U.S. patent application number 12/223683 was filed with the patent office on 2009-03-05 for device for raising a switch rail.
This patent application is currently assigned to VAE Eisenbahnsysteme GmbH. Invention is credited to Mario Hosner, Josef Leitner, Heinz Ossberger, Mario Schreibmaier, Franz Stelzer.
Application Number | 20090056585 12/223683 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37685550 |
Filed Date | 2009-03-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090056585 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Leitner; Josef ; et
al. |
March 5, 2009 |
Device for Raising a Switch Rail
Abstract
In a device for lifting a tongue rail (3) of a switch during
switching of the tongue rail (3), including a roller holder (8) for
rollers or rolls (14), which is arranged laterally outside a slide
chair within the surface of a sleeper (18) facing the rails (3,5),
the roller holder (8) is connected with a flange (9) carrying a
stop bar (11) for fixation to the rib plate (1), and the stop bar
(11) laterally bears against an edge of the rib plate (1) in the
position connected with the rib plate (1).
Inventors: |
Leitner; Josef;
(Weisskirchen, AT) ; Schreibmaier; Mario; (Rachau,
AT) ; Ossberger; Heinz; (Mursiedlung, AT) ;
Stelzer; Franz; (Vienna, AT) ; Hosner; Mario;
(Hetzendorf, AT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHAPMAN AND CUTLER
111 WEST MONROE STREET
CHICAGO
IL
60603
US
|
Assignee: |
VAE Eisenbahnsysteme GmbH
Zeltweg
AT
|
Family ID: |
37685550 |
Appl. No.: |
12/223683 |
Filed: |
January 26, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
January 26, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/AT2007/000033 |
371 Date: |
August 6, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
104/130.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01B 7/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
104/130.01 |
International
Class: |
E01B 7/02 20060101
E01B007/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 14, 2006 |
AT |
GM 108/2006 |
Claims
1-8. (canceled)
9. A device for lifting a tongue rail of a switch during switching
of the tongue rail, comprising: a roller holder for rollers or
rolls, said roller holder being arranged laterally outside a slide
chair within a surface of a sleeper facing the tongue rail and a
stock rail, wherein the roller holder (8) is connected with a
flange (9) adapted to be fixed to a rib plate (1); the flange (9)
carries a stop bar (11); and the stop bar (11) laterally bears
against an edge of the rib plate (1) in a position connected with
the rib plate (1).
10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the roller holder (8)
comprises two cheeks extending transversely to a longitudinal
direction of the stock rail, said cheeks abutting the rib plate (1)
to accommodate axes or shafts (19) of the rollers or rolls (14),
which are connected with the flange.
11. A device according to claim 9, wherein the roller holder (8) is
designed as an upwardly open frame or box resting on the rib plate
(1).
12. A device according to claim 10, wherein the cheeks comprise
recesses formed on lower edges of said cheeks facing the rib plate
(1).
13. A device according to claim 9, wherein the flange (9) comprises
an oblong hole for receiving a locking bolt or a screw (10).
14. A device according to claim 13, wherein a length of the oblong
hole is shorter than a length of the stop bar (11), measured in a
direction transverse to a longitudinal direction of the stock
rail.
15. A device according to claim 10, further comprising a slip-on
cover element (16) that overlaps the cheeks, and wherein said cover
element (16) comprises openings for the rollers or rolls (14).
16. A device according to claim 9, wherein the rollers or rolls
(14) are spring-mounted.
17. A device according to claim 11, further comprising a slip-on
cover element (16) that overlaps the open frame or box, and wherein
said cover element (16) comprises openings for the rollers or rolls
(14).
18. A device according to claim 10, wherein the flange (9)
comprises an oblong hole for receiving a locking bolt or a screw
(10).
19. A device according to claim 11, wherein the flange (9)
comprises an oblong hole for receiving a locking bolt or a screw
(10).
20. A device according to claim 12, wherein the flange (9)
comprises an oblong hole for receiving a locking bolt or a screw
(10).
21. A device according to claim 12, further comprising a slip-on
cover element (16) that overlaps the cheeks, and wherein said cover
element (16) comprises openings for the rollers or rolls (14).
22. A device according to claim 10, wherein the rollers or rolls
(14) are spring-mounted.
23. A device according to claim 11, wherein the rollers or rolls
(14) are spring-mounted.
24. A device according to claim 12, wherein the rollers or rolls
(14) are spring-mounted.
25. A device according to claim 13, wherein the rollers or rolls
(14) are spring-mounted.
26. A device according to claim 14, wherein the rollers or rolls
(14) are spring-mounted.
27. A device according to claim 15, wherein the rollers or rolls
(14) are spring-mounted.
