Actuation device for a railway system and railway vehicle equipped with such a system and such an actuation device

Abstract

Title: Actuation device for a railway system and railway vehicle equipped with such a system and such an actuation device. The invention relates to an actuation device comprising an actuation mechanism configured to allow and / or prevent fluidic energy communication to activate and / or deactivate a specific function of a railway system, depending on a configuration of the device, a drive handle mechanically attached to the actuation mechanism and configured to be driven in rotation between a first position in which the device admits a first configuration for activating the function, and a second position in which the device admits a second configuration for deactivating the function, with the actuation mechanism being driven in rotation when the handle is driven in rotation.an electric drive motor configured to rotate the actuating mechanism and the handle, and a clutch and disengagement mechanism mechanically attached to the motor and the handle, the clutch and disengagement mechanism admitting a stable engaged configuration in which, when the motor is running, the actuating mechanism is actuated and the handle is rotated, and a disengaged configuration in which the handle is rotated to actuate the actuating mechanism and the motor is at rest.

Description

Title of the invention: Actuation device for a railway system and railway vehicle equipped with such a system and such an actuation device. TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an actuation device for a railway system, for example for braking a railway vehicle with brakes having at least one lining or at least one shoe.

[0002] The invention further relates to a railway installation comprising at least one such railway system and at least one such actuation device configured to actuate the railway system.

[0003] The invention also relates to a railway vehicle comprising such an installation. STATE OF THE ART

[0004] Rail vehicles with lining or shoe brakes may be provided with a railway installation comprising one or more railway braking systems having a brake linkage configured to act on at least one braking element of the rail vehicle via linings or shoes, and which are configured to perform several braking functions, including in particular a service brake function and / or an emergency brake function, and also a parking brake function; as well as a power routing network interconnected to the railway braking systems and configured to supply them to activate and / or deactivate at least some of these braking functions.

[0005] The various braking functions can be activated and / or deactivated, for example, pneumatically, and / or hydraulically, and / or electrically, and / or manually.

[0006] To activate, deactivate or isolate these different functions, the railway installation can be provided with a plurality of valves forming actuation devices configured to admit an activation configuration in which the function is activated and a deactivation configuration in which the function is deactivated, or isolated.

[0007] For example, such a tap has a body, a mechanism housed in the body and, projecting from the body and mechanically attached to the mechanism, a movable handle between a first position to put the tap in its activation configuration and a second position to put the tap in its deactivation configuration.

[0008] Depending on the position of the handle, the valve mechanism can be configured to connect or not connect a power source and the railway system in fluidic communication.

[0009] Alternatively, the valve mechanism can be configured to isolate the power source and drain the railway system. Description of the invention

[0010] The present invention relates to a railway system actuation device that is particularly efficient while remaining convenient and economical

[0011] The invention thus relates, according to a first aspect, to an actuation device for a railway system, comprising an actuation mechanism configured to allow and / or prohibit the communication of fluidic energy from the actuation device to the railway system in order to activate and / or deactivate a determined function of the railway system, depending on a configuration of the actuation device, a drive handle mechanically attached to the actuation mechanism and configured to be driven in rotation between a first position in which the actuation device admits a first configuration of activation of the determined function of the railway system, and a second position in which the actuation device admits a second configuration of deactivation of the determined function of the railway system,with the actuating mechanism which is driven in rotation when the drive handle is driven in rotation, an electric drive motor configured to drive in rotation the actuating mechanism and the drive handle, and a clutch and disengagement mechanism mechanically bound to the electric drive motor and the drive handle, the clutch and disengagement mechanism admitting a stable engaged configuration in which, when the electric drive motor is running, the actuating mechanism is actuated and the drive handle is driven in rotation, and a disengaged configuration when the drive handle is driven in rotation to actuate the actuating mechanism and the electric drive motor is at rest.

[0012] In the actuation device according to the invention, it is thus possible to activate and / or deactivate the determined function of the railway system both by a manual action directly on the drive handle, and by an electrical action, for example at a distance from the actuation device.

