Tamping unit and method for tamping sleepers of a track in a switch area

Abstract

The invention relates to a tamping machine (1) for tamping sleepers (2) of a track (3) mounted in a ballast bed (21), in particular in a switch region, comprising a machine frame (5) supported on rail bogies (6), comprising a lifting and aligning unit (9) and comprising two tamping assemblies (11) which are arranged directly behind one another on the machine frame (5) and which each have tamping tools (48) which are mounted on height-adjustable tool carriers (44) and can be squeezed towards one another by means of squeezing drives (49) and with tamping tines (24) for insertion into the ballast of a respective sleeper bay (25), wherein each tamping assembly (11) comprises tamping tines (24) that can be laterally swivelled upwards. Both tamping assemblies (11) are arranged such that they can be rotated about a vertical axis (34) by means of a common rotary device (12) which is transversely moveable relative to the machine frame (5), wherein adjacent tamping tine rows of the tamping assemblies (11) can be lowered together into the same sleeper bay (25). A universal tamping machine (1) of this type can be used efficiently and economically in track regions and switch regions.

Description

[0001] Tamping machine and method for tamping sleepers of a track in a turnout area

[0002] The invention relates to a tamping machine for tamping sleepers of a track bed, particularly in a turnout area, which are supported in a ballast bed. The machine frame comprises a lifting and aligning unit and two tamping units arranged directly one behind the other on the machine frame. Each tamping unit has tamping tools with tamping picks for plunging into the ballast of a respective sleeper bay, mounted on height-adjustable tool carriers and adjustable relative to each other by auxiliary drives. Each tamping unit includes tamping picks that can be pivoted upwards laterally. The invention also relates to a method for operating the tamping machine.

[0003] To correct track alignment, track sections and turnouts with ballast are regularly tamped using a tamping machine. A lifting and aligning unit adjusts a track grid consisting of rails and sleepers into a predetermined position, which is then fixed in place by a tamping unit. Generally, different tamping units are used for tamping operations in a section of track than for tamping operations in the turnout area. When tamping turnouts, more degrees of freedom are required for positioning the tamping unit. Tamping a turnout is usually carried out in two passes. For a lasting alignment correction, it is particularly important to tamp the continuous sleepers that connect the rails of a main track and a diverging turnout track. In a first pass, the tamping machine travels along the main track and tamps all sleepers according to the lateral reach of the tamping unit.The tamping machine then travels along the diverging track in a second pass, tamping under the sleepers at the remaining tamping points.

[0004] Tamping machines are known from the prior art that are designed for the efficient tamping of both track sections and turnout areas. One such universal tamping machine is described, for example, in WO 2022 / 058154 A1. In this machine, two tamping units are arranged directly one behind the other on a machine frame. A respective tool carrier and tamping tools pivotably mounted on it are arranged symmetrically. To adapt to different sleeper spacings, one of the tamping units is movable in the longitudinal direction of the machine. The other tamping unit is arranged on a telescopic transverse displacement device. Each row of tamping picks, formed from tamping picks arranged side by side in the transverse direction of the machine, can be lowered into its own common sleeper compartment. In a track section, the tamping units are moved forward alternately by one sleeper pitch and by three sleeper pitches.In the switch area, the tamping unit arranged on the transverse shifting device processes the diverging switch track, and the other tamping unit processes the main track.

[0005] The invention is based on the objective of improving a tamping machine of the type mentioned above in such a way that both track sections and turnout areas can be processed even more efficiently with a simplified arrangement of the tamping units. A further objective of the invention is to provide a corresponding method. 3

[0006] These problems are solved by the features of independent claims 1 and 8. Dependent claims specify advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0007] According to the invention, both tamping units are rotatably arranged about a vertical axis by means of a common rotary device that is laterally displaceable relative to the machine frame, whereby adjacent rows of tamping picks of the tamping units can be lowered together into the same sleeper bay. Such a universal tamping machine is efficient and economical for use in track sections and turnout areas. The arrangement of the tamping units enables the processing of a track section in two-sleeper mode. This means that after each tamping operation, the tamping units are advanced by two sleeper spacings by moving the tamping machine or a tamping satellite that is longitudinally displaceable within the tamping machine forward. This method of operation efficiently achieves a particularly uniform tamping of a track section.

