Solid Track Having Continuous Bedding

Abstract

The invention relates to a solid trackway (1) for rail vehicles having a substantially continuous bedding of the rails (2) on a concrete slab (3), wherein the rail (2) is supported with the foot thereof on an elastic intermediate layer (7). The solid trackway (1) further comprises a side guide piece (8) supporting and guiding the rail (2) in the horizontal direction. The rail (2) is mounted on the concrete slab (3) at discrete mounting points (9) by means of a mounting means (12). Only the elastic intermediate layer (7) is disposed between the rail (2) and the concrete slab (3).

Description

[0001] The invention refers to a solid trackway for rail-guided vehicles with mostly continuous bedding of rails on a concrete slab. The rail is supported on an elastic intermediate layer with its foot. Furthermore, the solid trackway includes a lateral rail-guiding piece so that the latter can support and guide the rail in horizontal direction.

[0002] A solid trackway with a continuous bedding of rails is known from WO 03/016629 A1, in which an elastic foundation is intended to be located below the rail foot. Here, the rail mounting is continuous by pouring out the trough with a solidifying mass. In order to manufacture such a solid trackway quickly, chamber filling bricks--fixed in the corresponding trough recesses--are arranged sideways beside the rail stems. For the temporary correct position fixation of the rail and the chamber filling bricks in the trough, an adjusting device has been foreseen. For mounting the rail, an intermediate space between the chamber filling bricks and the trough walls is filled with a grout.

[0003] DE 195 19 745 C2 also describes a ballastless track superstructure with a continuous elastic bedding of the rails. The rails are also mounted continuously by bracing the rail in the receiving troughs through guiding girders. Elastic molded bodies are arranged between rail foot and guiding guiders. The joints between the guiding girders and trough walls are filled with an elastic grout so that the rails are also lodged continuously and elastically in the horizontal direction and are almost completely embedded.

[0004] The task of the present invention is to suggest a solid trackway for rail-guided vehicles with high riding comfort and favorable wear and tear that is economical to manufacture.

[0005] The task is solved with the characteristics of claim 1.

[0006] A solid trackway for rail-guided vehicles comprises a largely continuous bedding of rails on a concrete slab. The rail is supported on an elastic intermediate layer with its foot. Furthermore, the solid trackway includes a lateral guiding piece for the rail for supporting and guiding it in horizontal direction. According to the invention, the rail is fixed in place on the concrete slab on discrete mounting points with a mounting means. Between the rail and the concrete slab only the elastic intermediate layer is arranged, so that the rail is placed on the concrete slab only by means of the elastic intermediate layer, without the interposition of a load-distributing slab. The fact that the rails are fixed in place merely on discrete mounting points makes it possible to manufacture and mount the rail economically. A temporary mounting of the rail is not necessary because the rail in horizontal direction can be adjusted to its proper position by the guiding pieces. In spite of the discrete mounting and lateral guidance, the continuous bedding prevents an undesired tilting caused by forces acting horizontally. Thus, the solid trackway according to the invention can combine the advantages of the continuous rail bedding--especially with regard to sound emissions and wear and tear--with a simple manufacturing process.

[0007] It is advantageous for the rail to have a rail head, a stem and a rail foot. The guiding piece supports the rail merely on its foot. A corresponding guiding piece can be easily arranged in the area of the rail mounting.

[0008] It is also advantageous for the concrete slab to have a groove so the mounting means can be supported in operating position. The mounting means can thus be directly supported on the concrete slab. Intermediate steel or plastic slabs such as the typical state-of-the-art mountings used in individual supporting points are therefore not needed, thus simplifying the structure of the solid trackway according to the invention.

[0009] It is especially advantageous for the concrete slab to have another groove in which the mounting means is supported in mounting position. The mounting means, which should preferably be designed as a tension clamp, can thus already be mounted in pre-manufacturing. In this case, it is fixed in mounting position first to allow the insertion of the rail on the work site.

[0010] The rail is preferably arranged in a trough-like recess of the concrete slab. For this purpose, the concrete slab can have projections extending between two predetermined breaking points of the slab to achieve a largely continuous bedding of the rail.

[0011] A further development of the invention foresees the lateral guiding piece of the rail to be discontinuously supported in horizontal direction on its foot. As a result of this, the guiding pieces can be easily arranged in the area of the rail mountings and fixed in place with them.

