Patent Grant
10174459
This invention relates to an angled guide plate as well as a track arrangement, in particular for rail fastening systems.
Angled guide plates are known from the prior art. They are used for fastening systems for railway superstructures. In particular, the rails are fixed and guided with angled guide plates of the type in question. For this purpose, the angled guide plates are placed on (railway) sleepers, generally made of concrete, and screwed with these sleepers by means of already cast-in dowels with screws, together with corresponding tension clamps that press from above onto a rail base of the corresponding rail. As a result, extreme forces act on the angled guide plate. While the angled guide plates were made of cast iron in the past, it is known today to make them of plastic. However, the current angled guide plates made of plastic do not have a design suitable to the material and their implementation is not appropriate for plastic. This being, it is disadvantageous in particular that the partly unnecessarily high use of material causes high costs and results to long cycle times for the manufacturing thereof.
Therefore, the aim of this invention is to make available an angled guide plate, in particular for rail fastening systems, that is optimally designed considering the forces that may occur and that thus makes possible cost saving and shortest cycle times for the manufacturing.
According to the invention, an angled guide plate, in particular for rail fastening systems, comprises a basic body that has an upper side and an underside, wherein the underside is designed for arranging on a further element, in particular a (railway) sleeper, whereas the upper side describes an opposite plane substantially transversely to the (railway) sleeper and wherein the angled guide plate consists of a guide region and a supporting region, wherein the guide region and the supporting region extend substantially parallel and adjacent to one another in a direction transverse to a track direction, wherein the upper side and the underside are spaced apart from one another so that a thickness of the supporting region, as measured substantially perpendicularly to the underside, is larger, at least in part, than a thickness of the guide region. The main functions of the angled guide plate are the mechanical decoupling of the horizontal wheel force between the rail and the (railway) sleeper, the electrical insulation between the rail and the (railway) sleeper as well as the fastening and the guiding of the rail in track direction by frictional engagement. This being, the track direction describes the direction along which the track extends. In order to achieve these purposes, the angled guide plate is designed for locking and supporting further rail fastening means such as, for example, (tension) clamps. Angled guide plates of the type in question are particularly preferably used for so-called elastic direct fastening systems such as, in particular, the “W-type” fastening system. The “W-type” fastening system substantially comprises the following components: angled guide plate, intermediate layer, (tension) clamp, (sleeper) screw and dowel. Angled guide plates of the type in question advantageously replace the known angled guide plates of cast iron. However, the angled guide plates known from the prior art made of plastic do not have a design appropriate for plastic and the costs thereof are not optimized. As a consequence, the use of material is high and there result high component costs, long cycle times for manufacturing that result in low manufacturing capacities as well as great efforts for ensuring the geometry and the mechanical properties due to the construction not appropriate for plastic. Thus, the angled guide plate has advantageously a basic body that has a guide region as well as a supporting region, wherein the thickness of the supporting region is larger, at least in part, than the thickness of the guide region. This being, it should be noted that the “thickness” can always only refer to a precise region or cross-section since the thickness advantageously continuously reduces from the supporting region to the guide region. There is, so to speak no “thickness” of the guide region or of the supporting region. The “in part” applies to along the track direction as well as transversely thereto. In a preferred embodiment, the thickness of the supporting region is higher than the thickness of the guide region. The supporting region and the guide region merge preferably smoothly or seamlessly so that there is not generally any transition visible or any discernible separation line. It is decisive that the thickness of the basic body reduces approximately continuously from the supporting region in direction of the guide region. In this context, it should be considered that the basic body does not comprise any protrusions, recesses, runoff and/or supporting surfaces etc. but that the matter is, for the basic body, literally of the basic shape of the angled guide plate. It should also be mentioned in particular that the thickness should not be read as any local protrusions or recesses that can naturally also influence the thickness of the angled guide plate, at least locally. The continuous reduction of the thickness of the basic body from the supporting region in direction of the guide region does not have to be carried out along a line but can also be stepped (like steps of stairs). The only decisive element is the “basic body” of the angled guide plate that is characterized in that its thickness in the guide region is smaller (at least in part) than in the supporting region. The supporting region of the angled guide plate is in particular the region that is directly or indirectly adjacent to the rail and thus supports it transversely to the track direction. Preferably, the thickness of the supporting region is configured bigger than the thickness of the guide region. Preferably, the guide region serves to align and to guide the angled guide plate on the (railway) sleeper. The thickness of the guide region is advantageously correspondingly smaller than the thickness of the supporting region. Preferably, a minimal thickness of the guide region is smaller than approximately 10 mm. For the arrangement of the underside on the