Patent Application
20160272224
The invention relates to a bearing block for articulating a coupling rod to a car body of a track-guided vehicle, particularly a railway vehicle.
In railway vehicle technology, a bearing block usually serves to connect a coupling rod to the car body of a railway vehicle so as to be pivotable in a horizontal plane. So that the coupling rod can also realize pivoting motions relative to the railcar body, necessary for example when a multi-member block train travels through curves, the linkage realized with the bearing block is usually implemented so as to enable horizontal and vertical outward pivoting as well as an axial rotation of the coupling rod relative to the car body.
It is further known that when a coupling rod is rigidly mounted by means of a bearing block, impacts and vibrations occurring for example during coupling or upon braking can result in damage to the vehicle and/or the coupling arrangement itself. In order to prevent such damage, it is necessary to limit the transmission of impacts, vibrations and the like to the greatest degree possible. This is preferably realized by providing a drawgear having elastic damping means to absorb such impacts transmitted in the flow of force through the coupling rod. Such a drawgear is frequently integrated into the linkage of the coupling rod to the car body; i.e. in the bearing block provided for the purpose. The drawgear is designed to route tractive and compressive forces up to a defined magnitude through the bearing block to the vehicle undercarriage in an elastically cushioning manner. The aim is to absorb energy by means of an elastic deforming of the damping means allocated to the drawgear and thus prevent excessive stress on the bearing block and particularly the vehicle undercarriage.
A drawgear 50 comprising a total of three spring elements 52.1, 52.2, 52.3 is in-tegrated into the conventional coupling linkage 150 shown. These spring elements 52.1, 52.2, 52.3 are designed so as to absorb tractive and impact forces up to a defined magnitude and to conduct forces exceeding the given magnitude through the bearing block 101 to the vehicle undercarriage.
The coupling linkage 150 shown in
Since the drawgear 50 solution known from the prior art configured in the form of damping means (here: elastomer spring mechanism) is accommodated within the bearing block 101, the bearing block 101 necessarily needs to exhibit a configuration which is adapted to the drawgear 50 (elastomer spring mechanism). Particularly needing to be ensured is specific relative motion between the bearing block 101 and the drawgear 50 articulated via the bearing shells 131, 132 of the bearing block 101 so as to be pivotable in a horizontal plane. In this respect, the overall length of the drawgear 50 as well as the damping behavior of said drawgear 50 determines the dimensions and particularly the length of the bearing block 101.
It can be noted from the depictions in
As can especially be noted from the representation in
It is in particular evident that the cage/housing structure 110 of the bearing block 101 needs to be designed dependent on the damping characteristic and the overall length of the drawgear 50 accommodated in the bearing block 101. For example, when a drawgear 50 having more than three spring elements 52.1 to 52.3 is to be used, the housing 53 of the drawgear 50 is lengthened such that there is a greater horizontal distance between the vertical axis of rotation R defined by the bearing shells 131, 132 and vertical flange plane A1.
Because the functional principle and the structural design of the drawgear 50 accommodated in the bearing block 101 are not uniform and are selected as a function of the respective application, a great many bearing block variants need to be provided, which increases production costs.
The present invention is thus based on the task of specifying a solution enabling considerably more flexible use of a bearing block, including that with many different types of drawgears.
This task is solved by the subject matter of independent claim 1. Advantageous further developments are indicated in the dependent claims.
Accordingly, a bearing block is proposed which comprises a first crosspiece having a bearing shell situated in a first horizontal plane as well as a second crosspiece having a bearing shell situated in a second horizontal plane distanced from the first horizontal plane. The crosspieces in particular constitute transverse supports or similar structural elements. The bearing shells of the crosspieces each have a respective mount for a common vertically extending pivot bolt or for a pivot pin allocated to the respective bearing shell.
In contrast to the conventional solutions known from the prior art, the inventive bearing block is however not of single-piece design; instead, it is provided for the first and second crosspiece to be implemented as separate structural components independently connectable to the car body of the track-guided vehicle.
