Constructive arrangement to assist with loading onto railway wagons

Abstract

A design for loading and unloading a railway flatcar (1), characterized in that a load guiding element and a detachable fastening device for attaching the load-bearing element to the railway flatcar (1) are detachably fastened. The load-bearing element consists of a mounting frame (5) whose size is adapted to the loading area (2) of the car (1). A roller beam (6) is movably connected to the mounting frame (5) via a joint (7) on each of the load guiding elements, the mounting frame (5) being movably connected at the two end regions of the mounting frame (5) adjacent to the longitudinal ends of the car (1). The length of a roller beam (6) is shorter than half the distance between the joints (7) that hold the roller beam (6) to the mounting frame (5), and the upper surface of the roller beam (6) has the same height as the upper surface of the mounting frame (5).In the rest position, a height-adjustable support foot (10) is attached to the underside of the roller bar (6).

Description

[0001] The subject of the utility model application is a device for a flatcar to assist with loading, comprising a load-bearing element and a fastening device that detachably secures the load-bearing element to the flatcar. Specifically, the proposed model is an additional device that can be loaded onto a conventional two-axle container flatcar, also known as a wagon. By default, a container also means a swap body, which, according to its design, can be loaded with goods in different containers. The goods in the swap body must be loaded in such a way that they can be transported as in a conventional container.

[0002] In rail freight transport, loading and unloading the materials and goods being transported is an integral part of the transport process itself. A number of solutions and proposals have been developed to reduce costs and time expenditure, as well as to prevent potential damage to the goods during loading. Rail freight transport is currently facing challenges because freight companies primarily serve large industrial centers, where it is worthwhile to build the necessary loading infrastructure. This infrastructure has rarely been built on secondary lines, meaning that freight traffic has not reached a level that would justify creating terminal facilities at secondary line destinations. Therefore, it is advisable to develop loading equipment that allows for a change of transport mode.

[0003] Suitable tools already exist for this, such as the Austrian Mobiler or the Swiss ContainerMover. With these, the swap body is loaded onto a special semi-trailer.

[0004] The Megaswing transporter from the German company Helrom could also be used. This is a semi-trailer loaded with a container or swap body. The loading platform can be swung out to the side and lowered on one side, allowing the semi-trailer to be pulled off or pushed onto the railcar by a tractor unit.

[0005] It is also possible to use a closed swap body with a roll-up side panel, which can be loaded and unloaded with a forklift. However, these solutions and their application are quite expensive, so they are rarely used, especially on secondary routes.

[0006] Patent specification CN 107776581 A relates to a rail loading and unloading system. The rail loading and unloading system comprises a freight level for receiving and unloading shipments and has a goods channel on the freight level to guide the shipments during loading.

[0007] The loading and unloading system for rail freight incorporates separate automatic loading and unloading devices to handle the loading and unloading process. These devices push goods into the wagon from one side and out from the other. Automated loading and unloading of freight wagons is considered efficient, and the system's relatively small footprint is seen as an advantage. However, a disadvantage is that this system is stationary; wherever rail freight wagon loading and / or unloading is required, such a pre-installed system is necessary. Therefore, in practice, this system cannot be implemented satisfactorily or economically.

[0008] Therefore, there remains a need for a solution that allows freight wagons to be easily loaded with general cargo, swap bodies, and containers, and the cargo to be unloaded simply, quickly, and safely at the destination, regardless of whether loading takes place on-site and it is not necessary to move the freight wagon to a dedicated loading area with the necessary lifting equipment. The design of the proposed system is based on the understanding that the aforementioned requirement can be met with a device that does not need to be pre-installed at predefined loading points, but rather can perform its function in conjunction with the railway freight wagon by moving with it, so that it is always available when loading is required. It was therefore necessary to design a structure in accordance with the technical requirements.

[0009] This problem was solved according to the proposed arrangement for a railway freight wagon, which includes a fastening device that secures the load-bearing element for transshipment to the railway wagon, as shown in the described construction 107776581. The patent document documents the prior art. According to the invention, this construction was further developed as a structural arrangement, wherein the load securing element consists of a metal fastening frame that can be detachably attached to the railway freight wagon and is sized to fit the loading platform of the freight wagon. The metal frame is detachably fastened to the platform of the freight wagon.A roller beam serves as the load transfer element, which is movably connected to the mounting frame by a joint in the area of ​​the two longitudinal ends of the freight wagon. If the length of the roller beam is shorter than half the distance between the joints with which the roller beams are attached to the mounting bracket, the upper plane of the roller beam is flush with the upper plane of the mounting bracket, and a length-adjustable support foot is assigned to the underside of the roller beam.

[0010] According to an advantageous design of the construction, the joints connecting the roller beams to the loading platform of the freight wagon are designed such that the roller beams extend parallel to the plane of the wagon's platform in the transport position towards the longitudinal side of the wagon's platform and perpendicular to the platform in the loading position, so that the load can be moved onto the roller beams.

[0011] The arrangement, which takes the aforementioned features into account, is a new device that can be used in combined rail transport to load and unload a swap body between a fixed platform and an area located next to the track and the wagon, without the need for an external lifting device. For this purpose, a standard two- or four-axle flatbed freight wagon is equipped with a mounting frame featuring fold-out rollers. These rollers fold along the sides of the wagon during travel, fitting within the clearance profile that can be occupied without special railway authorization. These rollers, also called arms, can be extended at a right angle when the wagon is braked. In this way, they form a track on which a swap body can be rolled onto or off the wagon without obstruction.

