EP0766630A1 - Articulated spine car - Google Patents
Articulated spine carInfo
- Publication number
- EP0766630A1 EP0766630A1 EP96915417A EP96915417A EP0766630A1 EP 0766630 A1 EP0766630 A1 EP 0766630A1 EP 96915417 A EP96915417 A EP 96915417A EP 96915417 A EP96915417 A EP 96915417A EP 0766630 A1 EP0766630 A1 EP 0766630A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- connector
- car
- wheel
- spine
- units
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61D—BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES
- B61D3/00—Wagons or vans
- B61D3/16—Wagons or vans adapted for carrying special loads
- B61D3/18—Wagons or vans adapted for carrying special loads for vehicles
- B61D3/182—Wagons or vans adapted for carrying special loads for vehicles specially adapted for heavy vehicles, e.g. public work vehicles, trucks, trailers
- B61D3/184—Wagons or vans adapted for carrying special loads for vehicles specially adapted for heavy vehicles, e.g. public work vehicles, trucks, trailers the heavy vehicles being of the trailer or semi-trailer type
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61D—BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES
- B61D3/00—Wagons or vans
- B61D3/10—Articulated vehicles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61G—COUPLINGS; DRAUGHT AND BUFFING APPLIANCES
- B61G5/00—Couplings for special purposes not otherwise provided for
- B61G5/02—Couplings for special purposes not otherwise provided for for coupling articulated trains, locomotives and tenders or the bogies of a vehicle; Coupling by means of a single coupling bar; Couplings preventing or limiting relative lateral movement of vehicles
Definitions
- the invention relates generally to railway cars, and more particularly to an articulated spine car.
- T ⁇ IX articulated railway car generally comprises a number of units joined by connectors, with a shared truck disposed between each pair of adjacent units. Examples of articulated railway cars and components thereof are shown in U.S. Patent Nos . 4,962,861, 4,258,628, and 3,399,631.
- the invention relates to a lightweight, low- level articulated railway car suitable for carrying trailers and containers on railways in Europe.
- the connectors which join adjacent units of the articulated car also support the side bearing arms.
- a connector member comprising a central longitudinal member disposed at a relatively low level and a pair of stub arms extending outward from the central longitudinal member to support the side bearing arms.
- the stub arms may be sloped upward to avoid interference with the wheels or other components of the shared truck.
- container supports may also be supported by the connector member.
- the side bearing arms may also function as container support arms, with container supports disposed at or near their distal ends.
- a low level wheel support structure for supporting the wheels of a trailer.
- the wheel support structure may comprise a pair of wheel trays, one located on each side of a central spine, supported by a plurality of transverse beams.
- Each of the transverse beams extends only partially across the bottom of the wheel tray, to enable the tray to be supported at a low level while maintaining desired clearances around the bottom side areas of the railway car.
- beam extensions of relatively small vertical dimension may extend beyond the ends of the beams.
- channel segments may extend longitudinally between beam extensions.
- the wheel tray may have an outer portion disposed beyond the ends of the beam extensions, such that the wheel tray is partially self-supporting.
- FIGURE 1 is a plan view illustrating a connector assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the invention
- FIGURE 2a is an end view of the connector casting illustrated on the left in FIG. 1;
- FIGURE 2b is an end view of the connector casting illustrated on the right in FIG. 1;
- FIGURE 3 is a partial transverse sectional elevational view of the connector of FIG. 1, illus ⁇ trating a portion of the truck associated therewith;
- FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of an articulated car incorporating the connector of FIG. 1;
- FIGURE 5 is plan view of an interior unit of the articulated car of FIG. ;
- FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of the unit of FIG. 5;
- FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 7-7 in FIG. 6.
- FIG. 4 illustrates an articulated railway car 10 comprising four units 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d joined by connectors 14.
- Each unit generally comprises a longitudinal spine 16 as its main load-bearing member, and is adapted for carrying either containers 18 or trailers 20 (FIGS. 5 and 6) .
