Track Safety Device

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a track safety device which is used at construction sites in the field of railway traffic.

[0002] Track safety devices serve to protect employees who move around busy tracks and are intended to prevent unintentional entry onto the busy track.

[0003] Such track safety devices in the form of fixed barriers are known in several cases (e.g. from DE 20 2011 101 596 U1, DE 20 2005 008 225 U1 or DE 299 02 477 U1).

[0004] These track safety devices are essentially characterized by the fact that they are installed at a specific, adjustable distance from the track and at a specific maximum effective height before the start of the safety measure and are dismantled after the completion of the safety measure. During this installation work, the danger zone of the track to which the track safety device is attached must be entered.

[0005] The use of the fixed barrier as a safety measure is limited or restricted by the standard clearance, the lateral track area (danger zone) of the track being used and the minimum effective heights to be achieved.

[0006] The trade associations and railway operators are calling for increased use of track safety equipment in the form of fixed barriers as the lowest-risk safety measure. Exclusion criteria are currently primarily based on the conflict between the required minimum effective height and the associated intrusions into the standard clearance.

[0007] DE 20 2011 101 596 U1 discloses a track safety device in the form of a barrier for securing track construction sites in railway traffic, with a rail foot fastening which can be clamped to a track rail and onto which a boom is pushed so that a traverse is formed, wherein the boom is horizontally adjustable in settings from 1.95 m to 2.55 m in 10 cm steps to the track center and can be locked by means of permanently attached locking bolts.

[0008] In this track safety device, two telescopic cross beams are connected to a barrier field by two connecting struts and four screw bolts, whereby the barrier field is suspended from open slots and keyhole holes and secured with a locking bolt on each side.

[0009] The barrier field can be telescopically adjusted from 2.065 m to 3.200 m, with the dimensions of the barrier field transverse to the track being in line with the boom's attachment points. The arrangement of the telescopic cross members (the stronger end of the telescopic cross member is on the right and the stronger end on the left) results in additional interlacing of the barrier field.

[0010] The disadvantage of this technical solution according to DE 20 2011 101 596 U1 is that the locking of the permanently attached locking bolt can only be released (unlocked) with the appropriate tool, and this is done by a person who has to enter the danger zone of a track in use.

[0011] WO 2011 / 116 431 A1 discloses a guardrail arrangement (spacer device) for a railway track, comprising, among other things, a plurality of upright posts, each post comprising: i) locking means adapted to be slidable under a rail of the track, ii) clamping means adapted to engage against a first side portion of the rail and movable between a first position in which the locking means is slidably removable under the rail and a second position in which the locking means locks the clamping means to the rail, and iii) spacing means connected between the clamping means and the upright posts for positioning the upright posts sufficiently far from the rail to prevent a railway worker from approaching dangerously close to the rail, wherein one or more bracket clamps are connected to a side of the upright post furthest from the railway track and for supporting the Rail means is formed, wherein the console clamp comprises flexible jaws for engaging and disengaging the rail means, and wherein the spacer means comprises telescopically engaging spacer sections connected together by a spring clip having a projecting head adapted to pass through overlapping openings in the telescopically engaging spacer sections, wherein a console clamp is connected to one end of the spacer means and is adapted to slidably engage the post, wherein the console clamp comprises a pivotable lock which, in a first position, locks the upright post relative to the spacer means, and in a second position this lock is released.

[0012] The disadvantage of many of the technical solutions known to date is that they cannot be carried out by a single person without the aid of tools, especially without entering the danger zone of a track in use.

[0013] Based on the technical solution according to the disclosure of DE 20 2011 101 596 U1 and WO 2011 / 116 431 A1, the object of the present invention is to provide a track safety device in the form of a fixed barrier which enables segment-by-segment adjustment of the effective height and the distance to the track area being travelled on during ongoing operation without having to enter the danger zone of this track, wherein the adjustment work can be carried out by a single person without the aid of tools and the track safety device is ergonomically designed in such a way that it can also be operated by physically disabled persons during ongoing operation.

[0014] This object is achieved by the track safety device in the form of a fixed barrier with the features of claim 1. The further embodiment can be found in claims 2 to 6.

[0015] The track safety device essentially consists of at least two or more crossbeams with one or more holes for locking a locking bolt, which are fastened as horizontal arms at right angles to a rail and serve to hold vertical, horizontally adjustable posts, wherein at least one barrier field is provided, which is fastened vertically adjustable between two posts in order to provide a fixed barrier as a protective device on the rail superstructure against unintentional access to the track by workers during work in the area of ​​railway facilities.

