3. A stock rail according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rail head (5) in the first longitudinal section (3), in the transverse section located vertically above the running edge plane (8), comprises a region whose shape substantially corresponds to the respective shape of the base profile.
4. A stock rail according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the normal distance between the central axis (9) and the rail head edge above the running edge plane (8) decreases continuously.
5. A stock rail according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the chamfer preferably comprises an inclination of 1:2.5 - 1:3.5, in particular 1:3.
6. A stock rail according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the running edge (7) at the second point within the first longitudinal section (3) lies closer to the central axis (9) by 5-15 mm, preferably 6-10 mm, as compared to the first point.
7. A stock rail according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the running edge plane (8) in the first longitudinal section (3) is located at a vertical distance of 10-20 mm, in particular 14 mm, from the upper running edge of the rail head (5).
8. A stock rail according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the normal distance of the running edge (7) from the central axis (9) decreases gradually from the first point to the second point, and in the region following the second point increases again, preferably gradually.
9. A stock rail according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the normal distance of the running edge (7) from the central axis (9) decreases arcuately from the first point to the second point, and in the region following the second point increases again, preferably arcuately.
10. A railroad switch comprising a stock rail (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9 and a tongue rail (2), said tongue rail (2) being arranged to be abuttable against the stock rail (1) .
11. A railroad switch according to claim 10, characterized in that the tongue rail (2) is designed to be reinforced in cross section towards the stock rail (1) as a function of the reduction of the width of the stock rail head (5).
12. A railroad switch according to claim 11, characterized in that the width of the stock rail head (5), starting from the tip of the tongue rail in the closed state of the tongue rail (2), decreases to a point within the first longitudinal section (3) forming the region of abutment, at which point a running wheel (13) passing the track contacts the tongue rail (2) laterally, and increases in the first longitudinal section (3) following thereupon, and that the tongue rail (2) is designed to be reinforced in cross section towards the stock rail (1) as a function of the reduction of the width of the stock rail head.
13. A railroad switch according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the vertical height of the tongue rail (2) in the abutment region on the stock rail (1) increases towards the end of abutment, starting from the tip of the tongue.
14. A railroad switch according to claim 13, characterized in that the tongue rail (2), on the tip of the tongue, is arranged below the running edge (7) of the stock rail (1), and that the tongue rail (2) reaches into the running edge plane (8) at the point of the maximum width reduction of the stock rail (1).

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