- each connector 14 generally comprises a first connector member 22 mounted on one of the units; a second connector member 24 mounted on the other of the units; and a connecting pin 26 joining the connector members 22 and 24.
- an end portion of the first connector member 22 is supported on a bowl 28 mounted on a shared truck 30, with the bottom surface 32 of the first connector member 22 and the corresponding upper surface 34 of the truck- mounted bowl having spherical and complementary configurations to permit the first connector member 22 to pivot relative to the truck-mounted bowl 28 about a longitudinal horizontal axis, a transverse horizontal axis, and a vertical axis.
- spherical is used herein to refer to a surface which is configured as a portion of the sphere, not a complete sphere.
- the second connector member 24 comprises a base portion 36 and an end portion 38 which connects to the end portion 40 of the first member 22 and which has an opening 42 therein to receive the connecting pin 26.
- the first member 22 also includes a base portion 46 which may be welded or otherwise secured to an adjacent end of the spine 16 of one of the car units.
- Each of the connector members 22 and 24 is preferably an integral, one-piece casting, i.e., a unitary member, rather than a combination of parts bolted or welded together.
- the connector members may be configured somewhat differently from the connector members illustrated herein. Numerous different connector members have been used or proposed for joining units of an articulated railway car. In other embodiments of the invention, non-spherical geometry may be employed on the bottom of the first connector member, with a flat center plate employed instead of the illustrated bowl to support the first connector member.
- the truck-mounted bowl 28 is preferably mounted on the top wall 48 of the bolster 50 of the shared truck, with the central portion of the bowl 28 protruding downward through a circular opening in the top wall of the bolster 50.
- means 52 are provided for attachment to side frames and/or appropriate suspension components.
- the bolster 50 generally comprises top and bottom walls 48 and 54, forward and rear sidewalls 56, and one or more interior walls 58 extending between the top and bottom walls 48 and 54 to increase the strength and rigidity of the structure.
- the second connector member 24 may pivot relative to the first connector member 22 about any axis, and the first connector member 22 may pivot relative to the truck-mounted bowl 28 about any axis.
- the center of rotation 60 for each of the above- referenced pivoting motions is at substantially the same point, centered relative to the vertical axis of the connecting pin. This enables the respective pivoting motions to take place without substantial transverse displacement of the components relative to one another.
- each of the connector castings 22 and 24 in the illustrated embodiment has a pair of stub arms thereon for supporting side bearing arms.
- the first connector casting 22 has integral stub arms 64 thereon to support a pair of side bearing arms 62.
- Each of the side bearing arms 62 has a side bearing support 88 extending longitudinally forward therefrom, with an upper side bearing 66 on its lower surface which engages the upper surface of a truck- mounted lower side bearing 68 located therebeneath.
- Each of the stub arms 64 extends outward and rearward, at an angle of about 75o to the longitudinal axis of the connector.
- the stub arms 64 slope upward from the longitudinally extending central portion 70 of the casting to provide clearance and avoid interference with components of the shared truck.
- Each of the stub arms 64 preferably is curved so that it extends generally horizontally at its distal end 72.
- Each of the side bearing arms 62 comprises a substantially straight first portion 74 which is welded to and substantially aligned with an associated stub arm, and a substantially straight second portion 76 which is welded to and extends at an angle to the first portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the second portion 76 extends at an angle of about 120 degrees to the first portion 74. The rearward angle of the stub ar s 64 avoids interference between the side bearing arms 62 and 82 on the respective connector members.
- each of the side bearing arms 62 has a container support 94 near its distal end.
- the container supports 94 are located substantially even with the pivot point 60 of the connection between the two units, such that a transverse vertical plane extending through the pivot point 60 also would extend through each of the container supports 94.
- one end of the container may be engaged by the connector-mounted container supports 94, while the opposite end of the container is engaged by a second pair of container supports 98 which may be disposed on L-shaped arms 100 extending outward on opposite sides of the spine 16.
