Interface part for a sand tank filling gun for railway vehicles
The interface part for filling guns allows a single gun to adapt to multiple sand tanks with different locking interfaces, addressing the inefficiency of multiple gun requirements by using translation and rotation mechanisms with an anti-rotation system.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2022009181
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-09-13
- Publication Date
- 2025-01-10
- Estimated Expiration
- 2042-09-13
AI Technical Summary
Existing filling guns for railway vehicle sand tanks are specific to a single type of sand pit, necessitating multiple guns for different types, which is inefficient and costly for mixed fleets.
An interface part for a filling gun that includes a first locking device for one sand tank and a second locking device for a different sand tank, allowing the gun to be removably fixed to both, with translation and rotation mechanisms and an anti-rotation system to secure the interface part to the gun.
Enables a single filling gun to adapt to multiple sand tanks with different locking interfaces, reducing the number of required guns and enhancing operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Interface part for a gun for filling sand tanks of railway vehicles
[0001] The present invention relates to an interface part for a gun for filling sand tanks of railway vehicles.
[0002] Railway vehicles are generally equipped with sand blasters, which are sanding devices configured to project sand onto the rails of the railway track in order to increase the adhesion of the metal wheels of the vehicle to the rails, for example in the event of rain. Such sand blasters notably comprise at least one sand reservoir.
[0003] It is known to fill such sand tanks using a filling gun. During the filling operation, the filling gun is generally removably attached to the sand tank, for example by cooperation of a filling gun locking device and a sand tank locking interface.
[0004] In general, each filling gun is specifically adapted to a type of sandpit by its length and by its locking device capable of cooperating with the locking interface of a particular type of sand tank.
[0005] Currently, it is therefore necessary to have at least one filling gun for each type of sandpit, which is not entirely satisfactory, particularly for fleets made up of railway vehicles equipped with different types of sandpit.
[0006] One of the aims of the invention is to facilitate the filling of sand pits of different types.
[0007] Thus, the subject of the invention is an interface part for a gun for filling sand tanks of railway vehicles, the filling gun comprising a first locking device configured to cooperate with a first locking interface of a first sand tank for the removable attachment of the filling gun to the first sand tank when filling the latter, the interface part having a said first locking interface for the removable attachment of the interface part to the filling gun via the first locking device and a second locking device configured to cooperate with a second locking interface different from the first locking interface,so as to allow the removable attachment of the filling gun fitted with the interface part to a second sand tank fitted with a so-called second locking interface.
[0008] According to particular embodiments of the invention, the interface part has one or more of the following optional characteristics, taken independently or in any technically feasible combination:
[0009] - the interface part comprises an interface tube intended to be threaded onto the gun filling, the first interface being located at one end of the interface tube and the second locking device being attached to another end of the interface tube;
[0010] - the first locking device is configured for locking on the first interface by a translation along a first locking axis followed by a rotation around said first locking axis;
[0011] - the second locking device is configured for locking on the second locking interface by a translation along a second locking axis followed by a rotation around said second locking axis;
[0012] - the first locking axis coincides with the second locking axis;
[0013] - the first locking device is capable of being locked by rotation in a first locking direction and the second locking device is capable of being locked by rotation in a second locking direction, the first locking direction and the second locking direction being opposite each other.
[0014] - the interface part comprises an anti-rotation system configured to block the interface part rotating relative to the filling gun once the interface part is removably attached to the filling gun.
[0015] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a first sand tank comprising a first locking interface, a second sand tank comprising a second locking interface, a filling gun comprising a first locking device, and an interface part as defined above.
[0016] The invention also relates to a method for filling a sand tank comprising the following steps: providing an assembly as defined above, placing the interface part on the filling gun, and locking the filling gun provided with the interface part on the second tank.
[0017] The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, given by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings, among which:
[0018] - [Fig.l] [Fig.l] is a schematic view of an assembly comprising a part interface; and
[0019] - [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a perspective view of the interface part of [Fig.l].
[0020] [Fig.l] illustrates an assembly 10 comprising a first sand reservoir 12, a second sand tank 14, a filling gun 16 and an interface piece 18.
[0021] The first sand tank 12 is an element of a first sand pit arranged for example in a first railway vehicle.
[0022] The first sand tank 12 comprises walls 20 delimiting a filling volume 22, a filling orifice 24 formed in one of the walls 20 and a first locking interface 26.
