Railway rolling stock – Trucks – Bogie
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-26
2001-06-26
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Railway rolling stock
Trucks
Bogie
C105S157100, C105S167000, C105S182100, C105S197100, C105S198200, C105S198700
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250232
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a running gear for a rail vehicle, in particular a bogie.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the case of a known running gear of this kind, DE 29 52 182 A1 the running gear frame is constructed as an integral component of longitudinal members and cross-members is made of elastic fibre-reinforced material. The longitudinal members have an arm which simultaneously forms the primary suspension, while having its free end linked to an axle-box. A disadvantage of this design is that the respectively-assigned wheels or wheelsets are not guided with the necessary reliability. Due to the eccentric initiation of forces, additional moments occur in the flexural springs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is based on the problem of taking measures relating to a running gear for a rail vehicle, preferably a bogie, by means of which a loading of flexural springs commensurate with their function is achieved, combined with enhanced quality of ride.
In a running gear design according to the invention, due to a reduced overall loading of the individual flexural springs, the arrangement of two, or if necessary even more fibre-reinforced plastic flexural springs on each axle-box, gives the primary suspension between the rail wheels and the running gear frame a markedly increased stiffness range. Additional suspension elements can thereby be avoided. Moreover, due to the central location of the individual axle-boxes between the associated ends of the flexural springs, force initiation is largely moment-free, thus providing considerable benefits in terms of ride comfort and for the loading of the flexural springs themselves. The provision of several flexural springs per axle-box creates redundancy in respect of the linking of the axle-box case to the flexural springs, the wheelset guidance, and the linking of the flexural springs to the cross-member structure. The running gear frame thus takes on the task of primary suspension in addition to that of wheelset guidance.
To obtain an optimal spring characteristic, the flexural springs may in the unloaded state swing out in an S-shape from the cross-member structure down to the wheelsets. Additionally, in order to minimize overall width, the flexural springs may be mounted one above the other. It is also possible for four flexural springs to be mounted above one another for each longitudinal member of the bogie frame, in each case with two ends of the flexural springs engaging beneath an assigned axle-box, and the two further associated ends of this flexural spring assembly overlapping the axle-box concerned. By this means a symmetrical transfer of force between axle-box and running gear frame is achieved. At the same time a free gap is preferably left between the individual flexural springs so that, under normal operating conditions, the individual flexural springs assigned to an axle-box are not in frictional contact with one another. Here the individual flexural springs are rigidly linked to one another in the area of the cross-member structure, preferably forming a modular unit with the cross-member structure or being connected in one-piece to a central cross-member. The respective associated ends of the flexural spring assembly may be mounted, pivoted and flexible in shear, on or in the associated axle-box case, so that they can transmit damped impacts and vibrations occurring in the direction of running, via the flexural springs which are relatively stiff in the longitudinal direction, to the running gear frame. If on the other hand the longitudinal elasticity of the flexural springs is adequate, then they may also be fixed rigidly to the respective associated axle-box case. It may however also be expedient to couple the ends of the flexural springs to the housing of the associated axle-box by means of pivot pins, elastically guided where applicable and with axes running parallel to the axle. This produces a deflection curve which corresponds to cantilever beam bending. The flexural springs are not then loaded to the extent of buckling or bending at their ends. At the same time the wheelsets may also be guided in transversely-elastic axle-boxes, to allow the absorption of lateral oscillations and to allow a certain radial adjustment of the wheelsets. In addition, damper elements may be incorporated in the flexural springs, to dissipate vibration energy. These damper compression elements may be inserted between the axle-boxes, the flexural springs and the cross-member structure of the running gear frame, and rest on these elements with force-coupling. The cross-member structure may be formed by a cross-member connecting the longitudinal members and an additional frame reinforcing element. This frame reinforcing element is located centrally on the running gear frame and is in particular fixed to the longitudinal members. On the plate-shaped frame reinforcing element, a bogie pivot assembly may be provided to connect the running gear to a vehicle body mounted above it. In particular the frame reinforcing element may support fixed brake calipers of disc brakes, which have brake discs fixed to the axles rotating with the rail wheels. At the same time a slip coupling may be inserted in the axle of one or more wheelsets, to give the wheelset at least to a large extent the running characteristics of a pair of free wheels.
The flexural spring assembly may also have an uneven number of flexural springs per axle-box and, depending on the available space, an uneven number of leaf springs may therefore also overlap or engage beneath an axle-box.
In addition it is also possible to arrange several leaf springs in one plane next to one another. Here, in order to influence the lateral stiffness of the flexural spring assembly at right-angles to the direction of running of the running gear, it is expedient to slot at least one of the leaf springs, at least in the sprung area in the longitudinal direction, i.e. in the area between axle-boxes and a cross-member structure connecting the two parallel flexural spring assemblies.
The overall result is therefore a running gear for a rail vehicle which, in addition to a running gear frame which can be produced in one piece and which simultaneously provides the primary suspension, also ensures considerably enhanced stability of the axle guidance, which is realized through the symmetrical mounting of the axle boxes between several flexural springs, which facilitates a largely moment-free initiation of force. At the same time, the several flexural springs are more readily adapted to meet the particular requirements of operation and bring about a significant improvement in the vertical resilience of the overall assembly, making additional external spring components unnecessary.
The invention is described in detail below with the aid of the basic drawings of an embodiment.
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Emmerling Stefan
Hachmann Ulrich
Horoschenkoff Alexander
Mauritz Christian
ABB Daimler-Benz Transportation (Technology) GmbH
Jules Frantz F.
Morano S. Joseph
Webb Ziesenheim & Logsdon Orkin & Hanson, P.C.
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