Tamping machine for tamping sleepers of a track

Abstract

The invention relates to a tamping machine (1) for tamping sleepers (4) of a track (2), said tamping machine comprising: a machine frame (14) supported on rail bogies (10); and a satellite frame (12) which is positioned between the rail bogies (10), is supported by its own rail bogie (10) at the rear with respect to a working direction (11), and is connected to the machine frame (14) at the front via a frame guide (13) in a longitudinally displaceable manner, and on which a tamping unit (7) is positioned between its own rail bogie (10) and the frame guide (13), wherein the satellite frame (12) can be supported relative to the machine frame (14) by means of a support device (17). The support device (17) is positioned directly above the tamping unit (7). In this manner, the weight of the main machine (8) is used in order to exert a supporting force directly onto the tamping unit (7) via the support device (17). A lever effect that strains the satellite frame (12) is avoided.

Description

Description Tamping machine for tamping sleepers of a track Technical area

[0001] The invention relates to a tamping machine for tamping sleepers of a track, with a machine frame supported on rail bogies and a satellite frame arranged between the rail bogies, which is supported at the rear on its own rail bogie with respect to a working direction and is connected to the machine frame at the front via a frame guide so as to be longitudinally displaceable, and on which a tamping unit is arranged between its own rail bogie and the frame guide, wherein the satellite frame can be supported relative to the machine frame by means of a support device. State of the art

[0002] A tamping machine of this type for continuous operation is known from AT 413 554 B. A longitudinally displaceable satellite is mounted on a main machine, comprising a tamping unit and a lifting and straightening unit. During operation, the main machine travels continuously on rail carriages along a track to be tamped. The satellite moves cyclically in the working direction from sleeper to sleeper, with only the satellite being stopped for the duration of a tamping process. This eliminates the need for the entire mass of the tamping machine to be cyclically decelerated and accelerated again. The satellite comprises its own rail carriage, above which a support device is arranged to support the satellite relative to the machine frame. This is intended to prevent the satellite from lifting off the rail carriage when the tamping tines of the tamping unit are inserted into a ballast bed. Description of the invention

[0003] The invention is based on the object of improving a tamping machine of the type mentioned above in such a way that an optimal tamping process is ensured with a satellite of lightweight construction regardless of the condition of a ballast bed.

[0004] According to the invention, this object is achieved by the features of independent claim 1. Dependent claims specify advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0005] The support device is arranged directly above the tamping unit. In this way, the weight of the main engine is used to exert a support force directly on the tamping unit via the support device. A leverage effect on the satellite frame with respect to the frame guide and its own rail carriage is avoided. In contrast, the support above the rail carriage known from the prior art creates a leverage effect when the tamping unit is lowered, resulting in bending stress on the satellite frame. The solution according to the invention enables a particularly lightweight construction of the satellite frame. The energy required for accelerating and decelerating the satellite during a tamping cycle is thus minimized.On the other hand, it ensures that the rail chassis of the lightweight satellite does not lift off the rails when the tamping unit is lowered and the tamping tines of the tamping unit penetrate the ballast bed. This ensures optimal tamping even in heavily encrusted ballast, while allowing the tamping machine to be operated with particularly high energy efficiency.

[0006] In an advantageous further development, the tamping unit is designed as a series tamping unit with several rows of separately height-adjustable tamping units, optionally for the simultaneous tamping of several sleepers or for the tamping of individual sleepers. With each additional row of tamping units, the counterforces acting on the tamping picks during a simultaneous penetration process from the ballast bed increase. In a hard ballast bed, this increase in counterforce exceeds the increase in weight force due to the additional Tamping units. Therefore, arranging the support system directly above a row tamping unit is particularly useful.

