GB2241681A

GB2241681A - A positioning device for sliding or expanding hood components of covered railway wagons

Info

Publication number: GB2241681A
Application number: GB9104004A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jochen Hahne; Gunter Asche
Original assignee: Linke Hofmann Busch GmbH; Linke Hofmann Busch Waggon Fahrzeug Maschinen GmbH
Current assignee: Alstom Transport Deutschland GmbH
Priority date: 1990-03-07
Filing date: 1991-02-26
Publication date: 1991-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 2011-02-26
Also published as: GB2241681B; GB9104004D0; DE4007033C1

Abstract

In order to transpose a sliding wall or expanding hood component 3 from the closed position into the displaced position and vice versa, a positioning device is provided comprising a drive train between an actuating shaft 1, which is arranged directly beneath the wagon floor, and the transposition arm 8. The arm 8 is articulated at one end to the chassis via a bearing 9, and a pivot 7, which is acted upon by a coupling element 6, is arranged on the arm 8 between the bearing 9 and a transposition element 11 arranged at the other end of the arm 8. The coupling element 6 is connected via a further pivot 5 to an arm 4 fixed on the shaft 1, and both in the closed and displaced positions of the component 3 assumes an over-centre position with respect to a force from the support foot 14 of the said component to the drive train. Rotation of the shaft 1 in the clockwise direction raises the element 6 and thereby pivots the arm 8 in an anti-clockwise direction about the bearing 9. The transposition element 11, on the arm 8, engaging the roller 15 of the component 3 moved outwardly to a position bridging a gap in the rails 20 for the movement of the hood via the rollers 15. Rotation of the shaft 1 in the anti-clockwise direction reverses the movements of the associated elements. <IMAGE>

Description

-2:2 -cl -1 t,: a -1 i A POSITIONING DEVICE FOR SLIDING OR EXPANDING HOOD

COMPONENTS OF COVERED RAILWAY WAGONS The invention relates to a positioning device, for sliding wall components or aligned expanding hood components of covered railway goods wagons, which in the closed position are arranged in a first plane, and which, for the partial opening of the wagon can be transposed outwardly into a displaced position, and which are supported via rollers mounted on support feet and running on guide rails extending along the chassis of the wagon and wherein for the positioning of the rollers in the transposition zone the guide rails are recessed at least in the region of the guide rail head.

A positioning device of the type in question is disclosed in German patent specification 35 24 721 and comprises an actuating shaft extending below the floor of the wagon in the longitudinal direction of a sliding wall or expanding hood component. Attached to the actuating shaft so as to be resistant to rotation is a transposition arm which engages in articulated fashion with a support foot of the sliding wall or expanding hood component, and brings the from the closed position, in which the support foot rests on the ch,-as;s.ij, atili the transposition arm extends horizontally in the direction eff the longitudinal central plane of the wagon, into the displaced position, in which the transposition arm extends vertically, by swivelling the actuating shaft and thus the transposition arm upwardly and outwardly, Because of the relatively deep arrangement of the actuating shaft beneath the floor of the wa,gt,.t,,, freedom of access to the chassis is limited, the lower regions of rail- guided vehicles being subject to particularly restrictive conditions as regards the permitted vehicle boundary profile. In the case. of vehicles with bogies, a deep arrangement of the actuating shaft necessitates a special design or arrangement of the actuating shaft, for example by virtue of an offsetting of the actuating shaft.

European patent application 0 222 633 discloses a positioning device for expanding hoods which are aligned in the closed state and have an actuating shaft of which is arranged close beneath the floor of the wagon. At least one transposition arm, attached to the actuating shaft so as to be rotation-resistant, is brought into contact with a respective roller assigned to the expanding hood by means of a swivelling rail attached to the transposition arm. In the closed position of the expanding hood the transposition arm extends approximately vertically downwards and can be swivelled by the actuating shaft directly out of the closed position outwards and upwards into the displaced position. In the displaced position the transDosition arm extends approximately at an angle of 450 from the horizntal plane downwards to the outer longitudinal side of the ion, the swivelling rail attached to wagon. Also in the closed posit the transposition arm is loaded with the full weight of the expanding hood. In operational use this can lead to damage to the swivelling rail which, in the case of this adjusting device, simultaneously serves as guide rail in the displaced position of the expanding hood. Securing devices for the actuating linkage, e.g. in the form 2 of over-centre positions of the actuating linkage, are provided neither for the closed position nor for the displaced position. The expanding hood is attached to the swivelling rail only by the flange and the channel of the rollers and by a lift-out protection device which is attached to the support foot of the expanding hood and which extends over the channel and the swivelling rail.

The aim of the present invention is to improve upon a positioning device of the type described above in such manner that accessibility to 'the chassIs is increased and the necessary drive moment for the actuating shaft during the transposition of the sliding wall component or expanding hood component is reduced, and wherein the adjusting device secures the sliding wall component or expanding hood component both in the closed position and in the displaced position.

