GB2082531A

GB2082531A - Railway freight wagon for transporting heavy rolls e.g. of sheet metal

Info

Publication number: GB2082531A
Application number: GB8122545A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Linke Hofmann Busch GmbH; Linke Hofmann Busch Waggon Fahrzeug Maschinen GmbH
Current assignee: Alstom Transport Deutschland GmbH
Priority date: 1980-08-12
Filing date: 1981-07-22
Publication date: 1982-03-10
Also published as: DE3030431A1; SE8104389L; SE441913B; BE889481A; DE3030431C2; GB2082531B

Abstract

The wagon has an undercarriage (3) provided with troughs extending transversely of the direction of movement of the wagon to receive the rolls. In order to provide a flat loading surface when required, each of the troughs is covered by a pair of lids (1), each pivotally mounted on a pair of stub axles (5) arranged at each side, each stub axle being mounted in inner (4) and outer (2) pairs of spaced bearings fixed to the undercarriage (1) and the lid (3) respectively. In order to avoid undamped falling of the lid, and to reduce the force needed to raise the lid a pair of torsion bars (7) extend respectively between a holder (6) fixed to the innermost of the bearings (4) attached to the lid and a common central housing (8), the stub axles (5) and torsion bars (7) lying on a common horizontal central axis. Twisting of the torsion bars (7) produces a damping effect when the lid is lowered. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Railway freight wagon The present invention relates to railway freight wagons for the transport of heavy rolls of material, particularly sheet metal.

In freight wagons designed for this use, the undercarriage of the wagon is provided with troughs which run transversely to the direction of movement of the wagon and terminate beneath a loading surface and which, in order that an overall flat loading surface can be formed, are each covered by a pair of lids, each lid being of integral and flat formation and being mounted so as to be pivotable upwardly at both sides about respective horizontal stub axles, each stub axle being mounted between two pairs of spaced bearings for the undercarriage and the lid respectively.

Since they run the entire width of the freight wagon and must accommodate the weight of the goods whch are to be transported on the flat loading surface, the lids which are provided for covering the troughs are relatively heavy and are only pivotally raised and lowered manually. Since a flat loading surface must be available for the transport of freight and a flat partition wall must be available for the transport of sheet metal rolls, no projecting handles or other holding means can be provided and the lids can therefore only be gripped by means of recesses therein. Ths means that the lid can be raised or lowered only by changing over the arms of the operator from a pulling to a pushing direction or vice versa, for which purpose the operator must come relatively close to the front edge.If, for example, the operator's grip slips, the lid will fall in an undamped manner, which can lead to damage to the bearings and injury to the operator.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such a railway freight wagon which does not suffer from this disadvantage and to provide an arrangement which reduces the force which must be expended in raising the lid, and which effects damping when the lid is lowered.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a railway freight wagon for the transport of heavy rolls of material, said wagon having an undercarriage provided with troughs which run transversely to the direction of movement of the wagon and which terminate beneath a loading surface and which, in order that an overall flat loading surface can be formed, are each covered by a pair of lids, each lid being of integral and flat formation and mounted for upward pivotal motion at each side about a respective horizontal stub axle, each said stub axle being mounted in a respective outer pair of spaced bearings fixed to the lid and a respective inner pair of spaced bearings fixed to the inner bearings of each of the pairs of bearings fixed to the lid having mounted on the inner face thereof a holder for the outer end of a respective torsion bar, the other ends of said torsion bats being mounted in a common holder which is fixed to the undercarriage, and said stub axles and said torsion bars being located on a common horizontal central axis.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the drawing which is a schematic side view of part of a railway freight car according to the invention showing parts of the undercarriage and lid.

Referring to the drawing, a lid 1 is provided at each side with two bearings 2 which are spaced apart and between which are located two bearings 4 which are attached to the undercarriage 3 of the wagon, and which are also spaced apart. The lid 1 is pivotally mounted on the undercarriage 3 by respective stub axles 5 at each end, each of which runs through the bearings 2 and 4 and is safeguarded against axial movement, but lies with play in recesses in the bearings 2 and 4. The innermost of the bearings 2 is provided at its inner face with a holder which is advantageously attached to the bearing by welding.

Each holder 6 has a recess in which one end of a respective torsion bar 7 is mounted. Each torsion bar 7 may consist of an assembly of springs of varying thickness depending upon the dimensions and thickness of the lid 1. The inner ends of the two torsion bars 7 of each lid 1 terminate in a common holder 8 which is fixed to the undercarriage 3 and the centre of which coincides with the centre of the lid 1. The ends of the individual torsion bars 7 are clamped by spacing members 9 in such manner that axial movement relative to one another is prevented. Both the stub axles 5 and the torsion bars 7 are arranged on a common horizontal central axis. In the closed state of the lid 1, the torsion bars 7 are subject to torsional force, so that when the lid is raised, pivoting of the lid is assisted by untwisting the torsion bar 7. When the lid is lowered, the torsion bar 7 is put under stress so that it acts as a damping means.