further element, in particular on the (railway) sleeper, the underside can advantageously have an even surface but it can also have a structure that is just not even at least in part, for example nubs, striations or a fluting. The underside can also preferably comprise a wear protection layer that is characterized in particular in that its hardness and/or its friction coefficient is higher (or even lower, depending on the further element on which the angled guide plate is placed) than a hardness or a friction coefficient of the rest of the material of the angled guide plate. It is understood that a wear protection layer can also advantageously be provided towards the rail, thus on a stop surface of the angled guide plate that will still be described in more detail below. This being, it should be noted that the angled guide plate is preferably made of plastic, in particular preferably of a composite material made of a plastic material and of an additional material such as, for example, glass fibre. In a preferred embodiment, the angled guide plate is made of a polyamide 6 with 30% glass fibre (PA6GF30). The wear protection layer that has been mentioned can be achieved by a surface treatment but it can also consist of an additional material that can be applied or sprayed on the underside. The supporting region and the guide region appropriately divide the angled guide plate approximately in a ratio of 1:1, this been seen transversely to the track direction. It is understood that any other ratio is also possible such as, for example 2:1 or 1:2 or also intermediate ratios. The load optimized angled guide plate makes possible a use of material that is reduced by approximately 10 to 30%, depending on the embodiment. This does contribute to a considerable reduction of the production costs. Moreover, the cycle times for the manufacturing are extremely reduced, in particular due to the reduced wall thickness and to the construction that is suitable to the material as well as due to the observance of the geometry data, so that the quality of production is enhanced. With respect to the construction that is suitable to the material, reference is explicitly made to the fact that the angled guide plate does not have any sharp edges or radii smaller than, for example R1 to R2.
The basic body is advantageously configured substantially wedge-shaped from the supporting region to the guide region. In other words, the upper side and the underside are configured substantially wedge-shaped from the supporting region to the guide region, this being seen transversely to the track direction. The basic body preferably has a wedge shape that is configured continuously tapering from the supporting region in direction of the guide region. Thus, the angled guide plate or the basic body advantageously tapers towards the guide region. Thus, the thinner guide region compared with the supporting region also makes advantageously possible a flexibility of the angled guide plate, this being seen in a track plane. The track plane corresponds so to speak to a carriageway plane and thus constitutes a substantially horizontal plane. The torsional stiffness of the angled guide place can advantageously be influenced by the thickness of the guide region so that positional tolerances between the rail to be supported and the (railway) sleeper or the region of the (railway) sleeper on which the angled guide plate is placed can be compensated. As already mentioned, the angled guide plates are placed in corresponding engaging portions/recesses. If such recesses are not accurately aligned with the rail, if they thus are not accurately parallel, it can come to tensions when arranging the angled guide plate. An optimal arrangement, in particular a substantially tension-free arrangement can advantageously be made possible by the thin guide region, which makes possible a slight torsion or flexibility in the track plane. It is understood that the wedge shape in question has not to be continuous. This means that there can exist areas that so to speak interrupt the wedge shape. The lateral stiffness of the angled guide plate can advantageously be influenced by the wedge shape or also by one or several interruption(s) of the wedge shape. Thus, what is meant is the stiffness in the track plane. For example a “soft” angled guide plate can advantageously be produced that activates a lateral rail clamping effect or a rail fastening effect in the bottom area. In this way, a road wheel is distributed on several sleeper supporting points. The wedge shape is advantageously adapted to an effective rail contact height in order to guarantee an optimal force transmission. The wedge shape is optimally adapted to a height of the rail or of the corresponding rail base. The angled guide plate so to speak advantageously continues the shape of the rail base and thus makes possible an optimal derivation of the forces that occur when a train passes. The imaginary extension of the wedge shape of the angled guide plate appropriately merges seamlessly in the rail base in that a maximal thickness of the supporting region is adapted to the height of the rail base. Transversely to the track direction, the angled guide plate acts as a pressure wedge. This being, again the overall consideration of the basic body or of the upper side and of the underside in relation with one another is decisive. The same is valid for different cross-sections of the angled guide plate, this being seen transversely to the track direction and along this direction. There can thus exist a local cross-section area that does not have said wedge shape. The shape of the basic body as a whole is decisive.
The underside has a preferably substantially even configuration, wherein the upper side is configured arcuate and/or oblique or inclined to the under side. In other words, the upper side preferably has a curvature or a camber, wherein the curvature or the camber of the upper side is appropriately configured in direction of the underside. In a preferred embodiment, an arcuate surface merges in an upper side running obliquely/inclined to the underside. The upper side is then advantageously configured substantially bent or arcuate in the supporting region while it is configured substantially oblique or inclined to the underside in the guide region.
