WO2008074086A1

WO2008074086A1 - Rail ballast servicing vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2008074086A1
Application number: PCT/AU2007/001975
Authority: WO
Inventors: James Lawson Hughes; Henry Dixie Stephen
Original assignee: Jd Rail Machines Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Jd Rail Machines Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2006-12-21
Filing date: 2007-12-20
Publication date: 2008-06-26
Anticipated expiration: 2009-06-21
Also published as: AU2007335261A1

Abstract

A rail track servicing vehicle comprising a vehicle (11) adapted to be supported upon a rail track (17) for movement along the track, the vehicle supporting, a ballast extraction means (27) a storage reservoir (21) and a conveying means (33,35) said ballast extraction means comprising an inlet (29) adapted to be movable to be able to be located adjacent the ballast bed of a rail track and the inlet associated with a means for delivering the ballast into the extraction means, said extraction means being connected to the storage reservoir, said storage reservoir having an outlet having a closure (25), the conveying means being associated with the outlet, the conveying means being adapted to receive the ballast material flowing from the outlet and further adapted to deliver the ballast material to one or both sides of the track.

Description

"Rail Ballast Servicing Vehicle"

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a vehicle which can be utilised for the servicing of the ballast of a rail track and in particular the removal of ballast from a rail track to facilitate replenishment of the ballast.

Background

In maintaining a rail track it is necessary that the quality of the ballast be maintained. This is particularly the case where the rail track incorporates concrete sleepers. Where the ballast becomes contaminated by soil, fine crushed rock particles and the like, the functioning of the ballast in supporting the rail track can be prejudiced. Generally such servicing requires removal of the existing ballast which has been contaminated and replacement of that ballast. During the time that the ballast, is being removed and until the ballast has bee properly placed and the rail track tamped into place the rail track is unavailable to traffic.

In the past the removal of ballast has previously been effected by personnel digging out the contaminated ballast and/or utilisation of an earth moving vehicle located beside the track at the relevant location which then extracts the ballast from between and underneath the sleepers in the relevant area and deposits the extracted ballast to one side of the track. The manual removal of the ballast is labour intensive and requires the rack to be out of service for a considerable period of time, and whilst the use of an earthmoving machine is more efficient in terms of labour and it is quite practical on flat or even terrain it presents difficulties in circumstances where the rail track is located on a narrow track located on: a raised bank; a hill side; a railway crossing; and a bridge in which situations the extracted ballast cannot be deposited beside the portion of the track from which it is removed and there is generally not sufficient room to enable an earthmoving vehicle to be safely located beside the track to remove the ballast. It is an object of this invention to provide a rail servicing vehicle which is capable of being supported upon the rail track to be serviced, removing the ballast and readily depositing the ballast at the desired location beside the rail track.

Summary of the Invention

Throughout the specification and claims, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Accordingly, the invention resides in a rail track servicing vehicle comprising a vehicle adapted to be supported upon a rail track for movement along the track, the vehicle supporting, a ballast extraction means, a storage reservoir and a conveying means, said ballast extraction means comprising an inlet adapted to be movable to be able to be located adjacent the ballast bed of a rail track and the inlet associated with a means for delivering the ballast into the extraction means, said extraction means being connected to the storage reservoir, said storage reservoir having an outlet having a closure, the conveying means being associated with the outlet, the conveying means being adapted to receive the ballast material flowing from the outlet and further adapted to deliver the ballast material to one or both sides of the track.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the ballast extraction means comprises a duct between the inlet the storage reservoir and an air extraction means adapted to create an air flow into the inlet and to the storage reservoir.

According to a preferred feature of the invention said reservoir is adapted to be able to be inclined such that the outlet is a lowermost.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the conveying means comprises a lateral conveyor extending from the reservoir outlet to one side of the rail track, said lateral conveying means being moveable from a first position extending laterally from the vehicle to a second position which is generally in alignment with the rail track. According to a preferred feature of the invention the second position comprises a generally upright position. According to a preferred feature of the invention the conveying means comprises a pair of lateral conveyors extending to one or the other side of the track. According to a preferred feature of the invention wherein the conveying means comprises a central conveyor extending between the outlet and the lateral conveyor, said central conveyor adapted to convey material from the outlet to the lateral conveyor.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the vehicle comprises a rail vehicle. According to a preferred feature of the invention the vehicle comprises a rail vehicle and incorporates a modification whereby the rail vehicle can be rendered to be moveable along a road.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the vehicle comprises a road vehicle and incorporates a modification whereby the road vehicle can be adapted to be able to be supported by the rail track for movement along the rail track.