According to the present invention, a positioning device of the type described comprises an actuating shaft arranged beneath the floor of the wagon is connected to at least one clongate transposition arm pivotally fixed at one end 'to the wagon chassis and capable of swinging movement from a lower, inboard, closed position into an upper, outboard displa-ced position the transposition arm being provided at its free end with a -transposition element which, during the tratisposi".!,,,n process, engages into the channel of a roller and which, in the displaced position forms the recessed part of at least the guide head, and wherein the actuating shaft is connected to the transposition arm by a coupling element which is connected via a first pivot joint to a fixed arm which is rigidly fixed to the actuating shaft and vila a second piVOt joint to a point intermediate the lenath of the transpositi,3n arm, the arrangement being such that both in the position and the in the displaced position the ccupling ele.ment azsume:s an over-centre position with respect to any force appkied thereto by the support foot tending to move the mechanism from its closed position or its displaced position, respectively.

By virtue of the design of the adjusting device corresponding to the invention the actuating shaft can be arranged directly under the floor of the wagon, where the bearing of the transposition arm, which is arranged closely beneath the actuating shaft, is inwardly offset with respect to the longitudinal central plane of the wagon, and the transposition element remains beneath the bearing both in its end positions and durin.g. the transposition process. Thus the arrangement of the actuating shaft with the present arrangement of the swivel bearing for the transposition arm, permits a space-saving construction, increases free accessibility to the chassis, and avoids a special and elaborate construction of the actuating shaft. This is of particular significance for wagons with bogies, which must be designed with particular free accessibility in the bogey region of the chassis. Since the coupling element, both in the closed position and in the displaced poc-ition, assumes an over-centre position with respect to the introduction of force into the drive linkage from the support foot and from the sliding wall component or expanding hood component, which the adjusting device serves to adjust, the support

3 foot and the sliding wall or expanding hood component are secured in the two end positions by the adjusting device. Furthermore, in the end positions the actuating shaft is free of torsional moments thus preventing twisting of the actuating shaft, which is normally driven only at one end, which can lead to incorrect positioning of the various support feet arranged along the length of the actuating shaft.

Advantageously the support foot and sliding wall component or expanding hood component are additionally protected from displacement at least in the direction outboard of the wagon in the closed position by means of a securing pr,)jpctii)n mounted on the coupling element.

In a further advantageous embodiment the support foot is supported on the chassis in the closed position by means of a swivelling support. The swivelling support preferably has a support projection arranged thereon, and can be easily brought into its operative or inoperative position by engagement with the support foot.

Most preferably the 5wiveliling support is designed as a guide element for the support ff.oot d!iring the transposition process into the clozed position, the 5upport foot being guided iflto 'the closed e ' position reliably andi wir_- a high degree or accuracy.

By virtue of the lesign of the swivelling support, the support foot and the sliding wall component or expanding hood component are protected from displacement at least in the direction of the longitudinal central plane of thr- wagon.

Most preferably, a rail segment is provided on the support foot to form, in the closed position of the support foot, that portion which is recessed for the transposition zone of each roller he3d oi at least of the rail 4 the rail.

Coupling between two actuating shafts facilitates an expedient actuation of actuating shifts arranged opposite one another on both longitudinal s. ides of the wagon.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention for an expanding hood wagon is illustrated in the drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a vertical partial section through the lower part of an expanding hood componenL, supported via a swivelling support by the chassis of the expanding hood wagon, in the transposition zone in the closed position; and Figure 2 is a vertical partial section through the lower part of an expanding hood component, supported by a transposition arm, in the transposition zone in the displaced position.

Figure 1 shows part of an expanding hood 3 of a wagon, the expanding hood 3 being supported on feet 14 which are provided with rollers 15 to run on a longitudinally-extending rail 20 mounted to the wagon chassis 10 when in the expanded position.

The adjusting device illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 comprises an actuating shaft I which is arranged directly beneath the floor 2 of the wagon and extends in the longitudlinal direction oil the wagon along the entire region of that portion of the expanding hood component 3 which is to be adjusted. A fixed arm 4, which engages 4 with one end of an offset coupling element 6 by me-ans of a pIvot.. 1 so as to be joint 5, is attached to the actuating shaft rotation-resistant. The other end of the couDling element 6 is connected via a second pivot joint 7 to a transposition arm 8 which is supported on the chassis 10 via a bearing 9. The described arrangement thus forms a drive train. At its end remote from the bearing 9 the transposition arm 8 carries a transposition element 11, while the second pivot joint 7 is arranged on the transposition arm between the bearing 9 and the transposition element 11. In the transposition zone of each roller 15, in the displaced pos.ition the transposition element 11 forms that Part, at least of the rail head, which is required for the transposition process and is recessed in the rail 20.

