Tamping machine for tamping sleepers of a track set in a ballast bed and method for operating said tamping machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a tamping machine (1) for tamping sleepers (6) of a track (5) set in a ballast bed (8), comprising a machine frame (13) supported on rail bogies (4), comprising a lifting and aligning unit (14), comprising a reference system (24) for track position correction, and comprising two tamping assemblies (17, 18) arranged directly one behind the other on the machine frame (13), each having tamping tools (30) which are mounted on height-adjustable tool carriers (34), can be squeezed towards one another by squeezing drives (44) and have tamping tines (43) for penetrating the ballast bed (8), wherein one of the tamping assemblies is designed as a switch tamping assembly (17) with laterally upwardly pivotable tamping tines (43). The switch tamping assembly (17) is arranged such that it can rotate relative to the machine frame (13) about a vertical axis (20) by means of a rotary device (19), wherein the further tamping assembly (18) is arranged such that it can be moved relative to the switch tamping unit (17) in the machine longitudinal direction (22) by a shifting device (21). In this way, multiple operating modes can be implemented for efficient use of the tamping machine (1) in a track region and in a switch region.

Description

[0001] Tamping machine and method for tamping sleepers of a track laid in a ballast bed

[0002] The invention relates to a tamping machine for tamping sleepers of a track bed embedded in ballast, comprising a machine frame supported on rail bogies, a lifting and aligning unit, a reference system for track alignment correction, and two tamping units arranged directly one behind the other on the machine frame. Each tamping unit has tamping tools with tamping picks for penetrating the ballast bed, mounted on height-adjustable tool carriers and adjustable relative to each other by auxiliary drives. One of the tamping units is designed as a turnout tamping unit with tamping picks that can be pivoted upwards laterally. The invention also relates to a method for operating the corresponding tamping machine.

[0003] To correct track alignment, ballasted tracks are regularly tamped using a tamping machine. The tamping machine travels along the track and raises the track bed, consisting of sleepers and rails, to a target level using a lifting and leveling unit. The new track alignment is then fixed by tamping under the sleepers with a tamping unit. This unit comprises tamping tools with tamping picks, which, during the tamping process, are vibrated as they penetrate the ballast bed and are aligned with each other. This process pushes the ballast under each sleeper and compacts it.

[0004] Tamping work in turnouts requires a turnout tamping unit, which includes tamping picks that can be pivoted upwards to the side. At tamping points with limited clearance due to turnout elements or other obstructions, individual tamping picks are pivoted upwards so that the remaining picks can penetrate the ballast bed in the available spaces. EP 0 784 121 Al of fenbart is a tamping machine with such a turnout tamping unit mounted on its machine frame. Immediately behind it is another tamping unit. This second unit is optimized for processing track sections. Only the turnout tamping unit is used in a turnout. A track section is preferably processed with the second unit, while the turnout tamping unit remains in its rest position. In the case of obstructions in the track, the turnout tamping unit, with the tamping picks pivoted upwards if necessary, is also used on the track section.In such a case, the other stuffing unit remains in its rest position.

[0005] The invention is based on the objective of improving a tamping machine of the type mentioned above in such a way as to enable higher tamping performance on track sections and more efficient processing of turnouts. Furthermore, it is an objective of the invention to provide a method for operating such a tamping machine.

[0006] These problems are solved by the features of independent claims 1 and 9. Dependent claims specify advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0007] According to the invention, the turnout tamping unit is rotatably arranged about a vertical axis relative to the machine frame by means of a rotary device, while the additional tamping unit is arranged to be displaceable relative to the turnout tamping unit in the longitudinal direction of the machine by means of a sliding device. This allows for several operating modes. In track sections, the rotary device is in a neutral position, and the additional tamping unit is positioned close to the turnout tamping unit in the longitudinal direction of the machine. In this operating mode, both tamping units operate together in a multi-sleeper mode. All tamping picks simultaneously penetrate the ballast bed and completely tamp several sleepers in one tamping cycle. For the next tamping cycle, the tamping units move forward by several sleeper divisions.