[0013] Furthermore, in the actuation device according to the invention, while a manual action directly on the drive handle is directly visible since the handle changes position, this is also the case during an actuation of the mechanism actuation via the electric drive motor since the handle also changes position.

[0014] In particular, the clutch and disengagement mechanism is configured here so that the electric drive motor, when powered and therefore in operation, allows the actuating mechanism and the drive handle to be operated, while the drive handle, when driven in rotation and the electric drive motor is not powered and therefore at rest, allows the actuating mechanism to be operated without being prevented from doing so by a torque exerted by the electric drive motor.

[0015] Preferred, simple, convenient and economical characteristics of the actuation device according to the invention are presented below.

[0016] The clutch and disengagement mechanism includes a free wheel mechanically attached to the actuation mechanism, a toothed wheel mechanically attached on one side to the electric drive motor and on the other side to the free wheel in the stable engaged configuration of the clutch and disengagement mechanism, and at least one drive element projecting from the free wheel and in mechanical cooperation with the drive handle.

[0017] The clutch and disengagement mechanism includes a disengagement ring having at least one orifice in which at least one drive member is at least partially received.

[0018] At least one orifice of the disengagement ring has a determined diameter so that at least one drive member is mounted with a clearance in at least one orifice, formed by a first determined distance.

[0019] The clutch and disengagement mechanism comprises an assembly consisting of a first interface roller, a second interface roller and at least one spring member configured to exert the first interface roller and the second interface roller against the toothed wheel and / or against the free wheel, so as to allow the free wheel to be actuation by the toothed wheel.

[0020] The free wheel has a contour and a protrusion formed in projection from its contour which forms a seat for at least one spring member, with the first interface roller and the second interface roller which are sandwiched between the contour of the free wheel and an inner face of the toothed wheel in the stable engaged configuration of the clutch and disengagement mechanism.

[0021] The clutch and disengagement mechanism comprises a disengagement ring configured to be rotated by the drive handle and provided with a first disengagement rod and a second disengagement rod configured to act respectively on the first interface roller and on the second interface roller against at least one spring member, depending on a direction of rotation of the drive handle, so as to move the first interface roller or the second interface roller away from the toothed wheel and / or the free wheel, to disengage the free wheel from the toothed wheel and thus put the clutch and disengagement mechanism into its disengaged configuration.

[0022] The clutch and disengagement mechanism is configured so that the first disengagement rod, respectively the second disengagement rod, is located at a second determined distance from the first interface roller, respectively from the second interface roller, in the stable engaged configuration of the clutch and disengagement mechanism.

[0023] The second determined distance is less than the first determined distance.

[0024] The drive handle is mechanically secured with the clutch release ring of the clutch and disengagement mechanism.

[0025] Alternatively, the drive handle and the disengagement ring are formed in one piece.

[0026] The electric drive motor is provided with a micro-reducer element and a worm gear coupled to the toothed wheel.

[0027] The actuation device comprises a housing in which the actuation mechanism is at least partially housed and from which the drive handle protrudes.

[0028] The electric drive motor and / or the clutch and disengagement mechanism are attached to the housing.

[0029] Alternatively, the electric drive motor and / or the clutch and disengagement mechanism are at least partially housed in the casing.

[0030]

[0031] The housing of the actuation device has several fluidic communication channels and the actuation mechanism is provided with a communication element which is movable to allow and / or prohibit the communication of fluidic energy between these channels to activate and / or deactivate a determined function of the railway system.

[0032] The actuation device includes one or more switches configured to detect when the drive handle is in at least one of its first and second positions.

[0033] The actuation device includes a control box for the electric drive motor.

[0034] The invention also relates, according to a second aspect, to a railway installation comprising at least one railway system and at least one actuation device as described above and configured to activate and / or deactivate a function determined by the railway system, depending on a configuration of the actuation device.

[0035] For example, the railway system may be a railway braking system for a railway vehicle with brakes having at least one lining or at least one shoe, comprising a brake linkage configured to act on at least one braking element of the railway vehicle through at least one lining or at least one shoe, and the determined function is a service braking function, emergency braking, parking braking and / or parking hand braking function.

