Railway rolling stock – Car framing and structure – Freight
Patent
1998-03-25
2000-07-25
Le, Mark T.
Railway rolling stock
Car framing and structure
Freight
105396, 105409, 105411, B61D 1700
Patent
active
06092473&
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a modular element, in particular for constructing large bodies or containers, and to a process for its production.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
DE-A-44 10 998 describes a quick-assembly border-profile pair for modular elements in vehicle and container construction which comprises separate complementary positively locking strips by means of which the modular elements can be centred with respect to one another and joined temporarily. The definitive connection between the modular elements is produced by frictionally locking and positively locking fastening elements (cold-workable clinch bolts) which pass through abutting webs of the pre-joined border profiles and secure them against one another in a sheer-resistant manner and so that they are not displaced transversely. The interaction of the bolts and of the complementary positively locking border elements provides a torque-resistant connection of the modules. These modular elements provided for the construction of large bodies such as railway passenger carriages may advantageously be joined exclusively from the outside. There are therefore no restrictions to completion of the modules before joining, i.e. the interior work can be completed in modular fashion. However, the solid steel border profiles welded to the frame ends make the modular elements relatively heavy.
A carriage-body construction for railway passenger carriages which can be cold joined from inherently stiff wall modules, likewise prefabricated by welding, and is disclosed by EP-A-0 573 384 may be regarded as the preliminary stage of the first-mentioned prior art. Clinch bolts are likewise used for the purpose of connecting the wall modules to one another. In this case, the border profiles running in the longitudinal direction of the modules are formed integrally by sections bent off from the shell and are provided with rows of bores for the insertion of said clinch bolts. These border profiles produce bending and buckling stiffness for the wall parts. They also form the basis for the cold-joining methods and the connecting edges and planes when the various modules are joined together.
The Z-profile frames of the load-bearing framework butt flush against the border profiles; in each case two frame ends are located opposite one another. Via the joint between the two modules, the frames are connected directly to one another by a clinch bolt, which passes through two flanges of the frames and in each case one leg of the bent-off border profiles.
Because the clinch bolts are located behind the shell, the parting joint has to be accessible from the inside of the carriage during joining of the modules, in order that the tools may be attached from the inside. The free spaces required for the tool insert obstruct completion of interior work of the modules.
The border profiles of these previously known solutions have to be configured in pairs with complementary profiles, with the result that the opposite borders of the modular elements are designed differently. The flux of force in the parting joint between the modular elements runs essentially via the border profiles, at which the load-bearing frames or columns are connected flush by their ends.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention, taking the abovementioned prior art as departure point, is further to improve quick-assembly modular elements in terms of their production and handling and to specify a process for producing such improved modular elements.
Taking the prior art mentioned in the introduction as departure point, the adjacent modular elements are now connected to one another directly in a positively locking and/or frictionally locking manner via frame feet, which also connect the ends of the frames indirectly to the border profiles.
Furthermore, a modular configuration of differential construction which, as a result of weld connections largely being dispensed with, is free of heat-related stressing is provided by the proposed features in that at least the sheet-like compo
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Altenburg Klaus
Dederichs August
Goerres Franz Peter
Kreutz Hans-Dieter
Strauch Hans-Wilhelm
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