EP0888947A2

EP0888947A2 - Cover arrangement for waggon

Info

Publication number: EP0888947A2
Application number: EP98850091A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marten Eriksson
Original assignee: Grandwaggon AB
Current assignee: Grandwaggon AB
Priority date: 1997-06-02
Filing date: 1998-05-29
Publication date: 1999-01-07
Also published as: SE9702071D0; EP0888947A3; SE9702071L; SE514857C2

Abstract

The invention concerns a cover arrangement for covering a waggon, said arrangement comprising two rigid end walls (13, 14), which are attachable to the waggon (1) at either end thereof, a cover (15) and a plurality of rigid cover arches (17). Each cover arch extends between the long sides of the waggon and has at its ends end pieces (35), which are displaceably connectible to the waggon for displacement of the cover arch along the waggon. The cover arches are connected to the cover at a distance from each other to form a covered space under the cover. The end walls comprise locking means (21, 23) for releasable locking of two end arches (25, 27) of the cover arches in engagement with an end wall each. The arrangement further comprises members (19) which are arranged between the cover arches and adapted to extend the cover cloth between the arches, each member being elongate, arcuate and resilient. Each member is, when the cover arrangement is arranged on a waggon, pretensioned by elastic bending of at least part of the member, such that it applies an outwardly directed pretensioning force on the cover cloth, at least when the end arches are locked. As a result, the members assist in extending the cover cloth as the arches are moved together.

Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cover arrangement for a waggon according to the preamble to claim 1 and to a waggon according to the preamble to claim 8.

Background Art

When transporting goods by rail, it is often desirable to cover the goods so as to protect them against moisture. There are different types of cover arrangements for waggons. The most common type is a steel-sheet super-structure with two longitudinally displaceable side doors for loading and unloading the goods. This arrangement yields a maximum opening for loading which is almost half the length of the waggon. This makes it difficult to load the loading area for certain types of goods that are elongate. A common example is parcels of timber, of which three are often accommodated in the longitudinal direction of the waggon. Since only half the length of the waggon is available at a time, it will be very difficult to load the parcels of timber that are to be positioned in the centre of the waggon.

Another type of cover arrangement, in which one has tried to solve this problem, comprises a cover which is supported by arches extending between the long sides of the waggon. The arches are displaceable in the longitudinal direction. By arranging sufficiently narrow or few arches, more than half the space can be opened for loading by pushing the arches towards one end of the waggon. For instance, at least 2/3 preferably constitute the opening, for transporting the above-mentioned type of parcels of timber, which in theory does not involve any problem. In practice however, the cover cloth between the arches causes a problem since it does not fold in a satisfactory, uniform manner but instead fairly randomly, above all along the sides. It is therefore very difficult to use the theoretical openability. There is, however, a known device according to EP-A-609,655, in which an attempt at solving this problem has been made. Between the cover arches, cloth raising means have been arranged. Each cloth raising means has an arch portion supported on both sides of the waggon by a scissor-like construction. When the cover arches are pushed towards each other, the scissor-like constructions are moved together and then raise the arch portions upwards. In this way, the cloth between the cover arches is forced to flexibly fold upwards.

Unfortunately, this prior-art construction requires great forces to push the cover arches together. This is caused on the one hand by friction in the scissor-like constructions and, on the other hand, by the weight of cover that is raised by the arch portions. The arrangement therefore requires a mechanical aid, by means of which the pushing together is carried out. As a result, this cover arrangement is heavy to work, and it takes a relatively long time to open the cover by means of said aid.

Summary of the Invention

An object of the invention is to provide a cover arrangement for a waggon, said cover arrangement being of the above-mentioned cover type and having arches which are easy to push together.

The object is achieved by a cover arrangement according to claim 1 of the appended claims.

Thanks to the members between the cover arches being resilient and pretensioned, they help in pushing the cloth outwards when the locking of an end arch is released. This means that a considerably smaller force is necessary to push the cover arches together than is the case in the prior-art cover arrangement.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention and additional advantages will now be described in more detail by way of embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a waggon provided with a cover arrangement in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-section of the waggon in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a schematic section of a part included in the cover arrangement; and

Fig. 4 is a schematic view of part of the cover arrangement seen from the interior of the waggon.

Description of an Embodiment

The inventive arrangement is intended to cover waggons. In a conventional basic design, the waggon 1 comprises a platform 3, two wheel assemblies 5 with axles 7 and axle suspensions 9, and load supports 11. The load supports 11 are posts 11 which are equidistantly spaced from each other along the long sides of the platform 3 and project from the platform 3. Their purpose is to prevent the load from sliding off the platform 3.