[0036] The invention also relates, according to a third aspect, to a railway vehicle comprising an installation such as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0037] The invention, according to an exemplary embodiment, will be well understood and its advantages will become more apparent upon reading the detailed description that follows, given by way of example and in no way limiting, with reference to the attached drawings.

[0038] Fig. 1 represents very schematically a railway vehicle comprising a railway installation equipped with a railway braking system and actuation devices configured to actuate the braking system.

[0039] Fig. 2 is an isolated perspective view of one of the actuation devices of Fig. 1.

[0040] Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 are similar to Fig. 2, showing the partially exploded actuation device, and in particular a housing in which is housed an actuation mechanism, a clutch and disengagement mechanism, an electric drive motor and a drive handle.

[0041] Fig. 5 is a partial front view of Fig. 4, showing in particular part of the actuation device without the drive handle.

[0042] [Fig.6] is a front sectional view marked VLVI on [Fig.2].

[0043] Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing in particular the cooperation of the clutch and disengagement mechanism with elements of the drive handle.

[0044] Fig. 8 is a longitudinal median sectional view labeled VIII-VIII on Fig. 2.

[0045] [Fig.9] is a median cross-sectional view marked IX-IX on [Fig.2]. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] Figure 1 schematically represents a railway vehicle 1 with shoe or lining brakes, equipped with a railway braking system 2 comprising, in particular, a railway braking system 3 and a plurality of devices actuation devices 4 configured to activate and / or deactivate at least one specified function of the railway braking system 3, according to a configuration of each respective actuation device 4, and a control and power supply module 5 connected at least to the actuation devices 4 and the railway braking system 3.

[0047] In particular, in the illustrated example, the railway braking system 3 may include a brake linkage configured to act on at least one braking element of the railway vehicle 1 via at least one lining or at least one shoe, and the function determined to be activated and / or deactivated is a service braking, emergency braking, parking braking and / or parking handbrake function.

[0048] In addition, the control and power supply module 5 can be configured to supply each of the actuation devices 4 and the railway braking system 3 with electrical energy and fluidic energy such as pneumatic or hydraulic.

[0049] In one embodiment, the railway vehicle 1 may comprise several cars on each of which are installed one or more brake cylinders (not shown) configured to implement the function(s) determined from among service braking, emergency braking, parking braking and / or parking hand braking.

[0050] Thus, each actuation device 4 can, for example, be associated with a brake cylinder, or several brake cylinders, to activate and / or deactivate the determined function.

[0051] Figures 2 to 9 show one of the actuation devices 4 of the [Fig. 1].

[0052] The actuation device 4 includes a housing 10 in which is housed an actuation mechanism 11 configured to allow and / or prohibit fluidic energy communication from the actuation device 4 to the railway braking system to activate and / or deactivate the determined function.

[0053] The actuation device 4 further comprises a drive handle 12 mounted projecting from the housing 10, mechanically secured to the actuation mechanism 11, and configured to be driven in rotation between a first position in which the actuation device 4 admits a first activation configuration of the determined function, and a second position in which the actuation device 4 admits a second deactivation configuration of the determined function of the railway system.

[0054] Thus, the actuation mechanism 11 is driven in rotation when the drive handle 12 is driven in rotation.

[0055] The actuation device 4 also includes an electric drive motor 13 configured to drive the actuation mechanism 11 and the drive handle 12 in rotation.

[0056] The electric drive motor 13 is shown here on the housing 10.

[0057] The actuation device 4 also includes a clutch and disengagement mechanism 14 mechanically attached to the electric drive motor 13 and the drive handle 12.

[0058] The clutch and disengagement mechanism 14 is, in the illustrated example, attached to the housing 10.

[0059] The clutch and disengagement mechanism 14 is configured to admit a stable engaged configuration in which, when the electric drive motor 13 is in operation, the actuating mechanism 11 is actuated and the drive handle 12 is driven in rotation, and a disengaged configuration when the drive handle 12 is driven in rotation to actuate the actuating mechanism 11 and the electric drive motor 12 is at rest.

