Track construction machine and method for tamping a track

Description

Technical area

[0001] The invention relates to a track construction machine for tamping sleepers installed in a ballast bed of a track, comprising a machine frame movable on rail bogies, track lifting and straightening units for track alignment correction, and two independent single-sleeper tamping units arranged one behind the other in the direction of the machine's longitudinal axis. Each tamping unit comprises at least four independent tamping units that are height-adjustable via height drives and horizontally displaceable in the transverse direction of the machine via transverse drives. Each tamping unit comprises at least one tool carrier on which opposing tamping tools are mounted and coupled via a vibration drive. The invention also relates to a method for operating the machine. State of the art

[0002] The operational load on the track caused by rolling stock leads to settlement in the ballast bed. Resulting track geometry errors increase the forces acting on the track-track interaction. To extend the service life of a track, its position must be corrected and tamped, which could result in a corresponding loss of quality. A variety of tamping units are available for this purpose. This is due to the different application requirements. The main distinction is made between the work processes of line tamping and switch tamping. Line tamping refers to the tamping of normal track layouts, while switch tamping requires the best possible thorough and economical work and tamping in the switch area. To meet the demands for tamping performance, powerful multi-sleeper units are used in larger machines, alongside single-sleeper units in smaller machines.So-called universal tamping machines, which, thanks to their versatile features, are used both on open track and in turnout areas, are experiencing increasing demand. These machines offer operators a high degree of flexibility in operation. Turnouts pose a particular challenge, particularly due to numerous obstacles in the track area and the long sleepers running continuously under all four rail lines. Long sleepers are generally used in turnout construction to enable the prefabricated units to be transported quickly and ready for installation to the construction site.

[0003] However, in turnouts, the so-called 4-strand tamping combined with 3-strand lifting is currently only of limited use due to the required transverse overhang of the units and the resulting loads on the machine. Tamping machines designed for this purpose generally have to be moved backwards within the turnout in the opposite direction of travel to gradually work through all four strands. A track of the highest quality can only be achieved by simultaneously lifting and tamping the long sleepers in a single work pass.

[0004] EP 0564433 A1 describes a tamping machine for tamping a track with a two-sleeper tamping unit with tamping tools with tamping picks that can be adjusted by vibration drives for the simultaneous tamping of two adjacent sleepers. The document mentions Fig. 7 A further development of the tamping unit in which a movable bearing is intended to also enable switch processing. The tamping units are mounted on guide units via an intermediate frame so that they can be moved relative to the machine frame and are also designed to rotate about a vertical axis. Continuous switch processing and thus the operation of long sleepers is not possible without resetting the machine due to the small, limited transverse displacement of the units. Furthermore, with this design of two-sleeper units, two rows of tamping tools penetrate into the same sleeper compartment when the units are lowered into the ballast during the tamping process. The result is high penetration resistance and enormous loads on both man and machine. This leads to considerable wear on the tamping units as well as the ballast bed itself, and service life is significantly reduced.

[0005] DE 296 22 255 U1 shows a track construction machine for track and / or switch maintenance, which has two tamping units arranged one behind the other in the track maintenance direction. Description of the invention

[0006] The invention is based on the object of providing an improvement over the prior art for a track maintenance machine of the type mentioned above, in order to increase the machine's performance and thus its tamping capacity during track and / or switch maintenance, and also to increase the service life of the ballast and the tamping tools. Furthermore, the aim is to reduce the strain on the operating personnel and the equipment. Furthermore, a method for maintaining a track using the improved machine is to be provided.

[0007] According to the invention, these objects are achieved by a machine having the features of independent claim 1 and a method according to the features of independent claim 11. Dependent claims specify advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0008] It is provided that one of the two tamping units is designed as a switch tamping unit in such a way that the associated tamping units are mounted and positioned so that they can be moved transversely outwards by means of a displacement device consisting of three independent transverse guide devices with respect to the machine's longitudinal axis relative to the machine frame or relative to a satellite frame movable along the machine's longitudinal axis, and that the other tamping unit is designed as a section tamping unit in such a way that the associated tamping units are mounted and positioned so that they can be moved transversely using just one displacement device. This extended transverse displacement of the tamping unit, implemented across multiple guide levels, enables tamping of the entire switch path for conventional switch paths without reversing the machine against the working direction.In particular, this allows for complete tamping, even with long sleepers, after the track has been lifted and straightened from its actual position to its desired position by the track lifting and straightening unit. The switch tamping unit follows the track layout of the two branching rail lines by shifting transversely relative to the machine's longitudinal axis. The line tamping unit is also transversely shiftable; with a simple shift, the tamping units can be aligned in curves according to the track layout. Outside the switch area, both tamping units are designed to be used on open track sections to achieve maximum tamping performance.