The advantages able to be achieved with the inventive solution are obvious: Because the bearing block consists of combinable individual parts, it is possible to select the vertical distance of the crosspieces individually and application-specific such that the individual parts of the bearing block, particularly the crosspieces of the bearing block, can accommodate drawgears of different design.
In one preferential further development of the invention, a baseplate formed separately from the crosspieces which comprises at least one flange region connectable to the car body of the track-guided vehicle is provided additionally to the two crosspieces. It is thus conceivable for the first and second crosspiece of the bearing block to be preferably detachably connected to the baseplate, and thus by means of the baseplate to the car body, independently of one another.
The solution according to the invention is not, however, limited to embodiments in which the two crosspieces of the bearing block can be pre-mounted by way of a baseplate. Instead of a baseplate, it is in fact also conceivable for so-called spacers to be provided which are preferably realized as separate components from the two crosspieces. Said spacers are preferably detachably connectable to the two crosspieces such that the crosspieces are spaced at a vertical distance from one another after the spacers being connected. This can in fact also be realized when only one single spacer is provided.
Corresponding mounts are preferably provided in the crosspieces to receive at least one area of the spacer. In one preferential realization, these mounts are provided at the lateral edge region of the respective crosspiece. Conceivable as a mount is in particular a groove or a channel-like track to position the spacer relative to the crosspiece in defined manner. However, other embodiments are also conceivable in this context for the mounts formed in the respective crosspieces.
One particularly preferential realization of the latter embodiment of the inventive bearing block makes use of two spacers which when mounted; i.e. when connected to the two crosspieces, are spaced apart from each other horizontally. The vertical extension of these two spacers then defines the distance between the first horizontal plane, in which the bearing shell of the first crosspiece is situated, and the second horizontal plane, in which the bearing shell of the second crosspiece is situated. It is thus evident that simply by replacing the spacers, the distance between the first and second horizontal plane, and thus the potential applications of the bearing block, can be varied.
According to a further aspect, the invention relates to a coupling linkage for the articulated connecting of a coupling rod to a railcar body, particularly to a railcar body of a multi-member track-guided vehicle, wherein the coupling linkage comprises a bearing block of the above-described type connected to the car body and a drawgear pivotably articulated to the bearing block in a horizontal plane to absorb tractive and compressive forces transmitted through the coupling rod to the bearing block.
The invention is however not limited to a drawgear—the bearing block according to the invention is in fact also suited to the articulating of a coupling rod, for example by way of a joint bearing, without a drawgear being utilized thereto in the linkage.
In one preferential realization of the coupling linkage, the drawgear is realized as a spring device or spring mechanism comprising a push/pull rod connected or connectable to a car body-side end region of the coupling rod, at least one spring element preferably in the form of an annular spring element of elastomer material, and a housing open to the coupling rod, wherein the housing accommodates the at least one spring element. The at least one spring element can be of two-piece design so as to facilitate mounting to the push/pull rod. It is hereby conceivable for a first part of the spring element to be set onto the push/pull rod from a first side of the push/pull rod while the second part of the spring element is set onto the push/pull rod from the second side of the push/pull rod and then connected to the first part. It is in principle however also conceivable for the spring element to slide onto the drawgear longitudinally and be fixed in position there, for example by means of a nut.
The invention is however not limited to a coupling linkage in which the drawgear is realized as a spring device or spring mechanism. Different, preferably regeneratively designed damping means are in fact also applicable for the drawgear such as e.g. gas-hydraulic buffers or other such similar spring elements.
The housing of the drawgear implemented for example as a spring device or spring mechanism is preferably articulated to the bearing block so as to be pivotable in a horizontal plane by means of a first pivot pin in the mount of the first bearing shell and a second pivot pin in the mount of the second bearing shell. In such a drawgear, pretensioned resilient rings of an elastic material are advantageously provided within the inner circumferential surface of the housing, sequentially disposed with their central planes aligned vertically and spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the push/pull rod. It is hereby however also conceivable to make use of one single cylindrical elastomer element (elastomer cylinder) in place of multiple individual sequentially disposed rings. For example, annular circumferential elastomer beads can be provided on the outer circumferential surface of this cylindrical elastomer element.