The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of one specific embodiment.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a ballast servicing vehicle according to the embodiment supported from the ground and showing the lateral conveyors in the generally upright position upon the road;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the ballast servicing vehicle of Figure 1 supported upon a rail track;

Figure 3 is a rear end elevation of a ballast servicing vehicle according to the embodiment with the lateral conveyors in the generally upright position; Figure 4 is a rear end elevation of the ballast servicing vehicle according to the embodiment showing the lateral conveyors in the laterally extending position; and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the ballast servicing vehicle according to the embodiment showing the storage reservoir in the inclined position and the lateral conveyors in the lateral extending position.

Detailed Description of Specific Embodiment

The specific embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a ballast servicing vehicle which is capable of extracting ballast from a rail track and subsequently delivering the extracted rail ballast to a position to the either side of the track whereby the vehicle is able to travel along the track and deposit the extracted ballast at a location remote from the position at which the ballast was extracted..

The vehicle comprises a lorry-like road vehicle having a chassis which is provided with a driver's cab 19 at the forward end and which is supported by a set of road wheels 13. In addition the chassis is provided with set of four rail wheels 15 which are mounted such that they can be lowered when the vehicle is located over a rail track 17 such that the rail wheels will support the vehicle form the track for movement along the track. As a result the vehicle can be selectively supported from the road wheels such that it is moveable upon a road surface as illustrated at Figure 1 or alternatively can be supported from a rail track by the rail wheels 15 17 as illustrated at Figure 2 to be movable along a rail track.

The rear portion of the chassis supports a storage reservoir 21 which is capable of being tipped between a horizontal position as illustrated at Figures 1 to 4 and an inclined position as shown at Figure 5. To effect the inclination of the storage reservoir 21 it is supported from a pivot located to the rear of the chassis and is associated with a hydraulic lifting mechanism (not shown) adapted to be able to tip the storage reservoir to an inclined position as shown at Figure 5. In addition the chassis supports a service module 23 which is located between the cab 19 and the storage reservoir 21. The service module 23 accommodates the necessary engines and control systems for operation of the embodiment. The storage reservoir 21 is provided at its rear face with an outlet associated with a closure 25 and the the closure 25 is associated with a hydraulic mechanism adapted to move the closure between the closed position as shown at Figures 1 , 2 and 3 and the open position as shown at Figures 4 and 5 at which position the contents of the storage reservoir 21 can be delivered from the storage reservoir.

The storage reservoir is associated with a ballast extraction means comprising a telescopic articulated boom which incorporates duct 27. The duct 27 has an inlet 29 which as a result of articulation capacity of the boom is capable of being moved to a position at which the inlet 29 is closely adjacent the ballast bed of the rail track. The other end of the duct 27 opens into the storage reservoir 21. In addition the storage reservoir is associated with an air extraction means which creates an airflow into the storage reservoir though the duct. The resultant air flow generated at the inlet is sufficient to pick up the ballast material from the ballast bed of the rail track and to carry the entrained ballast material to the storage reservoir 21.

The rear of the chassis adjacent the outlet of the storage reservoir is associated with an inclined surface 31 and the arrangement is such that on the closure 25 being opened the contents of the storage reservoir 21 flowing from the outlet will be carried down the inclined surface to a conveying means which comprises a central conveyor 33 and a pair of lateral conveyors 35 which extend transversely across the chassis. The lower portion of the inclined surface 31 surface is located such that material flowing from the inclined surface will flow onto the central conveyor 33. The central conveyor 33 which extends laterally across the chassis is capable of being driven such that its upper surface will move to one side of the chassis or alternatively to the other side of the chassis. Each end of the central conveyor is positioned relative to the respective lateral conveyor 35 such that the innermost end of the lateral conveyor will receive any material flowing from the respective end of the central conveyor 33. The length of the lateral conveyors are such that when they are in a laterally extending position as shown at Figure 4 the material being carried by the lateral conveyor will be deposited to a side of the rail track at a position clear of the existing ballast bed of the rail track. Each of the lateral conveyors 35 are capable of being pivoted between a first lateral position as shown at Figure 4 and Figure 5 of which they extend laterally from the chassis and a second generally upright position as shown at Figures 1 , 2 and 3.