[0023] Advantageously, the first sand reservoir 12 also comprises a filling tube 28 extending inside the filling volume 22 from the filling orifice 24.
[0024] The first locking interface 26 is arranged near the filling orifice 24, and preferably on a collar 30 surrounding the filling orifice 24.
[0025] As illustrated in [Fig.l], the filling gun 16 comprises a base 32 and a tube 34 extending projecting from the base 32.
[0026] The base 32 defines for example a handle capable of being grasped by a user.
[0027] The tube 34 of the filling gun 16 extends along a tube axis A.
[0028] For filling the first sand tank 12, the tube 34 of the filling gun 16 is able to be inserted into the filling orifice 24, and more particularly into the filling tube 28.
[0029] The filling gun 16 comprises a first locking device 36 configured to cooperate with the first locking interface 26 of the first sand tank 12 for the removable attachment of the filling gun 16 to the first sand tank 12 when filling the latter.
[0030] The first locking device 36 is, for example, arranged on the base 32.
[0031] The first locking device 36 is advantageously configured for a worm rusting on the first locking interface 26 by a translation along a first locking axis B followed by a rotation around said first locking axis B in a first locking direction SL
[0032] The second sand tank 14 is an element of a second sand pit arranged for example in a second railway vehicle different from the first railway vehicle.
[0033] The second sand tank 14 also comprises walls 20 delimiting a filling volume 22, a filling orifice 24 formed in one of the walls 20 and optionally a filling tube 28 extending inside the filling volume 22 from the filling orifice 24.
[0034] The second tank 14 has, for example, dimensions different from those of the first sand tank 12, and has, for example, a height lower than that of the first sand tank 12 and / or a filling volume 22 smaller than that of the first sand tank 12.
[0035] The second sand tank 14 further comprises a second interface of lock 38.
[0036] More particularly, the second locking interface 38 is different from the first locking interface 26. The first locking device 36 is unsuitable for cooperating with the second locking interface 38 for locking the filling gun 16 on the second sand tank 14.
[0037] As illustrated in [Fig.2], the interface part 18 comprises an interface tube 40 intended to be threaded onto the filling gun 16, and more particularly onto the tube 34 of the filling gun 16.
[0038] The interface tube 40 of the interface part 18 extends along a tube axis T, which substantially coincides with the axis A of the tube 34 of the filling gun 16 when the interface part 18 is threaded onto the filling gun 16.
[0039] The interface tube 40 of the interface piece 18 has a tube length less than that of the tube 34 of the filling gun 16, so that when the interface piece 18 is threaded onto the tube 34 of the filling gun 16, a portion of the tube 34 of the filling gun 16 is not covered by the interface piece 18.
[0040] More particularly, the ratio between the length of the interface tube 40 of the interface part 18 and the length of the tube 34 of the filling gun 16 is for example between 0.1 and 0.5.
[0041] The interface tube 40 of the interface part 18 has a diameter substantially equal to or greater than the diameter of the filling orifice 24 of each of the first sand tank 12 and the second sand tank 14, and more particularly of the filling tube 28 of each of the first sand tank 12 and the second sand tank 14, such that the interface part 18 cannot be inserted into the filling volume 22 of each of the first sand tank 12 and the second sand tank 14.
[0042] The interface tube 40 comprises a first end and a second end.
[0043] Preferably, as illustrated in [Fig.2], the interface tube 40 comprises a collar 42 at each of its first end and its second end.
[0044] The interface part 18 has a first locking interface 26, preferably located at the first end of the interface tube 40, and more particularly on the collar 42 located at this first end, and a second locking device 44, preferably fixed to the second end of the interface tube 40, and more particularly on the collar 42 located at this second end.
[0045] The first locking interface 26 of the interface part 18 is substantially identical to the first locking interface 26 of the first sand tank 12.
[0046] Said first locking interface 26 of the interface part 18 allows the removable fixing of the interface part 18 on the filling gun 16 by via the first locking device 36 of the filling gun 16.
[0047] The first locking device 36 is advantageously configured for locking on the first locking interface 26 by a translation along a first locking axis B followed by a rotation around said first locking axis B in a first locking direction SI.
[0048] For this purpose, as illustrated in [Fig. 2], the first locking interface 26 advantageously comprises at least one locking lug 46 configured to lock in a locking notch 47 defined by the first locking device 36.
