Rail structure

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an improved structure for flexibly supporting electric rails (reaction rail or "secondary," current energizing rail for vehicle mounted electrolinear motor, "stator" or primary, and safe distance signal rail) from main monorail girders. The new structure includes resilient vibration absorbers for silencing and for reducing noises generated by the travel of railway vehicles over a monorail of the hollow girder type. The vibration absorbers accommodate the proper and continuous alignment of the electric rail carried by the support structure, by means of limited displacement of the support structure with respect to the main monorail girder.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Girders with electric rails for current pickup have been disclosed in German patents 1,071,745; 1,100,751; and DT-OS 1,615,537. These deal with small rails where precise manufacturing is not too difficult. Moreover, these small rails do not present any noise problems from vibrations caused by the current pickup carriage. Specifically, Germant patent DT-OS 1,513,337 suggests cementing continuous plastic insulators for sliding lines onto the web or flange of I-shaped and box-profile girders. Such a continuous insulating member can be effectively applied to a girder only if the base surface is smooth, as is the case with rolled girders or with girders where the webs and flanges are constructed of sufficiently thick plate.

Girders for supporting vehicles in "local transit" systems of the monorail type are usually made of relatively thin-walled metal weldments. The welding during manufacture often causes the thin metal plate to warp, bend, otherwise to become distorted; therefore, supports for electric rails cannot be attached directly to such weldment girders, since the electric rails would not be properly alignable with the vehicle path. Moreover, since hollow girders have extensive surface areas, and are or tend to be sound resonators, great care must be taken and provisions must be made to avoid vibration and resulting noise caused by the interaction of vehicle pickup carriages and the girder.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

It is a primary object of the invention to reduce noise and facilitate electric rail alignment in hollow monorail girders, and to that end, to mount support plates for fastening electric rails to a weldment girder in a flexible and vibration absorbing manner. This is achieved by attaching each support to the monorail girder through interposed resilient vibration absorbers, which facilitates proper alignment of the electric rails (sliding contact lines, secondary rails for electrolinear motors, and "safe-distance" lines or signal rails) by limited displacement of the support plates with respect to the girder. If the web plate of the main monorail girder adjacent the support is distorted and does not, therefore, run parallel with the path of the electric rails, the support may be tilted by the rails, through the movable or flexible attachment, thus assuring a smooth, proper, and aligned course of the electric rails, although the monorail girder web, itself, may be bent and not aligned with the vehicle path.

The vibration absorbers may be, according to the principles of the present invention, superimposed. For example, the web of the monorail girder may be provided with cantilevered mounting bolts which pass through the electric rail support plate and opposing pairs of the absorbers. The vibration absorbers contact the rail support plate on the side facing the girder as well as on the side facing away from the girder, thereby sandwiching the rail support therebetween. Projecting facing portions of the vibration absorbers may extend into enlarged bore holes of the support and about the mounting bolts. The bolts are threaded for pressure nuts and are provided with stops (guards against torsion) to prevent unintentional loosening of the rail supports from the girders.

In accordance with a more specific aspect of the invention, a lower vibration absorber may be interposed between lower or bottom portions of the support plate and a horizontal plate or flange attached to and extending from the lower part of the vertical girder web plate. The horizontal plate may be the supporting surface for vehicles traveling along the monorail girder. (Hollow girder type monorails having vertical web plates and horizontal flange plates are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,737, assigned to Demag Aktiengesellschaft, the disclosure of which patent is hereby incorporated by reference). Advantageously and desirably, the height of this lower vibration absorber is adjustable by a jackscrew arrangement including a threaded boly mounting the bottom vibration absorber. To accommodate vertical height adjustment, the bore holes in the rail support plate are enlarged or otherwise formed as vertical slots, as will be understood.

The vibration absorbers sandwiched between the girder and support may be formed as elastomeric compound molded in-situ in and about the bore holes. During casting formation, the absorber is formed into its intended shape by a molding frame laterally adjoining the center web of the rail support. The frame is coated with a release agent, so that it can be removed after cooling of the elastomeric casting compound. The in-situ cast vibration absorber functions comparably to prefabricated absorbers to accommodate limited displacement of the rail support with respect to the girder.