[0009] One design provides for the tamping units of the switch tamping unit to be transversely displaceable on first transverse guides of a first transverse guide device, for the first transverse guide device to be transversely displaceable on second transverse guides of a second transverse guide device, and for the second transverse guide device to be transversely displaceable relative to the machine frame or the satellite frame on third transverse guides of a third transverse guide device. A solid, stable implementation on three guide levels ensures secure mounting of the tamping units and thus the absorption of the enormous moments resulting from the forces generated by lowering and raising the tamping tools into the ballast bed.

[0010] It is advantageous if the tamping unit at the front, viewed in the direction of travel, is designed as a switch tamping unit. This geometric arrangement provides the shortest distance within the switch between the sleeper to be tamped and the lifting point of the auxiliary lifting device on the secondary track branching off from the main track. The auxiliary lifting device is usually located in front of the lifting and straightening unit. This arrangement also offers the machine operator the best possible view of the work processes from the work cabin, thus significantly contributing to high operating comfort and reducing the likelihood of operating errors and potential damage to the track system.

[0011] It is particularly advantageous if the two tamping units are arranged one behind the other in the direction of the machine's longitudinal axis and if all tamping tools arranged one behind the other are approximately the same distance from one another in a neutral plunging position. The tamping axes of the two single-sleeper units are thus arranged in the direction of the machine's longitudinal axis with approximately twice the sleeper spacing. This means that only one row of tamping tools is lowered into the sleeper inter-sleeper compartment, i.e. the space filled with ballast between two sleepers. A row of tamping tools conceptually summarizes the tamping tools arranged next to one another on an imaginary axis in the cross-machine direction. A tamping unit therefore has two rows of tamping tools each, which are moved towards one another during the tamping process by vibration drives and cause the ballast beneath the sleeper to be compacted.While conventional units have two rows of tamping tools inserted into a sleeper gap, in this design only one row of tamping tools is lowered per sleeper gap. This significantly reduces the penetration resistance of the tamping tools and, at the same time, the high loads and vibrations transmitted to the machine. The significant physical relief for the operating personnel is also worth highlighting. In addition to less wear on the machine components, the ballast bed is also protected. Furthermore, the milling effect that occurs with two rows of tamping tools in a sleeper gap is thus obsolete. Here, ballast grains otherwise enter the area between the rear pick surfaces of two rows of tamping tools and are ground there by the interacting vibration movement. This comminution leads to an undesirable reduction in the average grain size with each tamping process.The ballast protection achieved now results in a longer service life for the entire track bed. Furthermore, with only one row of tamping tools per sleeper gap, there is more free space for the tamping tool movement, allowing for longer adjustment distances. This results in better compaction and thus a higher quality of the track bed.

[0012] It is advantageous if the second tamping unit, which is not designed as a switch tamping unit, is mounted so that it can be moved along the machine's longitudinal axis by means of a longitudinal displacement device. This allows for simple and rapid adjustment to different sleeper spacings without changing the position of the tamping tools. This provides the operator with particularly flexible machine use. In combination with the advantages already outlined above of the tamping axes of the tamping tools being arranged one behind the other with twice the sleeper spacing, this enables convenient processing of Y-sleepers. Complex adaptations or conversion work are not necessary. To tame Y-sleepers, two tamping units of the front tamping unit tampe one rail track, and the tamping unit positioned behind it tamps the other rail track.

[0013] In a further development, mechanical devices serving as anti-tilt devices are mounted on at least one rail bogie on each of the outer sides of the track. These devices have pivoting rollers that engage around a rail head and can pivot about a pivot axis. Large transverse displacements of the tamping units result in a shift of the overall center of gravity from the machine's centerline to the outside. The anti-tilt device enables safe operation in all working situations, even on excessively high or inclined track surfaces.

