Railways – Derailment guards – Furrow feelers
Patent
1997-07-11
1998-12-01
Le, Mark Tuan
Railways
Derailment guards
Furrow feelers
104246, 238382, 238336, 238338, E01B 2500
Patent
active
058424229
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a railway track for an automated guided vehicle system. Whilst the invention is, according to one embodiment, directed towards and primarily described with reference to such systems, it is considered that the invention is suitable for use with other guided vehicle systems used, for example, for freight transportation or materials handling. The invention in a preferred form relates to the reduction of noise during operation of such systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
An automated guideway system of the above type is described in co-pending PCT Application No. PCT/AU94/00201 entitled "Rail Gripping Vehicle". As described therein, such a system utilising individual vehicles which each accommodate, for example, between eight and twenty-five passengers would typically operate on guideways separated from other vehicular traffic and pedestrians. Such guideways will preferably be narrow, elevated above street level and supported on pillars, an arrangement often referred to as a monorail. The system should desirably operate with low noise and vibration levels. Preferably, the vehicles should descend and ascend on ramps from guideways to the street level and be capable of very short emergency stopping distances if they are to operate safely at high speeds and close intervals.
Generally, in systems of the type referred to, vehicles have pneumatic tire wheels which operate directly on the concrete or other guideway surface, and are therefore acceptably quiet. However, their stopping and grade climbing ability is unsatisfactory as is also their maximum speed. The guideways are frequently unacceptably wide.
In order to meet the various requirements referred to above, the system described in the above referenced PCT application employs steel wheels on the vehicles operating on narrow track steel rails; secondary rail gripping wheels which press on the underside of the railhead running face are used so increasing the grip of the main wheels on the rails in order to meet the necessary accelerating, braking, and ramp climbing capabilities. These wheels need only be engaged when slippage of the main drive wheels is likely, and at other times remain slightly clear of the rail surface. In such a position they guard against possible derailment of the vehicle in high winds or other disturbances which can prove hazardous for narrow gauge systems. However, attention has to be paid to minimising noise and vibration inevitably associated with the use of steel wheels. Such noise is particularly apparent when the vehicle is traversing curved track due to contact between the wheel flanges and the rail. This aspect of the problem is addressed in the co-pending PCT Application AU95/00046 "Self Steering Railway Bogie" which describes an arrangement which greatly reduces flange contact, even in small radius curves. A feature of that invention is the use of steeply inclined wheel axes and rail running faces to produce the steering action.
The rumbling sound which originates in slight rail and wheel surface irregularities and in the drive system, both in curved and straight track, also needs to be considered. This problem occurs in conventional light railways and street cars using steel wheels and rails, and it is common practice to incorporate rubber pads in the wheels to reduce the transmission of contact noise from the wheel rims to the wheel disk from which it is radiated. This principle is also adopted in the present invention.
Such noise is also transmitted to the rails, and it is accepted railway practice to stand the rails on base plates insulated from the track foundation by resilient mountings as illustrated in AU42628/78 (531212)B (Duchemin).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention consists in a longitudinal rail member for a vehicle track in combination with a plurality of track support members arranged at intervals along the track, the rail member comprising a head portion having a primary upper running face and a substant
REFERENCES:
patent: 2670136 (1954-02-01), Moses
patent: 3358927 (1967-12-01), Hein et al.
patent: 3417922 (1968-12-01), Vaulry
patent: 3525472 (1970-08-01), Sato
patent: 4216904 (1980-08-01), Vivion
patent: 4775103 (1988-10-01), Ortwein
patent: 5165598 (1992-11-01), Ortwein
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