[0012] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the design, the upper surface of the roller beam, in conjunction with the rollers used for load handling, is designed as a rail, thereby forming a track on which a chain drive or a two-part roller assembly can be mounted, corresponding to the width of the wagon. This assembly must consist of two parts because two guide rails are located in the center of the swap body floor, which guide the semi-trailer into the correct position when the swap body is pushed onto the semi-trailer.

[0013] The weight of the load cannot be supported by the roller beams alone, therefore a height-adjustable support leg must be attached to the underside of the roller beam. This support leg can be designed as a separate element of the roller beam, or it can be connected to the underside of the roller beam by manually folding it out from the longitudinal plane of the roller beam. This simplifies its handling.

[0014] The roller beam extension arms must be equipped with an adjustable support that holds the roller beam at the correct height when the swap body is pushed onto it from the wagon. For this purpose, the support can be adjusted vertically so that the extension arm can be positioned so that both parts are at the same height, preventing any sagging under load. This design is particularly useful when prefabricated house modules, which are becoming increasingly common in the construction industry, are transported by rail to the vicinity of the construction site. This method eliminates the need to transport the approximately twenty modules required for the construction of a single-family home between the production facility and the building site using an escorted semi-trailer; instead, they only need to be moved between the branch line stop and the construction site.This saves considerable transport costs on the road.

[0015] In this design, the rolling beam can be a steel beam consisting of a horizontal I-beam. This solution has the advantage that the support foot can be positioned within the recess of the I-beam during transport. It is also possible to construct the rolling beam using a closed steel beam consisting of a square profile. This would have the advantage that the beam extension arm can be movably positioned within the profile and, if necessary, slide along the length of the rolling beam. The proposed test setup is described below with reference to the accompanying drawing. Fig. . described in more detail, which shows a general side view of a typical container wagon on which a system corresponding to a possible design of the experimental setup is mounted. Fig. shows a container wagon in top view with a load on it, which is used to support the load according to the design and a swap body next to the freight wagon. Fig. shows a possible design of the experimental setup in a side view, where the load is in a position before unloading a container, still on the container wagon. Fig. This shows in Fig. Sketched layout showing a container being unloaded from a container wagon and resting on the roller beam to the side of it. Explanations for the drawings 1 railway carriage 2 Loading area of ​​the wagon 3 Eyelets attached to the loading platform 4 swap bodies 5 mounting frames 6 roller shutters 7 Vertical joint 8 Horizontal joint 9 Extension of the roller shutter 10 Manually foldable support leg of the rolling beacon 11. Manually attachable support leg of the swap body 12. Chain drive or roller chain for moving the load 13 rails underneath a semi-trailer for guidance during load handling 14 Automatic coupling of the wagon NY Direction of movement QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] CN 107776581 A

[0006]

Claims

[1] Construction for loading and unloading a railway flat wagon (1), characterized byA load guidance element and a detachable fastening device for attaching the load-bearing element to the railway flatcar (1) are detachably fastened. The load-bearing element consists of a mounting frame (5) whose size is adapted to the loading area (2) of the car (1). A roller beam (6) is movably connected to the mounting frame (5) via a joint (7) on each side of the load guidance element, with the mounting frame (5) being movably connected at the two end regions of the mounting frame (5) adjacent to the longitudinal ends of the car (1). The length of a roller beam (6) is shorter than half the distance between the joints (7) that hold the roller beam (6) to the mounting frame (5), and the upper surface of the roller beam (6) is at the same height as the upper surface of the mounting frame (5). In the rest position, a height-adjustable support foot (10) is attached to the underside of the roller beam (6). [2] Construction according to claim 1, characterized by , that the joints (7) which connect the roller beams (6) to the platform (2) of the flat wagon (1) are designed such that the roller beams (6) in the transport position lie parallel to the plane of the platform (2) of the flat wagon (1) next to the longitudinal side of the platform (2) of the flat wagon (1) and the roller beams (6) in the loading position lie parallel to the plane of the platform (2) of the flat wagon (1) and extend at a right angle to the platform. [3] Design according to requirement 1 or 2, characterized by , that the top of the roller beam (6) is designed as a roller track for a roller carriage (12) which is used for handling loads. [4] Construction according to any one of claims 1 to 3. characterized by , that the support foot (10) is connected to the underside of the roller beam (6) by folding out from the longitudinal plane of the roller beam (6) via a hinge (7). [5] Construction according to claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the support foot (10) is designed as a height-adjustable element separate from the roller beam (6), so that the roller beam can be adjusted to the same height as the top of the mounting frame (5). [6] Constructive arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 5. characterized by , that a roller shutter extension arm (9) is connected to the end of the roller shutter (6) via a hinge (8). [7] Construction according to claim 6. characterized by , that in the operating position a height-adjustable support foot (10) is attached to the underside of the roller beam extension (9). [8] Construction according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by , that the roller beam (6) can be designed as a hollow square cross-section and can be inserted into the roller beam extension (9) in a sliding manner in the longitudinal direction of the roller beam (6).

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