[0008] In a turnout area, depending on the turnout type, the tamping process is carried out almost entirely in a single pass. The tamping machine travels along the main track, and the tamping units are cyclically advanced by one sleeper pitch in each pass. The position of both tamping units is adjusted to sloping sleepers using the rotating device. Through coordinated lateral positioning of the tamping units, continuous sleepers are tamped at all tamping points in two successive tamping operations. The longest continuous sleeper is tamped at least at the tamping points located on the inside of the rail. To reach these tamping points, the maximum lateral displacement of the rotating device and the tamping units, as well as the lateral pivoting of the tamping picks, are utilized.

[0009] By tamping a turnout uniformly in a single pass, a high tamping quality and particularly durable track geometry are achieved. Only in exceptional cases is resetting the tamping machine necessary, thus enabling rapid turnout processing. For the operator of the tamping units, it is clearly visible which tamping points are being tamped by the unit at the front (in the direction of travel) and which points still need to be tamped by the unit at the rear during the subsequent tamping process. With previous tamping unit configurations, a significant reversal is required for a second pass, and it is difficult for the operator to see where tamping has already taken place. Resulting errors in the positioning of the tamping units can lead to inhomogeneities in the ballast bed.

[0010] Advantageously, each pair of adjustable tamping tools is equipped with auxiliary drives of different lengths, whereby the tamping tools, mounted as pivot levers on the associated tool carrier, have lever ratios that approximate each other. With the same force exerted by the auxiliary drives on the pivot levers, this results in a uniform pressure that the tamping pick plates exert on the ballast at the tamping pick ends. This improvement allows for a narrow design of the adjacent tamping unit halves, while the other tamping unit halves are designed with a wider construction. The correspondingly longer auxiliary drives required for the wider construction enable a greater swivel range of the associated tamping tools for adapting to a 5

[0011] The tamping unit's opening width is suitable for large sleeper spacings or for tamping double sleepers. At the same time, the closely matched lever ratios ensure a uniform load on the tamping unit, thereby increasing the service life of wear parts and the smooth running of the unit. Disruptive feedback of vibrations to the machine frame is avoided. To achieve uniform tamping forces, auxiliary drives designed as hydraulic cylinders with identical cylinder and piston diameters are used.

[0012] Each tamping unit comprises at least two tamping unit segments, whose tool carriers are separately height-adjustable and which follow a respective rail section during a work cycle. Preferably, each tamping unit comprises four tamping unit segments, which are arranged to be laterally displaceable separately on transverse guides by means of segment displacement drives. In a turnout, each of these four tamping unit segments can be positioned independently of the other tamping unit segments on the inside or outside of a through or diverging rail section. The degrees of freedom thus achieved enable an optimized sequence of the tamping points depending on the turnout type.

[0013] For a stable and compact arrangement, the transverse guides are advantageously attached at their ends to a support frame of the rotary device. The support frame preferably consists of a horizontally formed top plate and surrounding side plates, with the transverse guides clamped between a left and a right side plate. This achieves a high rigidity of the arrangement, resulting in the arrangement 24019

[0014] 6 high reaction forces when the tamping pick penetrates a crusted gravel bed can be absorbed without interference.

[0015] Another design variant concerns the common rotary device, which, in an improved version, is arranged to be laterally displaceable on several crossbeams of the machine frame by means of a lateral displacement drive. With this robust arrangement, the load-bearing forces and reaction forces of the rotary device and the tamping units are absorbed by the machine frame, whereby a single lateral displacement drive is sufficient for precise lateral displacement of the rotary device.

[0016] Preferably, the respective auxiliary drive is connected on one side to the associated tamping tool and on the other side to a vibratory drive. The vibratory drive applies vibration to the tamping picks, at least when they are first plunged into the ballast bed and during the tamping process. This mobilizes the ballast grains, thereby reducing the penetration resistance. During the tamping process, the displacement of the ballast grains under a raised sleeper and the compaction of the newly formed sleeper bed are improved. Particularly with encrusted ballast, the arrangement of the vibratory drive ensures high process reliability, especially for maintaining a predetermined vibration amplitude. In another embodiment, vibration is applied by a timed control of the respective auxiliary drive. This is usually referred to as a fully hydraulic tamping unit.

