Work vehicle for a track

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a track working vehicle, comprising: a track walking mechanism, comprising a walking support frame and a track assembly connected to the walking support frame; a rotary working mechanism, comprising a rotary platform, a boom arm mechanism and a mechanical arm, the rotary platform being rotatably connected to the walking support frame, the boom arm mechanism and the mechanical arm being respectively connected to the rotary platform; a track lifting mechanism, comprising a track lifting clamp, the track lifting clamp being capable of being extended and retracted relative to the walking support frame to lift the track; and a track walking mechanism, being hingedly connected to the walking support frame. The track working vehicle of the present disclosure can improve the track working efficiency by setting the track walking mechanism, the rotary working mechanism, the track walking mechanism and the track lifting mechanism, and setting the mechanical arm and the boom arm mechanism in the rotary working mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to the field of track operation technology. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a track operation vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] In track maintenance, track components such as rail pads gradually wear down due to friction and pressure after long-term train operation. Therefore, regularly replacing worn or aging track components is essential to reduce track wear and noise, extend track lifespan, and ensure smooth and safe train operation. The replacement of track components such as rail pads is divided into two categories: routine maintenance and batch replacement. Routine maintenance targets individual damaged track components, and manual operation is currently the best choice due to its flexibility. Batch replacement is often carried out simultaneously with track replacement work to improve the utilization rate of track maintenance windows and avoid secondary closures and additional labor costs. The existing batch replacement process is as follows: new track components are manually placed near the fasteners, the track is raised using a crowbar or small track jack to create operating space, and then the old track components are manually removed from the rail base and the new track components are placed. Only a small number of track components can be replaced at a time, requiring repeated operations to complete the section replacement. The old track components are then manually picked up and bagged. However, this type of work requires continuous bending and squatting, resulting in high labor intensity, low efficiency, poor placement of new track components, and safety risks associated with working under the rail, posing a significant challenge to modern construction.

[0003] In view of this, there is an urgent need to provide a work vehicle for rails in order to improve the efficiency of rail operations. Utility Model Content

[0004] In order to at least address one or more of the technical problems mentioned above, this disclosure proposes a work vehicle for tracks.

[0005] This disclosure provides a track work vehicle, including: a track traveling mechanism including a traveling support frame and a track assembly connected to the traveling support frame; a rotating working mechanism including a rotating platform, a boom and stick mechanism and a robotic arm, the rotating platform being rotatably connected to the traveling support frame, the boom and stick mechanism and the robotic arm being respectively connected to the rotating platform; a track lifting mechanism including a track lifting clamp, the track lifting clamp being retractable relative to the traveling support frame to lift the track; and a track traveling mechanism hinged to the traveling support frame. In some embodiments, the track traveling mechanism includes a traveling frame, a drive cylinder, and traveling wheels, wherein the traveling wheels are rotatably mounted on the traveling frame, one end of the drive cylinder is connected to the traveling frame, and the other end is connected to the traveling support frame.

[0006] In some embodiments, the traveling frame includes a U-shaped connecting portion hinged to the traveling support frame, a drive cylinder is disposed between two arms of the U-shaped connecting portion, and a traveling wheel is provided on each side of the U-shaped connecting portion.

[0007] In some embodiments, it includes at least two track-running mechanisms, each of which has a track-starting clamp disposed between two running wheels.

[0008] In some embodiments, the track lifting mechanism further includes a track lifting cylinder, with its two ends connected to a track lifting clamp and a traveling support frame, respectively.

[0009] In some embodiments, the track lifting clamp also includes a rail clamp, and the two front ends of the rail clamp are respectively provided with rotatable rail clamping wheels, which are used to assist in guiding on both sides of the track.

[0010] In some embodiments, a 3D camera is provided at the front end of the robotic arm.

[0011] In some embodiments, a total of four robotic arms are included, and the front end of each robotic arm is provided with a pick-and-place component.

[0012] In some embodiments, a feeding mechanism is also included, which is fixedly mounted on the rotating platform. The feeding mechanism includes a storage section and a feeding drive section.