[0012] According to another further design of the invention, the lateral guiding piece supports the rail in horizontal direction, mostly continuously. Here, it is particularly advantageous for the length of the guiding piece to be roughly equal to the distance from the predetermined breaking points of the slab. As a result of this, a mostly continuous support can be achieved in horizontal direction that is only interrupted in the area of the predetermined breaking points. If the rail breaks, the continuous lateral support can counteract against the rail from slipping.

[0013] It is also advantageous if a guiding piece is arranged on each side if the rail, in which case the rail is guided vertically between both guiding pieces. While the train runs through, the rail can move vertically without having to change the track layout as a result of this.

[0014] It is advantageous for the guiding piece to be made of plastic, especially of glass fiber reinforced plastic. Likewise, it is also possible to make the guiding piece of concrete. The rigidity of these materials can achieve a reliable horizontal support and guidance of the rails.

[0015] Furthermore, it is especially advantageous for the guiding piece to be arranged on the lateral trough wall of the trough-like recess. The guiding piece can be securely supported on the lateral trough walls, hereby guiding the rail exactly.

[0016] According to an invention design, the guiding piece is fixed in place by the mounting means in the longitudinal direction of the rail. Because of this, special measures for mounting the guiding pieces are not needed, greatly simplifying the assembly of the solid trackway. Preferably, the guiding pieces have a notch near the rail mounting, in which the mounting means or the tension clamp can engage in a positive fit in longitudinal direction.

[0017] According to another further design, the guiding piece is cast in the concrete of the slab. As a result of this, the guiding piece is securely attached to the solid trackway and no more time-consuming assembly work is needed. In this case, the guiding piece can have projections, an undercut or recesses so it can attach to or grip the concrete of the slab,

[0018] Another further advantageous design of the invention allows the elastic intermediate layer and/or the guiding piece to be attached to the concrete slab in a form-fitting manner. In this way, the guiding piece or the elastic intermediate layer can have projections or undercuts to make the positive fit attachment possible. These can, in turn, act together with projections, edges or undercuts of the concrete slab or one of them on the humps arranged on it.

[0019] If the guiding piece is largely U-shaped, it can, for example, wrap around the concrete slab hump in a positive fit and hereby be fixed in place.

[0020] According to another invention design, it is advantageous for the elastic intermediate layer and/or the guiding piece to engage in the predetermined breaking points of the slab. This can also achieve a positive fit attachment of the guiding piece to the concrete slab.

[0021] Besides, it is advantageous for the elastic intermediate layer and/or the guiding piece to be a machined part, which can, for example, be a cast part or a glass fiber reinforced plastic part manufactured in a certain shape. An economical manufacturing of the guiding piece in larger quantities is hereby possible.

[0022] According to an advantageous further design of the invention, the elastic intermediate layer encompasses an adjusting slab for adjusting the height of the rail, As a result of this, the rail height can be easily adjusted on the worksite.

[0023] The slab is advantageously made of prefabricated concrete slabs or of concrete ties cast in in-situ concrete.

[0024] Further advantages of the invention are described with the help of the following embodiment drawings, which show:

[0025] FIG. 1 A diagrammatic drawing of a solid trackway according to the invention with a concrete slab and a largely continuous bedding of rails on the concrete slab.

[0026] FIG. 2 A perspective drawing of a solid trackway according to the invention.

[0027] FIG. 3 A perspective drawing of an alternate execution of a solid trackway according to the invention.

[0028] FIG. 4 A diagrammatic drawing of a solid trackway and of a guiding piece that is attached in a positive fit to the concrete slab.

[0029] FIG. 5 A diagrammatic drawing of a solid trackway and of an elastic intermediate layer for a solid trackway, in which case the elastic intermediate layer is form-fittingly attached to the concrete slab.

[0030] FIG. 6 Another execution of an elastic intermediate layer or of a guiding piece that is form-fittingly attachable to the concrete slab.

[0031] FIG. 7 A schematic diagram of a guiding piece according to the invention that engages in a predetermined breaking point of the slab.