- the second connector member 24 similarly includes stub arms 78 which support side bearing arms 82.
- the stub arms on the second connector member extend outward from a longitudinal central portion 80 of the connector casting 24, and extend forward at an angle of about 10 degrees to a transverse plane.
- the stub arms 78 preferably slope upward from the central portion 80 to provide clearance and avoid interference with the wheels and/or other components of the shared truck.
- each of the side bearing arms 82 is generally L-shaped, comprising a first portion 84 which is generally aligned with its associated stub arm 78; and a second portion 86 which extends forward therefrom, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the connector casting.
- An upper side bearing 90 is disposed on the lower surface of the second portion.
- the configuration may vary.
- the side bearing arms might be curved rather than being fabricated from generally straight portions joined at an angle to each other.
- the connector castings and associated arms as described above enable side bearings and container supports to be adequately supported-with arms of relatively short length, as compared with alternative arrangements in which side bearing arms and/or container support arms might be supported by the spine or other structural components, and connected thereto at a location farther from the pivot point.
- the connector castings as described above provide a strong and rigid structure which transmits draft and buff loads at a relatively low level.
- the provision of the stub arms as integral components of the casting is believed to provide significant advantages as compared with welding side bearing arms directly to the longitudinal portion of the casting, in that the latter arrangement would be more difficult to fabricate, and might be susceptible to fatigue at certain of the welded joints.
- the connector castings as described above provide a solution to various problems created in attempting to support containers or trailers in a limited amount of available space in a lightweight articulated railway car.
- the illustrated unit is believed to be suitable for carrying trailers and containers in Europe, where overhead clearances and other clearances are generally more restrictive than in the United States.
- each unit includes a spine 16 which extends longitudinally of the center of the unit and functions as the main load-bearing member of the unit.
- a wheel support structure 102 for supporting the wheels of a trailer is mounted on the spine 16 at a depression 104 in the spine which provides clearance for the trailer axles.
- a trailer to be carried on the unit is shown in phantom at 20 in FIGS. 5 and 6.
- the entire spine 16 is disposed at a low elevation.
- the spine extends between the wheels of the shared truck 30 at each end of the unit, with a lower portion 106 of the spine extending at an elevation below the tops of the wheels as it passes between them.
- the illustrated wheel support structure 102 comprises a pair of wheel supports disposed on opposite sides of the spine 16.
- Each of the wheel supports comprises a wheel tray 108 and a plurality of transverse beams 110 extending outward from the spine to the wheel tray to support the wheel tray.
- Each wheel tray comprises a substantially horizontal bottom 112 and an outer side wall 114.
- the bottom 112 of the wheel tray comprises an inner portion 116, an outer portion 118, and an intermediate portion 120.
- the outer side wall 114 slopes upward and outward from the outer portion 118 of the bottom 132, and engages the tires to urge them inward.
- the center line of the trailer wheels is indicated by the broken lines 146 in FIG. 7.
- Required clearances around the bottom and sides of the car unit are indicated by the profile illustrated as a broken line 144 in FIG. 7.
- Required clearances for truck wheels are indicated by the stepped profile indicated at 142.
- Each of the transverse beams 110 extends beneath only the inner portion 116 of the bottom of the wheel tray 108 to provide increased clearance beneath the outer portion of the wheel tray.
- beam extensions 122 of relatively small vertical dimension extend beyond the ends of the beams in the illustrated embodiment.
- Each of the beam extensions 122 has a vertical dimension less than that of the portion 124 of the beam that extends beneath the wheel tray for increased clearance.
- channel segments 126 may extend longitudinally between the beam extensions 122 and are welded thereto.
- the beam extensions 122 extend beneath the intermediate portion 120 of the wheel tray and are of solid cross-section.
- the bottom 112 of the wheel tray is partially self- supporting in that the beam extensions 122 terminate inward of the outer portion 118 of the bottom of the wheel tray.
- each of the wheel trays 108 is disposed well below the top surface 128 of the spine 16.