[0049] Preferably, the first locking interface 26 comprises two locking lugs 46.
[0050] Each locking lug 46 is capable of locking in a respective notch 47 among locking notches 47 defined by the first locking device 36, preferably by a translation along the first locking axis B followed by a rotation around the first locking axis B in the first locking direction SI.
[0051] The second locking device 44 is configured to cooperate with the second locking interface 38 of the second sand tank 14, so as to allow the removably fixing of the filling gun 16 provided with the interface part 18 on the second sand tank 14.
[0052] More particularly, the second locking device 44 is configured for locking on the second locking interface 38 by a translation along a second locking axis C followed by a rotation around said second locking axis C in a second locking direction S2.
[0053] Preferably, the first locking axis B coincides with the second locking axis C, and preferably also coincides with the axis T of the interface tube 40 of the interface part 18, and with the axis A of the tube 34 of the filling gun 16 when the interface part 18 is threaded onto the filling gun 16.
[0054] As illustrated in [Fig.2], the second locking device 44 advantageously comprises at least one locking notch 48 configured to lock a locking lug 49 of the second locking interface 38.
[0055] The locking notch(s) 48 of the second locking device 44 are for example different from the locking notches 47 of the first locking device 36.
[0056] For example, each locking notch 48 is defined by a locking orifice 50 elongated along an arc of a circle, one of the ends of the locking orifice 50 having a width less than that of the other of its ends.
[0057] Each locking lug 49 is capable of locking in a locking notch 48, preferably by inserting the locking lug 49 into the end of the locking orifice 50 having the greatest width by translation followed by a rotation in the second locking direction so that the locking lug 49 is moved into the corresponding locking orifice 50 to the end of the locking orifice 50 having the smallest width, a translation of the locking lug 49 being prevented due to the smaller width of this end of the locking orifice 50.
[0058] The first locking direction SI and the second locking direction S2 are opposite to each other. For example, the first locking direction SI is clockwise and the second locking direction S2 is counterclockwise.
[0059] For this purpose, the locking orifices 50 of the second locking device 44 correspond for example to a 180° rotation of the locking orifices of the first locking device 36.
[0060] Advantageously, and in particular in the case where the locking directions are opposite to each other, the interface part 18 comprises an anti-rotation system 52 configured to block the interface part 18 in rotation relative to the filling gun 16 once the interface part 18 is removably fixed to the filling gun 16.
[0061] As illustrated in [Fig. 2], the anti-rotation system 52 comprises for example a sheet with a U-shaped section capable of sliding on the interface tube 40 and coming against the end of the interface part 18 removably fixed to the filling gun 16, and more particularly against the corresponding collar 42 in order to block the rotation of the interface part 18 relative to the filling gun 16.
[0062] The interface part 18 is advantageously metallic and preferably made of stainless steel.
[0063] A method of filling the second reservoir 14 with sand will now be described.
[0064] First, an assembly 10 as previously described is provided.
[0065] The interface part 18 is first put in place on the filling gun 16, by threading it onto the tube 34 of the filling gun 16.
[0066] The interface part 18 is then removably fixed to the filling gun 16, and more particularly by locking the first locking device 36 of the filling gun 16 with the first locking interface 26 of the interface part 18.
[0067] In particular, the locking lugs 46 of the first locking interface 26 of the interface part 18 are inserted into the locking orifices of the first locking device 36 of the filling gun 16 and are brought into the locking notches 47 by rotation in the first locking direction SL
[0068] Advantageously, the anti-rotation system 52 is then slid onto the interface tube 40 of the interface part 18 until it comes against the collar 42 close to the filling gun 16, so as to block the rotation of the interface part 18 relative to the filling gun 16.
[0069] The filling gun 16, and more particularly the part of the tube 34 of the filling gun 16 not covered by the interface part 18, is then placed in the second sand reservoir 14, and in particular in the filling orifice 24 of the second sand reservoir 14.
[0070] If necessary, the tube 34 of the filling gun 16 enters the second sand tank 14 via the filling tube 28 of the second sand tank 14.
[0071] Advantageously, a free end 54 of the tube 34 of the filling gun 16 opposite the base 32 protrudes into the filling volume 22 of the second sand reservoir 14 outside the filling tube 28, while leaving sufficient space between said free end 54 and the walls 20 of the second sand reservoir 14 for filling the latter.