[0008] At the beginning and end of a turnout section, processing also takes place in multi-sleeper mode. Between these points, the operating mode switches to single-sleeper mode. Here, the tamping units are moved forward by one sleeper pitch for the next tamping cycle. In this mode, the turnout tamping unit processes those sections of the turnout that require more degrees of freedom for positioning the tamping picks over the respective tamping points. This is the case, for example, near the frog of the turnout. In particular, the turnout tamping unit follows a diverging turnout track. The other tamping unit processes the remaining tamping points, which are primarily associated with a through main track of the turnout. A continuous work transition occurs: track-turnout-track.

[0009] Thus, the tamping machine according to the invention is designed for efficient operation in both track sections and turnout areas, with both tamping units being used simultaneously. This results in improved machine management and significantly simplified construction site planning. Compared to a previous universal tamping machine, the significantly higher efficiency is a key advantage. Compared to known specialized track and turnout tamping machines, the advantage is that two different machines do not need to travel to a construction site with turnouts and track sections at different times. These advantages are particularly important with increasingly shorter track closures. Furthermore, the operating personnel do not need to be trained on different machine types, which allows for flexible personnel deployment.

[0010] Advantageously, in a neutral position of the rotary device and in a close position of the shifting device, the two tamping units are positioned so close to each other that adjacent rows of tamping picks from both units can be lowered into a common sleeper compartment. Viewed in the direction of travel, these are the rearmost row of tamping picks from the front tamping unit and the foremost row of tamping picks from the rear tamping unit. A row of tamping picks consists of those tamping picks from a tamping unit that are arranged side by side in the transverse direction of the machine. This improvement enables uniform processing in multi-sleeper mode, without missing any sleepers. After each tamping cycle, the tamping units move forward by a consistent multiple of the sleeper spacing. This results in high tamping quality with a lasting correction of the track geometry.

[0011] For processing in a turnout area, it is advantageous if the maximum displacement of the displacement device between the near position and a remote position is large enough that, in the remote position, the adjacent rows of tamping picks of the two tamping units can be lowered into different sleeper bays. This provides, on the one hand, ample clearance for rotating the turnout tamping unit using the 5

[0012] A rotating device around the vertical axis is provided. On the other hand, the additional tamping unit remains operational because the distance to the turnout tamping unit, corresponding to the sleeper spacing, allows all tamping picks to be inserted simultaneously. Preferably, the additional tamping unit also includes laterally pivotable tamping picks so that obstacles in the track can be avoided during a tamping operation.

[0013] In a further improvement, the additional tamping unit is designed as a multi-sill tamping unit, specifically as a two-sill tamping unit. This allows the tamping machine to operate with both tamping units in at least a three-sill mode. This means the simultaneous and complete tamping of at least three sleepers in one tamping cycle.

[0014] Preferably, the further stuffing unit has four independently transversely displaceable and longitudinally displaceable elements in the machine transverse direction.

[0015] Tamping unit segments with separately lowerable tool carriers are mounted. In the track area, each rail is assigned an inner and an outer tamping unit segment for the respective tamping of the sleepers on an inner and an outer side of the respective rail. The shifting device consists of several shifting device segments, each assigned to a tamping unit segment. Thus, the additional tamping unit has the same degrees of freedom regarding positioning in the machine's transverse direction as the turnout tamping unit and can also be variably positioned in the machine's longitudinal direction. The turnout tamping unit is also in the so-called 24018

[0016] 6

[0017] Split-head design with four stuffing unit segments arranged in the transverse direction of the machine.

[0018] In a further improvement, the tamping unit features several tamping unit segments with separately lowerable tool carriers in the longitudinal direction of the machine. In this version, the tamping unit comprises rows of tamping tool pairs arranged one behind the other, which can be lowered separately into the ballast bed. This allows obstacles to be avoided during tamping operations in the main line or in turnouts by not lowering the tamping tools of the tamping unit segment positioned above an obstacle. Furthermore, a row of tamping tool pairs can be temporarily deactivated if uneven or unusually large sleeper spacing makes simultaneous operation of all tamping tool rows difficult or impossible.