[0060] The actuation device 4 further includes a control box 15 in particular of the electric drive motor 13.

[0061] The control box 15 is provided here with a control module 16 attached to the box 10 and on which is installed a connection plug 17 which is electrically connected to the control module 16 and to the electric drive motor 13.

[0062] As illustrated in particular on [Fig.3], the drive handle 12 is provided with a base portion 20 and a gripping portion 21 projecting from the base portion 20.

[0063] The base portion 20 has several fixing holes 22.

[0064] The clutch and disengagement mechanism 14 includes a disengagement ring 30 having a central hole 31, several additional fixing holes 32, several orifices 33, called drive orifices, and several disengagement rods 34, called first disengagement rod and second disengagement rod, extending in projection opposite the drive handle 12.

[0065] In the illustrated example, the drive handle 12 is mechanically secured to the release ring 30 by means of fasteners (not shown), such as screws, inserted into the fixing holes 22 of the base 20 and the additional fixing holes 32 of the release ring 30.

[0066] Thus, the disengagement ring 30 is configured to be driven in rotation by the drive handle 12, and vice versa.

[0067] As illustrated in particular on [Fig.4], the clutch and disengagement mechanism 14 includes a body 50 attached to the housing 10 and which partially covers the electric drive motor 13 and the actuation mechanism 11.

[0068] It should be noted that the actuation mechanism 11 includes in particular an actuation shaft 40 (visible in particular in figures 5 and 6) on which is mounted a sleeve 41, or flywheel.

[0069] As illustrated in particular in figures 4 to 6, the clutch and disengagement mechanism 14 also includes a free wheel 51 mechanically secured to the actuation mechanism 11, for example here by means of a pin cooperation 43 which passes through the actuation shaft 40 and the sleeve 41 and which fits into a notch 44 provided in the free wheel 51.

[0070] The clutch and disengagement mechanism 14 also includes drive elements 52 projecting from the free wheel 51 and in mechanical cooperation with the drive handle 12.

[0071] In particular, the drive members 52 are configured to be at least partially received in the drive ports 33.

[0072] The clutch and disengagement mechanism 14 further includes a toothed wheel 53 mechanically secured on one side to the electric drive motor 13 and on the other side to the free wheel 51 in the stable engaged configuration of the clutch and disengagement mechanism 14.

[0073] The clutch and disengagement mechanism also includes an assembly consisting of a first interface roller 54, a second interface roller 55 and at least one spring member 56 configured to press the first interface roller 54 and the second interface roller 55 against the toothed wheel 53, so as to allow the free wheel 51 to be actuation by the toothed wheel 53.

[0074] In particular, the free wheel 51 here has a contour 57 and a protuberance 58 formed in projection from its contour 57 and which forms a seat for the spring member 56.

[0075] The first interface roller 54 and the second interface roller 55 are thus interposed and sandwiched between the contour 57 of the free wheel 51 and an inner face 59 of the toothed wheel 53 in the stable engaged configuration of the clutch and disengagement mechanism 14.

[0076] In addition, the electric drive motor 13 is provided with a micro-reducer element 60 and a worm gear 61 coupled on one side to the micro-reducer element 60 and on the other side to an external face 62 of the toothed wheel 53.

[0077] As illustrated in particular in [Fig. 7], the first and second release rods 34 are configured to act respectively on the first interface roller 54 and on the second interface roller 55 against the spring member 56, depending on a direction of rotation of the drive handle, so as to disengage the first interface roller 54 or second interface roller 55 of the toothed wheel 53 and / or the free wheel 51, to disengage the free wheel 51 from the toothed wheel 53 and thus put the clutch and disengagement mechanism 14 in its disengaged configuration.

[0078] The clutch and disengagement mechanism 14 is therefore configured here so that the electric drive motor 13, when powered and therefore in operation, allows the actuating mechanism 11 and the drive handle 12 to be operated, while the drive handle 12, when driven in rotation and the electric drive motor 13 is not powered and therefore at rest, allows the actuating mechanism 11 to be operated without being prevented from doing so by a torque exerted by the electric drive motor 13.