In order to obtain optimum vibration absorption in the monorail girder, a molded in-situ damping member may be arranged between the rail support and the web plate of the girder, this damping member being the size of the support plate or somewhat larger.

The rail supports may include a central vertical trunk with horizontal arms projecting on both sides parallel with the electric rails (sliding lines, secondary or reaction rails). The arms on one side are vertically offset with those of the other side. Each arm is provided with an insulator to mount sliding contacts or energizing rails; the insulators may also be supported on the trunk of the rail support. The displaced arrangement of the arms results in a separation of the insulators, placing them far enough apart so that no current leakage occurs. Moreover, the support plates with their offset arms can be nested in an arrangement, which allows several support plates to be simultaneously cut from one plate by gang torch cutting techniques with a minimum of waste.

As will be understood, the support plate mounts a "secondary" or reaction rail for the electrolinear motors mounted on the vehicles traveling over the monorail. In accordance with the invention, this reaction rail may pivot about its longitudinal axis through the flexible mounting of the support for proper alignment with the vehicle and with contiguous reaction rails along the monorail route. The secondary rail is T-shaped, and its flanges are attached to the support by means of superposed bolts. On one of the bolts, between the support and the flange of the secondary rail, a washer or shim may be interposed, while the other bolt is provided with adjusting nuts. In this manner, the secondary rail may be slightly canted with respect to the support for further precise alignment or orientation, as necessary. On the side facing the support, the secondary rail is slotted parallel to and at the same level as the web of the secondary rail. At the end of two successive secondary rail pieces, a T-shaped connector extends into the slot to establish a correct alignment of the secondary rail ends, which are slightly spaced to accommodate thermal expansion. The connector is bolted to one of the secondary rails to complete the sliding expansion joint between rails. The rail supports may also be provided, on the top and/or the bottom thereof, with brackets for "safe-distance" cables or signal rails, which, through automatic circuitry and relay devices, control the distance between the vehciles traveling on the monorail girder and prevent accidental collisions.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and a greater appreciation of its attendant advantages and benefits, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the new and improved flexible and cushioned support plate arrangement with secondary rail, safe-distance cable, and sliding contact rails mounted upon the support;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II--II of FIG. 1 with the monorail girder shown in phantom;

FIG. 3 is a cutting plan for the rail support in which two cutting torches may cut four nested supports simultaneously from a plate;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of Detail "A" of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of Detail "B" of FIG. 2 below the center line, with an additional damper member shown above the center line, formed in-situ by a casting compound poured betweeen the girder web plate and the rail support plate;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI--VI of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII--VII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of Detail "C" of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of an alternative design of the Detail "B";

FIG. 10 is an elevational view of the structure of FIG. 9 taken from point "X".

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 3 illustrate the shape of the new rail support plates of the invention, which may be manufactured simultaneously from one wide steel plate by means of several cutting torches, the only scrap remaining being the two pieces 15.

The box-shaped main monorail girder 1 (shown in phanton) is only partially illustrated in FIG. 2 and typically includes a weldment of vertical web plates 1a, horizontal flange plates 1d, and, on both sides, vehicle support and guidance rails 1b, 1c. Threaded bolts 3 are welded onto web 1a for attaching the rail supports 2. Bore holes 2c are formed along the longitudinal axis of the rail supports 2. The holes 2e are considerably larger than the diameter of the bolts 3 and may be developed as vertical slots (FIG. 10) to accommodate limited height adjustment of the supports 2 with respect to the main girder 1. In accordance with the invention, resilient elastomeric vibration absorbers 5 are supported on the bolts and include projections 5a, which extend into the bore holes 2c from both sides of support 2. Outer reinforcing plates 5b of the vibration absorbers 5 bear against web plates 1a and lock nuts 4 (equipped with means to prevent loosening). The vibration absorbers 5 permit the limited canting, displacement, or reorientation of the supports 2 with respect to the web plates 1a of the girder 1, when the supports 2 are pulled or urged in a direction parallel with the course of the vehicles traveling along the girder 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the supports 2 are provided with lateral arms 2b on both sides of a center trunk 2a, which arms are vertically offset. At the end of each arm 2b and on the center trunk 2a, bolts 10 project outwardly for mounting insulators 6 and the reaction rail 8. The insulators 6 carry sliding lines 7 (energizing rails for vehicle-mounted electrolinear motors) and are held in place on support plates 2 with self-locking nuts 11. The displaced or offset arrangement of arm 2b and insulators 6 provides sufficient space therebetween to avoid current leakage between insulators 6 and/or between sliding lines 7.