[0013] In some embodiments, the front end of the boom stick mechanism is also provided with a bucket.

[0014] The track work vehicle provided above, in this disclosed embodiment, improves track work efficiency by setting up a track traveling mechanism, a rotating working mechanism, a track traveling mechanism, and a track lifting mechanism, and by setting up a robotic arm and a boom stick mechanism in the rotating working mechanism. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of exemplary embodiments of this disclosure will become readily apparent upon reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, several embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated by way of example and not limitation, and like or corresponding reference numerals denote like or corresponding parts, wherein: Figure 1 An exemplary perspective view of a work vehicle for a track, representing some embodiments of this disclosure, is shown; Figure 2 An exemplary perspective view of a work vehicle for a track, representing some embodiments of this disclosure, is shown; Figure 3 An exemplary side view of a work vehicle for a track, according to some embodiments of this disclosure, is shown; Figure 4 An exemplary perspective view of a track-running mechanism for a track-based work vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown; Figure 5 An exemplary perspective view of a track-lifting mechanism portion of a track-operating vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown; Figure 6An exemplary perspective view of a track-lifting mechanism portion of a track-operating vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown; Figure 7 An exemplary perspective view is shown of a take-up and take-down assembly portion of a track-based work vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure; Figure 8 An exemplary side view of a work vehicle for a track, according to some embodiments of this disclosure, is shown; Figure 9 An exemplary side view of a track-based work vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0016] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0017] It should be understood that the terms “comprising” and “including” used in this disclosure and claims indicate the presence of the described features, integrals, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components and / or collections thereof.

[0018] It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. As used in this disclosure and claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used in this disclosure and claims refers to any combination and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items, and includes such combinations.

[0019] As used in this specification and claims, the term "if" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as "when," "once," "in response to determination," or "in response to detection." Similarly, the phrase "if determined" or "if [described condition or event] is detected" may be interpreted, depending on the context, as "once determined," "in response to determination," "once [described condition or event] is detected," or "in response to detection of [described condition or event]."

[0020] This disclosure provides a track work vehicle that improves track work efficiency by incorporating a track traveling mechanism, a rotating work mechanism, a track traveling mechanism, and a track lifting mechanism, and by including a robotic arm and a boom stick mechanism in the rotating work mechanism.

[0021] The specific embodiments disclosed herein will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] See Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 1 An exemplary perspective view of a track-mounted work vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. Figure 2 An exemplary perspective view of a track-mounted work vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown, wherein part of the casing is hidden to show its internal structure. Figure 3 An exemplary side view of a track-based work vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0023] In this embodiment, the track-operated vehicle includes a track traveling mechanism 1, a rotating working mechanism 2, a track traveling mechanism 4, and a track lifting mechanism 3. The track traveling mechanism 1 includes a traveling support frame 12 and a track assembly 11 connected to the traveling support frame 12. The rotating working mechanism 2 includes a rotating platform 21, a boom and stick mechanism 22, and a robotic arm 23. The rotating platform 21 is rotatably connected to the traveling support frame 12, and the boom and stick mechanism 22 and the robotic arm 23 are respectively connected to the rotating platform 21. The track traveling mechanism 4 is connected to the traveling support frame 12, and the track lifting mechanism 3 includes a track lifting clamp 33, which is retractable relative to the traveling support frame 12 for track lifting.