In accordance with the embodiment shown, the arrangement comprises two

end walls

13, 14, a cover 15, cover arches 17 and members 19 for extending the cover cloth 15 between the arches. The cover cloth 15 is partly cut away in Fig. 1 to illustrate how the arches 17 and the members 19 are arranged and operate.

The

end walls

13, 14 are rigid and are made up mostly of steel parts. The

end walls

13, 14 are fixedly connected to the waggon 1 at either end thereof and have the same width as the platform 3. Each

end wall

13, 14 comprises locking means 21, 23 for releasable locking of

end arches

25, 27 into sealing engagement with the

end walls

13, 14.

Each cover arch 17, except the

end arches

25, 27, comprises a tube 29 which extends arcuately from one long side of the waggon 1 to its other long side. The tube 29 is bent in several places to form a roof portion 31 of a suitable shape. Each of the

end arches

25, 27, however, comprises in this embodiment two tubes 29 which are interconnected by means of rigid crossbars 33. End pieces 35 are connected to the ends of each tube 29. Each end piece 35 comprises a holder 41 and four

rolls

37, 39 which are carried in the holder 41 and which are arranged in the form of a square. The

rolls

37, 39 can be said to engage a bar 43 which is fixed to the platform 3 and run along its longitudinal side edge. Two of the rolls 37 run on top of the upper edge of the bar 43 and are formed with a central groove which receives the edge of the bar 43 for guiding and retaining the rolls 37 on the bar 43. The other two rolls 39 run under the bar 43. The cover arches 17 are thus displaceable along the waggon 1.

The cover arches 17 are covered with the cover 15, such that a covered, loadable space forms under the arches 17, and more specifically between the arches 17 and the platform 3. The cover 15 is fixed to the arches 17 by means of conventional clamps 51 which are fixed to the cover cloth 15 and fitted round the arches. The cover 15 is further fixed to the holders 41. Each holder 41 has a lip 42 which extends obliquely downwards inwards and to which the cover 15 is attached.

The clamps 51 are placed such that suitable spaces are obtained between the arches 17. A distance between two juxtaposed, i.e. successive, arches 17 is as great as possible for the number of arches 17 required for the entire waggon 1 to be as small as possible. This is above all important in view of the wish to provide a maximum opening in a waggon with a cover arrangement. However, it is also important when taking the cost of the cover arrangement in consideration.

It must be easy to push the arches 17 together when loading and unloading goods. Too great a distance results in the cover 15 not folding efficiently between the arches 17. Then it is also not possible to push the arches 17 together as much as is desirable, which is the case in the prior-art arrangement. On the other hand, it is not possible to arrange the arches 17 as closely together as to solve this problem since the total width of the joined arches 17 will then be so great that the opening of the load space will be too small. Consequently, it is not possible to load the entire space in an easy manner. The opening should be greater than half the length of the waggon 1, and preferably at least 2/3 of the length of the waggon 1.

According to the invention, a relatively small number of arches 17 are required thanks to the members 19 which are arranged in the spaces between the arches 17. Between two successive arches 17, two members 19 are arranged. Each member 19 is arcuate and extends, like the arches 17, between the long sides. The member 19, which is elongate and resilient and which in this embodiment consists of a plastic tube, more specifically a so-called VP tube, is at its ends fixed to the end pieces 35 of a cover arch 17. The member 19 extends movably through sleeves 20 which are formed of cover cloth and which are fixed at regular intervals on the inside of the cover 15 and indicated by dashed lines in Fig. 1. The distance between the arch 17 to which the member 19 is attached and the sleeves 20 through which the member 19 extends is about 1/3 of the distance between two arches 17.

The member 19 has for its main purpose to control the folding to be even and effective. The controlling takes place by the member 19 forcing the cover cloth 15 outwards and forming an outwardly directed fold. It makes the cloth 15 on both sides of the member 19, or in front of and behind seen from the waggon perspective, fold inwards. Consequently, the cloth folds in a predetermined, flexible manner. As a result, it has been achieved thanks to the invention that the maximum opening of the preferred, shown embodiment of the invention is about 2/3 of the length of the waggon 1.