1. A railway freight wagon for the transport of heavy rolls of material, said wagon having an undercarriage provided with troughs which run transversely to the direction of movement of the wagon and which terminate beneath a loading surface and which, in order that an overall flat loading surface can be formed, are each covered by a pair of lids, each lid being of integral and flat formation and mounted for upward pivotal motion at each side about a respective horizontal stub axle, each said stub axle being mounted in a respective outer pair of spaced bearings fixed to the lid and a respective inner pair of spaced

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Railway freight wagon The present invention relates to railway freight wagons for the transport of heavy rolls of material, particularly sheet metal. In freight wagons designed for this use, the undercarriage of the wagon is provided with troughs which run transversely to the direction of movement of the wagon and terminate beneath a loading surface and which, in order that an overall flat loading surface can be formed, are each covered by a pair of lids, each lid being of integral and flat formation and being mounted so as to be pivotable upwardly at both sides about respective horizontal stub axles, each stub axle being mounted between two pairs of spaced bearings for the undercarriage and the lid respectively. Since they run the entire width of the freight wagon and must accommodate the weight of the goods whch are to be transported on the flat loading surface, the lids which are provided for covering the troughs are relatively heavy and are only pivotally raised and lowered manually. Since a flat loading surface must be available for the transport of freight and a flat partition wall must be available for the transport of sheet metal rolls, no projecting handles or other holding means can be provided and the lids can therefore only be gripped by means of recesses therein. Ths means that the lid can be raised or lowered only by changing over the arms of the operator from a pulling to a pushing direction or vice versa, for which purpose the operator must come relatively close to the front edge.If, for example, the operator's grip slips, the lid will fall in an undamped manner, which can lead to damage to the bearings and injury to the operator. It is an object of the present invention to provide such a railway freight wagon which does not suffer from this disadvantage and to provide an arrangement which reduces the force which must be expended in raising the lid, and which effects damping when the lid is lowered. In accordance with the invention, there is provided a railway freight wagon for the transport of heavy rolls of material, said wagon having an undercarriage provided with troughs which run transversely to the direction of movement of the wagon and which terminate beneath a loading surface and which, in order that an overall flat loading surface can be formed, are each covered by a pair of lids, each lid being of integral and flat formation and mounted for upward pivotal motion at each side about a respective horizontal stub axle, each said stub axle being mounted in a respective outer pair of spaced bearings fixed to the lid and a respective inner pair of spaced bearings fixed to the inner bearings of each of the pairs of bearings fixed to the lid having mounted on the inner face thereof a holder for the outer end of a respective torsion bar, the other ends of said torsion bats being mounted in a common holder which is fixed to the undercarriage, and said stub axles and said torsion bars being located on a common horizontal central axis. The invention will now be further described with reference to the drawing which is a schematic side view of part of a railway freight car according to the invention showing parts of the undercarriage and lid. Referring to the drawing, a lid 1 is provided at each side with two bearings 2 which are spaced apart and between which are located two bearings 4 which are attached to the undercarriage 3 of the wagon, and which are also spaced apart. The lid 1 is pivotally mounted on the undercarriage 3 by respective stub axles 5 at each end, each of which runs through the bearings 2 and 4 and is safeguarded against axial movement, but lies with play in recesses in the bearings 2 and 4. The innermost of the bearings 2 is provided at its inner face with a holder which is advantageously attached to the bearing by welding. Each holder 6 has a recess in which one end of a respective torsion bar 7 is mounted. Each torsion bar 7 may consist of an assembly of springs of varying thickness depending upon the dimensions and thickness of the lid 1. The inner ends of the two torsion bars 7 of each lid 1 terminate in a common holder 8 which is fixed to the undercarriage 3 and the centre of which coincides with the centre of the lid 1. The ends of the individual torsion bars 7 are clamped by spacing members 9 in such manner that axial movement relative to one another is prevented. Both the stub axles 5 and the torsion bars 7 are arranged on a common horizontal central axis. In the closed state of the lid 1, the torsion bars 7 are subject to torsional force, so that when the lid is raised, pivoting of the lid is assisted by untwisting the torsion bar 7.When the lid is lowered, the torsion bar 7 is put under stress so that it acts as a damping means. CLAIMS

1. A railway freight wagon for the transport of heavy rolls of material, said wagon having an undercarriage provided with troughs which run transversely to the direction of movement of the wagon and which terminate beneath a loading surface and which, in order that an overall flat loading surface can be formed, are each covered by a pair of lids, each lid being of integral and flat formation and mounted for upward pivotal motion at each side about a respective horizontal stub axle, each said stub axle being mounted in a respective outer pair of spaced bearings fixed to the lid and a respective inner pair of spaced bearings fixed to the undercarriage, the inner bearings of each of the pairs of bearings fixed to the lid having mounted on the inner face thereof a holder for the outer end of a respective torsion bar, the other ends of said torsion bars being mounted in a common holder which is fixed to the undercarriage, and said stub axles and said torsion bars being located on a common horizontal central axis.

2. A railway freight wagon for the transport of heavy rolls of material, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the drawing.