[0024] Specifically, the structure of the tracked traveling mechanism 1 is roughly similar to the tracked chassis structure of tracked engineering machinery. Its traveling support frame 12 serves as a supporting structural component, while two track assemblies 11 are respectively disposed on both sides of the traveling support frame 12 to support the traveling support frame 12 for normal passage in complex road conditions. The track assemblies 11 can be configured as a "four-wheel-one-track" structure, with the two track assemblies 11 positioned on the sleepers on the left and right sides of the track when traveling on the track. The rotating work platform is rotatably connected to the traveling support frame 12 via a slewing bearing assembly 211. This slewing bearing assembly 211 includes bearings and support shafts arranged vertically, allowing the rotating platform 21 to be stably supported on the upper side of the traveling support frame 12 and to rotate 360° relative to the traveling support frame to adjust the angle of the rotating platform 21. The boom stick mechanism 22 is located on one side of the rotating platform 21. It has multiple movable joints and is driven by hydraulic cylinders and other drive components, enabling it to extend, retract, and swing. It serves two purposes: firstly, it can be used to push against the ground or other fixed objects when the work vehicle is moving, assisting in the movement of the work vehicle or its movement up and down the rails; secondly, it can be used as an auxiliary operating arm during operation to clear obstacles and perform other tasks. One or more robotic arms 23 are located on the side of the rotating platform 21, used to grab and place rail pads awaiting replacement of rail accessories 90.

[0025] The track traveling mechanism 4 engages with the track on one hand and connects to the traveling support frame 12 on the other, enabling the work vehicle to move along the track. The track lifting mechanism 3 includes a track lifting clamp 33, which is a clamping mechanism for holding the rail. Its opening and closing are driven by a hydraulic cylinder or other mechanism. A linear drive mechanism, such as a hydraulic cylinder, is provided between the track lifting clamp 33 and the traveling support frame 12, so that the track lifting clamp 33 can hold the rail and move relative to the traveling support frame 12 under the drive of the linear drive mechanism, thereby lifting the rail and completing the track lifting operation.

[0026] See also Figure 1 and Figure 4 , Figure 4 An exemplary perspective view of a track-traversing mechanism for a track-based work vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. In this embodiment, the track-traversing mechanism 4 includes a traveling frame 41, a drive cylinder 42, and traveling wheels 43, wherein the traveling wheels 43 are rotatably mounted on the traveling frame 41, and one end of the drive cylinder 42 is connected to the traveling frame 41, and the other end is connected to a traveling support frame 12. Thus, the traveling frame 41 can move relative to the traveling support frame 12 under the drive of the drive cylinder 42, allowing the traveling wheels 43 mounted on the traveling frame 41 to contact or disengage from the track, facilitating rapid movement on the track when the work vehicle travels along the track, and enabling rapid short-distance transfers.

[0027] See also Figure 8 and Figure 9 , Figure 8 An exemplary side view of a track-mounted work vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown, wherein the running wheels 43 are in an avoidance position. Figure 9 An exemplary side view of a track-mounted work vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown, with the running wheels 43 in an engaged position. By means of the running wheels 43, which can contact or detach from the track, when the work vehicle moves up or down the track using the crawler traveling mechanism 1, the drive cylinder 42 can be activated first to move or rotate the traveling frame 41, moving the running wheels 43 to a clearance position that does not interfere with the track, at which point the work vehicle can freely move up or down the track. After the work vehicle has moved above the track using the crawler traveling mechanism 1 and the running wheels 43 have been moved to alignment with the track, the drive cylinder 42 can be activated again to move or rotate the traveling frame 41, moving the running wheels 43 to an engaged position with the track, so that the work vehicle is supported by the running wheels 43 and guided along the track. Thus, by providing this track traveling mechanism 4 with the drive cylinder 42, the work vehicle can flexibly perform up and down track operations.

[0028] In addition, see again Figure 4 In this embodiment, the traveling frame 41 includes a U-shaped connecting portion hinged to the traveling support frame 12. A drive cylinder 42 is disposed between the two arms of the U-shaped connecting portion, and a traveling wheel 43 is provided on each side of the U-shaped connecting portion. Specifically, the U-shaped connecting portion is configured to have two parallel hinged side arms 411. One end of the two hinged side arms 411 is connected to a bottom beam 412 extending perpendicularly to the hinged side arms 411. Both ends of the bottom beam 412 are rotatably connected to a traveling wheel 43, and the distance between the two traveling wheels 43 is adapted to the track gauge. The end of each hinged side arm 411 away from the bottom beam 412 is designated as a hinge end, which is used to hingely connect to the traveling support frame 12, so that the traveling frame 41 as a whole can rotate relative to the traveling support frame 12. The drive cylinder 42 is positioned between the two hinged side arms 411, with one end of the drive cylinder 42 movably connected to the traveling support frame 12 via a linkage or other mechanism, and the other end hinged to the bottom beam 412. Thus, when the drive cylinder 42 is activated, its driving force is evenly distributed to the two traveling wheels 43 via the bottom beam 412, simultaneously driving the two traveling wheels 43 to engage or disengage from the track. The two hinged side arms 411 also stably support the movement of the drive cylinder 42. This makes the driving action more stable and reliable, reducing the probability of errors or localized wear caused by uneven load distribution during driving.