To achieve the effect of the members 19, each member 19 is pretensioned in a closed position, in which the

end arches

25, 27 are locked in the

end walls

13, 14 and the cover 15 is extended between the arches 17. This position is illustrated with the left half of the waggon in Fig. 1. In the pretensioned position, the member 19 applies an outwardly directed pretensioning force on the cover cloth 15. The member 19 is at its ends bent in the longitudinal direction of the waggon since it is forced into its mountings 47 from the lowermost of the sleeves 20 on each side, see Fig. 4. More precisely, a first portion 45 of the member 19 is in the pretensioned position curved such that the member 19 bends away from the cover arch 17 to which it is attached. The first portion 45 is positioned close to the end 47 of the member 19 and can be said to extend from the point where the member 19 leaves its mounting 47 in the end piece 35 and a distance upwards, even if the most marked curvature is positioned a distance above the mounting. The first portion 45 passes upwards into a second portion 49 which is also curved, although in the opposite direction, i.e. towards the arch 17. The curvature of the second portion 49 is such that the member 19 above the portion 49, i.e. from the lowermost sleeve 20 upwards, is essentially parallel with the arch 17. The member 19 has corresponding first and second portions at its other end. The member thus moves away from the arch 17 seen from the end 47 towards the lowermost sleeve 20 while bending elastically. The bending is at least partly elastic. However, in any case the first portion 45 can have a plastic, i.e. permanent bending. The portion of the member 19 which is positioned between said second portions 49 is thus parallel, or largely parallel, with the arches 17 and extends along the major part of the walls 53 of the cover and along the roof 55 of the cover.

When the locking means 21 or 23 are released in one of the ends of the waggon and the

end arch

25 or 27 is pushed in the direction of the other end of the waggon 1, an excess of cover cloth arises between at least some of the arches 17. Each pretensioned member 19 then strives to arrange itself in a plane which is common to its mountings, i.e. a plane transversely of the waggon 1. This means that the first and

second portions

45, 49 turn outwards and thus laterally extend the cover cloth a distance. As a result, the cover arches 17 can be easily pushed together, which would not be the case in the absence of the members 19. In a position with maximally pushed-together cover arches, which is shown with the right waggon half in Fig. 1, the first and

second portions

45, 49 are straight, or essentially straight, seen sideways, and the cover cloth 15 is maximally folded. Between two members 19, which are arranged between two arches 17, the cloth 15 folds naturally inwards since the members 19 extend the cloth 15. In the same way the cloth folds inwards between each member 19 and the arch 17 to which the member 19 is fixed. The members 19 operate in this fashion essentially along the sides of the cover. The roof has owing to gravity a certain natural tendency to fold between the members 19 and the arches 17. Thanks to the operation of the members 19 on the sides, this tendency is supported to such an extent as to ensure a flexible folding also of the roof.

Alternative Embodiments

The above description constitutes but a non-limiting example of how the inventive device can be designed. Many modifications are feasible within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Below follow some examples of such modifications.

The members 19 can be designed in various ways, for instance, other materials, such as other plastics or a suitable resilient metal, other modes of attachment, such as hinged attachments or spring-biased attachments, and other geometric shapes can be used. The basic thing is their function of acting, between the arches 17, on the cover cloth 15 such that it folds in a predetermined and flexible way. The preferred, shown embodiment, however, has of course its special advantages.

The locking means, the slide means of the arches, the connection of the end arches to the end walls etc. can be designed in a manner to be chosen by one skilled in the art.

Claims

A cover arrangement for covering a waggon, said cover arrangement comprising two rigid end walls (13, 14), which are attachable to the waggon (1) at either end thereof, a cover (15), a plurality of rigid cover arches (17), and a plurality of members (19), each cover arch extending between the long sides of the waggon and having at its ends end pieces (35), which are displaceably connectible to the waggon for displacement of the cover arch along the waggon, the cover arches being connected to the cover at a distance from each other to form a covered space under the cover, the end walls comprising locking members (21, 23) for releasable locking of two end arches (25, 27) of said cover arches in engagement with an end wall each, the members being arranged between the cover arches for extending the cover cloth between the arches, and each member being elongate and arcuate, characterised in that each member is resilient, and that each member, when the cover arrangement is arranged on a waggon, is pretensioned by elastic bending of at least part of the member, such that it applies an outwardly directed pretensioning force on the cover cloth, at least when the end arches are locked.
A cover arrangement as claimed in claim 1,
characterised in that each cover arch, except the end arches, is provided with two members which are arranged in front of and behind the cover arch, respectively.
A cover arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2,
characterised in that each member at its ends (47) is connected to the arch.
A cover arrangement as claimed in claim 3,
characterised in that the connection of each member with the arch is in the end pieces (35) of the arch, and that each member, when pretensioned, at each end moves away from the arch to which the member is assigned, in a portion (45, 49) of the member which extends from the end piece to a first cover mounting (20), to which the member is connected, the moving away taking place during at least partly elastic bending.
A cover arrangement as claimed in claim 4,
characterised in that the member between its first cover mountings extends essentially in parallel with the arch.
A cover arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said members are plastic tubes.
A cover arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the members are turnably connected to said end pieces.
A cover arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the members extend essentially in parallel with the arches when the cover arrangement is arranged on a waggon and the arches are pushed together.
A waggon, characterised in that it comprises a cover arrangement (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.