[0007] Such a row tamping unit is advantageously combined with a further development of the support device, which comprises at least two pressure units that are spaced apart from one another in the working direction and can be activated separately. Each pressure unit exerts its own supporting force, with a front pressure unit being assigned to a front row of tamping units and a rear pressure unit being assigned to a rear row of tamping units. The arrangement of two pressure units for three rows of tamping units is particularly efficient. When only the front tamping units are lowered, only the front pressure unit is activated, and when only the rear tamping units are lowered, only the rear pressure unit is activated. When only the middle tamping units are lowered, both pressure units are activated.In this way, the support force is always applied approximately above the tamping units in use. Examples of separate lowering of tamping units of a three-row tamping unit are known from AT 524005 A1. Separate activation of tamping units is also useful in the area of ​​a switch or in the presence of obstacles on the track.

[0008] In an advantageous variant of the invention, the respective pressure unit comprises a first sliding element that can be adjusted against a second sliding element. The contacted sliding surfaces are particularly horizontally aligned, which also enables lateral sliding movements. For example, the first sliding element can be lowered on the satellite frame, or the second sliding element can be raised on the machine frame. This allows the supporting effect of the respective pressure unit to be deactivated during a transfer run of the tamping machine, so that all spring travel of the rail bogies can be utilized. Furthermore, the respective supporting force can be varied using adjustable adjusting means.

[0009] The respective pressure unit of another preferred variant of the invention comprises at least one rotatable rolling element, which is mounted in particular on a longitudinal guide aligned in the working direction can be rolled off. As the satellite moves relative to the main machine, the rolling element assigned to the satellite frame rolls on a counter surface arranged on the machine frame, thereby transferring the supporting force directly to the associated tamping units. Alternatively, the respective pressure unit is arranged on the machine frame and the counter surface on the satellite frame.

[0010] Advantageously, the at least one rolling element is arranged in the associated pressure unit in a height-adjustable manner by means of a drive. This height adjustability allows, on the one hand, a temporary deactivation of the respective pressure unit. This is useful during a transfer run of the tamping machine in order to ensure unhindered use of the spring travel of the rail bogies. On the other hand, the support effect of the support device can be adjusted by adjusting the height of the at least one rolling element.

[0011] In a further improvement, at least one rolling element is guided in a guide rail arranged on the machine frame. This allows the movements of the contacting elements to be precisely coordinated, thus minimizing wear.

[0012] In a further development, the respective pressure unit is mounted on a console, which is located on the satellite frame. This console is arranged in such a way that the relative movements between the satellite and the main engine are not obstructed and the supporting forces are transferred directly to the tamping units.

[0013] The bracket is logically mounted on a cross member of the satellite frame. This also allows for a central arrangement of the support device directly above the tamping unit, even transverse to the track. An alternative design provides split pressure units, with a section of each pressure unit mounted on two lateral longitudinal beams of the satellite frame.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the console is mounted on the cross member of the satellite frame in a transversely movable manner. This enables a particularly stable construction of the support device in a tamping machine with a centrally arranged machine frame. Alternatively, a The counter element of the respective pressure unit is mounted on the machine frame for transverse movement. This transverse movement allows the satellite to pivot freely relative to the main machine during cornering. Short description of the drawings

[0015] The invention is explained below by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures. They show schematically: Fig. 1 Tamping machine on a track Fig. 2 Satellite of the tamping machine according to Fig. 1 Fig. 3 Support device in a front view Fig. 4 Support device in a side view Fig. 5 Support device in an oblique view Fig. 6 Satellite with alternative support device Description of the embodiments

[0016] A tamping machine 1 is used to tampe a track 2. A lifting and straightening unit 3 lifts a track grid consisting of sleepers 4 and rails 5 attached to them from a ballast bed 6 and straightens it laterally. The new track position is secured by a tamping unit 7, in which ballast is pushed under the sleepers 4 and compacted. The tamping machine 1 shown is designed for continuous operation. For this purpose, the tamping machine 1 essentially consists of two parts: a main machine 8 and a satellite 9.

[0017] During operation, the main machine 8 moves continuously on rail carriages 10 in a working direction 11 along the track 2 to be tamped. Only the satellite 9 moves cyclically from sleeper 4 to sleeper 4. The lifting and straightening unit 3 and the tamping unit 7 are arranged on a frame 12 of the satellite 9. This satellite frame 12 is supported at a rear end on its own rail carriage 10 with respect to the working direction 11 and is connected at a front end to a machine frame 14 of the main machine 8 via a frame guide 13 for longitudinal displacement.