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a solid trackway 1 for rail-guided vehicles in which the rails 2 are largely continuously bedded on a concrete slab 3. For bedding and mounting the rails 2, the concrete slab 3 has humps 4 or similar elevations in which the rail 2 is arranged. For this purpose, a trough-like recess 5 has been incorporated into the concrete slab 3 or the humps 4. The humps 4 or trough-like recesses 5 extend preferably along the entire concrete slab 3 so that a largely continuous bedding of the rails 2 results, but is interrupted in the area of the predetermined breaking points 6 of the slab 3.

[0033] Here, only a section of a concrete slab 3 is shown. To build such a solid trackway on the worksite, the concrete slabs 3 are prefabricated, placed underground and firmly attached to one another. In this case, the concrete slabs 3 with the rails 2 can be prefabricated with utmost precision so adjusting work on the tracks is no longer necessary on site: The rails 2 are laid in the trough-like recesses 5 under interposition of an elastic intermediate layer 7 (see FIG. 2) to ensure the needed elasticity. For the lateral orientation and guidance of the rail 2, guiding pieces 8 are intended for supporting the rails 2 in horizontal direction.

[0034] The invention now foresees the rail 2 to be fixed in place on the concrete slab 3 along discrete mounting points 9 with a mounting means 12, preferably a tension clamp. This makes a time-consuming grouting of the trough-like recess 5 for the continuous fastening of the rails 2 unnecessary. Nonetheless, unacceptable deflections of the rail head can be prevented by the continuous bedding of the rails 2. A load-distribution slab typical of individual mountings as in the state of the art is not needed here, thus simplifying the building of the rail.

[0035] As can also be seen in FIG. 2, the rail 2 is supported through the guiding piece 8 merely on its foot 10, allowing a rail mounting 9 with a mounting means 12. Here, the guiding piece 8 has a recess 11 in the area of the mounting points 9 so that the rail can be mounted with tension clamps in a known way. A supporting surface 13 of the guiding piece 8 is nonetheless developed along the entire length of the guiding piece 8, since the support takes place only in the area of the rail foot 10.

[0036] According to the drawing of FIG. 2, the lateral guiding piece 8 has been designed in such a way that it largely supports the rail 2 continuously in horizontal direction. In this case, the guiding piece 8 is largely developed so long that it equals the distance of two predetermined breaking points 6 of the slab 3 or is about the width of the humps 4. Thanks to such designed guiding pieces 8, a mostly continuous lateral guidance of the rails 2 can be achieved in spite of the distance of the discrete mounting points 9. In this case, a guiding piece 8 has been arranged on each side of the rail 2 so that the rail 2 is led in a vertical direction between both guiding pieces 8. When something is driven on the rails 2, a vertical movement of the rail 2 is made possible without hereby having to change the position of the rail 2,

[0037] In the example shown, the trough-like recess 5 has been designed largely in the form of a rectangular groove and the guiding piece 8 is arranged on the lateral trough wall 14 of the trough-like recess 5. Here, the guiding piece 8 can brace itself against lateral trough wall 14. In the drawing shown, the rail 2 has been placed on an elastic intermediate layer 7 between two guiding pieces 8 in the trough-like recess 5. As a result of this, the rail 2 can be very precisely positioned in the trough-like recess 5 and guided during operation.

[0038] So the concrete slab 3 can be manufactured as precisely as possible, the trough-like recess 5 can be ground so it can be manufactured with very narrow tolerances. In this case, the groove or trough-like recess 5 can be incorporated accurately to size already in the prefabricated factory in accordance with the rail tracks. However, it is also possible to grind the groove to exact dimensions after assembling the slabs 3 on site. The embodiment of the guiding pieces 8 according to the invention also allows adjusting the position of the rail 2 with the help of the guiding pieces 8. To do this, guiding pieces 8 with different strengths can be manufactured, for example, to influence the position of the rail 2, hereby allowing a lateral correction of the rail 2 of up to 8 mm.

[0039] The guiding pieces 8 can be made as molded parts because this would allow an economical production in series of the guiding pieces 8. An especially economical design of the guiding pieces 8 foresees the guiding pieces 8 to be made of a glass fiber reinforced plastic, which would give the guiding pieces 8 the sufficient stiffness for firmly supporting the rail in horizontal direction. It is also likewise possible to make the lateral guiding pieces 8 of special concrete, which would also allow a solid support of the rail 2 in horizontal direction. A guiding piece 8 made of a graphite material is also conceivable, however.

