Railway rolling stock – Suspended
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-19
2001-03-06
Stormer, Russell D. (Department: 3617)
Railway rolling stock
Suspended
C104S089000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196133
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a device for the suspension of a hollow-section rail in an overhead or suspension crane which opens downward.
2. Description of the Related Art
A prior art hollow-section rail which opens downward for a suspended rail system is disclosed in the brochure titled “Kranbaukasten KBK (KBK Crane Construction Kits)”, for a crane construction kit manufactured by Mannesmann Demag Fördertechnik AG. A lifting device is movable in the longitLudinal direction of the suspended rail system by trolley rails. The rail is suspended in pendulum fashion so as to be swivelable, at a carrying apparatus or a transverse girder by vertically arranged, elongate girders or traction elements, wherein the lower ends of the traction elements are fastened to the rail and the upper ends are fastened to the carrying apparatus or transverse girder. The pendulum type suspension ensures that the suspension path automatically adjusts to the state of equilibrium. The state of equilibrium is the state in which there are no horizontally acting forces and all forces are directed vertically downward. The pendulum type suspension is ensured in that the ends of the girders are provided with ball heads which are articulated in matching ball sockets at the rail or at the carrying apparatus. In the case of pendulum type suspension, shock-like loading of the rails in particular is transformed into vibrational energy, the rails proceed back to their initial position again in the form of damped oscillations.
The pendulum type suspension described above is not suitable for a suspension crane, especially with a laterally projecting boom, because upwardly directed vertical forces are not absorbed.
Consequently, as an alterinative solution in a suspension crane with a laterally projecting boom, only a rigid suspension of the rails is taken into consideration. The rigid suspension has the disadvantage that pulse peaks occurring during shocks may destroy or damage the suspension path and ceiling construction because, in these cases, besides the forces that are favorably absorbed by the suspension system, short-term horizontal forces with very large amplitudes also occur. But horizontal forces also occur during normal operation of the suspension crane, specifically because of bending or sagging of the rails between the individual suspension points. These horizontal forces during normal operation likewise represent an intensive loading of the suspension path which manifests itself over the course of time by increased wear.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a rigid suspension of a rail in which horizontal forces, especially shock-like or pulse-like horizontal forces, are extensively damped.
This object is met by device for the suspension of a rail which includes a carrying apparatus with a traction element that has two ends. One of the ends of the traction element is fastenable to the rail. To provide a rigid suspension of a rail in which horizontal forces, especially pulse-like horizontal forces. are extensively damped, the device includes a rubber-metal element connected between the carrying apparatus and the traction element with two substantially horizontal metal carriers arranged at a distance from one another and having inner surfaces which face each other. A rubber or elastic element is fastened to the inner surfaces of the metal carriers. The carrying apparatus is fixedly connected with the lower metal carrier and the other end of the traction element is fixedly connected with the upper metal carrier so that at least the peak pulses of horizontal forces exerted on the traction element are damped by the elastic element.
In a device for the suspension of a rail at a carrying apparatus with a traction element having first end fastenable to the rail. the invention provides that an intermediate rubber-metal element with two substantially horizontal metal carriers arranged at a distance from one another is connected between the carrying apparatus and the traction element. A rubber element is fastened to the inner surfaces of the metal carriers. The carrying apparatus is fixedly connected with the lower metal carrier and the second end of the traction element is fixedly connected with the upper metal carrier. The flux of force passes over the traction element to the upper metal carrier which is supported on the rubber element. The rubber element which is formed as an intermediate layer lies on the lower metal carrier which is fastened to the carrying apparatus. The intimate connection between the rubber element and the inner surface of the metal carrier prevents the free displacement of the metal carriers relative to one another. At the same time, this connection ensures, in combination with the elastic rubber element, that horizontal force peaks occurring in a pulse-like manner are intercepted or damped. In this way, the horizontal force peaks are transformed into damped oscillations with very low amplitudes.
An intimate connection between the rubber element and the metal carriers is achieved in that the rubber element is vulcanized to the metal carriers.
A compact rubber-metal element with uniform distribution of load is achieved by a construction in which the second end of the traction element connected with the upper metal carrier is guided through a vertical opening of the rubber-metal element while leaving an intermediate space between the sides of the traction element and the rubber metal element.
A connection between the traction element and metal carriers which is rigid against bending is achieved by the use of a spacer element which contacts the upper metal carrier, wherein the end of the traction element is guided through this spacer element.
The spacer element is preferably fastened to the upper metal carrier. In a simple embodiment form, the spacer element is a vertically arranged hollow cylinder having an end face fastened against the upper metal carrier. The end face of the traction element which is fixedly connected to the upper metal carrier is provided with an external thread in the region of the lower metal carrier, wherein a nut pressing the spacer element against the upper metal carrier is screwed onto the external thread to produce a stable connection between the metal carrier and the traction element which is substantially rigid with respect to vertical forces and is quasi-rigid with respect to horizontal forces.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2156827 (1939-05-01), Wehr
patent: 3039401 (1962-06-01), Bishop
patent: 3929078 (1975-12-01), Sears
patent: 5549049 (1996-08-01), Deandrea
patent: 5598785 (1997-02-01), Zaguroli, Jr.
patent: 2508317 (1975-08-01), None
Brochure: “Kranbaukasten KBK: Anlagen für den flurfreien Materialtransport”, Jun. 1995.
Fitzler Stefan
Ostholt Rudiger
Cohen & Pontani, Lieberman & Pavane
Mannesmann AG
McCarry, Jr. Robert J.
Stormer Russell D.
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