In one possible realization of the drawgear implemented as an elastomer spring mechanism, both the rear; i.e. the car body-side end of the coupling rod or the push/pull rod respectively, as well as the inner surface of the housing exhibit circumferential annular beads directed toward one another, wherein the resilient rings made from elastic material, respectively said elastomer cylinder with the annular beads, are respectively held in spaces between two adjacent annular beads opposite the rear end of the coupling rod and the housing. Each elastic ring thereby directly abuts both the circumferential surface of the coupling shaft as well as the inner circumferential surface of the housing, whereby in the unloaded state of the elastomer spring mechanism with respect to tractive and compressive forces, the annular beads of the coupling rod align with the associated annular beads of the housing.
As indicated above, it is preferably provided for the housing of the drawgear realized as an elastomer spring mechanism to be articulated to the bearing block so as to be horizontally pivotably by means of the previously cited pivot pins in the mounts of the corresponding bearing shells. The first and/or second pivot pin is/are preferably configured as a shearing element such that the respective pivot pin shears off upon a critical impact force being transmitted from the coupling rod to the bearing block and thus disengaging the connection between the housing of the elastomer spring mechanism and the bearing block. In other words, in this preferential realization of the inventive coupling linkage, the housing of the elastomer spring mechanism is connected to the bearing block by means of at least one shearing element so that upon a defined critical impact force being exceeded, the coupling rod along with the housing and the elastic spring mechanism provided therein will be removed from the flow of force transmitted to the bearing block.
On the other hand, however, it is also conceivable for the first and/or second pivot pin to be connected to the drawgear housing by means of at least one shearing element, particularly a shear bolt, such that the at least one shearing element shears off upon a critical impact force being transmitted from the coupling rod to the bearing block, thus disengaging the connection between the drawgear housing and the bearing block.
It is hereby to be pointed out that this embodiment is of course not only limited to elastomer spring mechanisms but is also applicable to other drawgears integrated into the linkage. For example, such a drawgear can also be realized with hollow rubber springs, friction springs, hydraulic mechanisms or combinations thereof. Employing destructive impact elements additionally or alternatively to such regenerative impact elements is also conceivable.
A further advantage of the latter embodiment of the inventive coupling linkage is that after the critical impact force is exceeded, not only is the drawgear (elastomer spring mechanism) removed from the flow of force by the disengaging of the connection between the housing of the drawgear (elastomer spring mechanism) and the bearing block, but the coupling rod connected thereto is also removed from the force flow so that the bearing block remains in its original position on the railcar body. In particular, the entire bearing block is thereby for example no longer displaced into an area provided for the purpose in the undercarriage of the car body upon a crash, as is to some extent the case with conventional central buffer couplings. Instead, the bearing block remains on the car body and can assume the function of a “guide profile” and/or “catch element” with respect to the coupling shaft disengaging from the bearing block since the drawgear (elastomer spring mechanism) can be supported with the coupling shaft in or at the opening extending through the bearing block, thus preventing the disengaged coupling shaft or disengaged drawgear from falling onto the track (track bed).
It is particularly preferentially provided in the inventive coupling linkage employing a drawgear articulated on the bearing block so as to be pivotable in the horizontal plane for the drawgear to be realized such that the tractive and impact forces transmitted through the coupling rod to the drawgear are dampened by the regenerative deformation of the spring elements provided in the drawgear up to a defined magnitude, wherein said defined magnitude is fixed at a value which is lower than the response force of the at least one shearing element by which the drawgear can be pivotably connected to the bearing block in a horizontal plane. What this thereby achieves is the drawgear being able to absorb tractive and compressive forces up to the defined magnitude and thus absorb, and thereby eliminate, lesser impacts and vibrations, such as those which occur for example during travel or upon braking.
