GB2172561A

GB2172561A - Railway locomotive aerofoils

Info

Publication number: GB2172561A
Application number: GB08530923A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Jeremy Buckman; Elizabeth Ann Buckman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-03-19
Filing date: 1985-12-16
Publication date: 1986-09-24
Also published as: GB8530923D0; GB2172561B

Abstract

A railway locomotive having a streamlined nose (7) at each end is provided with an aerofoil device (1) which is capable of being moved on guides (3, 5) and locked into position at either end of the locomotive. The aerofoil device covers the gap between the trailing sloping end of the locomotive and the vertical face of a carriage (8) coupled to the locomotive and prevents air turbulence at that point. The body of the locomotive is designed to be of smaller cross-section than that of the carriage and the aerofoil device (1) has the same cross-section as the carriage. In a second embodiment, a movable aerofoil device is provided at each end of a locomotive, each aerofoil device being movable between a first position in which it extends over the streamlined nose of the locomotive to a carriage coupled to that end of the locomotive and a second position in which it is located behind the driving cab at that end of the locomotive. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Railway locomotive aerofoils This invention relates to aerofoils for railway locomotives.

Streamlining has been adopted on railway locomotives in recent years to achieve the high speeds required to satisfy the passenger market and, at the same time, to reduce running costs. With passenger trains this has been achieved by using a fixed formation train with a streamlined locomotive at each end, alternate ends being manned depending on the direction of travel. Passenger train operators have now stated that they would prefer to revert to a single locomotive to haul passenger trains but wish to retain the advantages of the streamlined locomotive.This could be done by using a locomotive with a streamlined nose at each end but the disadvantage of such a solution is that, at high speeds, the discontinuity of the streamlined shape of the locomotive, where the slope of the trailing nose meets the vertical face of the following carriage, causes unacceptable air turbulence which makes this configuration inefficient.

The present invention aims to overcome this disadvantage.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an aerofoil device mounted on a sliding mechanism in guides, said guides being adapted to be mounted on a railway locomotive, having a streamlined nose at at least one end, in such a manner that the aerofoil device is movable on said guides between a first, extended, position in which it overlies the streamlined nose of the locomotive at said one end thereof and a second, retracted, position in which it is located behind the said streamlined nose of the locomotive at said one end thereof.

Another aspect of the invention provides a railway locomotive fitted with an aerofoil device, wherein the locomotive has a streamlined nose at at least one end and a body which at least at said one end is smaller in cross-section than a carriage which it is intended to haul and wherein the aerofoil device has substantially the same external profile as the carriage and is slidably mounted in guides on the locomotive, the aerofoil device being movable between a first, extended, position in which it overlies the streamlined nose of the locomotive at said one end thereof and extends to the leading end of a carriage connected to the said one end of the locomotive and a second, retracted, position in which it is located over the body of the locomotive behind the streamlined nose at said one end thereof.

According to one embodiment, the locomotive has a streamlined nose at each end and its body has a smaller cross section than that of the carriage throughout the length thereof, the aerofoil device being slidably mounted in guides on the locomotive such that, in its second position, it overlies the streamlined nose of the locomotive at the other end thereof.

According to another embodiment, the locomotive is provided with a streamlined nose and an associated aerofoil device at each end. In this case, the locomotive may have a driving cab provided in the streamlined nose at each end and, in the second, retracted, position, each aerofoil device may be located behind the driving cab at the associated end of the locomotive.

In either of the above cases, when an aerofoil device is in the extended position on a locomotive, it serves to streamline the gap between the streamlined nose of the locomotive and the following carriage which gap would otherwise cause air turbulence.

Locking means are desirably provided to lock the or each aerofoil device in either or both of its first and second positions.

Heating means may also be provided to prevent icing of the or each aerofoil device on the guides under cold weather conditions.

Preferably, the or each aerofoil device is provided with vents arranged to create, when the locomotive is in motion, positive pressure in the void formed by the aerofoil device so as to prevent airborne dirt from entering the void.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows one embodiment of a locomotive fitted with an aerofoil device according to the invention and coupled to a passenger carriage; Figure 2 shows the locomotive shown in Figure 1 with the aerofoil device being moved to the other end of the locomotive; Figure 3 shows the locomotive shown in Figure 1 but with its other end coupled to a passenger carriage and with the aerofoil device moved to said other end of the locomotive; and Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of a locomotive fitted with an aerofoil device according to the invention at each end.

Reference will first be made to Figure 1 of the drawings in which the aerofoil device consists of an arched structure 1 which incorporates a sliding mechanism 2 at its base on each side and these sliding mechanisms are located in guides 3 running the length of the locomotive on each side thereof. A further sliding mechanism 4 and guide 5 is also provided at the junction of each of the sides and roof of the locomotive to stabilise the structure of the aerofoil structure 1 as it is moved from one end of the locomotive to the other. A series of locking devices 6 are provided on each side of the locomotive, at each end, to secure the aerofoil structure 1 in position. Further, the nose cone 7 of the locomotive at the end at which the aerofoil structure is located is folded up and locked in position so that the nose cone is located wholly within the structure 1.

As can be seen from Figures 1 to 3, the body of the locomotive has a smaller cross-section than the carriage 8 which it is intended to haul but the external profile of the arched structure 1 is substantially the same as that of the carriage 8.