[0040] Another embodiment of a solid trackway 1 with a guiding piece 8 is shown in the perspective drawing of FIG. 3. The humps 4 of the concrete slab 2 are in this case somewhat narrower than those shown in FIG. 1, which allows for a better drainage of the rails 2 through the predetermined breaking points 6. The rail 2 is mostly continuously supported an its rail foot, as also shown in FIG. 2, so that no load distribution slab is needed here as well. The rail foot has been directly placed on the elastic intermediate layer 7. In the example shown here, the elastic intermediate layer also encompasses another adjusting slab 17 that allows a height compensation of the rails 2. In horizontal direction, on the other hand, the rail 2 is discontinuously supported by the guiding pieces 8. The guiding pieces 8 have for this purpose a supporting surface 13 in the area of the rail mounting 9. As in the example of FIG. 2, two supporting surfaces 13 or two guiding pieces 8 are foreseen here to support the rail 2 in horizontal direction and allowing a vertical movement of the rail 2,

[0041] As can also be seen in FIG. 2, the concrete slab 3 or the humps 4 have a groove 15 in which the mounting means 12 is supported in operating position. The structure of the fixed trackway is further simplified by the direct support of the mounting means on the concrete slab, as no additional steel or plastic slabs are needed. In this drawing, the concrete slab 3 has another groove in which the mounting means 12 finds support in assembled position. The solid trackway can thus be pre-assembled with the mounting means 12 in the prefabricated parts factory. The assembly of the rails 2 on site can nevertheless take place unhindered. Afterwards, the tension clamps for mounting the rails 2 in place must only be moved and mounted to the operating position. The tension clamps shown have an elongated hole for this purpose.

[0042] To achieve a secure mounting of the guiding pieces 8 on the concrete slab 3, it is useful for the guiding piece 8 to be form-fittingly attached to the concrete slab 3. For this purpose, the guiding piece 8 can be largely U-shaped (as shown in FIG. 4) so it can wrap around the hump 4 of the slab 3, hereby being securely held in place in the longitudinal direction of the rail 2.

[0043] Similarly, the guiding piece 8 can also be executed to engage in the predetermined breaking points 6 of the slab 3, hereby attaching itself to it in a positive fit (FIG. 7).

[0044] It is also advantageous for the elastic intermediate layer 7 to be form-fittingly attached to the concrete slab 3. The latter can also be U-shaped as the guiding piece 8 shown in FIG. 7 and engage with the sides of the "U" into the predetermined breaking point 6 of the slab.

[0045] Another favorable connection of the guiding piece 8 and/or the elastic intermediate layer 7 with the slab 3 arises if they are cast in the concrete of the slab 3. This is another way of securely attaching the guiding piece 8 and the intermediate layer 7 to the slab 3. Such designs of a guiding piece 8 or of an elastic intermediate layer 7 have been schematically shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Thus, the parts mentioned above can have projections 16, for example, with which they can be positively attached to the concrete slab 3. The projections 16 can then be cast into the concrete of slab 3, in which case, each one of the projections 16 can be arranged on the ends of the guiding pieces 8 or the intermediate layer 7 in the area of the predetermined breaking points 6 or also centrically, as shown in FIG. 6. Naturally, both the guiding piece 8 and the intermediate layer 7 can have many recesses and/or projections 16 that can be cast in the concrete of the slab 3. Instead of casting, however, it is also possible for the concrete slab 3 or the hump 4 to have the corresponding recesses or projections too, which act together with the recesses or projections 16 of the parts mentioned above.

[0046] The invention is not restricted to the embodiments shown; alterations and combinations within the framework of the patent claims also fall under the invention

Claims

1. Solid trackway (1) for rail-guided vehicles with a mostly continuous bedding of the rails (2) on a concrete slab (3), in which case the rail (2) is supported on an elastic intermediate layer (7) with its foot and with a lateral guiding piece (8) of the rail (2), which supports and guides the rail in horizontal direction, characterized in that the rail (2) is mounted to the concrete slab (3) on discrete attachment points (9) with a mounting means (12) and only the elastic intermediate layer (7) is arranged between the rail (2) and the concrete slab (3).

2-21. (canceled)