[0016] A locking bolt is provided for fixing the post, which can be remotely controlled by means of a mechanical extension, e.g. in the form of a cable pull, which is guided outside the danger area of ​​the track and can be engaged and disengaged in the hole(s) of the cross member.

[0017] The fastening method of the cross beams of the barrier field and / or the height extension module, which is connected to the posts, by means of axial joint connections enables the point-by-point, segment-by-segment adjustment of the horizontal, vertical and diagonal dimensions of the track safety device (= transversely adjustable track safety device).

[0018] The barrier panel is suspended in the keyhole holes of the post at variable heights and secured with a locking bolt on each side.

[0019] The barrier field can also be supplemented with a height extension module.

[0020] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a preferred embodiment, further embodiments, and the figures. Herein: Fig. 1: a sectional view of the crossbeam with rail clamping device in a plane transverse to the track, Fig. 2: a sectional view of the post in a plane transverse to the track, Fig. 3: a sectional view of the barrier field along the track, Fig. 4: a sectional view of the height extension module along the track, Fig. 5: a sectional view of the track safety device (fixed barrier) with barrier field without height extension module in a plane transverse to the track, Fig. 6: a sectional view of the effective height / danger zone adjustment of the track safety device (fixed barrier) with barrier field without height extension module in a plane transverse to the track, Fig. 7: a sectional view of the track safety device (fixed barrier) with barrier field with height extension module in a plane transverse to the track, Fig.8: a sectional view of the effective height / danger zone adjustment of the track safety device (fixed barrier) with barrier field with height extension module in a plane transverse to the track, Fig. 9: a sectional view of the barrier field with side posts without height extension module along the track, Fig. 10: a sectional view of the effective height / field length adjustment of the barrier field with side posts without height extension module along the track, Fig. 11: sectional view of the barrier field with side posts with height extension module along the track and Fig. 12: sectional view of the effective height / field length adjustment of the barrier field with side posts with height extension module along the track.

[0021] The track safety device essentially consists of at least two or more crossbeams (16) which are fastened as horizontal arms at right angles to a rail and serve to hold vertical, horizontally adjustable posts (18), wherein at least one barrier field (19) is provided which is fastened vertically adjustable between two posts (18) in order to provide a fixed barrier as a protective device on the rail superstructure against unintentional access to the track by workers during work in the area of ​​railway facilities.

[0022] A locking pin (6) is provided for securing the post (18), which can be remotely controlled by means of a mechanical extension (4) extending outside the danger zone of the track, e.g., in the form of a cable pull / Bowden cable (41). The locking pin (6) can be engaged / disengaged in at least one corresponding bore (1) in the cross member (16).

[0023] The fastening method of the cross beams of the barrier field (19) and of any height extension module (20) that may also be present by means of axial joint connections enables the point-by-segment adjustment of the horizontal, vertical and diagonal dimensions (transversal) of the track safety device.

[0024] The barrier field (19) is suspended in the keyhole holes (3) of the post (18) at variable heights and secured with a locking bolt on each side.

[0025] The barrier field (19) can also be supplemented with a height extension module (20).

[0026] The Fig. 1 The cross member (16) shown is connected to the track rail (15) by means of a screw clamp connection (17) (clampable rail foot fastening not explained in detail). The cross member (16) is dimensioned so that the post (18) as shown in Fig. 2 shown with its lower end can be pushed precisely onto the open end of the cross member (16).

[0027] At the lower end of the post (18) there is a locking bolt (6) which engages in at least one corresponding hole (1) of the cross member (16) depending on the required track spacing to be set (danger zone).

[0028] The locking bolt (6) is remotely operated by means of a guided mechanical extension (4), in the exemplary embodiment in the form of a cable pull / Bowden cable (41) with a T-handle (411), which runs within the post profile and is guided outside the danger zone. By simultaneously pulling the T-handle (441) and a bow handle (5), the locking bolt (6) is released and the post (18) can be moved into the desired position by pulling or pushing. After releasing the T-handle (441), the locking bolt (6) automatically re-engages in a corresponding hole (1) in the cross member (16). This can be carried out by one person, one-handed.

[0029] The Fig. 3 The barrier field (19) shown, consisting of two telescopic cross members (12), two box profile connections (10) with ball suspensions (8), four axial joint connectors (7) and two locking bolts (9) is horizontally mounted between two Fig. 2 The posts (18) shown are hung into the keyhole holes (3) at the desired height and secured with the locking bolts (9).

[0030] The barrier field (19) can be used as shown in Fig. 4 shown, with a height extension module (20), consisting of two extension profiles (11) and a telescopic cross member (12) fastened via two axial joint connectors (7), can be additionally supplemented by inserting the two extension profiles into the box profile connections (10) of the barrier field (19) and securing them in the lower position in bore (13) or the upper position in bore (14) by means of locking bolts (9).

