GB2042612A - Method and Apparatus for Replacing Switching Points or Junctions of Railway Tracks - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for replacing railway switching points, junctions or other long track sections, comprising the steps of arranging two railway cranes 1, 2 with their jibs directed towards each other, suspending a rotatable carrier member 3 between the jibs, clamping a new switching point/junction 4 to the lower side of the carrier member 3, operating the cranes 1,2 to lift and transport the carrier 3 and new switching point/junction 4, to a position over an old switching point/junction 5 which is to be replaced, levelling the carrier 3 and new switching point/junction 4, rotating the carrier 3 about its longitudinal axis through 180 DEG , lowering the carrier 3, clamping the old switching point/junction 5 to the carrier, raising the carrier 3, rotating the carrier 3 through 180 DEG , lowering the carrier 3 to set down the new switching point/junction 4 in position and then releasing the carrier 3 from the new point/junction 4, raising the carrier 3 and conveying the old switching point/junction 5 to a disposal point. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method and Apparatus for Replacing Switching Points or Junctions of Railway Tracks The invention relates to a method and apparatus for transporting laying, removing and/or renewing track switching points or junctions, in particular assembled switching points or junctions on a railway.

There are primarily two methods which are conventionally used internationally for changing switching points and junctions of railway tracks.

In the first method, specially constructed transporting and laying devices are employed. In this connection, the known technical solutions suffer from the common serious disadvantages that the provision thereof requires a high level of additional cost and in addition they are uneconomic because they can be used only for the one specific operation. Some of them also suffer from the further disadvantage that they require the track in question and also the adjacent track to be closed for long periods, which gives rise to expensive and time-consuming train diversions as a consequence. There is also the further disadvantage of the high additional costs of labour and equipment, which are partly caused by the necessity to lay auxiliary tracks or to dismantle the switching points.

The second most generally used method includes the use of lifting equipment, in particular railway swing or rotary cranes. Due to the increase in weight and size of switching points (UlC-switching points) it is often necessary to use a heavy railway rotary crane, in view of the load moment required. However, use thereof is restricted because the crane parameters can no longer satisfy the prevailing conditions of use, railway rotary cranes with a high load-lifting capacity are not always available to be called out for operation, and the use of medium-size cranes makes it necessary to dismantle the switching points, junctions and the like, particularly because of the lack of sufficient jib length.

A large number of individual operations are required in this process for dismantling, taking up, transporting, distributing and assembling and laying the switching points or junctions. The resulting substantial amount of time, which also involves a high cost level, makes it necessary to close down the railway line. This in turn results in very expensive and time-consuming diversions for the trains on that line.

The invention provides a method which makes it possible for switching points or junctions or the like to be changed, with the absolute minimum of time, cost and labour, using conveyor means which are already available and which can also be used in other connections. The costs of providing additional equipment are to be at a low level, and track closures and the uneconomical diversions which are involved therewith are to be avoided as far as possible.

According to the present invention there is provided a method for replacing railway switching points and/or junctions or the like, comprising the steps of arranging two railway rotary cranes disposed with their jibs opposite each other, suspending a rotatable carrier member between the jibs of the cranes, clamping a complete new switching point/junction to the lower side of the carrier member, operating the cranes to pick up and transport the carrier and new switching points/junction to a position over the old switching points/junction which is to be replaced, levelling the carrier and new switching points/junction, and thereafter rotating the carrier member about its longitudinal axis through an angle of 1800, lowering the carrier member onto the old switching points/junction and clamping it to the carrier member, operating the cranes to raise the carrier member and old switching points/junction, rotating the carrier member through an angle of 1800 and thereafter lowering the carrier member to set the new switching points/junction down onto the track bed and there laid and subsequently conveying old switching points/junction which is still on the turn-over transverse member to a disposal location and setting the old switching points/junction down after the carrier has again been rotated through 1800.

The fresh switching points or junction to be laid is pre-assembled beside the track in the vicinity of the position of the switching points to be replaced, within the permissible working jib range of the two cranes.

The two cranes which are disposed opposite each other and which are connected together by the carrier member suspended on the hookbearing bottom blocks are moved to the preassembly location. When this is down, one crane is moved rearwardly and one crane is moved forwardly. With the synchronisation which is usual in multiple-crane assembly operations, the two cranes move the carrier member sideways and in so doing adjust the jib cantilever arm or the positioning of the crane in such a way that the carrier member comes to a position in which it hangs over the pre-assembled fresh switching points to be fitted. After the carrier member has been clamped thereto, approximately at the position of the centre of gravity of the switching points, fixed clamping thereof is effected by a remote-controlled means.

After the carrier member with the switching points has been lifted, the two cranes carry out the operations of rotating and moving, until the fresh switching points assembly is hanging over the switching points to be replaced. In doing this, one of the two cranes must move backwards over the switching points to be replaced. The travel and rotary movements are stopped as soon as precise levelling of the fresh switching points over the switching points to be replaced has been effected.

After the fishplates of the points assembly to be replaced have been released, the carrier member is raised until the operation of rotating the carrier member with the new switching points assembly suspended therefrom can be begun and can be effected without coming into contact with the ground or the contact line. When this is done, the carrier member is rotated under remote control through an angle of 1800, with the eccentric centre of gravity of the carrier member and points assembly unit being compensated for so that the new points assembly now lies on the carrier member. The carrier member is then lowered until it comes down onto the points assembly to be replaced, and clamping thereof can again be effected under remote control.