[0018] During a tamping process, tamping units 15 of the tamping unit 7 are positioned over the respective sleeper 4 and lowered. Vibrating tamping tines 16 of the respective tamping unit 15 penetrate the ballast bed 6. During this penetration process, the ballast bed 6 exerts counterforces on the tamping tines 16, whereby these reaction forces can be very high if the ballast bed 6 is heavily contaminated.

[0019] According to the invention, a support device 17 is therefore arranged directly above the tamping unit 7. Above the tamping unit 7 means an arrangement in a longitudinal region 18 between outer fastenings 19 of the tamping unit 7 on the satellite frame 12. In this way, stress on the satellite frame 12 due to bending moments is largely avoided. Ideally, the position of the support device 17 results in a support force directed downward in the region of a central vertical axis 20 of the tamping unit 7. The support force acts together with the weight of the satellite 9 against the reaction forces of the ballast bed 6 during a penetration process of the tamping unit 7.

[0020] Fig. 2 shows the satellite 9 with a row tamping unit 7 for the simultaneous tamping of three sleepers 4 positioned directly behind one another. For this purpose, the row tamping unit 7 comprises three consecutive rows with separately laterally displaceable and height-adjustable tamping units 15. Each row comprises four tamping units 15, with two tamping units 15 assigned to each rail 5 of the track 2. During a tamping process, the tamping picks 16 of the tamping units 15 penetrate the ballast bed 6 on both sides of the respective rail 5. The sum of the resulting reaction forces is approximately three times higher than with a simple tamping unit 7 for tamping a single sleeper 4.

[0021] With such reaction forces, the weight of the satellite 9 may be insufficient as a counterforce to hold the rail chassis 10 of the satellite 9 on the track 2. Therefore, the weight of the main vehicle 8 is also used via the support device 17, whereby the satellite frame 12 can be designed in a lightweight construction. With a satellite frame 12 designed in this way, in particular, an operator cabin 21 is not attached to the satellite 9, but rather on the Main engine 8 is located. The lightweight construction of the satellite frame 12 is based on a detailed strength calculation, with, for example, openings 22 in the frame plates resulting in weight savings. Overall, the lower weight helps with the approval of the tamping machine 1 for line classes with low permissible axle loads. Furthermore, during the cyclic forward travel from sleeper 4 to sleeper 4, the energy required for the acceleration and deceleration of the mass is low.

[0022] Figures 2 to 5 show an embodiment of the support device 17 with an exemplary roller bearing. The satellite frame 12 comprises a cross member 23 that connects the longitudinal members 24 of the satellite frame 12 and on which a bracket 25 is mounted for transverse displacement. Specifically, the bracket 25 is mounted on two superimposed guide rods 26 of the cross member 23. The extent of the transverse displacement is dimensioned such that the satellite 9 can pivot relative to the main engine 8 when negotiating a curve with the minimum permissible curve radius. For example, a corresponding secant offset for both sides is 250 millimeters.

[0023] A front and a rear pressure unit I are arranged on the console 25 with respect to the working direction 11. The support force of the front pressure unit ZI acts from above on the front tamping units 15, and the support force of the rear pressure unit ZI acts from above on the rear tamping units 15. In this way, the pressure units ZI are assigned to the rows of the row tamping unit 7. The activation of the respective pressure unit ZI occurs according to the activation of the assigned tamping units 15 during a tamping process. This largely avoids bending moments in the satellite frame 12.