[0029] See also Figure 1 and Figure 4In this embodiment, the work vehicle includes at least two track-tracing mechanisms 4, and the track-lifting clamps 33 of each track-lifting mechanism 3 are disposed between two traveling wheels 43. Specifically, two track-tracing mechanisms 4 are disposed at the bottom of the work vehicle, and the traveling wheels 43 of the two track-tracing mechanisms 4 are respectively disposed at the lower part near both sides of the work vehicle. One of the track-tracing mechanisms 4 is equipped with a motor or other drive mechanism, enabling the track-tracing mechanism 4 to act as a drive wheel to provide movement power for the work vehicle under the drive of the drive mechanism. The work vehicle also includes four track-lifting mechanisms 3, and two track-lifting mechanisms 3 are respectively disposed corresponding to the single-sided rails on both sides. The track-lifting clamps 33 of the two track-lifting mechanisms 3 are aligned with the single-sided rails to perform track-lifting operations, and the two track-lifting mechanisms 3 are disposed between the traveling wheels 43 of the two track-tracing mechanisms 4 along the extension direction of the rail. Therefore, before the track lifting operation, the two traveling wheels 43 can complete the pre-positioning of the track lifting mechanism 3 by limiting the track, so that no additional adjustment and alignment is required during the track lifting operation, thus improving the efficiency and accuracy of the track lifting operation. See also Figure 1 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 , Figure 5 An exemplary perspective view of a track-lifting mechanism portion of a track-operating vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown, wherein the track-lifting mechanism is in a state of clamping the rails. Figure 6 An exemplary perspective view of a track-lifting mechanism portion of a track-operating vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown, wherein the track-lifting mechanism is in a state of releasing the rails. In this embodiment, the track-lifting mechanism 3 further includes a track-lifting cylinder 32, with its two ends connected to a track-lifting clamp 33 and a traveling support frame 12, respectively. Thus, the track-lifting cylinder 32 can drive the track-lifting clamp 33 to move relative to the traveling support frame 12, thereby lifting the rails relative to the traveling support frame 12 while the track-lifting clamp 33 is holding them, completing the track-lifting action. Those skilled in the art will understand that this disclosure does not limit the arrangement of the track-lifting cylinder 32; for example, in some embodiments not shown, more parallel track-lifting cylinders 32 may be provided to make the track-lifting action smoother.

[0030] In such Figure 5In the illustrated embodiment, the track-lifting clamp 33 further includes a rail clamp 35. Each of the two front ends of the rail clamp 35 is equipped with a rotatable rail clamping wheel 37, which serves as an auxiliary guide on both sides of the track. Specifically, one end of the track-lifting cylinder 32 is connected to the traveling support frame 12 via a track-lifting bracket 36, and the other end is connected to a rail clamping bracket 331. This rail clamping bracket 331 is hinged to the two clamps of the rail clamp 35, and a rail clamping cylinder 332 is located between the two clamps. The front ends of the two clamps are each equipped with a rail clamping wheel 37. The rotation axis of the rail clamping wheel 37 in the clamping state is perpendicular to the ground plane, and its shape matches the side shape of the rail. When the work vehicle travels along the track, the two rail clamping wheels 37 are located on both sides of the corresponding rail, thus providing additional guidance for the work vehicle. Moreover, during track-lifting operations, only the rail clamping cylinder 332 needs to be activated to make the rail clamping wheel 37 fit tightly against the side of the rail, thereby stably lifting the rail. Therefore, the rail clamping wheel 37 enhances the stability of the work vehicle when it runs on the track, and also improves the stability when it is used for track lifting operations.