In a preferred embodiment, in the top view the angled guide plate is substantially configured trapezoidal, wherein a length of the supporting region is longer than a length of the guide region. Thus, a wear reduction can advantageously be achieved. This is also made possible by the high flexibility and mobility of the guide plate that is appropriately achieved in that the guide region is configured not only thinner but also narrower than the supporting region.
Appropriately, the underside has in the guide region at least one preferably bulging engaging portion that extends off the underside and along the track direction. The underside preferably has at least one engaging portion in the guide region, wherein the underside merges in a first radius into the engaging portion. Advantageously the engaging portion is designed to be arranged inside or on a corresponding engaging portion of the further element, for example of the (railway) sleeper. This being, the arrangement preferably is a form-fit arrangement. It is understood that the engaging portion advantageously extends along a length of the angled guide plate that is orientated along the track direction. But two, three, four, five or more engaging portions can advantageously be provided on the underside. However, in a particularly preferred embodiment, two engaging portions are provided, the shape, location and position of which is adapted to the (tension) clamp. The engaging portion is advantageously bulged and thus has, in a lateral view (seen along the track direction) an at least partially arcuate or circular cross-section. In other words, in a preferred embodiment the engaging portion has the shape of a triangle in the cross-section, the tip of which is rounded. The shape of a half circle or of a quarter circle is also preferred. A great advantage is that the extension or the expansion, in other words the length of the engaging portions as seen along the track direction, is optimally adapted to the forces that may occur. A particularly preferred embodiment of the engaging portion advantageously begins at one end of the angled guide plate and occupies approximately 20 to 50% of the overall length of the angled guide plate in this area, in a particularly preferred embodiment approximately 30 to 45% and most particularly preferably approximately 35 to 40%. Since two engaging portions are advantageously provided, as already mentioned, a free space or a distance is advantageously provided between the two engaging portions, this free space contributing to the cost reduction due to reduced material use. The distance preferably is approximately 0.5 to 6 cm, in particular preferably approximately 1 to 5 cm and most particularly preferably 1.5 to 4 cm.
The engaging portion advantageously forms at its surface protrusions and/or recesses that appropriately run substantially transversely to the track direction. A local flexibility of the engaging portion is thus advantageously achieved that optimizes the arrangement and the support of the engaging portion of the angled guide plate in the corresponding engaging portions of the further element. In particular, the positive locking and as a consequence the non positive locking as well with the further element, thus of the (railway) sleeper is thus increased since the protrusions and/or recesses make a resilience possible that optimizes said positive locking in that a very uniform fitting of the engaging portions as seen along and transversely to the track direction is made possible. The protrusions and/or recesses can advantageously, for example, slightly locally bend and thus be optimally adapted to the corresponding subsurface. Due to the design of the protrusions and/or recesses and the resulting resilience of the engaging portion, the fit accuracy of the engaging portion of the angled guide plate on the sublying/corresponding subsurface, generally the sleeper or a channel of the sleeper is increased. A further material saving can thus still preferentially be achieved. The material use increase due to the shaping of the engaging areas can thus be reduced again by purposefully placed recesses. The recesses are appropriately configured as grooves that substantially have the shape of a half circle or of a quarter circle, as seen transversely to the track direction. But an elliptic or an angular shape, for example in the manner of a square or of a triangle, is also conceivable. Three grooves are advantageously provided per engaging portion that run in full or also only in sections over the surface of the engaging portion, thus along an outer contour of the engaging portion. Tests have shown that the grooves appropriately do not have either to extend over the whole outer contour. Thus, it can be appropriate that the grooves extend only from a highest point of the engaging portion in direction of the supporting region. The section of the engaging portion that is so to speak turned away from the rail is preferably substantially even or at least without any particular surface structure. Due to the thus bigger contact surface, the surface pressure in this area or in this direction can intentionally be reduced. The three grooves are particularly preferably placed at an equal distance from each other, wherein however the respectively outer grooves have an unequal distance to the respective edges of the engaging portion. In particular, the distance of the most outer groove with respect to the angled guide plate is thus bigger with respect to the nearest edge of the engaging portion than the distance of the most inner groove with respect to the angled guide plate to the nearest edge of the engaging portion. Due to this asymmetrical arrangement and/or due to the afore mentioned characteristics, with the (tension) clamps that are used for W-type fastenings known from the prior art, an optimal force introduction or transmission can be achieved with the angled guide plates with a simultaneous best possible material utilization.