28. A device for lifting a tongue rail of a switch during switching
of the tongue rail, comprising: a roller holder for rollers or
rolls, said roller holder being arranged laterally outside a slide
chair within a surface of a sleeper facing the tongue rail and a
stock rail, wherein the roller holder (8) is connected with a
flange (9) adapted to be fixed to a rib plate (1); the flange (9)
carries a stop bar (11); the stop bar (11) laterally bears against
an edge of the rib plate (1) in a position connected with the rib
plate (1); the roller holder (8) comprises two cheeks extending
transversely to a longitudinal direction of the stock rail, said
cheeks abutting the rib plate (1) to accommodate axes or shafts
(19) of the rollers or rolls (14), which are connected with the
flange; the roller holder (8) is designed as an upwardly open frame
or box resting on the rib plate (1); the cheeks comprise recesses
formed on lower edges of said cheeks facing the rib plate (1); the
flange (9) comprises an oblong hole for receiving a locking bolt or
a screw (10); a length of the oblong hole is shorter than a length
of the stop bar (11), measured in a direction transverse to a
longitudinal direction of the stock rail; a slip-on cover element
(16) overlaps one or more of the cheeks, the open frame, and the
box; said cover element (16) comprises openings for the rollers or
rolls (14); and the rollers or rolls (14) are spring-mounted.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a device for lifting a tongue rail
of a switch during switching of the tongue rail, including a roller
holder for rollers or rolls, which is arranged laterally outside a
slide chair within the surface of a sleeper facing the rails.
[0002] Devices of the initially defined kind are, for instance,
known from AT 001448 U1. In that known device, the rollers are
arranged in a roller support which is in turn fixed to the rail
foot between adjacent sleepers. It is true that the subsequent
attachment of such roller supports is extremely simple. Yet,
maintenance operations and, in particular, tamping operations are
impeded by the arrangement of the rollers between adjacent
sleepers. In such cases, dismounting and remounting as well as
readjusting operations are necessary.
[0003] From EP 851063 A1, a roller device of the initially
mentioned type is known, in which the rollers are fixed to a
sleeper along with a roller support by a plurality of screws. With
an arrangement of that type, adjustment relative to the sliding
surfaces of slide chairs is required such that the respectively
correct height position has to be individually fixed during each
mounting by the aid of intermediate plates or washers.
[0004] Also in the configuration known from DE 10116041 A1, the
rollers are arranged in a manner that the space between adjacent
sleepers is kept free for maintenance operations on the track bed.
There, the fixation is, however, effected to a separate support,
which is itself, in turn, fixed to the stock rail so as to again
involve high mounting and adjustment expenditures.
[0005] From DE 102004004784 A1, an integrated roller device has
become known, which is arranged in a specially designed rib plate,
wherein also the sliding surface of a slide chair is additionally
defined on the rib plate laterally of the roller device. The roller
device in that case can each be accordingly fixed to a plurality of
bores of the rib plate in an oriented manner by the aid of a
plurality of screws in order to enable appropriate adjustment. For
the correct position, at least two screws and two oblong holes are,
however, provided to ensure that the tongue rail will no longer
rest on the rollers in its closed position. A subsequent
installation of such roller devices calls for the complete exchange
of the rib plate and cumbersome adaptation work.
[0006] The invention aims to provide a simple roller device whose
installation is readily feasible without cumbersome adaptation work
by a single screw connection in the space available beside the
slide chair and within the width of a sleeper, without lateral
parts projecting into the region between adjacent sleepers.
[0007] To solve this object, the device according to the invention
of the initially defined kind essentially consists in that the
roller holder is connected with a flange carrying a stop bar for
fixation to the rib plate, and that the stop bar laterally bears
against an edge of the rib plate in the position connected with the
rib plate. Due to the fact that a roller holder is connected with a
flange carrying a stop bar and intended for fixing a rib plate, an
appropriate oblong hole can be provided in such a flange so as to
enable an appropriate fixation by a single screw, which is immersed
in a respective bore of the rib plate optionally made subsequently.
However, since such a screw connection using but a single screw
would not safely prevent the rollers from laterally pivoting about
the axis formed by the screw, the configuration, with a view to
providing the required stability and securement of the selected
position, is devised such that the flange carries a stop bar, which
comes to bear against the side edge of the rib plate after screwing
down. This stop bar, along with the screw fixation, will thus
secure the flange, and hence the roller holder, against pivoting
about the screw axis, so that a single screw enables not only the
adjustment of the respective position relative to the stock rail
but, at the same time, also provides a securement against rotation
or pivoting, and hence a positional securement. The device
according to the invention is also suitable for subsequent
installation, since it will merely do to make a single screw hole
in the rib plate at a suitable distance and provide the same with a
thread in order to ensure the respective fixation in the correct
position. In special cases, it may merely be necessary in the
vertical direction to adapt the lower edge of the roller holder
accordingly in order to ensure close abutment of the roller
holder.
[0008] In a particularly simple manner, the roller holder is
designed such that the roller holder comprises two cheeks extending
transversely to the longitudinal direction of the rail and intended
for abutment on the rib plate to accommodate the axes or shafts of
the rollers or rolls, which are connected with the flange. A
particularly stable construction will be achieved, if the
configuration is devised such that the roller holder is designed as
an upwardly open frame or box resting on the rib plate. Such a box
can be produced as a casting and, in any event, exhibits the
appropriate torsional strength even if the fixation via a flange is
only effected in one point of the rib plate, whereby pivoting about
the axis of fixation will, at the same time, be impeded or
prevented by the stop bar. This casting may be particularly
low-structured, since the attachment to the flange is effected
outside the frame or box of the roller holder such that the roller
holder can to the greatest extent possible rest on the surface of
the rib plate, to which also the sliding parts of the slide chair
are fixed in a conventional manner. Due to this low construction,
no special adaptations relative to conventional rib plates are
required.