Forces of greater magnitude which occur for instance upon the vehicle colliding with an obstacle (crash), cause the at least one shearing element used to connect the drawgear to the bearing block to respond, whereby the connection between the drawgear and the bearing block disengages and the drawgear as well as the coupling rod are at least partly removed from the flow of force transmitted to the bearing block. Doing so thus allows the residual energy remaining after the damping capacity of the spring elements provided in the drawgear having been exhausted to be for example transferred to railcar body-side energy absorption elements such as for instance friction elements or crash boxes. The advantage herein is being able to achieve the greatest possible energy absorption calculable in a foreseeable sequence of events upon a crash since the coupling shaft with the central buffer coupling is removed from the force flow upon a defined level of force being exceeded, thus allowing the collision of the car bodies and the operation of the car body-side energy absorption elements.
One preferential realization of the solution according to the invention provides for the housing of the drawgear, which is articulated to the bearing block of the railcar body so as to be horizontally pivotable, for example by means of the at least one shearing element, to consist of two half-shells able to be detachably connected to one another. Threaded bolts are for example conceivable in this context for the connection. Connecting not just two but a plurality of housing parts is however of course also conceivable. Doing so facilitates fitting the spring elements in the drawgear.
The following will reference the accompanying drawings in describing the invention in greater detail.
Shown are:
As previously indicated, the linkage is realized by means of the drawgear 50 realized in the form of an elastomer spring mechanism. To this end, the drawgear 50 comprises a push/pull rod 51 which is either connectable to the railcar body-side end region of a (not shown) coupling rod or which forms the railcar body-side end region of the coupling rod.
As can be noted from the representation provided in
The drawgear 50 employed in the coupling linkage 150 according to
As indicated above, the drawgear 50 is articulated to the bearing block 101 so as to be pivotable in a horizontal plane. To this end, the bearing block 101 comprises a bearing consisting of a first (upper) bearing shell 131 and a second (lower) bearing shell 132. The housing 53 of the drawgear 50 is configured with respective pivot pins 54.1, 54.2 accommodated by the respective bearing shells 131, 132 such that the housing 53 of the drawgear 50 and thus the entire drawgear 50 with the push/pull rod 51 and a coupling rod fixed or fixable to said push/pull rod 51 can be pivoted in a horizontal plane relative to the bearing block 101.
To be noted from the representations provided in
The flange 102 exhibits a first as well as a second flange region 121, 122, wherein each of the two flange regions 121, 122 is provided with holes 109 in which screws can be received in order to fix the bearing block 101 to the front end of a railcar body or to the undercarriage of a railcar body via flange regions 121, 122. The flange regions 121, 122 are thereby connected to the bearing shells 131, 132 by means of the cage/housing structure 110.
As can be noted particularly from the representation provided in
It is particularly evident that the cage/housing structure 110 of the bearing block 101 needs to be realized as a function of the damping characteristic and the overall length of the drawgear 50 accommodated in the bearing block 101. If, for example, a drawgear 50 having more than three spring elements 52.1 to 52.32 is to be used, the housing 53 of the drawgear 50 is lengthened so that a greater horizontal distance is provided between the vertical axis of rotation R defined by the bearing shells 131, 132 and vertical flange plane A1.
As a result, the bearing block 101 employed in the coupling linkage 150 depicted in
The following will reference the depictions provided in
Common to all the embodiments of the inventive bearing block 1 is that—in contrast to the conventional solutions—the bearing block 1 is realized in a modular design. “Modular” in this context means there is no unilateral configuration of the bearing block 1 as a cast or forged part; instead the supporting and bearing parts of a push/pull rod 51 or respectively a drawgear 50 (not shown in
To this end, the bearing block 1 according to the invention comprises a first (upper) crosspiece 7.1 as well as a second (lower) crosspiece 7.2 formed separately therefrom. Each crosspiece 7.1, 7.2 is preferably of symmetrical design with respect to a vertical axis of reflection and comprises a respective bearing shell 3.1, 3.2. The bearing shells 3.1, 3.2 each comprise a mount 4.1, 4.2 for receiving a common pivot bolt (not shown), which extends vertically and is situated in the previously cited vertical plane of symmetry. On the other hand, the mounts 4.1, 4.2 are also designed such that they can also receive a pivot pin 54.1, 54.2 allocated to the respective bearing shell 3.1, 3.2. In one preferential realization, the mounts 4.1, 4.2 are realized as passage openings.