[0019] Advantageously, a measuring axis for recording the track position relative to the reference system is arranged between the lifting and aligning unit and the tamping units, with a further measuring axis located in the area of ​​the tamping units. This increases the quality of the achieved track position correction in multi-sleeper mode. The second measuring axis is preferably located between the tamping tools of the tamping unit that is further away from the lifting and aligning device. In this way, the corrected track position is recorded with high quality throughout the entire tamping process.

[0020] Further advantages result from the fact that a control device is provided for the coordinated control of the rotary device and the sliding device, and that in particular 24018

[0021] 7. In the control unit, a displacement path of the displacement device is specified as a function of a rotation angle of the rotary device. For example, a corresponding algorithm and / or an assignment table is stored in the control unit. This coordinated control enables precise automatic alignment of the tamping units or tamping unit segments relative to each other.

[0022] In the inventive method for operating the described tamping machine, several sleepers are simultaneously and completely tamped in a track section, as well as in the beginning and end sections of a turnout, by the two tamping units positioned close to each other. In a central section of the turnout, the second tamping unit is moved relative to the turnout tamping unit by the shifting device, and the turnout tamping unit is aligned relative to an inclined sleeper by the rotating device. In this way, efficient tamping work is carried out in both the track section and the turnout section using both tamping units simultaneously. The simultaneous fixing of several sleepers in the newly compacted ballast bed results in a particularly durable track geometry.Preferably, in a tamping process using multi-sleeper mode, sleepers arranged directly next to each other are tamped, resulting in a very homogeneous compaction of the ballast bed.

[0023] In an advantageous further development of the method, the tamping unit segments of the second tamping unit, along with the shifting device segments and the rotary device, are controlled in a coordinated manner by means of a control unit. The displacement of the tamping unit segments of the second tamping unit relative to the turnout tamping unit is dependent on the rotary movement of the turnout tamping unit. Due to the rotary movement, the turnout tamping unit moves away from the second tamping unit on one side of the machine. On the other side of the machine, the turnout tamping unit moves towards the second tamping unit. Correspondingly, the tamping unit segments of the second tamping unit are moved towards or away from the turnout tamping unit by the associated shifting device segments. This enables particularly efficient tamping operations with high-quality results to be carried out in a turnout.Adjacent sleepers of a diverging and a through track of the turnout are tamped simultaneously, with the tamping units moving forward in single-sleeper mode. At narrow points in the turnout, tamping picks of the turnout tamping unit are swung upwards if necessary. The same applies to the other tamping unit if it is also equipped with swung-up tamping picks.

[0024] The invention is explained below by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures. These show, in schematic representation:

[0025] Fig. 1 Tamping machine on a track in a side view;

[0026] Fig. 2 Switch in a top view with packing points;

[0027] Fig. 3 Switch tamping unit with further tamping unit of a first variant in a side view;

[0028] Fig. 4 Switch tamping unit with a further tamping unit of a second variant in close-up position in a side view;

[0029] Fig. 5 Arrangement according to Fig. 4 in a central position of the further stuffing unit; 9

[0030] Fig. 6 Switch tamping unit in a front view.

[0031] The tamping machine 1 shown in Fig. 1 is designed for continuous operation. A tamping satellite 2 is arranged to be longitudinally displaceable relative to a main frame 3. The main frame 3 is supported on rail bogies 4 and moves continuously along a track 5 to be tamped during operation. The tamping satellite 2 is also supported on a rail bogie 4 and additionally on the main frame 3 and moves cyclically from sleeper 6 to sleeper 6. In a simpler embodiment without the tamping satellite 2, the entire tamping machine 1 moves cyclically forward during operation.