[0014] One embodiment also provides for an additional lifting unit to be mounted on the machine frame, or alternatively on the satellite frame, which can be moved in the direction of the machine's longitudinal axis, and for the distance between the lifting point of the track lifting and straightening unit and the tamping axis of the track tamping unit to be approximately equal to the distance between the lifting point of the additional lifting unit and the tamping axis of the switch tamping unit. Adjusting these two distances ensures approximately equal, elastic deflection behavior of the track during the lifting and straightening process, based on the theory of the bending line.

[0015] It is also advantageous if the tamping tools of at least one tamping unit are pivotally mounted around an axis running approximately in the direction of the machine's longitudinal axis and can be positioned by pivot drives. In the case of obstacles along the track, as well as in tight, confined working conditions in the switch area, the tamping tools can be adjusted to the respective situation by pivoting. This allows individual tamping tools to be deactivated entirely, but also allows only parts of the relevant track section to be tamped.

[0016] One version provides for the two tamping units to be modularly constructed, with the kinematic and geometric arrangement and bearings of the tamping tools being symmetrical with respect to their respective tamping axes. A tamping axis represents the vertical center axis of a sleeper to be tamped in the longitudinal section of the track. The result is lower inertia forces with reduced vibration and thus less stress on all components of the tamping units, particularly the roller and plain bearings. In addition to increased service life, the modular, symmetrical design reduces the number of parts used and minimizes the effort required to stock and procure spare parts. Maintenance work can therefore be carried out with less effort and in a shorter time. Furthermore, reduced vibrations significantly increase comfort at the operating personnel's workplace.

[0017] A further embodiment of the invention provides that the tamping tools of at least one tamping unit can be independently adjusted in their inclination before being lowered into the ballast bed by means of targeted control of the auxiliary drives. This allows for quick and easy adjustment of the tamping tools in the case of inclined sleepers in the switch area. A complex and expensive rotating device for the tamping units or the entire tamping unit is eliminated.

[0018] In the method for operating the machine according to the invention, the tamping units of the switch tamping unit and the tamping units of the track tamping unit are positioned in a coordinated manner in the cross-machine direction by means of assigned cross drives, with all cross drives being controlled by a common control device. This ensures optimal adjustment and alignment of the tamping units, tailored to the track layout. This ensures fast and user-friendly operation, especially in the switch area.

[0019] The tamping units of the switch tamping unit are adjusted transversely relative to the first transverse guide device by means of respective transverse drives, with the second transverse guide device being adjusted transversely relative to the third transverse guide device by means of an associated transverse drive, and the third transverse guide device being adjusted transversely relative to the machine frame or the satellite frame by means of an associated transverse drive. The independently controllable transverse guide devices, in combination with the control device, offer flexible operating and adjustment modes and, in addition to manual operation by the operating personnel, are also designed for supporting, semi-automated, or fully automated operation.

[0020] One embodiment of the invention provides that, in a so-called acyclic working method, a stuffing cycle is carried out with the following successive working steps: By first lowering, positioning, resetting, and raising all tamping units, two sleepers are tamped simultaneously; the tamping units are moved forward by one sleeper spacing; by lowering, positioning, resetting, and raising all tamping units, the next two sleepers are tamped; the tamping units are moved forward by three times the sleeper spacing; and that, if an obstacle is encountered in the track area, the tamping units positioned above the obstacle are not lowered. These work steps, in addition to the advantage of immersing only one row of tamping tools per sleeper bay, offer particularly efficient operation of the tamping machine on open track.

[0021] In a further variant, a so-called cyclical working method in the switch area involves a tamping cycle with the following consecutive work steps: By lowering, positioning, resetting, and raising all tamping units, two sleepers are tamped simultaneously; the tamping units are moved forward by one sleeper spacing; by lowering, positioning, resetting, and raising all tamping units, the next two sleepers are tamped. Furthermore, the tamping units of the switch tamping unit are positioned over two branching track runs as they move forward in the working direction with increasing, cantilevered displacement in the cross-machine direction. The cross drives assigned to the respective cross guide units are controlled by the common control device. If an obstacle is encountered in the track area, tamping units positioned above the obstacle are not lowered. These work steps are characterized by efficient, continuous work through switch areas in the working direction.