As will be understood, energizing current is conducted from the sliding lines 7 by way of vehicle-mounted sliding contacts 12 (shown in phantom) to the two stator elements 13 making up the "primary" (shown in phantom) of a vehicle-mounted electrolinear motor. Through cooperation with the reaction rail 8 (the "rotor" or secondary of the motor), the "stator" 13 propels a vehicle, whose supporting wheels contact rail 1b and whose guide wheels contact guide rail 1c, along the main monorail 1.

Above the arms 2b, several bolts 10 for the reaction rail 8 are attached to the trunk 2a of the support plate 2. The flange side of secondary rail 8 is (FIGS. 4 and 6) provided with a groove 8c at the level of the web 8a; a T-shaped connector 16 is fastened by bolts 29 to the flanges 8b and extends into the groove 8c, so that adjacent ends 8d, 8e of consecutive secondary rails meet in a sliding connection which maintains proper alignment. A disc connector 17, which is arranged between the lower flange 8b of the secondary rail 8 and the trunk 2a serves as a pivot point for the orientation of the rail 8 and may consist of a spring washer 17 or a washer with high electric conductivity, which electricity connects the secondary rail 8 to the support 2. By selectively tightening self-locking nuts 11, the desired orientation of the secondary rail 8 may be obtained, and it may then be locked in position with counter bolts 19. The electrical grounding of the secondary rail 8 (and the support 2, as will be understood) to the web plate 1a is effected (FIGS. 1 and 7) directly through the bolt 20 and the grounding cable 18.

Special perpendicular brackets 22 for mounting "safe distance" measuring cables 21 are attached to the upper portions of the support plate 2 with bolts 23, as shown in FIG. 2. The proper angular adjustment or orientation of the cable or rail 21 may be achieved in the same manner as with the secondary rail 8.

Referring now to FIG. 5, below the center line, the manner of achieving optimum vibration absorption is illustrated. This is realized with elastomeric casting compound 5c, which is cast between the web plate 1a and a damping plate 26. The damping plate 26 is somewhat higher and wider than the support 2 and its arms 2b. During the casting process, the damping plate 26 is enclosed by a casting frame 25, to which a solvent or release agent is applied before casting, so that removal after casting is simplified.

Another example of vibration absorber is shown in the upper half of FIG. 5, above the center line; there the vibration absorber consists of casting compound 5d, which is poured directly between the web plate 1a and the center web 2a of support 2. Similarly, the casting compound is kept in place during the casting in-situ process by molding frame.

The lower end of the plate 2 may be elevated, as shown in FIG. 8, by a height adjustable lowermost vibration absorber 5 attached to the main girder flange 1d by means of bolt 23 and self-locking nut 24 incorporated into the absorber member. Rotation of the nut 24 will, of course, adjust the height of the absorber and hence that of the plate 2.

Still another means of adjusting the height of support 2 with respect to the main girder web plate 1a is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, wherein the nuts 4 loosely clamp plate 2 between vibration absorbers 5. A block 28 (seating bolt 27) is supported on extension 5a of vibration absorber 5 in the slot 2c. The plate 2 is adjusted in elevation by rotation of bolt 27, which is disposed directly in a threaded hole 2c in support 2. As will be understood, the plate 2 will translate along the bolt by "jackscrew" action. After having adjusted the height of the plate 2, the vibration absorbers 5 may be tightly clamped by tightening of nuts 4.