[0032] Track 5 comprises sections of track with sleepers 6, on which two rails 7 are fastened. Sleepers 6 and rails 7 form a track grid, which is supported in a ballast bed 8. Switches 9 are arranged between the track sections, which usually have a through main track 10 and a diverging track 11. A switch also includes a frog, wing rails, switch blades, guard rails, and various other switch elements and components. Continuous sleepers 12 connect the rails 7 of the main track 10 with the rails 7 of the diverging track 11.

[0033] A lifting and aligning unit 14 is arranged on a machine frame 13. For processing a turnout 9, an additional lifting unit 15 is provided on each side of the tamping machine 1 for lifting the diverging turnout track 11. Viewed in a working direction 16, a turnout tamping unit 17 and another tamping unit 18 are arranged behind the lifting and aligning unit 14. The turnout tamping unit 17 is attached to the 24018 via a rotary device 19.

[0034] 10

[0035] Machine frame 13 is attached. The rotating device 19 enables the entire switch tamping unit 17 to rotate about a vertical axis 20. The switch tamping unit 17 requires sufficient clearance for this rotation. This clearance is provided by a sliding device 21 of the additional tamping unit 18. This allows the additional tamping unit 18 to be displaced as a whole or in segments relative to the switch tamping unit 17 in the longitudinal direction 22 of the machine.

[0036] The tamping machine 1 has a measuring device 23 with a machine-integrated reference system 24. This reference system 24 comprises measuring chords 25 that are stretched between a front measuring axis 26 and a rear measuring axis 27. For example, the measuring axes 26, 27 are guided along the track 5 by means of flanged wheels and connected with steel chords. Alternatively, the measuring device 23 is configured with optical measuring chords 25, wherein the respective position of the measuring axes 26, 27 relative to the rails 7 of the track 5 is detected by optical measuring devices. A central measuring axis 28 is arranged between the lifting and aligning unit 14 and the tamping units 17, 18 and measures the current track position in this area relative to the common reference system 24.In the immediate vicinity of the tamping units 17, 18, a further measuring axis 29 is arranged, preferably between tamping tools 30 of the further tamping unit 18, which in the illustrated example is located further away from the lifting and aligning unit 14. The further measuring axis 29 is guided, for example, by guide rollers on the respective rail 7, without interfering with the actions of the further tamping unit 18. Thus, the track position correction effected by the lifting and aligning unit 14 and the tamping units 17, 18 can be determined at another point on the track 5. Result of this 24018.

[0037] An additional measurement is a high-quality correction of the track position by individual control of the tamping units 17, 18. In particular, the lifting force acting on the currently tamped sleeper 6, 12, which results from the compaction of the ballast below the sleeper 6, 12 by the tamping tools 30, is adjusted to the desired position of the track 5.

[0038] Figure 3 shows a first variant of the two tamping units 17 and 18. Here, the additional tamping unit 18 is designed as a two-sleeper tamping unit. Preferably, four tamping unit segments 32 are arranged in the transverse direction 31 of the machine. In this so-called split-head design, the tamping unit segments 32 are each assigned to an inner and an outer side of the two rails 7 in the track area. In a simpler embodiment, the additional tamping unit 18 comprises a tamping unit segment 32 for each side of the track, wherein each tamping unit segment 32 has tamping tools 30 for compacting the ballast bed 8 on the inner and outer sides of the assigned rail 7. Each tamping unit segment 32 comprises a tool carrier 34 mounted on vertical guides 33, which is height-adjustable by an associated height-adjusting drive 35.The vertical guides 33 of the respective stuffing unit segment 32 are attached in a unit frame 36.

[0039] The respective assembly frame 36 is displaceable in the longitudinal direction 22 of the machine via longitudinal guides 37 of the displacement device 21. Each assembly frame 36 is assigned to a displacement device segment 38 with its own longitudinal displacement drive 39. The respective displacement device segment 38 is moved relative to the machine via transverse guides 40 by an assigned transverse displacement drive 41.