In order to loosen the points assembly to be replaced, in the ballast bed of the railway track, each of the two cranes carefully perform slight lifting and lowering movements at one side. The two cranes then simultaneously lift the carrier member which is carrying the new switching points and the old switching points. After reaching a suitable height, the carrier member which compensates or counter-balances the centre of gravity of the two switching points is again rotated through 1800. As the position at which the two cranes are stationed does not have to be changed in this operation, it is possible for them to be supported or braced because of the high loading.The carrier member is now lowered to the correct position, together with the complete switching points hanging therebelow, for laying of the switching points, without any necessity for repeated levelling off. The switching points are then secured with fishplates and the carrier member is released under remote control.

The switching points assembly which has been removed and which is now lying on the carrier member is taken to the dump area by the two cranes. At the place for dumping the old switching points assembly, the carrier member is again turned through 1 800 and then the complete replaced switching points assembly is set down beside the track.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of an example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a pair of cranes with a rotatable carrier member suspended between them, Figure 2 shows a side view of the operation of picking up a new switching point, Figure 3 shows in plan view the steps of picking up the new switching points, Figure 4 shows the raised carrier member with the new switching points attached thereto, Figure 5 shows the carrier member rotated through 1800, Figure 6 shows a side view of the carrier member set down on the old switching points to be replaced, Figure 7 shows a plan view of the carrier member set down on the old switching points to be replaced, Figure 8 shows the raised carrier member with the old and the new switching points attached thereto, Figure 9 shows the carrier member rotated through 1800, and Figure 10 shows the new switching points laid down in position.

In the embodiment illustrated, the carrier member 3 is suspended from oppositely positioned railway swing or rotary cranes 1 and 2 (Figure 1). The new switching points or junction 4 which has been fully assembled beside the track 6 is picked up approximately at the position of its centre of gravity by the carrier member 3 which is suspended from the two cranes 1 and 2 and which is swung out laterally (Figures 2 and 3).

After the switching points or junction 4 has been clamped to the carrier member 3, under remote control, the unit comprising the carrier member 3 and the points 4 is lifted and pivoted in the direction of the track in preparation for crane travel (Figure 4). The cranes 1 and 2 move with the unit comprising the carrier member 3 and the switching points 4 to a position over old points 5 which are to be replaced. As soon as the new switching points 4 have been precisely levelled over the old switching points 5, the movements of the cranes 1 and 2 are stopped. After the fixings of the old switching points 5 have been released, the unit comprising the carrier member 3 and the new switching points 4 is lifted and rotated so that the new switching points 4now lies on the upper side of the carrier member 3 (see Figure 5).

Thereupon the carrier member 3 is lowered onto the old switching points 5 which are to be replaced, and the old switching points 5 are clamped to the carrier member 3 by remote control actuation (Figures 6 and 7). In order to loosen the old switching points 5 in the ballast bed, the railway cranes 1 and 2 perform slight raising and lowering movements and then lift the unit which now comprises the switching points 4, the carrier member 3 and the old switching points 5 (see Figure 8). By turning the unit over, the new switching points 4 come to lie on the underside of the carrier member 3 (Figure 9) and the new switching points 4 is lowered to the proper position without any further levelling operation being required (Figure 10). After the newly laid switching points 4 have been fixed by means of fishplates, the clamping thereof to the carrier member 3 is released by remote control. The replaced old switching points 5 which is now disposed on the top of the tranverse member 3 is now taken by the two cranes 1 and 2 to a dump, location and set down beside the track.

This economic method makes it possible to change the switching points and junction assemblies in the assembled condition and reduces the working operations which are to be performed in this case, to the minimum. This provides for a considerable saving of time, cost and labour force, due to using railway swing or rotary cranes, preferably cranes of medium size which are available in many cases and which can therefore be quickly called up. There is no need for laying additional track, for long track closures and the diversions which that entails, and dismantling of the electric overhead lines.

Claims (5)

Claims

1. A method for replacing railway switching points and/or junctions or the like, comprising the steps of arranging two railway rotary cranes disposed with their jibs opposite each other, suspending a rotatable carrier member between the jibs of the cranes, clamping a complete new switching point/junction to the lower side of the carrier member, operating the cranes to pick up and transport the carrier and new switching points/junction to a position over the old switching points/junction which is to be replaced, levelling the carrier and new switching points/junction, and thereafter rotating the carrier member about its longitudinal axis through an angle of 1 800, lowering the carrier member onto the old switching points/junction and clamping it to the carrier member, operating the cranes to raise the carrier member and old switching points/junction, rotating the carrier member through an angle of 1 800 and thereafter lowering the carrier member to set the new switching points/junction down onto the track bed and there laid and subsequently conveying old switching points/junction which is still on the turn-over transverse member to a disposal location and setting the old switching points/junction down after the carrier has again been rotated through 1800.

2. Apparatus for carrying out the method claimed in claim 1, comprising a rotatable carrier member suspended between the jibs of two railway swing or rotary cranes by being suspended from the hooks of the cranes and being pivotable about its longitudinal axis through 1800 at a time and which has a load-carrying capacity of at least two switching points/junction assemblies.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which means for clamping the old and the new switching points/junction are arranged on the top and on the bottom of the carrier member.

4. A method for replacing railway switching points and/or junctions or the like, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

5. Apparatus for carrying out the method of claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.