The transposition arm 8 also comprises a recess- 1-9 facing towards the exterior of the wagon. A securing orolec-,-,-'on 13 is Jection 13, in rigidly attached to the coupling element 6, which pro. the closed position, engages from the exterior over the recess 12 and abuts a shoulder 14a of the support foot 14 at least partially and protects the latter from displacement laterally oerwarcly from the side of the wagon.

On its portion which projects beyond the flocir 2, in the region of the transposition arm 8, the expandin- h,Dc,-'::orqporieni 3 comprises a support foot 14, on the lower part of which a guide roller 15 is arranged. A support element 16 is attached to the lower end of the support foot 14 and projects below the roller 15. The element 16, in the closed position of the expanding hood component 3, is supported via a swivelling , cam 17 on the chasli-c 10. The J is mounted on swivelling cam 17 comprises a radial project on 18, an, the chassis 10 by means of a swiveJZ bearing 195 nutside the arc swept tr = retracted by the transposition arm 8, and can pivot between it f the expanding hood position shown in Figure 1, the closed position o component 3, to an extended position as seen in Figure 41, displaced outwards towards the side of the wagon. The pivot angle- of the swivelling cam 17 is defined such that during the transposition -ended process the radial projection 18 is brought from the ext position, i.e. in the displaced position of the expanding hood component 3, into the retracted position and vice-ver-ca by engagement with the support element 16 of the support foot 14. Furthermore, that surface of the swivelling cam 17 which abuts against the support foot 14 is designed as a guide surface and guide2 the support foot 14 into the closed position during the transposition procezs.

The transposition element 11 engages into the channel of the roller 15, where, in the closed position of the expandng hood component 3, the transposition element 11 is maintained at a distance from the channel an the foot 14 is supported by support element 16 an cam 17.

On the exterior of the foot 14 is attached a guide rail segment 20a which is aligned with the adjacent sections of the guide rail 20. When the expanding hood 3 is in its closed position, the rail segment 20a forms a bridge between the parts of the quide rail 20 adjacent to those removed to form transposition zones.

8 At least one adjusting device can be provided on each longitudinal side of the wagon, and the actuating shafts of adjusting devices arranged opposite one another may be connected to one another via a coupling unit (not shown) and can both be driven from either side of the wagon. The coupling device may comprise, in particular, gearing, chain or cable control means.

To transpose the expanding hood component 3 from the closed position into the displaced position, the actuating shaft 1 illustrated in Figure 1 is rotated in a clockwise direction, whereupon the fixed arm 4 raises the coupling element 6 articulated thereto, and moves the securing projection 13 attached to the coupling element 6 out of its position obstructing the recess 12, which receives the guide roller 15 in the closed position of the expanded hood component 3. At the same time, the coupling element 6 engages via the second pivot joint 7 with the transposition arm 8 and pivots the latter in an anti-clockwise direction upwardly about the bearing 9. The transposition element 11 which is arranged on the transposition arm 8 engages into the groove of the guide roller 15 and in a first phase of the swivelling process swivels the support fot 1 4, with the swivell.ini cam 17, outboard of the wagon, this mevement in this first phase taking place approximately in the direction. In a second phase of tht. pivoting process the transposition arm 8, with the transposition element 11, carries the support. foot 14 upwards and 'thereby raises the support foot 14 out of engagement with the swivelling cam 17, whereupon the swivelling cam 17 adopts the previously-described, extended position and remains therein until the assigned support foot 14 is again swung in. Continiled rotation of the actuating shaft 1 - a tot21 angle of rotation of 180 degrees is expedient brings the supportl foot 14 to th:? upper end position, the displaced position of the expanding hood components 3. In this end position, in the transposition zone of the guide roller 15, the transposition element 11 forms that part of the guide rail 20 which is removed for the transposition process. The transposition element may not provide an entire profile corresponding to that of the rail 20.. the part 20a providing at least the part of the guide rail head. In this end position, the actuating shaft 1 is positioned in the free space, within the 'Cl shaped outline of the coupling element 6, between the pivot joint 5 and the second pivot joint 7. The drive train now occupies an over-centre position with respect to the force applied thereto by the support foot 14, which ensures that the position is automatically maintained.