[0024] Each pressure unit ZI comprises a vertical guide 28 for a respective roller holder 29. In each roller holder 29, a pressure roller is mounted as a rotatable rolling element 30. In addition, each roller holder 29 is coupled to a drive 31 for height adjustment of the associated rolling element 30. Thus, the respective rolling element 30 is secured to the machine frame 14 for use in the tamping machine 1 against a Longitudinal guide 32 is adjustable. Furthermore, it is advisable to keep the supporting force of the associated pressure unit I constant using the respective drive 31. For example, the drive 31 is a hydraulic cylinder that is activated with a constant system pressure. In this way, vertical relative movements of the satellite 9 relative to the main machine 8 are compensated when working on track 2 in the area of ​​gradient changes (changes in the longitudinal inclination of track 2).

[0025] The respective rolling element 30 is guided laterally by means of lateral slide rails 33. The longitudinal guide 32 forms a guide rail with the slide rails 33. Advantageously, the respective rolling element 30 rolls on a replaceable wear plate 34 of the longitudinal guide 32.

[0026] In an alternative embodiment, the respective rolling element 30 is pressed against the longitudinal guide 32 of the machine frame 14 by means of a spring-loaded guide, whereby the spring action can be locked. During operation, a corresponding locking occurs so that the satellite frame 12 is supported against the machine frame 14. During transfer travel, the locking is released, allowing relative movement between the satellite frame 12 and the machine frame 14.

[0027] The required length of the longitudinal guide 32 depends on the maximum travel distance that the satellite 9 travels during operation relative to the main machine 8. This depends on various factors, such as the intended operating speed of the main machine 8, the intended duration of a complete tamping cycle, and the maximum number of sleepers 4 to be tamped simultaneously.

[0028] Fig. 6 shows an alternative design of the satellite 9. The support device 17 here comprises two pressure units ZI with a first sliding element 35 on the satellite frame 12 and a second sliding element 36 on the machine frame 14. The respective second sliding element 36 has a smaller sliding surface than the first sliding element 35 and can be adjusted against the first sliding element 35 by an associated drive 31. For example, the drive 31 with the associated sliding element 35 is designed as a plunger cylinder with connections to a hydraulic system of the tamping machine 1.

[0029] During operation, the second sliding elements 36 slide on the first sliding element 35 both longitudinally and transversely, so that the support remains upright during relative movements of the satellite 9 with respect to the main engine 8. Preferably, both sliding elements 35, 36 have replaceable wear plates 34.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Tamping machine (1) for tamping sleepers (4) of a track (2), with a machine frame (14) supported on rail bogies (10) and a satellite frame (12) arranged between the rail bogies (10), which is supported at the rear on its own rail bogie (10) with respect to a working direction (11) and is connected at the front to the machine frame (14) via a frame guide (13) so as to be longitudinally displaceable, and on which a tamping unit (7) is arranged between its own rail bogie (10) and the frame guide (13), wherein the satellite frame (12) can be supported relative to the machine frame (14) by means of a support device (17), characterized in that the support device (17) is arranged directly above the tamping unit (7).

2. Tamping machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the tamping unit (7) is designed as a row tamping unit with several rows of separately height-adjustable tamping units (15) optionally for the simultaneous tamping of several sleepers (4) or for the tamping of individual sleepers (4).

3. Stuffing machine (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the support device (17) comprises at least two pressure units (27) spaced apart from one another in the working direction (11) and separately activatable.

4. Stuffing machine (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the respective pressure unit (27) comprises a first sliding element (35) which can be adjusted against a second sliding element (36).

5. Tamping machine (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the respective pressure unit (27) comprises at least one rotatable rolling element (30) which can roll in particular on a longitudinal guide (32) aligned in the working direction (11).

6. Tamping machine (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the at least one rolling element (30) is arranged in the associated pressure unit (27) in a height-adjustable manner by means of a drive (31) 7. Tamping machine (1) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the respective rolling element (30) is guided in a guide rail (32, 33) arranged on the machine frame (14).

8. Tamping machine (1) according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the respective pressure unit (27) is arranged on a console (25) and that the console (25) is arranged on the satellite frame (12).

9. Tamping machine (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the bracket (25) is arranged on a cross member (23) of the satellite frame (12).

10. Tamping machine (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the bracket (25) is mounted transversely displaceably on the cross member (23) of the satellite frame (12).

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