[0031] See also Figure 1 and Figure 7 , Figure 7 An exemplary perspective view of the deployment and retraction assembly of a track maintenance vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure is shown. In this embodiment, a 3D camera 231 is provided at the front end of the robotic arm 23. The 3D camera 231 can be used for coarse positioning by monitoring the vehicle as it travels on the rail, helping it stop at the target work position. Furthermore, it can precisely locate the position of the old track component 90 to be replaced, improving the accuracy of the replacement operation. Combining the 3D camera 231 and the robotic arm 23 enables automatic identification, removal, and recycling of the old track component 90, as well as the grasping and placement of the new track component 90. Compared with existing manual operation methods, this approach is more flexible, more efficient, and eliminates the safety risks of personnel injury.

[0032] The robotic arm 23 is a six-axis collaborative robotic arm. This six-axis collaborative robotic arm achieves full freedom of movement in three-dimensional space through six independent joints, and can flexibly adjust its posture to adapt to the complex installation positions of track components 90 such as track pads. Specifically, each robotic arm 23 is a six-axis collaborative robotic arm, with the robotic arms 23 located on both sides of the rotating platform 21 respectively used to replace track components 90 on their corresponding side of the track. Furthermore, there are at least two robotic arms 23 located on the same side, and the working ranges of these two robotic arms 23 can overlap, allowing the two robotic arms 23 on the same side to perform component replacement or other operations on the same working area located on the corresponding track. Therefore, by setting the robotic arms 23 as six-axis collaborative robotic arms, the working range of the work vehicle is expanded, making it more suitable for complex working conditions, thereby improving work efficiency and effectiveness.

[0033] In this embodiment, a total of four robotic arms 23 are included, and each robotic arm 23 has a pick-and-place assembly 232 at its front end. Thus, two pairs of robotic arms 23 are provided on the rotating platform 21, with each pair positioned on one side of the platform. Each pair of robotic arms 23 is used to pick up and place track components 90 from the corresponding side of the track. The pick-and-place assembly 232 includes a pick-and-place bracket 2321, a pick-and-place cylinder 2324, and two pick-and-place grippers 2322 driven to open and close by the pick-and-place cylinder 2324. The pick-and-place bracket 2321 is fixedly connected to the end of each robotic arm 23, while the two pick-and-place grippers 2322 are movably connected to the pick-and-place bracket 2321 and can open and close relative to each other under the drive of the pick-and-place cylinder 2324. When replacing the track accessory 90, the robotic arm 23 moves the pick-and-place assembly 232 to the pick-and-place position. The pick-and-place gripper 2322 closes to clamp the track accessory 90 or opens to release the track accessory 90 under the drive of the pick-and-place cylinder 2324, thereby completing the pick-and-place of the track accessory 90.

[0034] In some embodiments, the pick-and-place assembly 232 further includes a pick-up assembly and a place-out assembly. The difference lies in that the pick-up and place-out assemblies are adaptively designed according to actual working conditions, allowing for targeted changes in the gripper structure to meet different action requirements during the pick-up and place-out process, thereby improving the efficiency of pick-up or place-out. For example, in each pair of robotic arms 23, the front end of one robotic arm 23 may be equipped with a pick-up gripper for collecting old rail components, while the front end of the other robotic arm 23 may be equipped with a place-out gripper for placing new rail components. Adaptive structural designs are implemented for the interfaces at the pick-up and place-out points for rail components such as pads. Since old pads and other rail components typically adhere to the rail base or sleepers after the rail is lifted, the end of the pick-up gripper can be made relatively sharp to facilitate the easy removal of the pads and other rail components. The shape of the place-out gripper can be adapted to the shape of the discharge port of the feeding mechanism for convenient removal and placement.