[0072] The filling gun 16 provided with the interface part 18 is then locked onto the second sand tank 14, more particularly by locking the second locking device 44 of the interface part 18 with the second locking interface 38 of the second sand tank 14.
[0073] In particular, the locking lugs 49 of the second locking interface 38 are inserted into the locking orifices 50 of the second locking device 44 of the interface part 18 and are brought into the locking notches 48 by rotation in the second locking direction S2.
[0074] Advantageously, during rotation in the second locking direction S2 of the interface part 18 mounted on the filling gun 16, the interface part 18 remains fixed relative to the filling gun 16, in particular thanks to the anti-rotation system 52.
[0075] Such an interface part 18 makes it possible to adapt a filling gun 16 to different sand tanks, in particular with different locking interfaces.
[0076] Indeed, the interface part 18 fixed on the filling gun 16 configured to cooperate with a first locking interface 24 allows the locking of the filling gun 16 on a second locking interface 38 different from the first locking interface 24.
[0077] Furthermore, the placement of the interface piece 18 on the tube 34 of the filling gun 16 makes it possible to reduce the length inserted into the second sand reservoir 14, which is particularly advantageous in the case where the tube 34 of the filling gun 16 is too long for complete insertion into the second reservoir 14.
[0078] Such an interface part 18 thus makes it possible to reduce the number of filling guns 16 required in the case of a fleet of railway vehicles comprising several types of sand tanks, which has an economic advantage.
[0079] The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments and variants described above and shown in the drawings.
[0080] For example, in the exemplary embodiment described, the first locking device 36 comprises at least one locking notch 47 and the first locking interface 26 comprises at least one corresponding locking lug 46.
[0081] Alternatively, the first locking device 36 comprises at least one locking lug and the first locking interface 26 comprises at least one corresponding locking notch.
[0082] In the exemplary embodiment described, the second locking device 44 comprises at least one locking notch 48 and the second locking interface 36 comprises at least one corresponding locking lug 49.
[0083] Alternatively, the second locking device 44 comprises at least one locking lug and the second locking interface 38 comprises at least one locking notch.
Claims
Claims
1. Interface piece (18) for a filling gun (16) for sand tanks (12, 14) of railway vehicles, the filling gun (16) comprising a first locking device (36) configured to cooperate with a first locking interface (26) of a first sand tank (12) for the removable attachment of the filling gun (16) to the first sand tank (12) when filling the latter, the interface piece (18) having a said first locking interface (26) for the removable attachment of the interface piece (18) to the filling gun (16) via the first locking device (36) and a second locking device (44) configured to cooperate with a second locking interface (38) different from the first locking interface (26),so as to allow the removable attachment of the filling gun (16) provided with the interface part (18) to a second sand tank (14) provided with a said second locking interface (38), in which: - the first locking device (36) is configured for locking on the first interface (26) by a translation along a first locking axis followed by a rotation around said first locking axis, and / or - the second locking device (44) is configured for locking on the second locking interface (38) by a translation along a second locking axis followed by a rotation around said second locking axis.,
2. An interface piece according to claim 1, wherein the interface piece (18) comprises an interface tube (40) for being threaded onto the filling gun (16), the first interface (26) being located at one end of the interface tube (40) and the second locking device (44) being fixed to another end of the interface tube (40).
3. An interface part according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the first locking axis coincides with the second locking axis.
4. Interface part according to one of the preceding claims, in which the first locking device (36) is capable of being locked by rotation in a first locking direction (SI) and the second locking device (44) is capable of being locked by rotation in a second locking direction (S2), the first locking direction (SI) and the second locking direction (S2) being opposite each other.
5. An interface part according to one of the preceding claims, comprising an anti-rotation system (52) configured to block the interface part (18) from rotating relative to the filling gun (16) once the interface part (18) is removably attached to the filling gun (16).
6. Assembly (10) comprising: - a first sand tank (12) comprising a first locking interface (26), - a second sand tank (14) comprising a second locking interface (38); - a filling gun (16) comprising a first locking device (36); and - an interface part (18) according to any one of the preceding claims.
7. Method for filling a sand tank comprising the following steps: - providing an assembly (10) according to claim 6, - placing the interface part (18) on the filling gun (16), and - locking the filling gun (16) provided with the interface part (18) on the second tank (14).