[0022] An improvement of the method also provides that for tamping Y-sleepers, the distance between tamping axes of the tamping units is adjusted to an existing actual dimension of the Y-sleepers and that, in the case of a cyclical working method, a tamping cycle is carried out with the following consecutive working steps: Only two tamping units with up to eight tamping tools are activated per tamping unit, which are combined into a tamping group for each tamping unit, with one tamping group positioned to the left and right of the machine's longitudinal axis. By lowering, positioning, resetting, and raising the two tamping groups with four activated tamping units, a left section of a first Y-sleeper and a right section of a second Y-sleeper are tamped simultaneously. The tamping units are moved forward by one increment of the Y-sleepers. Furthermore, if an obstacle is encountered in the track area, tamping units positioned above the obstacle are not lowered. This further expands the machine's versatile application possibilities. Short description of the drawings

[0023] The invention is explained below by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures. They show schematically: Fig. 1Side view of a track construction machine for working on a track Fig. 2Enlarged view with a section of the tamping units of the track construction machine from Fig. 1 Fig. 3Sectional view AA from Fig. 2 during switch processing Fig. 4Sectional view BB from Fig. 2 during switch processing Fig. 5Enlarged view with a section of the tamping units based on Fig. 2 with Y-sleepers Fig. 6Top view of the tamping pattern of the arrangement from Fig. 5 with Y-sleepers Fig. 7Additional device for anti-tilt protection, front and side view Fig. 8Additional device for anti-tilt protection, isometric view Fig. 9Tamping diagram for processes with acyclic working method Description of the embodiments

[0024] Fig. 1 shows a track construction machine 1 designed for tamping sleepers 15 stored in a ballast bed of a track 4. Track 4 is generally understood to mean the entirety of rails 14, sleepers 15, superstructure, ballast, switch components, overhead line, and signaling equipment. The machine 1 comprises a movable machine frame 2 supported on rail bogies 3. Mounted on the machine frame 2 is a satellite frame 7 which is movable in the direction of the machine's longitudinal axis 39 and to which two tamping units 8-9 are attached one behind the other. In a simpler design variant of the machine 1 (not shown), the satellite frame 7 is omitted in a discontinuously operating track tamping machine. The tamping units 8-9 are then attached to the machine frame 2.

[0025] The machine 1 further comprises a lifting / straightening unit 10 for lifting and straightening a track grid formed by rails 14 and sleepers 15. The current rail or track position is recorded using a leveling and alignment reference system 12, with corresponding measuring devices positioned directly in front of the foremost tamping unit 8, as well as in the front and rear areas of the machine 1. For the processing of switches, an additional lifting unit 11 is mounted in the immediate vicinity of the lifting / straightening unit 10. This allows a rail section of a track 4 branching off from the main rail section to be manipulated in the switch through an additional lifting point.

[0026] A driver's cab 5 is located at the front, and in the area adjacent to the tamping units 8-9, an operator's cab 6 is located on each side. From the operator's cab 6, at least one operator can control and / or monitor all work processes with a clear view of the tamping units 8-9, the lifting / straightening unit 10, and the additional lifting unit 11. A video system (not shown) is also installed. This system records and monitors track 4 as well as the position and orientation of the work units. Depending on the degree of automation, one or both operator's cabs 6 can be omitted. A control device 50 is mounted on the machine frame 2 to control, regulate, and monitor all processes. This control device comprises processing units and a master computer.

[0027] In Fig. 2 is an enlarged view with a section of the tamping units 8-9 of machine 1 from Fig. 1 shown. The front position on the satellite frame 7, as seen in the working direction 13, is occupied by the switch tamping unit 8, followed by the track tamping unit 9. Both tamping units 8-9 are designed as single-sleeper tamping units, so that one sleeper 15 can be processed per tamping process and per tamping unit.

[0028] Each of the two tamping units 8-9 is composed of four independently operable tamping units 16 arranged in the cross-machine direction 38. These units are mounted on guide columns 21 for height adjustment via height drives 22 and are horizontally displaceable in the cross-machine direction 38 via transverse drives. These transverse drives are not shown for clarity. Each tamping unit 16 comprises tool carriers 18, which are coupled via a vibration drive 19 (e.g., an eccentric drive). Opposing tamping tools 17 are mounted on the tool carrier 18; these tools are designed as so-called tamping picks.

[0029] Components of the vibration drive 19 are hydraulic linear actuators, which ensure a positioning movement of the tool carriers 18 relative to one another. This positioning movement, superimposed on the vibration amplitude of the vibration drive 19, enables the compaction of the ballast below the sleeper 15. In an alternative variant not shown, a hydraulic cylinder is arranged between the tool carrier 18 and the respective tamping tool 17, which is configured both as a vibration drive and as a positioning drive. To generate vibration, the hydraulic cylinder is subjected to a pulsating hydraulic pressure. During a positioning process, the pulsating hydraulic pressure superimposes the positioning pressure generated by the hydraulic cylinder. A tamping unit 16 is supported by sliding elements on two guide columns 21 each of a stable structure, an aggregate frame 20.