[0035] See you again Figure 2In this embodiment, a feeding mechanism 6 is also included, which is fixedly mounted on the rotating platform 21. The feeding mechanism 6 includes a storage section 61 and a feeding drive section 62. The storage section 61 is used to arrange and store new track accessories 90 to be replaced, while the feeding drive section 62 is used to discharge the track accessories 90 arranged and stored in the storage section 61 one by one for the pick-and-place assembly 232 to receive. The storage section 61 includes, for example, a storage frame, so that the track accessories 90 can be stored in the storage frame in a vertically stacked manner. The feeding drive section 62 includes a motor and a lead screw assembly connected to the motor. The lead screw assembly is arranged vertically and can push the track accessories 90 in the storage section 61 vertically. Driven by the motor, the lead screw assembly pushes the track accessories 90 in the storage frame to move upward in the vertical direction to discharge the track accessories 90 one by one. This enables the storage and supply of track components 90, ensuring that after the uppermost track component 90 is gripped by the pick-and-place component 232, the track components 90 below it are raised by the thickness of one track component 90 under the drive of the motor and lead screw structure, so that the position where the pick-and-place component 232 is fixedly gripped is always supplied with track components 90. With the help of the feeding mechanism 6, the feeding of the work vehicle can be automated, further improving the work efficiency.

[0036] In addition, see Figure 1 In this embodiment, the boom and stick mechanism 22 is also equipped with a bucket 24 at its front end. In actual operation, with the cooperation of the track traveling mechanism 1, the rotating platform 21, the boom and stick mechanism 22 and the bucket 24, the work vehicle can not only easily go up and down the rails, but also form a small railway and highway excavator, thereby assisting in the transportation of some tools and materials in the railway maintenance process.

[0037] Further or alternatively, see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 8 , Figure 9 In this embodiment, a recycling box 7 is also provided on the rotating platform 21, which is arranged on the left and right sides of the rotating platform 21. The overall structure is formed by bending the four sides of a rectangular sheet metal part upwards, and is used to store the track accessories 90 recycled by the robotic arm 23.

[0038] In addition, various auxiliary modules are installed on the upper side of the rotating platform 21 to assist the operation of the work vehicle. Each auxiliary module is connected to the various electrical or hydraulic components in the crawler traveling mechanism 1, rotating working mechanism 2, track traveling mechanism 4, and track lifting mechanism 3 via corresponding cables, hydraulic pipes, water pipes, etc., and controls or provides energy to them. The auxiliary modules include a power supply module 8, a hydraulic pump station 9, an air compressor 10, an electrical control box 18, a power emergency module 19, a lidar module 13, an alarm light 15, a lighting light 16, a signal receiving antenna 17, etc. In addition, a cover 14 is provided on the outside of the above-mentioned auxiliary modules to protect the internal equipment and electrical components.

[0039] The power module 8, composed of energy storage units such as lithium batteries, provides kinetic energy for the overall movement of the work vehicle. By adopting lithium battery drive, the work vehicle according to this embodiment is more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. The hydraulic pump station 9 provides high-pressure oil to all hydraulic cylinders on the vehicle body to achieve the required actions. The air compressor 10 provides a power source for the opening and closing drive of the pick-and-place assembly 232 in the robotic arm 23. The electrical control box 18 is the control center for realizing the overall coordinated movement of the work vehicle, and it realizes the coordinated control of components such as the track traveling mechanism 1, the track lifting mechanism 3, and the robotic arm 23.

[0040] The emergency power module 19 serves as the backup power source for the entire system. It activates when the power supply module 8 fails, ensuring continuous replacement of track components 90 and safety during railway maintenance. The lidar module 13, located at the front of the work vehicle, detects obstacles on the rails, marks their locations, and activates an alarm upon encountering an obstacle. The alarm light 15, mounted on the upper part of the housing 14, provides an alert in case of a malfunction. The lighting 16, located at the front of the work vehicle, is used for illumination during nighttime operations.