The example embodiments of the inventive bearing block 1 according to the depictions of
The baseplate 2 according to the depicted example embodiments of the inventive bearing block 1 exhibits a centrally arranged opening 6 through which a drawgear 50 (not shown in
Flange regions 2.1, 2.2 connected together by means of transverse (horizontally extending) connecting bridges 3 are realized on both sides of the opening 6 formed in the baseplate 2. Each connecting bridge 3 is preferably situated in a horizontal plane in which the bearing shells 3.1, 3.2 of the first or respectively second crosspiece 7.1, 7.2 are also situated. The bilateral flange regions 2.1, 2.2 thereby serve in the connecting to the front end of a railcar body or to the front end of a railcar body undercarriage respectively, preferably by means of a screw connection. To this end, corresponding drill holes 9 are provided in the two flange regions 2.1, 2.2 which can receive respective cylindrical connector elements, particularly screw, bolt or pin connector elements.
The two crosspieces 7.1, 7.2 of the example embodiments of the inventive bearing block 1 are configured with two lateral flange regions 5.1, 5.2 in which a respective drill hole 8 is formed for receiving a cylindrical connector element, particularly a screw, bolt or pin connector element.
The horizontal spacing of the drill holes 8 in the respective flange regions 5.1, 5.2 of the crosspieces 7.1, 7.2 is selected such that the sectional drilling pattern of each crosspiece 7.1, 7.2 at least partly coincides with the drilling pattern of the drill holes 9 provided in the flange regions 2.1, 2.2 of the baseplate 2. By so doing, it is possible for a cylindrical connector element, particularly a screw, bolt or pin connector element, to extend through the aligning drill holes 8, 9. This connector element can preferably further serve in forming a (releasable) connection to the front end of the respective railcar body or respective railcar body undercarriage.
So that the inventive bearing block 1 consisting—as stated above—of the modular “first crosspiece 7.1,” “second crosspiece 7.2” and preferably “baseplate 2” components, can be pre-assembled, additional drill holes 10, 11 are provided in the baseplate 2 and in the crosspieces 7.1, 7.2 so that the crosspieces 7.1, 7.2 can be connected to the baseplate 2 by means of screws 12.
Evident from an integrated view of the modularly constructed bearing blocks 1 according to the depictions of
On the other hand, a defined baseplate 2 is also suited to forming differing bearing blocks since the baseplate 2 is able to connect crosspieces 7.1, 7.2 of different design. It is thus conceivable for one and the same baseplate to be able to realize bearing blocks 1 having vertical axes of rotation at different distances from the vertical flange plane defined by the baseplate 2.
The following will reference the representations in
The further embodiment of the inventive bearing block 1 depicted in
The further example embodiment of the inventive bearing block 1 according to the
In the further embodiment of the inventive bearing block 1 depicted in
As can be noted particularly from the perspective exploded view according to
The preferably detachable connection between the spacers 13.1, 13.2 and the respective crosspieces 7.1, 7.2 is effected in the depicted embodiment by means of a screw connection. However, the invention is not limited to the spacers 13.1, 13.2 being detachably connected to the crosspieces 7.1, 7.2; a permanent connection, e.g. a welded connection, is in fact also conceivable.
Particularly evident from the
To thus be noted at this point is that different variants of the bearing block 1 can be easily and cost-effectively realized since only a limited number of crosspieces 7.1, 7.2 of different design and a limited number of baseplates 2 of different design, or a limited number of spacers 13.1, 13.2 of different design respectively, need to be provided in order to be able to realize a plurality of differently designed bearing blocks 1.
The present invention is not limited to the example embodiments depicted in the drawings but rather yields from an integrated consideration of all the features disclosed herein in context.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2013 110 888.1 | Oct 2013 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2014/069694 | 9/16/2014 | WO | 00 |