[0030] The switch tamping unit 8 is designed such that the associated tamping units 16 with their respective unit frames 20 are mounted and positioned so as to be displaceable in the cross-machine direction 38 via a multi-stage displacement device 23. The tamping units 16 of the track tamping unit 9, on the other hand, are mounted and positioned so as to be displaceable in the cross-machine direction 38 via a simple displacement device 24. In addition, a longitudinal displacement device 45 is provided for adjusting the sleeper spacing 2 S in the direction of the machine's longitudinal axis 39. The sleeper spacing 2 S is defined by the distance between two tamping axes 41-42 of the respective tamping units 8-9. The arrangement is designed so that all tamping tools 17 of the two tamping units 8-9 arranged one behind the other have approximately the same distance d from one another in the direction of the machine's longitudinal axis 39 in a neutral plunge position.The tool carriers 18 are rotatably mounted on a pivot axis 44 parallel to the machine's longitudinal axis 39, allowing the tamping tools 17 to be pivoted upward. They are controlled by pivot drives 43.

[0031] The longitudinal displacement device 45 comprises a displacement drive 46 arranged parallel to the machine's longitudinal axis 39, which is firmly connected to the satellite frame 7. A support frame 49 (see Fig. 4 ) and is also connected to the displacement drive 46.

[0032] Fig. 3 shows a sectional view AA from Fig. 2 with the tamping units 16 of the switch tamping unit 8 extended to the left transversely to the vertical machine center axis 40 in the working position during switch processing. The multi-stage shifting device 23 comprises three mutually independent transverse guide devices 25, 26, 27, which are mounted and positionable for transverse displacement relative to the machine center axis 40 relative to the satellite frame 7. The shifting drives of the lower, first transverse guide device 25 and the second transverse guide device 26 are in Fig. 3 not shown. These are arranged parallel to guide columns 28-29 on the respective level. The upper, third transverse guide device 27 is displaceable in the cross-machine direction 38 by means of a displacement drive 35. The displacement drive 35 is fixedly connected on the one hand to the satellite frame 7 and on the other hand to the support frame 33 of the third transverse guide device 27, designed as a center table. The aggregate frames 20 of the tamping units 16 are displaceably mounted on the guide columns 28 of the first transverse guide device 25 via slide bearings 36. In addition, the guide columns 28 are fastened to the guide columns 29 of the middle, second transverse guide device 26 by means of angle connectors 37. The guide columns 29 are displaceably mounted in the guide frame 30 of the third transverse guide device 27.

[0033] Guide frame 30 and support frame 33 are firmly connected to each other, with clamp-shaped support elements 32 movable in the cross-machine direction 38 being attached to the guide frame 30. Both the guide frame 30 and the support elements 32 are slidably mounted on two transverse guide columns 31 relative to the satellite frame 7. Furthermore, sliding plates 34 are arranged on the underside of the satellite frame 7. During operation, these transfer parts of the forces or moments emanating from the tamping units 16 from the guide frame 30 to the structure of the satellite frame 7.

[0034] Fig. 4 shows a sectional view BB from Fig. 2 with the track tamping unit 9 in the working position during switch maintenance. The tamping units 16 are constructed identically to the previous versions. In this embodiment, the guide columns 28 are fixedly attached to a longitudinal support frame 49 of the longitudinal displacement device 45. This longitudinal support frame 49 is slidably mounted on the longitudinal guide columns 47 by means of plain bearings 48. The displacement drive 46 is not shown here.

[0035] Analogous to Fig. 2 shows Fig. 5 An enlarged view of the tamping units for tamping track 4 with Y-shaped sleepers 51. The tamping tools 17 of the track tamping unit 9 are completely filled in color in the illustration. The distance between the tamping axes 41-42 of the tamping units 8-9 is set to an existing actual dimension SY of the Y-shaped sleepers 51. For each tamping process, the tamping units 8-9 advance by an increment FY in a cyclical working method.