[0079] In addition, the orifices 33 of the disengagement ring here have a determined diameter so that the drive members 52 are mounted with a clearance in the respective orifices 33, which clearance is formed by a first determined distance, noted D on the [Fig.7].

[0080] Moreover, the clutch and disengagement mechanism 14 is configured so that each of the first and second disengagement rods 34 is located at a second determined distance, denoted d, respectively from the first interface roller 54 and the second interface roller 55, in the stable engaged configuration of the clutch and disengagement mechanism 14.

[0081] In the illustrated example, the second determined distance d is less than the first determined distance D.

[0082] Thus, the actuation of the drive handle first drives the first and second disengagement rods 34 which act on the first interface roller 54 or on the second interface roller 55 depending on the direction of rotation of the drive handle, and only then the free wheel 51 via the drive members 52.

[0083] It will be noted that as soon as one of the first interface roller 54 or the second interface roller 55 is moved away from the inner face 59 of the toothed wheel 53, or from the contour 57 of the free wheel 51, the other of the second interface roller 55 and the first interface roller 54 can be automatically moved away from the inner face 59 of the toothed wheel 53, or from the contour 57 of the free wheel 51, to disengage the free wheel 51 from the toothed wheel 53.

[0084] Conversely, as soon as the drive handle is released, the spring member 56 returns the first interface roller 54 and the second interface roller 55 against the inner face 59 of the toothed wheel 53.

[0085] As illustrated in particular in Figures 8 and 9, the actuation mechanism 11 comprises, in addition to the actuating shaft 40 and the sleeve 41 mounted on this actuating shaft 40 for its rotational drive, also by the handle drive 12 than by the electric drive motor 13, a communication device 45 formed here by a sphere housed in the casing 10 and which is actuated by the actuating shaft 40.

[0086] The housing 10 further comprises several fluidic communication channels 46 and the communication member 45 is movable and has routing ports (not shown) to allow and / or prohibit the communication of fluidic energy between the channels 46 to activate and / or deactivate the determined function.

[0087] The actuation device 4 also includes one or more switches 47 configured to detect when the drive handle 12 is in at least one of its first and second positions, by means of dedicated push-button mechanisms 48 actuated, for example, by lateral ends of the sleeve 4L

[0088] In the actuation device 4 described above, it is therefore possible to activate and / or deactivate the determined function of the railway system both by a manual action directly on the drive handle 12, and by an electrical action, for example remotely from the actuation device 4.

[0089] Furthermore, in the actuation device 4, while a manual action directly on the drive handle 12 is directly visible since the handle changes position, this is also the case when the actuation mechanism 11 is actuation via the electric drive motor 13 since the drive handle 12 also changes position.

[0090] The actuation device 4 can therefore also provide information on the actual position of the drive handle 12.

[0091] Variants not illustrated are described below.

[0092] The drive handle and the disengagement ring are formed in one piece.

[0093] The electric drive motor and / or the clutch and disengagement mechanism are at least partially housed in the casing.

[0094] The railway system is formed by an air conditioning system and the function determined to activate and / or deactivate is an air conditioning function.

[0095] The railway system is formed by a pantograph system and the function determined to activate and / or deactivate is a pantograph movement function.

[0096] The railway vehicle may have lining brakes rather than shoe brakes, with the linings acting on braking elements formed by brake discs rather than on the wheels.

[0097] More generally, the invention is not limited to the examples described and represented.

Claims

1.