[0041] The signal receiving antenna 17 is a wireless antenna used for wireless communication via remote control, and for pre-setting all action commands of the work vehicle. These settings include, for example, setting the nature of the action (railway travel or tracked work travel), setting the travel direction and speed, controlling the movement of the track lifting mechanism 3, controlling the various movements of the robotic arm 23, and setting the work mode (serial or non-serial operation). Through the coordinated operation of the signal receiving antenna 17 and auxiliary modules such as the electrical control box 18, the control of the work vehicle according to some embodiments of this disclosure can be achieved through a host computer or wireless remote control. The tracked travel mechanism 1, the track lifting mechanism 3, and the robotic arm 23 communicate via a CAN bus to ensure the reliability and real-time performance of data transmission, thereby achieving collaborative operation.

[0042] Those skilled in the art will understand that although the above describes a scheme of setting a pick-and-place component at the end of a robotic arm and a bucket at the end of a boom stick mechanism, this disclosure does not impose any limiting provisions in this regard. For example, in some embodiments not shown, the work vehicle can not only be used to replace track components such as rail pads, but also to replace the actuators set at the end of the robotic arm, thereby realizing the disassembly and replacement of other parts in the fastening system, such as the replacement of nuts, spring clips, gauge baffles, and baffle seats, etc., and has the characteristics of multi-functionality.

[0043] See you again Figure 8 and Figure 9 The following describes, with reference to the accompanying drawings, some embodiments of the track operation method disclosed herein, which is performed by means of a track operation vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0044] First, the crawler traveling mechanism 1 is moved, and the boom stick mechanism 22 and the rotating working mechanism 2 are used to rotate and get on the track. After getting on the track, the track is positioned so that the traveling wheels 43 in the track traveling mechanism 4 located on the front and rear sides engage with the track.

[0045] Subsequently, the track traveling mechanism 4 tilts upward under the action of the drive cylinder 42, causing the track traveling mechanism 1 to tilt downward as a whole. Finally, the track traveling mechanism 1 makes contact with the sleepers on both sides of the rail. At this time, the track traveling mechanism 4 located on the front and rear sides continues to tilt upward under the action of the drive cylinder 42 until a space is left between it and the rail for lifting the rail.

[0046] At this time, the crawler traveling mechanism 1 can travel on the sleepers on both sides of the rail, and perform coarse positioning through the 3D camera 231 or sensors, and control the crawler traveling mechanism 1 to stop when it moves to the working position.

[0047] Upon reaching the working position, the four track lifting mechanisms 3 are lowered by the track lifting cylinder 32. Driven by the rail clamping cylinder 332, the rail clamping wheel 37 clamps the rail, and then the rail is lifted by the track lifting cylinder 32, thus leaving operating space between the rail and the sleeper for the robotic arm to replace track accessories such as rail pads.

[0048] Subsequently, the 3D camera 231 identifies the location of track components such as the old track pad under the track, performs precise positioning, and sends the location information to the robotic arm 23.

[0049] A robotic arm 23 uses grippers 2322 to peel off old track pads and other track components from the bottom of the track and drop them into a recycling box 7.

[0050] Synchronized with robotic arm 23, another robotic arm 23 uses gripper 2322 to grab new track pads and other track components from the feeding mechanism 6 and move them to the corresponding photo-taking position of the 3D camera.

[0051] The other robotic arm 23, as described above, places the new rail pad and other track accessories into the standard positions of the rail base, sleeper, and rail bearing groove based on the data returned from the photographed location.

[0052] Furthermore, by repeating the above actions, the replacement of four rail components, such as the rubber rail pads under the rails, can be completed in one parking cycle.

[0053] After the above actions are completed, the track-moving mechanism 1 moves forward the distance corresponding to the two sleepers while lifting the rails on both sides by relying on the four track-lifting mechanisms 3, and repeats the subsequent replacement of track accessories such as rail pads, thereby realizing step-by-step operation.

[0054] After the track components such as the rail pads are replaced, the track lifting mechanism 3 lowers the rail under the action of the track lifting cylinder 32, and the rail clamping wheel 37 opens under the drive of the rail clamping cylinder 332. Then, the track lifting mechanism 3 moves upward away from the rail through the action of the track lifting cylinder 32.