[0036] Fig. 6 shows a top view of the stuffing pattern of the arrangement Fig. 5 with Y-sleepers 51 and is intended to clearly illustrate the tamping processes. A first tamping process is defined by the two tamping groups T1, located to the left and right of the machine's longitudinal axis 39. For each tamping unit 8-9, only two of the four tamping units 16 are activated and lowered. The left tamping group T1 is processed by the switch tamping unit 8, while the right tamping group T1 is processed by the line tamping unit 9 (analogous to Fig. 5 (In the illustration, the color is solid). In order to evenly load all four tamping units 16 of the respective tamping units 8-9 during operation, the responsibility for processing the left and right sides can be swapped diagonally. Then, the left tamping group T1 is processed by the line tamping unit 9, while the right tamping group T1 is processed by the switch tamping unit 8. The other tamping groups T2-T3 represent exemplary subsequent tamping processes.

[0037] An additional device for anti-tip protection is Fig. 7 shown in front and side views. The device 54 comprises a rolling body 55 pivotably mounted about a rotational axis 56 by means of a pivot drive 57. The rolling body 55 engages around a rail head of track 4. The side view shown in dashed lines on the far left shows the device 54 in the deactivated, upper pivot position. Fig. 8 provides in addition to Fig. 7 an isometric view of the additional anti-tip device.

[0038] Fig. 9 shows a tamping diagram for track maintenance using the acyclic working method. The two tamping units 8-9 are arranged one behind the other at a distance of 2 S. This distance of 2 S between the tamping axes 41-42 corresponds to the illustration in Fig. 2 with double the sleeper spacing S. After each tamping operation, both tamping units 8-9 are moved forward alternately by the sleeper spacing S (forward travel = S) and by triple the sleeper spacing 3 S (forward travel = 3 S) in the working direction 13. In this way, all sleepers are tamped most efficiently with two single-sleeper tamping units.

Claims

1. A track maintenance machine (1) for tamping sleepers (15) installed on a ballast bed of a track (4), comprising a machine frame (2) movable on rail-based running gears (3), track lifting and lining units (10) for correcting the track geometry as well as two 1-sleeper tamping units (8, 9) arranged one behind the other in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the machine (39) that work independently of one another, with each tamping unit (8, 9) comprising at least four tamping unit segments (16) that work independently of one another, adjustable in height via vertical drives (22) and horizontally shiftable in the transverse direction of the machine (38) via transverse drives, with each tamping unit segment (16) comprising at least one tamping tool carrier (18), with opposing tamping tools (17) being mounted on the tamping tool carrier and coupled via a vibration drive (19), wherein one of the two tamping units (8, 9) is designed as a turnout tamping unit, that by means of a shifting unit (23) consisting of three transverse guiding units (25, 26, 27) that work independently of one another the associated tamping unit segments (16) are transversely shiftably mounted and can be positioned outwards with respect to the longitudinal axis of the machine (39) in relation to the machine frame (2) or in relation to a satellite frame (7) movable along the longitudinal axis of the machine (39), and that the other tamping unit is designed as a plain-line tamping unit in such a way that the associated tamping unit segments (16) are transversely shiftably mounted and can be positioned with only one shifting unit (24).

2. A machine (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the tamping unit segments (16) of the turnout tamping unit are transversely shiftable on first transverse guides (28) of a first transverse guiding unit (25), that the first transverse guiding unit (25) is transversely shiftable on second transverse guides (30) of a second transverse guiding unit (26), and that the second transverse guiding unit (26) is transversely shiftable on third transverse guides (31) of a third transverse guiding unit (27) in relation to the machine frame (2) or the satellite frame (7).

3. A machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the front tamping unit (8), as seen in the direction of work (13), is designed as a turnout tamping unit.

4. A machine (1) according to claim 1 or 3, characterised in that both tamping units (8, 9) are arranged one behind the other in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the machine (39) and that all tamping tools (17) arranged one behind the other are approximately the same distance (d) to each other in a neutral penetration position.

5. A machine (1) according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the second tamping unit, not designed as a turnout tamping unit, is shiftably mounted in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the machine (39) by means of a longitudinal shifting unit (45) .

6. A machine (1) according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that mechanical devices (54) serving as tipping prevention are attached on both outer track sides of the machine (1) on at least one rail-based running gear (3) each, with the devices (54) being swivelable about an axis of rotation (56) and having tilting rolling bodies (55) engaging around a rail head.