2. Demands A railway system actuation device, comprising an actuation mechanism (11) configured to permit and / or prohibit fluidic energy communication from the actuation device (4) to the railway system (3) to activate and / or deactivate a specified function of the railway system, depending on a configuration of the actuation device, a drive handle (12) mechanically bound to the actuation mechanism and configured to be driven in rotation between a first position in which the actuation device admits a first activation configuration of the specified function of the railway system, and a second position in which the actuation device admits a second deactivation configuration of the specified function of the railway system, with the actuation mechanism being driven in rotation when the drive handle is driven in rotation,an electric drive motor (13) configured to rotate the actuating mechanism and the drive handle, and a clutch and disengagement mechanism (14) mechanically attached to the electric drive motor and the drive handle, the clutch and disengagement mechanism admitting a stable engaged configuration in which, when the electric drive motor is operating, the actuating mechanism is actuated and the drive handle is rotated, and a disengaged configuration when the drive handle is rotated to actuate the actuating mechanism and the electric drive motor is at rest. Actuation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the clutch and disengagement mechanism (14) comprises a free wheel (51) mechanically attached to the actuation mechanism (11), a toothed wheel (53) mechanically attached on the one hand to the electric drive motor (13) and on the other hand to the free wheel in the stable engaged configuration of the clutch and disengagement mechanism, and at least one drive member (52) projecting from the free wheel and in mechanical cooperation with the drive handle (12).

3. Actuation device according to claim 2, characterized in that the clutch and disengagement mechanism (14) comprises a disengagement ring (30) provided with at least one orifice (33) in which at least one drive member (52) is at least partially received.

4. Actuating device according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one orifice (33) of the disengagement ring (30) has a determined diameter such that at least one drive member (52) is mounted with a clearance in at least one orifice, formed by a first determined distance (D).

5. An actuation device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the clutch and disengagement mechanism (14) comprises an assembly consisting of a first interface roller (54), a second interface roller (55) and at least one spring member (56) configured to press the first interface roller and the second interface roller against the toothed wheel (53) and / or against the free wheel, so as to allow the free wheel (51) to be actuation by the toothed wheel.

6. Actuation device according to claim 5, characterized in that the free wheel (51) has a contour (57) and a protrusion (58) formed in projection from its contour and which forms a seat for at least one spring member (56), with the first interface roller (54) and the second interface roller (55) which are sandwiched between the contour of the free wheel and an inner face (59) of the toothed wheel (53) in the stable engaged configuration of the clutch and disengagement mechanism (14).

7. An actuation device according to claim 6, characterized in that the clutch and disengagement mechanism (14) comprises a disengagement ring (30) configured to be rotated by the drive handle (12) and provided with a first disengagement rod and a second disengagement rod (34) configured to act respectively on the first interface roller (54) and the second interface roller (55) against at least one spring member (56), depending on a direction of rotation of the drive handle, so as to move the first interface roller or the second interface roller away from the gear (53) and / or the freewheel (51), to disengage the freewheel from the gear and thus engage the clutch and disengagement mechanism in its disengaged configuration.

8. Actuation device according to claim 7, characterized in that the clutch and disengagement mechanism (14) is configured such that the first disengagement rod, respectively the second disengagement rod, is located at a second determined distance (d) from the first interface roller, respectively from the second interface roller, in the stable engaged configuration of the clutch and disengagement mechanism.

9. Actuating device according to claims 4 and 8, characterized in that the second determined distance (d) is less than the first determined distance (D).

10. Actuating device according to any one of claims 3 and 7, characterized in that the drive handle (12) is mechanically secured with the release ring (30), or the drive handle and the release ring are formed in one piece.

11. Actuation device according to claim 2, characterized in that the electric drive motor (13) is provided with a micro-reducer element (60) and a worm gear (61) coupled to the micro-reducer and the toothed wheel (53).

12. An actuation device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising a housing (10) in which the actuation mechanism (11) is at least partially housed and from which the drive handle (12) protrudes, with the electric drive motor (13) and / or the clutch and disengagement mechanism (14) being attached to the housing, or at least partially housed in the housing.

13. Railway installation comprising at least one railway system (3) and at least one actuation device (4) according to any one of claims 1 to 12 and configured to activate and / or deactivate a specified function of the railway system, depending on a configuration of the actuation device.

14. A railway installation according to claim 13, wherein the railway system is a railway braking system for a railway vehicle with brakes having at least one lining or at least one shoe, comprising a brake linkage configured to act on at least one braking element of the railway vehicle 14 through at least one lining or at least one sole, and the determined function is a service braking, emergency braking, parking braking and / or parking handbrake function.

15. Rail vehicle comprising a rail installation (2) according to one of claims 13 and 14.