[0040] 12 the machine frame 13 in the machine transverse direction 31. In this way, the tamping unit segments 32 of the further tamping unit 18 are designed to be independently of one another transversely and longitudinally displaceable relative to the machine frame 13.

[0041] In a variant not shown, the entire further tamping unit 18 is longitudinally displaceable relative to the machine frame 13 together with only a single longitudinal displacement drive 39. In this case, the common displacement device 21 is preferably arranged above the transverse guides 40.

[0042] In the two-sill tamping unit according to Fig. 3, all tamping tools 30 of a tamping unit segment 32 are arranged on a common tool carrier 34. Each tamping tool 30 comprises a pivoting lever, which is pivotably mounted on the tool carrier 34 and has a tamping pick holder 42 for tamping picks 43 on a lower lever arm. An upper lever arm is coupled to a vibratory drive 45 via an associated auxiliary drive 44. For example, the respective auxiliary drive 44 is mounted on an eccentric shaft of the vibratory drive 45 and connected to the associated pivoting lever on the other side. During operation, a rotation of the eccentric shaft is transmitted via the respective auxiliary drive 44 into an oscillating vibratory motion of the associated tamping tool 30.An additional activation of the auxiliary drive 44 causes the vibration movement to be superimposed with an ordering movement or a return movement of the associated tamping picks 43. In a variant not shown, a respective hydraulic cylinder serves as a combined auxiliary and vibration drive for generating both the auxiliary movement and the 24018.

[0043] 13

[0044] Vibration movement set up. A separate vibration drive 45 is not required in this case.

[0045] A second variant of the further stuffing unit 18 is shown in Figures 4 and 5. In this variant, a division also occurs in the longitudinal direction 22 of the machine.

[0046] Tamping unit segments 32, whose tool carriers 34, together with the tamping tools 30, are separately height-adjustable. Preferably, these individual tamping unit segments 32 are identical in design, thus enabling an efficient and economical construction of multi-sleeper tamping units. In particular, additional tamping unit segments 32 can be easily added during the design and construction of the further tamping unit 18. For example, the illustrated two-sleeper tamping unit can be extended to a three-sleeper tamping unit. A split-head design also allows for the under-tamping of Y-sleepers.

[0047] The tamping unit segments 32, each arranged one behind the other, are here arranged on a common displacement device segment 38. In a variant not shown, each of these

[0048] The tamping unit segments 32 are independently displaceable from one another by means of their own longitudinal displacement drive 39 relative to the switch tamping unit 17. In a further improvement (not shown), the tamping picks 43 of the additional tamping unit 18 are designed to pivot upwards laterally, as in the switch tamping unit 17.

[0049] The switch tamping unit 17 is shown identically in Figures 3-5. In the machine transverse direction 31, the switch tamping unit 17 is divided into four tamping unit segments 32 (Fig. 6). Each of these tamping unit segments 32 24018

[0050] 14 comprises an aggregate frame 36 with vertical guides 33, on which a tool carrier 34 with tamping tools 30 is guided. An associated height adjustment drive 35 enables the separate height adjustment of the tool carrier 34 together with the tamping tools 30. Here too, the tamping tools 30 are mounted as pivot levers on the tool carrier 34 and coupled via a respective auxiliary drive 44 to a vibration drive 45 arranged on the tool carrier 34.

[0051] To enable the adjacent rows of tamping picks of the two tamping units 17, 18 to plunge into a common ballast compartment 47 during a tamping operation, the tamping tools 30 of the turnout tamping unit 17 are arranged asymmetrically with respect to a vertical transverse plane 46. Preferably, despite the asymmetry, the two opposing pivot levers are designed with an approximately equal lever ratio. With the same force applied by the auxiliary drives 44 to the pivot levers, this results in a uniform pressure exerted on the ballast by the pick plates at the ends of the tamping picks. At the same time, the approximate lever ratios ensure a uniform load distribution on the turnout tamping unit 17, thereby increasing the service life of wear parts and the smooth running of the unit 17.