[0009] In order to safeguard, in such a construction, that the
penetration of contaminates will not affect its functioning, and to
ensure the removal of such contaminates from the frame or box, the
configuration is advantageously devised such that the cheeks have
recesses on their lower edges facing the rib plate.
[0010] The correct adjustment relative to the stock rail, or the
position in which the tongue rail is to bear against the stock
rail, will be safeguarded in a particularly simple manner in that
the flange has an oblong hole for receiving a locking bolt or a
screw. Together with the stop bar bearing against the side edge of
the rib plate and constituting an anti-rotation protection, this
results in the compact-structured roller device being very easily
mountable to the rib plate in the freely available space, since
only one fixing bore is required for the positional fixation.
[0011] In order to ensure the anti-rotation securement in small
constructions even relative to large rotational forces, the
configuration is advantageously devised such that the oblong hole
is shorter than the length of the stop bar, measured in the
direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the rail. The
stop bar is thus substantially longer than the oblong hole and able
to safely take up even high rotational forces without enabling any
twisting or pivoting.
[0012] In order to avoid the penetration of dirt or the like, it is
feasible in a particularly simple manner to clamp a cover over the
casting so as to leave free only the upper subregions of the roller
bodies contacting the tongue rail. In this respect, the
configuration is preferably devised such that a slip-on cover
element overlapping the cheeks, the frame or the box and including
openings for the rollers or rolls is provided.
[0013] For optionally required adaptations in different heights of
the slide chair, it will, as a rule, suffice to appropriately work
on the two bearing surfaces of the roller holder in order to ensure
a close abutment.
[0014] In a further preferred embodiment, a roller device
comprising a spring-mounted roller is provided for the rear
adjustment region of the tongue rail, in which only a slight
transverse movement of the tongue occurs. To this end, a spring is
loosely inserted into the roller device during mounting and a link
comprising a premounted roller is installed. The spring is
dimensioned in such a manner as to ensure the safe spring
deflection during the passage of a train so as to avoid any load on
the roller during such a passage. A mechanical stop can,
furthermore, be provided to limit the deflection.
[0015] In the following, the invention will be explained in more
detail by way of an exemplary embodiment schematically illustrated
in the drawing. Therein,
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rib plate with a subregion
of a stock rail and a subregion of a tongue rail abutting on the
stock rail on an appropriate slide chair with the roller device
fixed to the rib plate;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a side view in the sense of arrow II of FIG.
1;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a top view on the rib plates with a superimposed
roller device and removed rails; and
[0019] FIG. 4 is a section along line IV-IV of FIG. 3.
[0020] FIG. 1 depicts a rib plate 1 carrying a slide chair 2, via
which a tongue rail 3 can be moved to, or away from, a stock rail 5
in the sense of double arrow 4. The rib plate 1 carries a roller
device or roller holder 8, which is connected with the rib plate 1
by the aid of a flange 9 and a screw 10. FIG. 1, moreover,
illustrates the stop bar 11 of the flange 9, which blocks the
pivotal movement of the flange, and hence the roller device, about
the axis of the screw 10, which is schematically indicated at
12.
[0021] In the illustration according to FIG. 2, the reference
numerals from FIG. 1 have been immediately retained, wherein a rib
13 is visible, which engages the foot 7 of the stock rail 5 from
behind. From FIG. 2, it is further apparent that the upper edges of
the rollers 14 are located higher than the sliding surface 15 of
the slide chair in order to thereby eliminate the sliding friction,
and reduce the switching force, in the region of the lifted tongue
rail. The rib plate 1 is connected with the sleeper 18 via screws
6. From FIG. 2, a plug-on part or cover element 16 is finally
apparent, which is plugged over the roller device 8 to thereby
reduce the free space via which dust may enter.
[0022] From the top view of FIG. 3, it is finally apparent that the
flange 9 has an oblong hole 17 in which the screw 10 engages. The
oblong hole, thus, allows for the adjustment of the rollers 14 in
the sense of double arrow 4, which corresponds to the adjustment
direction of the tongue rail, wherein the flange is again secured
against pivoting about the axis of the screw 10 by the stop bar 11
connected with the flange.
[0023] From the sectional illustration according to FIG. 4, it is
additionally apparent that the lower edges of the cheeks carrying
the shafts 19 of the rollers 14 leave a recess 20, via which
possibly intruded dust and dirt may escape in order not to impede
the free rotation of the rollers 14. Optionally required fine
tuning in the vertical direction can be achieved by working on the
regions 21 and 22 of the cheeks adjacent the recess 20 such that a
precise adjustment of the height position relative to the sliding
surface of the slide chair 2, in which the upper edges of the
rollers 14 are located above the sliding surface, is readily
feasible.
* * * * *