[0017] Advantageously, each auxiliary drive is mounted on an electrically driven eccentric shaft of the associated vibration drive, wherein the eccentric shaft 24019

[0018] 7. In particular, it features eccentric sections with adjustable eccentricities. This improvement allows for rapid adjustment of the vibration to each step of the tamping process. The vibration frequency is adjusted by changing the speed of an electric eccentric shaft drive. For example, the speed is reduced when the tamping unit is raised to prevent vibrations and disruptive noise from being transmitted back to the machine frame. An adjustable eccentric shaft also allows the vibration amplitude to be reduced to zero. During the immersion process, the vibration frequency is increased to up to 60 Hz. A refilling process is carried out with a vibration frequency of 35 Hz. One way to adjust the eccentricity is described, for example, in AT 517999 All of Fenbart.

[0019] In the inventive method for operating the described tamping machine, in a track section as well as in a starting and ending section of a turnout, two adjacent sleepers are completely tamped by the two tamping units. In a central section of the turnout, each continuous sleeper, which connects the rails of a through track and the rails of a diverging track of the turnout, is tamped by one tamping unit at a first group of tamping points and by the other tamping unit at a second group of tamping points. With this method, track sections and turnout sections are processed efficiently with a high tamping quality. Up to the continuous sleepers, processing in the turnout also takes place in two-sleeper mode, in which two sleepers arranged directly next to each other are tamped cyclically.The continuous thresholds processed in single-threshold mode are largely completed in one work pass 24019.

[0020] 8 tamped sections. In this process, all tamping points are reached in two immediately successive tamping operations, resulting in a uniform and lasting fixation of the new track position.

[0021] Preferably, a common transverse displacement drive of the rotary device, individual segment displacement drives of the tamping units, and pivot drives for laterally pivoting the tamping picks are coordinated by a common control unit to position each tamping pick over the intended tamping point. This simplifies automated positioning of each tamping pick over the respective tamping point. For example, the geometric and kinematic conditions are stored in the control unit as an algorithm and / or in tabular form. Based on the desired position of each tamping pick, the required settings for the rotary device, the displacement devices, and the pivot devices are derived.

[0022] In a further improvement of the process, a sensor system detects the inclination and distance of the sleepers relative to a coordinate system. For each tamping operation, a rotation angle of the rotary device, lateral displacement paths of the rotary device and the tamping units, as well as pivot angles for laterally swiveling the tamping picks, are automatically predefined. The predefined settings are preferably set in a processing unit based on stored geometric and kinematic data. Sensors for recording the respective positions of the rotary device, the tamping units, and the swiveling picks are also useful. This enables controlled positioning of the tamping picks. With these improvements, the prerequisites for a fully or semi-automated tamping process are met.

[0023] The invention is explained below by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures. These show, in schematic representation:

[0024] Fig. 1 Tamping machine on a track in a side view;

[0025] Fig. 2 Switch with tamping points in a top view;

[0026] Fig. 3 Arrangement with two stuffing assemblies in a side view;

[0027] Fig. 4 Track cross-section in a turnout with one of the tamping units in raised tool position;

[0028] Fig. 5 Track cross-section corresponding to Fig. 4 with the other tamping unit in raised tool position.

[0029] The tamping machine 1 shown in Fig. 1 is a universal tamping machine for the efficient tamping of sleepers 2 in a track section and a turnout section of a track 3. The tamping machine 1 is designed for continuous operation and comprises a tamping satellite 4 with a machine frame 5. In the example shown, the machine frame 5 is directly supported on a rail chassis 6. The machine frame 5 is also supported on rail chassis 6 via a main frame 7 of the tamping machine 1. During operation, the main machine travels continuously on rails 8 of the track 3, and the tamping satellite 4 is moved cyclically forward. In a tamping machine 1 for cyclic operation, the division into main machine and 10 is eliminated.