[0052] Each tamping tool 30 comprises two tamping picks 43 arranged side by side in the machine transverse direction 31. The tamping tools 30 of the switch tamping unit 17 facing the further tamping unit 18 have a slimmer shape with only one tamping pick 43 that can be pivoted upwards laterally. On the opposite side, both tamping picks 43 of the respective tamping tool 30 can be pivoted upwards separately. In addition, these tamping tools 30 are assigned longer auxiliary drives 44.

[0053] 15 so that larger opening widths of the opposing tamping picks 43 can be set for immersion into the ballast bed. For a larger opening width, the longer auxiliary drives 44 are retracted before the tamping tools 30 are lowered. This is necessary, for example, for tamping double sleepers.

[0054] For each pivotable tamping pick 43, the associated tamping pick holder 42 is arranged with a joint on the corresponding pivot lever. A respective pivot axis 48 is aligned in the longitudinal direction 22 of the machine. A pivot drive 49 connected to the respective tamping pick holder 42 is coupled to the upper lever arm of the associated pivot lever.

[0055] The two-sleeper tamping unit shown in Fig. 3 is also preferably constructed asymmetrically with respect to a vertical transverse plane 46. In particular, the outer tamping tools 30, viewed in the longitudinal direction 22 of the machine and facing the turnout tamping unit 17, are assigned shorter auxiliary drives 44 than the other outer tamping tools 30. These shorter auxiliary drives 44 allow the assigned tamping tools 30 to be positioned closer to the turnout tamping unit 17. The longer auxiliary drives 44 of the other outer tamping tools 30, on the other hand, allow the opening widths to be adjusted to a larger sleeper spacing t.

[0056] The inner tamping tools 30, which form a pair with the opposing outer tamping tools 30 for under-tamping a threshold 6, are preferably assigned auxiliary drives 44 of equal length. During an auxiliary movement, the auxiliary drives 44 shorten on these inner tamping tools 30. For example, in 24018

[0057] 16. The piston rod is retracted by an auxiliary drive 44 designed as a hydraulic cylinder. The other auxiliary drives 44 push the upper lever arms of the outer tamping tools 30 outwards to initiate an auxiliary movement.

[0058] According to the invention, the switch tamping unit 17 is connected to the machine frame 13 via the rotary device 19. The rotary device 19 comprises a guide unit 50, which is laterally displaceable on two crossbeams 52 of the machine frame 13 arranged one behind the other by means of a hydraulic displacement drive 51. A rotary unit 53 is rotatably coupled to the guide unit 50 about the vertical axis 20. The rotary unit 53 is supported on the guide unit 50 by sliding elements 54 and connected at one bottom to a support frame 55 (Fig. 6). A rotary drive 56 is designed as a hydraulic cylinder and is attached on one side to an upper surface of the rotary unit 53 and supported on the other side by a longitudinal beam of the guide unit 50.

[0059] A cover plate 57 of the support frame 55 is additionally supported by sliding elements 54 on longitudinal beams 58 of the machine frame 13. In this way, reaction forces when the tamping picks 43 penetrate a compacted ballast bed 8 are transferred directly to the machine frame 13, and the rotary device 19, together with the turnout tamping unit 17, is additionally supported. The cover plate 57 is framed below by side plates 59. The transverse guides 40 of the tamping unit segments 32 are clamped at their ends between the right and left side plates 59. This rigid structure ensures that the high forces acting on the turnout tamping unit 17 during a tamping operation are not dissipated.

[0060] 17 act, do not lead to any disturbing deformations of the supporting structure.