7. A machine (1) according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterised in that a 3rd rail lifting unit (11) is arranged on the machine frame (2), or alternatively on the opposing satellite frame (7) which is movable in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the machine (39), and that the distance between the lifting point of the track lifting and lining unit (10) and the tamping axis (42) of the plain-line tamping unit (9) is approximately the same as the distance between the lifting point of the 3rd rail lifting unit (11) and the tamping axis (41) of the turnout tamping unit (8).

8. A machine (1) according to one of the claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the tamping tools (17) of at least one tamping unit (8, 9) are swivelably mounted about an axis (44) running approximately in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the machine (39) and can be positioned by means of swivel drives (43).

9. A machine (1) according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the two tamping units (8, 9) are assembled modularly as well as symmetrically with respect to the kinematic and geometric arrangement and / or bearing of the tamping tools (17) in relation to their respective tamping axes (41, 42).

10. A machine (1) according to one of the claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the tamping tools (17) of at least one tamping unit (8, 9) can be adjusted independently of one another in their inclination before lowering into the ballast bed by means of targeted actuation of the squeezing drives (19).

11. A method for tamping a track (4) with a machine (1) according to one of the claims 1 to 10, wherein the tamping unit segments (16) of the turnout tamping unit and the tamping unit segments (16) of the plain-line tamping unit are positioned in the transverse direction of the machine (38) in a coordinated manner by means of associated transverse drives, wherein all transverse drives are actuated by means of shared control equipment (50), characterised in that the tamping unit segments (16) of the turnout tamping unit are transversely adjusted in relation to the first transverse guiding unit (25) by means of associated transverse drives, that the second transverse guiding unit (26) is transversely adjusted in relation to the third transverse guiding unit (27) by means of an associated transverse drive, and that the third transverse guiding unit (27) is transversely adjusted in relation to the machine frame (2) or the satellite frame (7) by means of an associated transverse drive.

12. A method according to claim 11, characterised in that in a so-called acyclic method of work, a tamping cycle is carried out with the following successive work steps: - With a first lowering, squeezing, returning, and lifting of all tamping unit segments (16), two sleepers (15) are tamped simultaneously; - The tamping units (8, 9) are moved forward by one sleeper spacing (S); - With a lowering, squeezing, returning, and lifting of all tamping unit segments (16), the next two sleepers (15) are tamped; - The tamping units (8, 9) are moved forward by triple the sleeper spacing (3·S); and that in the event of an obstacle in the track area, tamping unit segments (16) positioned above the obstacle in each case are not lowered.

13. A method according to claim 11, characterised in that in a so-called cyclic method of work, a tamping cycle is carried out with the following successive work steps: - With a lowering, squeezing, returning, and lifting of all tamping unit segments (16), two sleepers (15) are tamped simultaneously; - The tamping units (8, 9) are moved forward by one sleeper spacing (S); - With a lowering, squeezing, returning, and lifting of all tamping unit segments (16), the next two sleepers (15) are tamped; and that the tamping unit segments (16) of the turnout tamping unit are positioned above two diverging track rails during forward movement in the direction of work (13) with increasing, projecting displacement in the transverse direction of the machine (38) by actuating the transverse drives assigned to the respective transverse guiding units (25, 26, 27) by means of the shared control equipment (50), whereby in the event of an obstacle in the track area, tamping unit segments (16) positioned above the obstacle in each case are not lowered.

14. A method according to claim 11, characterised in that for tamping Y-sleepers (51) the distance between tamping axes (41, 42) of the tamping units (8, 9) is adjusted to an existing actual dimension (SY) of the Y-sleepers (51) and that, in the case of a cyclic method of work, a tamping cycle is carried out with the following successive work steps: - Only two tamping unit segments (16) with up to eight tamping tools (17) are activated per tamping unit (8, 9), which are combined into one tamping group (T1) per tamping unit (8, 9), with one tamping group (T1) each being positioned to the left and right of the longitudinal axis of the machine (39); - With a lowering, squeezing, returning, and lifting of both tamping groups (T1) with four activated tamping unit segments (16), one left section (52) of a first Y-sleeper (51) and one right section (53) of a second Y-sleeper (51) are each tamped simultaneously; - The tamping units (8, 9) are moved forward by one step width (FY) of the Y-sleepers (51); and that in the event of an obstacle in the track area, tamping unit segments (16) positioned above the obstacle in each case are not lowered.