In use when it becomes necessary to extract the ballast from a location along a rail track, the vehicle 11 is caused to mount the rail track and move along the rail track to the desired location. When at that position the ballast can be extracted from the relevant portion of the track by the ballast extraction means whereby ballast is drawn into inlet 29 and it is deposited into the storage reservoir 21. Upon the extraction process having been completed and/or the storage reservoir 21 being filled, the vehicle can be moved along the rail track to a position at which the ballast is to be discarded. At this time the lateral conveyors 35 can be extend to extend laterally as shown at Figures 4 and 5 and with the tipping of the storage reservoir 21 and the opening of the closure 25 the contents of the storage reservoir 25 can be deposited onto the conveying means and be deposited to one and or the other side of the rail track well clear of the current rail track. In the event that it becomes necessary for the vehicle to dismount from the rail track because of an oncoming rail vehicle this is able to be readily achieved by retraction of the rail wheels and driving the vehicle using the road wheels only.

The embodiment provides a means whereby a vehicle is capable of moving to any position along the rail track, extracting the ballast from that position and then depositing that extracted material clear of the rail track at a desired location and whereby the vehicle can be readily extracted form the rail track to accommodate for passing traffic.

The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiment described herein. The embodiment is intended for the purpose of exemplification only. Functionally equivalent products, elements and methods are clearly within the scope of the invention as described herein.

Claims

ClaimsThe claims defining the invention is as follows:

1. A rail track servicing vehicle comprising a vehicle adapted to be supported upon a rail track for movement along the track, the vehicle supporting, a ballast extraction means, a storage reservoir and a conveying means, said ballast extraction means comprising an inlet adapted to be movable to be able to be located adjacent the ballast bed of a rail track and the inlet associated with a means for delivering the ballast into the extraction means, said extraction means being connected to the storage reservoir, said storage reservoir having an outlet having a closure, the conveying means being associated with the outlet, the conveying means being adapted to receive the ballast material flowing from the outlet and further adapted to deliver the ballast material to one or both sides of the track.

2. A rail track servicing vehicle as claimed at claim 1 wherein the ballast extraction means comprises a duct between the inlet the storage reservoir and an air extraction means adapted to create an air flow into the inlet and to the storage reservoir.

3. A rail track servicing vehicle as claimed at claim 1 or 2 wherein, said reservoir is adapted to be able to be inclined such that the outlet is a lowermost.

4. A rail track servicing vehicle as claimed at claim 1 or 2 or 3 wherein, the conveying means comprises a lateral conveyor extending from the reservoir outlet to one side of the rail track, said lateral conveying means being moveable from a first position extending laterally from the vehicle to a second position which is generally in alignment with the rail track.

5. A rail track servicing vehicle as claimed at claim 4 wherein the second position comprises a generally upright position.

6. A rail track servicing vehicle as claimed at claim 4 or 5 wherein the conveying means comprises a pair of lateral conveyors extending to one or the other side of the track.

7. A rail track servicing vehicle as claimed at claim 4 or 5 or 6 wherein the conveying means comprises a central conveyor extending between the outlet and the lateral conveyor, said central conveyor adapted to convey material from the outlet to the lateral conveyor.

8. A rail track servicing vehicle as claimed at any one of the preceding claims wherein, the vehicle comprises a rail vehicle.

9. A rail track servicing vehicle as claimed at any one of the preceding claims wherein, the vehicle comprises a rail vehicle and incorporates a modification whereby the rail vehicle can be rendered to be moveable along a road.

10. A rail track servicing vehicle as claimed at any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein, the vehicle comprises a road vehicle and incorporates a modification whereby the road vehicle can be adapted to be able to be supported by the rail track for movement along the rail track.

11. A rail track servicing vehicle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.