[0061] The working methods that can be carried out with the tamping machine 1 are described with reference to Fig. 2. The turnout 9 transitions on the right side of Fig. 2 into a section of the main track 10 and into a section of the diverging turnout track 11. The turnout end is usually characterized by the longest continuous sleeper 12. In the section of the main track 10, tamping points 60 are shown according to the preferred operating method. Each tamping point 60 is a location on the ballast surface where an associated tamping pick 43 is to penetrate the ballast bed 8. Here, both tamping units 17, 18 are operated in multi-sleeper mode. In an embodiment according to Figs. 3 or 4, three adjacent sleepers 6 are tamped simultaneously in one tamping operation.The additional tamping unit 18 is positioned close to the turnout tamping unit 17, and the rotary device 19 remains locked in a neutral position. If necessary, adjustments are made to accommodate different sleeper spacings t by a corresponding longitudinal displacement of the additional tamping unit 18 using the displacement device 21. In a track curve, both tamping units 17 and 18 are adjusted with respect to a track axis 61 using the associated lateral displacement devices 40, 41, 51, and 52. After a tamping operation, the tamping units 17 and 18 are moved forward by three sleeper spacings 3t. As an alternative to this three-sleeper mode, the tamping machine 1 can also be operated in two-sleeper or single-sleeper mode in the track section if required. Various operating methods may be advantageous at the turnout 9. At the turnout beginning and end, work is carried out in multi-sleeper mode as much as possible, similar to the track section.In the actual switch area, the additional tamping unit 18 is moved back so far that the necessary clearance is created for the movements of the switch tamping unit 17 with the rotary device 19. The machining is carried out in sleeper mode.

[0062] In one operating variant, only the switch tamping unit segments 32 are in use. The tool carriers 34 with the tamping tools 30 of the other tamping unit segments 32 are not lowered. By means of the rotary device 19, the position of the switch tamping unit 17 is adjusted to the inclination of the sleeper 6, 12 to be tamped. In the transverse direction 31 of the machine, the tamping unit segments 32 are guided along the respective track. The transverse displacement devices 40, 41, 51, 52 of the switch tamping unit 17 are designed so that the diverging switch track 11 can be processed as far as possible.

[0063] In another work variant, the

[0064] The tamping unit segments 32 of the further tamping unit 18 are automatically moved forwards or backwards according to a rotational position of the switch tamping unit 17. For this purpose, a corresponding algorithm is set up in a common control unit 62 and / or a table with control values ​​is stored. Based on the geometric and kinematic conditions, a predetermined rotation angle for the rotary device 19 for adapting the switch tamping unit 17 to a sloping sleeper 6, 12 results for each shifting device segment 38 19 in an adjustment path for controlling the associated longitudinal shifting drive 39.

[0065] Preferably, the tamping machine 1 includes a sensor device 63 for acquiring positional data of the track 5. This device records the position of the sleepers 6, 12 and rails 7, as well as any obstacles 64, with respect to a coordinate system xyz. Furthermore, the distance traveled s by the tamping machine 1 is recorded by means of a displacement sensor 65. The sensor device 63 includes, for example, a lidar system (light detection and ranging system) 66 for scanning the track surface and its surroundings, a color camera 67, and line-intersection sensors 68 directed at the rails 7. A sensor fusion algorithm is implemented in a processing unit 69. This algorithm calculates the positional data of the sleepers 6, 12 from the acquired sensor data. A corresponding method for determining the positional data of a turnout 9 is disclosed in AT 519739 A4.

[0066] Based on the recorded position data of the sleepers 6, 12, an evaluation unit integrated into or coupled to the computing unit 69 specifies tamping points 60 for the positioning of the tamping tools 30. Such predefined tamping points 60 are shown in Fig. 2 and are displayed, in particular, to an operator 70 on a screen 71, whereby adjustments can be made using control elements 72. Subsequently, setpoints for the control unit 62 are automatically derived for controlling the individual actuators 39, 41, 49, 51, 56. The current positions of the aggregate elements 36, 34, 30, 43 are recorded by means of position sensors and / or cameras 67. 24018

[0067] 20

[0068] The switch tamping unit 17 processes the diverging switch track 11 in single-sleeper mode with a cyclical forward movement by one sleeper pitch t. The other tamping unit 18 primarily processes the through main track 10, with the tamping tools 30 being lowered after every second forward movement. The split-head design also allows for alternating lowering on the inside and outside of each rail 7 after each forward movement. This enables several through sleepers 12 to be tamped in a single operation. In Fig. 2, corresponding tamping points 20 are shown in the area of ​​the switch frog. With this method, the entire switch 9 is tamped in one pass, at least up to the inner tamping point 60 of the longest through sleeper 12. Resetting the machine 1 is hardly necessary.This results in better tamping quality and a more stable track position, with an overall faster turnout preparation time compared to conventional methods.