In a preferred embodiment, one or several recesses of the engaging portion or in the engaging portion are formed in that the underside merges in a second radius in the engaging portion, wherein the second radius is bigger than the aforesaid first radius. A rib-type engaging portion can preferably be thus produced with highest flexibility, in particular in the track direction, and with a maximum strength, in particular transversely to the track direction.
The engaging portion preferably ends at a distance in front of an end of the angled guide plate, this being seen in the track direction. In this context, it is important to mention that the engaging portion is not only provided for securing or for optimizing the guiding or the arrangement of the angled guide plate in the underlying element. Another important function of the engaging portion consists in particular in that forces of other rail fastening means, in particular of the already mentioned (tension) clamp, that are introduced into the angled guide plate by the upper side, are optimally transmitted by the engaging portion(s) to the underlying element. Thus, engaging portions are advantageously configured in the underside of the angled guide plate only where forces introduced from the upper side are to be transmitted. When using (tension) clamps known from the prior art, appropriately the engaging portion is thus not formed up to the ends of the angled guide plate so that material can additionally be saved. The surface pressure can thus also be preferably increased since the effective surface of the engaging portion is reduced. Moreover, this is also achieved by the configuration of the engaging portion with protrusions and/or recesses.
The upper side advantageously has a heel that increases the thickness of the supporting region in sections at least in part so that a stop surface for the rail is increased. In other words, the supporting area appropriately has a heel that increases the thickness of the angled guide plate at least in sections so that the stop surface for the rail is increased. The upper side of the angled guide plate is appropriately configured parallel to the underside in the area of the heel. The heel is further preferably formed in that the upper side has the already mentioned camber or curvature so that the heel is formed. The stop surface advantageously extends substantially transversely to the underside of the angled guide plate by forming the surface that directly and/or indirectly supports the rail. The heel can advantageously also extend beyond the underside. The heel makes possible a further thickening of the supporting area in sections in order to constitute an optimal positive and in particular a non-positive locking with the rail to be supported. It is understood that the heel has not to be formed continuous along the length of the angled guide plate. But the angled guide plate appropriately has corresponding heels at least at its ends in order to support the rail.
The upper side appropriately has at least one force introduction area, wherein the at least one force introduction area is formed as a material thickening and/or material thinning with respect to the basic body. As already mentioned, the force introduction areas substantially serve for absorbing and transmitting the forces that can occur when arranging further rail fastening elements such as, for example, (tension) clamps. In particular, the force introduction areas serve to absorb forces that act substantially approximately transversely to the underside of the angled guide plate. Following the idea of this very invention, the basic body has a substantially even surface plane and has a material thickening or, if need be, a material thinning only in those locations that serve for introducing forces, for example through rail fastening means such as (tension) clamps or the like. Material is thus used very purposefully and only where it is mandatorily needed.
Appropriately, at least one force introduction area is formed as a recess in the guide region that extends substantially along the track direction and that reduces the thickness of the angled guide plate in this region. The recess is advantageously formed substantially with a circular segment or rounded cross-section, this being seen along the track direction. The recess is advantageously formed for arranging a rail fastening means, for example a (tension) clamp. In a preferred embodiment, two such recesses are placed at a distance along the length of the angled guide plate the one after the other. The distance preferably is approximately 0.5 to 7 cm, in particular preferably approximately 1 to 5 cm and most particularly preferably approximately 1.5 to 4 cm. In a preferred embodiment, the recess is limited along the track direction in its entirety or at least in sections by a transition section towards the supporting region. The transition section has approximately a cross-sectional shape of a triangle, this being seen along the track direction that extends away from the upper side of the basic body and thus continues the contour or the surface of the recess beyond the upper side. The arrangement of rail fastening means is thus still further optimized since the surface of the recess, thus of the force introduction area, is increased.
The force introduction area in the guide region and the at least one engaging portion on the underside are advantageously placed facing each other. The angled guide plate as a whole can thus advantageously be formed extremely thin in the guide region, in particular thinner than in the supporting region. The angled guide plate is advantageously thickened or reinforced by using at least one engaging portion only locally where forces have to be introduced. This configuration complying with the flow of forces makes possible an optimal material utilization and thus a cost-effective manufacturing. It should not be forgotten that a very big number of such angled guide plates is required for fastening the rails so that even minimal savings in material result in total to a considerable cost advantage. Appropriately, a recess and an opposed engaging portion extend over the same or substantially the same length, this being seen along the track direction. Two recesses are advantageously provided that are placed opposite two engaging portions of the same length.