- each of the wheel trays 108 is also disposed below the upper surface 130 of the depressed portion 104 of the spine as well.
- the bottom 112 of each wheel tray is disposed below the upper surfaces 132 of the transverse beams.
- Each of the transverse beams 110 is, in the illustrated embodiment, of a generally rectangular, hollow cross section, comprising a top wall 134, a bottom wall 136, and substantially parallel, substantially vertical side walls 138. The bottom wall extends outward beyond the top wall, and each of the side walls is cut away so that a lower portion 140 of each side wall extends beneath its associated wheel tray 108.
- the illustrated wheel supports thus provide a strong, rigid, low level support for the trailer wheels, while also providing adequate clearances at the bottom and sides of the car to comply with clearances on European railways.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Acyclic And Carbocyclic Compounds In Medicinal Compositions (AREA)
- Forklifts And Lifting Vehicles (AREA)
- Mechanical Operated Clutches (AREA)
- Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
- Vehicle Cleaning, Maintenance, Repair, Refitting, And Outriggers (AREA)
- Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)
- Handcart (AREA)
- Tires In General (AREA)
- Platform Screen Doors And Railroad Systems (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (5)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US43846395A | 1995-05-10 | 1995-05-10 | |
US438463 | 1995-05-10 | ||
US58350096A | 1996-01-05 | 1996-01-05 | |
PCT/US1996/006050 WO1996035600A1 (en) | 1995-05-10 | 1996-05-01 | Articulated spine car |
US583500 | 2000-05-31 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0766630A1 true EP0766630A1 (en) | 1997-04-09 |
EP0766630A4 EP0766630A4 (en) | 2000-07-05 |
Family
ID=27031660
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP96915441A Withdrawn EP0766631A4 (en) | 1995-05-10 | 1996-05-01 | Articulated spine car |
EP96915417A Withdrawn EP0766630A4 (en) | 1995-05-10 | 1996-05-01 | Articulated spine car |
Family Applications Before (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP96915441A Withdrawn EP0766631A4 (en) | 1995-05-10 | 1996-05-01 | Articulated spine car |
Country Status (7)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (2) | EP0766631A4 (en) |
AU (2) | AU696843B2 (en) |
BR (2) | BR9606362A (en) |
CZ (2) | CZ9700372A3 (en) |
PL (2) | PL180366B3 (en) |
SK (2) | SK17097A3 (en) |
WO (2) | WO1996035601A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE69803486T2 (en) | 1997-11-10 | 2002-08-29 | Babcock Support Services Ltd., Rosyth | FREIGHT VEHICLE ON THE RAILWAY |
EP2100790A1 (en) | 2008-03-14 | 2009-09-16 | Trailer Train Niart AB | System for railway transportation of semi-trailers, a railway freight wagon for such a system, and a method for manufacturing such a railway freight wagon |
RU2657712C1 (en) * | 2017-04-24 | 2018-06-14 | РЕЙЛ 1520 АйПи ЛТД | Articulated open car |
RU188838U9 (en) * | 2018-11-30 | 2020-03-26 | РЕЙЛ 1520 АйПи ЛТД | Carriage frame spinal beam |
RU187469U1 (en) * | 2018-12-04 | 2019-03-06 | Акционерное общество "Научно-внедренческий центр "Вагоны" (АО "НВЦ "Вагоны") | CARRIER TYPE FRAME |
RU193168U1 (en) * | 2019-02-27 | 2019-10-15 | РЕЙЛ 1520 АйПи ЛТД | JOINT TYPE WAGON PLATFORM |
RU208029U1 (en) * | 2021-07-23 | 2021-11-30 | Акционерное общество "Рузаевский завод химического машиностроения" (АО "Рузхиммаш") | Rail platform frame |
Family Cites Families (12)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US1452526A (en) * | 1922-12-28 | 1923-04-24 | Commw Steel | Articulated car |
NL84223C (en) * | 1952-03-27 | |||
US3145666A (en) * | 1962-03-29 | 1964-08-25 | Pullman Inc | Railway car center sill |
US3216370A (en) * | 1963-12-11 | 1965-11-09 | Amsted Ind Inc | Articulated structure for railway cars |