[0069] In the case of a turnout 9 with larger sleeper inclinations, it is possible to shift the additional tamping unit 18 backwards by exactly one sleeper pitch t. This provides sufficient clearance for rotating the turnout tamping unit 17, and the additional tamping unit 18 remains operational.

Claims

21 Patent claims 1. Tamping machine (1) for tamping sleepers (6) of a track (5) which are stored in a ballast bed (8), with a machine frame (13) supported on rail bogies (4), with a lifting and aligning unit (14) , with a reference system (24) for track alignment correction and with two tamping units (17, 18) arranged directly one behind the other on the machine frame (13), each having tamping tools (30) with tamping picks (43) for plunging into the ballast bed (8) mounted on height-adjustable tool carriers (34) and adjustable to each other by means of auxiliary drives (44), wherein one of the tamping units is designed as a turnout tamping unit (17) with laterally pivotable tamping picks (43), characterized in that the turnout tamping unit (17) is rotatably arranged about a vertical axis (20) relative to the machine frame (13) by means of a rotating device (19) and that the further tamping unit (18) is arranged to be displaceable relative to the switch tamping unit (17) in the longitudinal direction (22) of the machine by means of a shifting device (21).

2. Tamping machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that in a neutral position of the rotary device (19) and in a close position of the displacement device (21) the two tamping units (17, 18) are positioned so close to each other that adjacent tamping pick rows of the two tamping units (17, 18) can be lowered into a common sill compartment (47).

3. Stuffing machine (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that a maximum displacement path of the displacement device (21) between the near position and 22 of a remote position is so large that the adjacent tamping pick rows of the two tamping assemblies (17, 18) can be lowered into different threshold compartments (47).

4. Stuffing machine (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the further stuffing unit (18) is designed as a multi-sill tamping unit, in particular as a two-sill tamping unit.

5. Stuffing machine (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the further stuffing unit (18) has four independently of one another transversely displaceable and longitudinally displaceable stuffing unit segments (32) with separately lowerable tool carriers (34) in the machine transverse direction (31).

6. Stuffing machine (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the further stuffing unit (18) has several stuffing unit segments in the longitudinal direction (22) of the machine. (32) with separately lowerable tool carriers (34).

7. Tamping machines (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a measuring axis (28) for detecting the track position relative to the reference system (24) is arranged between the lifting and aligning unit (14) and the tamping units (17, 18) and that a further measuring axis (29) is arranged in the area of ​​the tamping units (17, 18).

8. Stuffing machine (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a control device (62) is provided for the coordinated control of the rotary device (19) and the displacement device (21) and that in particular in the 23 The control device (62) specifies a displacement path of the displacement device (21) depending on a rotation angle of the rotary device (19).

9. Method for operating a tamping machine (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that in a track section as well as in a starting section and in an end section of a turnout (9) several sleepers (6) are simultaneously completely tamped by the two tamping units (17, 18) positioned close to each other, and that in a central section of the turnout (9) the further tamping unit (18) is moved by the shifting device (21) is moved relative to the switch tamping unit (17) and the switch tamping unit (17) is aligned relative to an inclined sleeper (12) by the rotary device (19).

10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that the displacement device segments (38) and the rotary device (19) are controlled in a coordinated manner by means of a control device (62) so that the The displacement of the tamping unit segments (32) of the further tamping unit (18) relative to the switch tamping unit (17) takes place depending on the rotational movement of the switch tamping unit (17).

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