Appropriately, a material thinning and/or a material recess is placed between two recesses or engaging portions placed along the track direction. A purposeful introduction of forces is thus made possible. It has already been mentioned that in a preferred embodiment two engaging portions are placed on the underside or two recesses are placed on the upper side the one behind the other at corresponding distances. The material thinning and/or the material recess is advantageously configured in these intervals or in the area of these intervals, for example with the shape of a hole. In other words, the distance can also be formed precisely by the material thinning or the material recess. The material thinning is to be interpreted in that the thickness of the guide region is still further reduced in this region that is anyway already very thin. It is thus advantageously possible that the two recesses and the correspondingly facing engaging portions on the underside of the angled guide plate ideally absorb the forces of the rail fastening element, for example of the (tension) clamp, and transmit them to the further element, for example to the (railway) sleeper. Tests resulted in that—in simplified words—the areas between the recesses or between the engaging portions are not needed so that they can advantageously be so to speak “omitted” by the material thinning or the material recess. It is understood that a further material saving and thus cost saving is also made possible precisely by these features.
The angled guide plate preferably forms a bulge on the outside of the guide region along the track direction that is preferably adjacent to the at least one recess. The recess and the bulge advantageously merge in a bend or in a curve. The bulge preferably achieves a local thickening of the guide region. This thickening advantageously serves to place the rail fastening means, for example to support a (tension) clamp, this being seen transversely to the track direction. On the other hand, the arrangement or the positive locking of the angled guide plate on the further element, for example on the (railway) sleeper, can thus also be optimized. In this way, the guide region of the angled guide plate is fundamentally configured already very thin at the outer end in question here so that it can be advantageous to increase the thickness of the guide region on its outside at least in sections with a protrusion such as a bulge or the like. The contour of the recess advantageously merges directly in the bulge so that the bulge and the recess form in cross-section a continuous contour.
Appropriately, at least one force introduction area that extends substantially away from the upper side and that serves for supporting a fastening means, in particular a (tension) clamp, is formed in the supporting region. The force introduction area in the supporting region advantageously represents an additional thickening in order to optimally support fastening means to be placed and to optimize the introduction of forces.
Appropriately, the force introduction area in the supporting region is formed by two protrusions that are placed offset along the track direction and that have respectively one bearing surface for placing the fastening means that extends substantially transversely to the track direction. The bearing surfaces preferably have substantially the shape of a circle segment, this being seen along the track direction. Generally, the shape or the configuration of the bearing surfaces is advantageously adapted to the shape of the corresponding fastening means that is used. In order to increase the stability and the strength, the protrusions are connected by at least one web that extends along the track direction.
The angled guide plate advantageously has a recess, for example shaped as a hole, for traversing a fastening means, in particular a (sleeper) screw. The recess is advantageously placed in the supporting region but it can also extend into the guide region or also be placed only in this region.
Preferably, a length of the supporting region is bigger than a length of the guide region. In a top view, the angled guide plate is also advantageously formed approximately trapezoid. The length of the guide region is preferably approximately 1 to 20% shorter than the length of the supporting region, particularly preferably approximately 2 to 15%, most particularly preferably approximately 3 to 10%.
In order to limit the need of material to a minimum, the angled guide plate has advantageously on its underside one or several pockets that are dimensioned to still further reduce the thickness of the basic body in sections or in portions. A configuration for which the pocket extends perpendicularly away from the stop surface over the whole length of the supporting region in direction of the guide region has proved particularly advantageous with a shape for which the thickness of the basic body is not further reduced in the area of the edges of the basic body, in particular in the supporting region (apart from the section in the area of the stop) and in the area around the recess. The pockets advantageously end in front of the engaging portions.
The areas the thickness of which is not reduced advantageously form force transmission areas. The matter is thus, for the force transmission areas, of the areas on the underside of the angled guide plate that are in contact with the (railway) sleeper. The force transmission areas are advantageously just as big or only as wide so that the forces introduced from the upper side of the angled guide plate, in particular the clamping forces, are sufficiently supported.
According to the invention, a track arrangement has an angled guide plate according to the invention. It is understood that all the characteristics and advantages of the angled guide place also apply to the track arrangement.
Further advantages and characteristics result from the following description of preferred embodiments of the angled guide plate according to the invention as well as of the track arrangement according to the invention with reference to the attached drawings. This being, single characteristics of the single embodiments can be combined with each other within the scope of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2013 221 175 | Oct 2013 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2014/071790 | 10/10/2014 | WO | 00 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2015/055540 | 4/23/2015 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20140103132 | Lienhard et al. | Apr 2014 | A1 |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20160237627 A1 | Aug 2016 | US |