To transpose the expanding hood component 3 from the displaced position into the closed position, the actuating shaft 1 as illustrated in Figure 2 is rotated in an anti-clockwise direction, whereupon the fixed arm 4 first raises the end of the coupling element 6 connected thereto and then, when the fixed arm 4 passes its vertical position, lowers it. The transposition arm 8 which is articulated to the second pivot joint 7 is rotated clockwise downwards about the bearing 9 into the closed position of the expanding hood component 3. During the final phase of the transposition process, the support element 16 of the support foot 14 6 t.

abULS, against the radial projection 18 of the swivelling cam 171 and swivels the cam 17 into its retracted position, the support position, in which the expanding hood component 3 is in the closed position. Now, during the transposition process, the radial projection 18 is brought reliably and with a high level of accuracy into the closed position by means of tChe guide surface arranged on the swivelling cam 17. In the closed position the drive train likewise occupies an over-centre position with respect to the force applied thereto by the support foot 14. Additionally, the securing projection 13 which is attached to the coupling element 6 engages the shoulder 14a of the support foot 14 over the recess 12 and the guide roller 15, which is arranged therein, in part and prevents displacement of the support foot 14 outboard of the wagon. The swivelling cam 17 prevents movement of the support foot 14 in the direction of the longitudinal centrall plane of the wagon. In the closed position the support foot 14 is supported against the chassis 10 via the support element 16 and the swivelling cam 17. The guide roller 15 is relieved of load.

The end positions are particularly significant in the trnsposition process into the displaced position of the expanding hood component since a--:er the dead-centre position of the drive train has been passed, the actuating shaft 1 is free of torsional moments. Tw.isti'.tl!,, of th2 2ctuatL;na shaft 1, which is normally driven only at one end, which can lead to inaccurate positioning of support -h ol.

the leng11 the actuating shaft- 1, is fee'-- 14 arranged- along 'U avoided.

In the case of the coupling of actuating shafts 1 arranged opposite one another on both. longitudinal sides of the wagon by a coupling unit, in particular gearing, chain or cable control means, both the actuating chafts 11 can be driven from one side of the wagon by actuating a Sing7e act-.,at--;ng shaft 1.

7

Claims

CLAIMS ie for sliding wall components or aligned 1. A positioning dev.--

expanding hood components of covered railway goods wagons, which in the closed position are arranged in a first plane, and which, for the partial opening of the wagon can be transposed outwardly into a displaced position, and which are supported via rollers mounted on support feet and running on gulde rails extending along the chassis of the wagon and wherein for the positioning of the rollers in the transposition zone the guide ra-ii-s jre recessed at least in the region of the guide rail head and wherein an actuating shaft arranged beneath the floor of the wagon is connected to at least one elongate transposition arm pivotally fixed at one end to the wagon chassis and capable of swinging movement from a lower, inboard, closed position into an upper, outboard displaced position the transposition arm being provided at its free end with a transposition element which, during the transposition process, engages into the channel of a roller and which, in the dijpjaced position forms the recessed part of all least the guide rall head, and wherein the a'-.'L"'-lating shaft is connected to the tion arin by a which is connected via a fIrst p.,,!oloint to a f ixed arm is riqidly fixe,--', to the actuating shaft- and via a second pivel- 1;,,,LI"- to a point intermediate the length of the transposition arrr,,, the arrangement osed pos. -he displaced beIng such that both in the c. ition and the in "re position with position the coupling element assumes an over-cent respect to any force applied thereto by the support foot tending to move the mechanism from i's position or its displaced position, respectively.
2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a securing projection is arranged on the coupling element which projection, in the ciosed position, at least partially engages over a recess, which is formed in the transposition arm and is open towards the longitudinal side of the wagon, and abuts a shoulder of the support foot and secures the latter at least against displacement in the outboard direction of the wagon.
3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein a support equipped with a radial projection is pivotally mounted on the chassis for movement between a retracted, inboard position, wherein in the 1 closed position of the sliding wa- - or expanding hood component the support foot rests on the support, and an extended outboard position beyond the reach of the transposition arm, and wherein the support is brought from the extended position into the retracted position and vice versa during the transposition process by engagement of a radial - in abutment against the support foot.

projection on the support
4. A device as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the support on the surface which abuts against the support foot is in the form of a guide surface and guides the support foot into the closed position during the transposition process.
5. A device as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein in the -Jon abuts retracted position the support with its radial project. against the support foot and protects the latter at least from 8 displacement in the direction of the longitudinal central plane of the wagon.
6. A device as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein a guide rail is arranged on the support foot segment extending in the longitudinal direction of the wagon, at least the guide rail head of which, in the closed position, forms that part, at least of the guide rail head, which is recessed for the transposition zone of each roller.
7. A positioning device as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein at least one adjusting device is provided on both of the longitudinal sides of the wagon, and the actuating shafts of oppositely arranged adjusting devices are coupled via a coupling unit, in particular gearing, chain- or cable controls and can be driven from the two longitudinal sides of the wagon by an actuating shaft.

1 il Published 1991 at The Patent Office. Concept House. Cardifr Road. Newport. Gwent NP9 I RH. Further copies maybe obtained from Sales Branch. Unit 6. Nine Mile Point. Cwmfelinfach. Cross Keys. Newport. NP I 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques Iltd. St MarY Cray. Kent-