To prepare the locomotive for travel in the reverse direction, the locking devices 6 are released, in the case of an electric locomotive the pantograph 9 is lowered and the aerofoil structure 1 is moved manually or by auxiliary power along the guides 3 and 5 to the opposite end of the locomotive and the locking devices re-engaged. The nose cone 7 at this end of the locomotive is then raised and stacked inside the void formed by the aerofoil, exposing the drawgear, whilst at the opposite end the nosecone 7 is lowered to complete the streamlining. The locomotive can then be coupled to a carriage 8 and will again form a streamlined unit.

It will be noted from the foregoing that, in the case of electric locomotives fitted with pantographs, it is necessary for the pantograph to be lowered into a recess in the roof of the locomotive in order for the aerofoil structure to be moved from one end of the locomotive to the other. Further, the locomotive must have a reduced cross section, as compared to that of the carriages, throughout its length. These features may not be possible or desirable in all cases and the invention therefore also provides the embodiment shown in Figure 4 in such other cases.

As shown in Figure 4, in this embodiment the locomotive is provided with an aerofoil device in the form of an arched structure 11 at each end. Each arched structure 11 incorporates two sliding mechanisms (not shown) for sliding on respective guides 13 and 15 provided on the sides of the locomotive adjacent to the ends thereof. Each arched structure is movable between a first extended position shown at the left end of the locomotive in Figure 4 in which it overlies the driving cab 17 at this end of the locomotive and extends to the adjacent carriage 8 which is coupled to the locomotive and a second retracted position shown at the right end of the locomotive in Figure 4 in which it is located behind the driving cab 17 at this end of the locomotive. Locking devices (not shown) are provided for locking each of the arched structures 11 in both the first and second positions.

In this case, as can be seen from Figure 4, the locomotive may have substantially the same crosssection as the carriage 8 throughout most of its length being of reduced cross-section only at the ends over which the aerofoil structures are fitted.

Further, the pantograph 19 need not be fully recessed in the roof of the locomotive in its folded down position.

Although not shown in the drawing, the locomotive shown in Figure 4 may be provided with foldable nose cones similar to the nose cones 7 shown in Figures 1 to 3 if desired.

In the case of both embodiments, the guides are desirably provided with a trace heating facility (not shown) to prevent icing which could cause immobilisation of the aerofoil devices. Alternatively or in addition, the arched structures of the aerofoil devices themselves could be provided with heating means.

The arched structures of the aerofoil devices are desirably provided with vents (not shown) which are arranged to create positive pressure in the void between the trailing end of the locomotive and the carriage to prevent airborne dirt from entering the void when the locomotive is in motion.

Although the aerofoil devices according to the invention are primarily intended for railway locomotives having a streamlined nose at each end, this is not essential and an aerofoil device could be provided on a locomotive having a streamlined nose at only one end.

Claims

1. An aerofoil device mounted on a sliding mechanism in guides, said guides being adapted to be mounted on a railway locomotive, having a streamlined nose at at least one end, in such a manner that the aerofoil device is movable on said guides between a first, extended, position in which it overlies the streamlined nose of the locomotive at said one end thereof and a second, retracted, position in which it is located behind the said streamlined nose of the locomotive at said one end thereof.

2. An aerofoil device according to claim 1, wherein said device is provided with locking means arranged to lock the device in said first and second positions to prevent unintentional movement thereof.

3. An aerofoil device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the device is provided with heating means to prevent icing under cold weather conditions.

4. An aerofoil device according to any preceding claim, wherein the device is provided with vents arranged to create, when a locomotive on which the aerofoil is fitted is in motion, positive pressure in the void formed by the aerofoil device so as to prevent airborne dirt from entering the void.

5. An aerofoil device substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 3 or Figure 4 of the drawings.

6. A railway locomotive fitted with an aerofoil device, wherein the locomotive has a streamlined nose at at least one end and a body which at least at said one end is smaller in cross-section than a carriage which it is intended to haul and wherein the aerofoil device has substantially the same external profile as the carriage and is slidably mounted in guides on the locomotive, the aerofoil device being movable between a first, extended, position in which it overlies the streamlined nose of the locomotive at said one end thereof and extends to the leading end of a carriage connected to the said one end of the locomotive and a second, retracted, position in which it is located over the body of the locomotive behind the streamlined nose at said one end thereof.

7. A railway locomotive according to claim 6, wherein the locomotive has a streamlined nose at each end and its body has a smaller cross-section than that of the carriage throughout the length thereof, the aerofoil device being slidably mounted in guides on the locomotive such that, in its second position, it overlies the streamlined nose of the locomotive at the other end thereof.

8. A railway locomotive according to claim 6, wherein the locomotive is provided with a streamlined nose and an associated aerofoil device at each end.

9. A railway locomotive according to claim 8, wherein the locomotive has a driving cab provided in the streamlined nose at each end and wherein, in the second, retracted, position, each aerofoil device is located behind the driving cab at the associated end of the locomotive.

10. A railway locomotive according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein locking means are provided to lock the or each aerofoil device in either or both of its first and second positions.

11. A railway locomotive according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein heating means are provided to prevent icing of the or each aerofoil device on the guides under cold weather conditions.

12. A railway locomotive according to any of claims 6 to 11, wherein the or each aerofoil device is provided with vents arranged to create, when the locomotive is in motion, positive pressure in the void formed by the aerofoil device so as to prevent airborne dirt from entering the void.

13. A railway locomotive substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings.

14. A railway locomotive substantially as described herein with reference to Figure 4 of the drawings.