Railways – Terminals and stations – Freight
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-05
2002-06-11
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Railways
Terminals and stations
Freight
C104S030000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06401624
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a railway terminal for loading railway wagons with containers and/or unloading railway wagons which are laden with containers, comprising:
a section of track, and
at least one loading and/or unloading platform which is arranged along and adjacent to the said section of track and which is at a higher level than the said section of track.
2. Description of the Related Art
A railway terminal of this kind is generally known. At a railway terminal of this kind, and also at a railway terminal according to the invention, so-called 20-foot, 30-foot and 40-foot containers can be loaded from the train and onto lorries or from the lorry onto the train. In this case, the railway wagons have an essentially flat loading floor. By means of so-called trolleys, such as for example those which are known from and described in the European Patent EP-B1-0,509,028, the containers can then be displaced in their transverse direction in order to be moved from the platform onto the railway wagons or from the railway wagons onto the platform.
Although the trolleys disclosed by EP-B1-0,509,028 are able to overcome differences in height, and hence also a difference in height between the platform (loading and/or unloading platform) and the railway wagon(s) placed alongside it, the problem continues to arise that this difference in height varies within relatively wide limits. Such a variation can be attributed firstly to different types of railway wagons, in particular the height thereof with respect to the rails, and secondly to the fact that the height of the loading floor with respect to the track (the rails) is dependent on the load on the railway wagon. When a container is placed on the railway wagon, the railway wagon will sink deeper into its suspension depending on the weight of the container and its contents, with the result that the top surface of the loading floor lies at a lower level. When a container is transferred from the railway wagon onto the adjoining platform, the suspension of the railway wagon will spring outwards, so that the top surface of the loading floor lies at a higher level. In this case, the differences in height may even be such that they can no longer be overcome using the standard trolleys.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved railway terminal, in particular to provide a railway terminal which does not have the abovementioned drawbacks.
This object is achieved according to the invention by the fact that supports are arranged on either side of the section of track, on which supports the superstructure, comprising the loading floor, of a railway wagon to be loaded and/or unloaded can be supported, in such a manner that the loading floor of the said railway wagon is held at a fixed, predetermined height during loading and/or unloading. The drawbacks of the railway wagons springing in and out during loading and unloading are consequently avoided. Supports of this kind may, for example, comprise piston/cylinder units which are disposed vertically on the ground, the pistons of which can be extended upwards to against the superstructure of a railway wagon, in order to support this superstructure at a specific height and, if appropriate, firstly to lift it to this specific height. Cylinder/piston units of this kind can then be fixed in a specific position during loading and unloading.
However, the supports may advantageously also be arranged at a fixed height, in which case the railway wagon, or at least the superstructure thereof, can be lowered onto these supports. For this purpose, the railway terminal according to the invention advantageously also comprises at least one railway wagon which is provided with setting means with which the superstructure can be vertically adjusted with respect to the section of track so as to be supported on and moved upwards from the supports. The setting means used may advantageously be the suspension, in particular the hydraulic or pneumatic suspension. According to an advantageous further embodiment, the setting means then also comprise a hydraulic or pneumatic suspension, which is designed so that it can be activated in order to move the superstructure above the supports or move it upwards and so that it can be let down in order to support the superstructure on the supports. By building up or releasing pressure in the hydraulic or pneumatic suspension system. it is possible to carry out the vertical adjustment of the superstructure. A pneumatic suspension is particularly preferred here, since a suspension system of this kind contributes to reducing the noise produced while the railway wagons are being driven.
In order to ensure, with different types of wagon, that the height difference, in the lowered position, between the loading floor of the railway wagon and the adjoining loading and/or unloading platform is at or approaches a predetermined level, it is advantageous according to the invention if the superstructure of the railway wagon is provided on either side with downwardly facing stop surfaces, by means of which the railway wagon can be supported on the supports, and if the distance from the stop surfaces to the loading floor (or at least the reference plane thereof) preferably has a predetermined value. The predetermined value of this distance will be dependent on the desired difference in height, in the lowered position, between the loading floor and the adjoining loading and/or unloading platform.
In order to facilitate loading and unloading, and to reduce the time required for these operations, it is advantageous according to the invention if the supports are arranged at such a height that, in the position where the superstructure of a railway wagon is supported on them, there is an essentially flat connection between the loading floor and the respectively adjoining loading and/or unloading platform. An essentially flat connection is to be understood here as a difference in height which can easily be overcome by a trolley without special measures, and without having to interrupt the sideways transfer movement of a container to do this. Such a difference in height will then be a difference in height which can be overcome easily by the rollers or wheels of the trolley. In practice, such a difference in height can amount to a few millimeters, for example approximately 1 to 5 mm. The adjustment mechanism which is known from EP-B1-0,509,028 (cf. in particular the explanation given with reference to
FIGS. 7 and 8
of this document) used to overcome a difference in height is thus made superfluous, thereby facilitating the design of the trolleys considerably.
A further advantageous embodiment provides for a railway terminal in which a platform is arranged on both sides of the section of track for loading or unloading purposes. It is in this case advantageous according to the invention if a loading platform is arranged on one side of the section of track, while an unloading platform is arranged on the other side of the section of track, and if, in the supported position, the loading floor, for the essentially flat connection to the loading platform, is at a lower level than the top surface of the loading platform and, for the essentially flat connection to the unloading platform, is at a higher level than the top surface of the unloading platform. An embodiment of this kind ensures at all times that the height difference to be overcome by the trolleys or other transfer means when transferring a container will be a negative difference in height, i.e. the base slopes downwards, when viewed in the direction of transport of the container. A downward slope of this nature may amount to a few millimeters, for example 1 to 5 mm up to 1 cm, if necessary, without major problems.
The present invention furthermore relates to a railway terminal for loading railway wagons with containers and unloading railway wagons which are laden with containers, comprising:
a section of track,
a loading platform which is arranged alo
Harry Nijenhuis Management B.V
Morano S. Joseph
Olson Lars A.
Sughrue & Mion, PLLC
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