SE319794B (en) * | 1966-06-15 | 1970-01-26 | S Henriksson | |
US3954066A (en) * | 1974-12-12 | 1976-05-04 | Thrall Car Manufacturing Company | Draft sill arrangement for flat car |
US4636119A (en) * | 1984-09-24 | 1987-01-13 | Trailer Train Company | All purpose railroad car |
CA1234723A (en) * | 1985-06-26 | 1988-04-05 | Ronald F. Woollam | Low level freight car |
US4751882A (en) * | 1986-03-06 | 1988-06-21 | Canadian National Railway Company | Articulated lightweight piggyback railcar |
US4864938A (en) * | 1987-10-28 | 1989-09-12 | Trinity Industries, Inc. | Railway freight car |
US4867071A (en) * | 1988-04-13 | 1989-09-19 | National Castings, Inc. | Truck-mounted articulated connector for railway cars |
US5452664A (en) * | 1994-01-28 | 1995-09-26 | Thrall Car Manufacturing Company | Articulated, low level railroad spine car with overlapping kingpin connectors |
-
1996
- 1996-05-01 AU AU57214/96A patent/AU696843B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1996-05-01 SK SK170-97A patent/SK17097A3/en unknown
- 1996-05-01 SK SK169-97A patent/SK16997A3/en unknown
- 1996-05-01 WO PCT/US1996/006103 patent/WO1996035601A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1996-05-01 BR BR9606362A patent/BR9606362A/en unknown
- 1996-05-01 PL PL96318163A patent/PL180366B3/en unknown
- 1996-05-01 EP EP96915441A patent/EP0766631A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1996-05-01 BR BR9606361A patent/BR9606361A/en unknown
- 1996-05-01 EP EP96915417A patent/EP0766630A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1996-05-01 WO PCT/US1996/006050 patent/WO1996035600A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1996-05-01 AU AU57196/96A patent/AU693028B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1996-05-01 PL PL96318167A patent/PL180361B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1996-05-01 CZ CZ1997372A patent/CZ9700372A3/en unknown
- 1996-05-01 CZ CZ1997370A patent/CZ9700370A3/en unknown
Non-Patent Citations (2)
Title |
---|
No further relevant documents disclosed * |
See also references of WO9635600A1 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
PL180361B1 (en) | 2001-01-31 |
PL318167A1 (en) | 1997-05-26 |
PL180366B3 (en) | 2001-01-31 |
SK17097A3 (en) | 1997-09-10 |
BR9606361A (en) | 1998-12-15 |
AU693028B2 (en) | 1998-06-18 |
AU696843B2 (en) | 1998-09-17 |
EP0766630A4 (en) | 2000-07-05 |
BR9606362A (en) | 1997-10-28 |
WO1996035601A1 (en) | 1996-11-14 |
EP0766631A4 (en) | 2000-07-05 |
PL318163A1 (en) | 1997-05-26 |
SK16997A3 (en) | 1997-09-10 |
AU5721496A (en) | 1996-11-29 |
CZ9700372A3 (en) | 2001-11-14 |
EP0766631A1 (en) | 1997-04-09 |
AU5719696A (en) | 1996-11-29 |
CZ9700370A3 (en) | 2001-11-14 |
WO1996035600A1 (en) | 1996-11-14 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
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PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
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17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 19970108 |
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AK | Designated contracting states |
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A4 | Supplementary search report drawn up and despatched |
Effective date: 20000518 |
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RIC1 | Information provided on ipc code assigned before grant |
Free format text: 7B 61D 15/00 A, 7B 61D 3/18 B, 7B 61D 3/10 B, 7B 61G 5/02 B |
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17Q | First examination report despatched |
Effective date: 20010417 |
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STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN |
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18D | Application deemed to be withdrawn |
Effective date: 20010828 |