[0031] The Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of the track safety device with a barrier field (19) without height extension module (20) in a plane transverse to the track rail (15).

[0032] In Fig. 6 For this purpose, the effective height / danger zone adjustment is provided with a further embodiment of the track safety device with barrier field (19) without height extension module (20) according to Fig. 5 shown in a plane transverse to the track rail (15).

[0033] The Fig. 7 shows a further embodiment of the track safety device with barrier field (19) and with height extension module (20) in a plane transverse to the track rail (15), wherein in Fig. 8 the effective height / danger zone adjustment of the track safety device with barrier field (19) and with height extension module (20) according to Fig. 7 in a plane transverse to the track rail (15).

[0034] In Fig. 9 a barrier field (19) with lateral posts (18) without height extension module (20) is shown along the track rail (15) and in Fig. 10 the effective height / field length adjustment of the barrier field (19) with lateral posts (18) without height extension module (20) is carried out according to Fig. 9 shown along the track rail (15).

[0035] In Fig. 11 a barrier field (19) with lateral posts (18) with height extension module (20) along the track rail 25 is shown and in Fig. 12 The effective height / field length adjustment of the barrier field (19) with lateral posts (18) with height extension module (20) is carried out according to Fig. 11 shown along the track rail (15).

[0036] The advantages of this technical solution in the form of the track safety device are: quick assembly and disassembly on the track using standard tools quick adjustment of the track area (danger zone) and the effective height by one person (one-handed) without tools from outside the danger zone adjustment of the track area (danger zone) in 10 cm intervals from 1.95 m to 2.55 m All of the aforementioned settings can be adjusted segment by segment, and the width of the barrier field can be continuously adjusted from 2.40 m to 3.40 m; all this without any loose small parts. Bezugszeichenliste

[0037] 1 - Hole (7 x) in the crossbeam 2 - Hole (6 x) in the post 3 - Keyhole hole (10 x) in the post 4 - Guided mechanical extension 41 - Cable or Bowden cable 411 - T-handle at the free end of the cable or Bowden cable 5 - Bow handle 6 - Locking bolt 7 - Axial joint connector 8 - Ball suspension 9 - Locking bolt 10 - Box profile connection for telescopic crossbeams 11 - Extension profile 12 - Telescopic crossbeam 13 - Hole 14 - Hole 15 - Track rail 16 - Crossbeam 17 - Screw clamp connection 18 - Post 19 - Barrier field 20 - Height extension module

Claims

1. Transversely adjustable track safety device, which can be mounted on tracks and points, in the form of a fixed barrier as a protective device on the superstructure against unintentional access to the track by workers when working in the vicinity of railway installations, comprising at least two posts (18) and at least two cross-members (16), each with at least one bore (1), which can be fastened at right angles to a track rail (15) as horizontal brackets and accommodate the posts (18) vertically, in which the respective post (18) can be pushed with its lower end onto the open end of the respective cross-member (16) with a precise fit, wherein the posts (18) are horizontally adjustable and wherein at least one barrier panel (19) is provided, which is vertically adjustably fastened between two posts (18) in order to provide a fixed barrier as a protective device on the rail superstructure against unintentional access to the track by workers when working in the area of railway installations, wherein a locking bolt (6) for fixing the post (18) by engaging in the bore (1) of the cross-member (16) is provided on the post (18) in the region of its lower end facing the cross-member (16) in each case, which can be remotely operated by means of a mechanical extension (4) guided outside the danger zone of the track, the cross-member (16) being dimensioned in each case such that the respective post (18) can be pushed with its lower end onto the open end of the cross-member (16) with a precise fit, characterised in that • the locking bolt (6) attached to the lower end of the post (18) can engage in at least one corresponding hole (1) in the cross-member (16) depending on the required track spacing to be set and • the guided mechanical extension (4) leads partly through the interior of the post (18) and is a cable or Bowden cable (41), which is connected with its first free end to the locking bolt (6) and with its second free end to a T-handle (411).

2. Track safety device according to claim 1, characterised in that the type of fastening of the crossbars of the barrier panel (19) and / or of a height extension module (20) by means of axial joint connections enables the horizontal, vertical and diagonal dimensions of the track safety device to be adjusted transversely in segments at specific points.

3. Track safety device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the blocking panel (19) is suspended in the keyhole bores (3) of the post (18) in a height-variable manner and is secured with one locking bolt on each side.

4. Track safety device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the barrier panel (19) can be supplemented with a height extension module (20).