[0055] This causes the track traveling mechanism 4 on both the front and rear sides to move downward under the action of the front and rear drive cylinders 42, and the traveling wheel 43 to contact the rail and lift the entire work vehicle upward, so that the track traveling mechanism 1 moves away from the sleepers on both sides of the rail. At this time, the work vehicle is put into railway mode, and under the drive of the track traveling mechanism 4, the work vehicle can quickly reach the transfer or off-track position.

[0056] Furthermore, the boom stick mechanism 22 is used for support and the rotating working mechanism 2 is used for positioning and to move to the next track.

[0057] According to some embodiments disclosed herein, a track maintenance vehicle is equipped with a track-mounted traveling mechanism, a rotating working mechanism, a track-traveling mechanism, and a track-lifting mechanism. The rotating working mechanism includes a robotic arm and a boom-and-stick mechanism. This improves upon the current situation where the replacement of track components such as rail pads relies on manual labor, freeing up labor, improving efficiency, and enhancing the quality of new pad placement. It also avoids the safety risks of manual trackbed operations, meeting the requirements of modern railway development. Furthermore, this device introduces a robotic arm into the railway construction process, providing a reference for the design and application of other railway construction equipment. Additionally, by changing the end clamp of the robotic arm, the remaining parts in the fastening system can be replaced. The self-contained boom-and-stick mechanism facilitates track access, offering diverse functions and strong expandability.

[0058] While numerous embodiments of this disclosure have been shown and described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Many modifications, alterations, and alternatives will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and intent of this disclosure. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of this disclosure described herein may be employed in the practice of this disclosure. The appended claims are intended to define the scope of this disclosure and therefore cover equivalents or alternatives within the scope of these claims.

Claims

1. A work vehicle for rails, characterized in that, include: The track traveling mechanism (1) includes a traveling support frame (12) and a track assembly (11) connected to the traveling support frame (12). The rotating working mechanism (2) includes a rotating platform (21), a boom stick mechanism (22) and a robotic arm (23). The rotating platform (21) is rotatably connected to the traveling support frame (12), and the boom stick mechanism (22) and the robotic arm (23) are respectively connected to the rotating platform (21). The track lifting mechanism (3) includes a track lifting clamp (33) which is retractable relative to the traveling support frame (12) to lift the track; The track traveling mechanism (4) is hinged to the traveling support frame (12).

2. The work vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The track traveling mechanism (4) includes a traveling frame (41), a drive cylinder (42) and a traveling wheel (43), wherein the traveling wheel (43) is rotatably mounted on the traveling frame (41), and one end of the drive cylinder (42) is connected to the traveling frame (41) and the other end is connected to the traveling support frame (12).

3. The work vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The traveling frame (41) includes a U-shaped connecting part hinged to the traveling support frame (12), the driving cylinder (42) is disposed between the two arms of the U-shaped connecting part, and a traveling wheel (43) is provided on each side of the U-shaped connecting part.

4. The work vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, It includes at least two track running mechanisms (4), and the track lifting clamp (33) of each track lifting mechanism (3) is set between two running wheels (43).

5. The work vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The track lifting mechanism (3) also includes a track lifting cylinder (32), the two ends of which are connected to the track lifting clamp (33) and the traveling support frame (12) respectively.

6. The work vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that, The track clamp (33) also includes a rail clamp (35), and the two front ends of the rail clamp (35) are respectively provided with rotatable rail clamping wheels (37), which are used to assist in guiding on both sides of the track.

7. The work vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm (23) is equipped with a 3D camera (231) at its front end.

8. The work vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that, It includes four robotic arms (23), and the front end of each robotic arm (23) is provided with a pick-and-place assembly (232).

9. The work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, It also includes a feeding mechanism (6), which is fixedly installed on the rotating platform (21). The feeding mechanism (6) includes a storage unit (61) and a feeding drive unit (62).

10. The work vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The boom stick mechanism (22) is also equipped with a bucket (24) at its front end.

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