It should be understood that the rail support structure for hollow monorail girders herein illustrated and described is intended to be representative only, as certain changes may be made therein without departing from the teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following appended claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

Claims

We claim:

1. A support system for continuous contact electric rails of a rail system, comprising

a. a support for said rail system;

b. a rail support plate disposed substantially parallel to but spaced apart from said rail system support;

c. a plurality of mounting bore holes in said rail support plate;

d. a plurality of resilient vibration absorbers extending between said rail system support and said rail support plate accommodating relative orientation therebetween;

e. a plurality of bolts passing through said vibration absorbers, said mounting bore holes, and said rail system support; and

f. said resilient vibration absorbers surrounding said bolts for individually adjusting the spacing between said rail system support and said rail support plate for said relative orientation therebetween.

2. A support in accordance with claim 1, in which

a. a plurality of vibration absorbers sandwich the plate means therebetween.

3. A support in accordance with claim 1, in which

a. each of said vibration absorbers have integral projections extending into said bore holes defined in said support plate.

4. A support in accordance with claim 1, in which

a. said bolts are provided with torsion stops for locking pressure nuts.

5. The support of claim 1, which includes

a. a plurality of rail supporting brackets disposed on said support plate; and

b. a vibration absorber disposed between each said rail support bracket and said rail support plate.

6. A support in accordance with claim 5, in which

a. part of said brackets are provided for "safe distance" rail means.

7. A support in accordance with claim 1, in which

a. said bore holes are enlarged in the form of vertical slots.

8. A support in accordance with claim 1, in which

a. said vibration absorber is a cast in-situ elastomeric compound.

9. A support for electric rails to be fastened to a hollow monorail girder including

a. a rail support plate means having mounting bores therein;

b. at least one elastic vibration absorber spacing said support plate means from said girder and accommodating the orientation of the support plate means with respect to the monorail girder;

c. bolt means passing through said vibration absorber and support plate means;

d. a lowermost vibration absorber engaging and supporting the bottom portion of said support plate means;

e. a threaded jackscrew inserted into a thread formed in said support plate means for selectively adjusting the heighth of said lowermost vibration absorber; and

f. said jackscrew resting on said lowermost vibration absorber.

10. A support for electric rails to be fastened to a hollow monorail girder including

a. a rail support plate means having mounting bores therein;

b. at least one elastic vibration absorber spacing said support plate means from said girder and accommodating the orientation of the support plate means with respect to the monorail girder;

c. bolt means passing through said vibration absorber and support plate means;

d. said vibration absorber is a cast in situ elastomer compound; and

e. a damping plate located between said support plate means and said monorail girder.

11. A support for electric rails to be fastened to a hollow monorail girder including

a. a rail support plate means having mounting bores therein;

b. at least one elastic vibration absorber spacing said support plate means from said girder and accommodating the orientation of the support plate means with respect to the monorail girder;

c. bolt means passing through said vibration absorber and support plate means;

d. a central trunk and lateral, spaced apart arms on said support plate means; and

e. said arms on one side of said trunk are vertically offset with respect to the arms of the other side.

12. A support in accordance with claim 11, in which

a. insulator means for sliding lines and secondary rails are attached to said arms.

13. A support in accordance with claim 12, in which

a. said secondary rails pivot about their longitudinal axes with respect to said support plate means.

14. A support in accordance with claim 13, in which

a. said secondary rail is T-shaped and its flanges are attached to the support plate means by a pair of bolts;

b. a washer on one of the bolts for pivoting the web of said secondary rail with respect to said support plate.

15. A support in accordance with claim 13, in which

a. said secondary rail, on the side facing the support plate means, is grooved parallel with and on the same level as the web of said secondary rail;

b. a T-shaped connector extends into the groove at the ends of consecutive secondary rails.