[0030] The tamping satellite and the entire tamping machine 1 are designed for forward travel from threshold 2 to threshold 2.

[0031] The tamping machine 1 comprises a lifting and aligning unit 9 for lifting and laterally aligning the track grid formed by the sleepers 2 and the rails 9 attached to them. With respect to a working direction 10, two tamping units 11 are arranged directly behind it on the machine frame 5, one behind the other, via a common rotary device 12. A central measuring axis 13 for detecting the track position relative to a machine-integrated reference system on the rails 8 is guided between the lifting and aligning unit 9 and the tamping units 11. The reference system comprises, for example, a steel chord or an optical chord stretched between a front and a rear measuring axis 13. The track position is corrected according to a predefined setting using this measuring system.

[0032] Preferably, the tamping machine 1 includes a sensor device 14 for acquiring positional data of the track 3. This allows the position of the sleepers 2 and rails 8, as well as any track obstructions, to be recorded with respect to a coordinate system xyz. In addition, the distance traveled s by the tamping machine 1 is recorded by means of a displacement sensor 15. The sensor device 14 includes, for example, a lidar system (light detection and ranging system) 16 for scanning the track surface and its surroundings, a color camera 17, and line-intersection sensors 18 directed at the rails 8. A sensor fusion algorithm is implemented in a processing unit 19. This algorithm calculates the positional data of the sleepers 2 from the acquired sensor data. A corresponding method for determining the positional data of a turnout 20 is disclosed in AT 519739 A4 of fenbart. 24019

[0033] 11

[0034] The exemplary turnout 20 in Fig. 2 comprises, in addition to the sleepers 2 supported in a ballast bed 21 and the rails 8 attached thereto, various internal components 22 that must be taken into account when tamping the turnout 20. First, the position data of the sleepers 2, the through and diverging rails 8, and the internal components 22 are determined by the sensor device 14. Subsequently, the processing unit 19 calculates tamping points 23 at which tamping picks 24 of the tamping unit 11 should penetrate the ballast bed 21. The tamping points 23 are usually located on both sides of each rail 8 in sleeper bays 25 adjacent to the sleeper 2 to be tamped.

[0035] In a simplified embodiment of the invention, the tamping points 23 are specified by an operator 26. For example, current video images of the sleepers 2 to be tamped and the tamping units 11 are displayed on a screen 27. The tamping points 23 are then specified or the tamping units 11 are directly positioned using control elements 28. An operator 26 can also make the settings from a work cabin 29 with a clear view of the tamping units 11 and the area of ​​the turnout 2 to be tamped.

[0036] The tamping unit 11 and the common rotary device 12 are explained with reference to Figures 3 to 5. The rotary device 12 comprises a guide unit 30, which is laterally displaceable on two crossbeams 32 of the machine frame 5 arranged one behind the other by means of a hydraulic transverse displacement drive 31. A rotary unit 33 is rotatably coupled to the guide unit 30 about a vertical axis 34. The rotary unit 33 is supported on the guide unit 30 by sliding elements 35 and 24019

[0037] 12 is connected to a support frame 36 on an underside. A rotary drive 37 is designed as a hydraulic cylinder and is attached on one side to an upper side of the rotary unit 33 and supported on the other side on a longitudinal beam of the guide unit 30.

[0038] A cover plate 38 of the support frame 34 is additionally supported by sliding elements 34 on longitudinal beams 39 of the machine frame 5. In this way, reaction forces when the tamping picks 24 penetrate a compacted ballast bed 21 are transferred directly to the machine frame 5, and the rotary device 12, along with the tamping units 11, is additionally supported. The cover plate 38 is framed below by side plates 40. This rigid structure ensures that the high forces acting on the tamping units 11 during a tamping operation do not lead to any disruptive deformations of the support structure.

[0039] Transverse guides 41 are clamped at their ends between the right and left side plates 40. The tamping unit frames 42 are mounted on these transverse guides 41. Each of these tamping unit frames 42 is part of a tamping unit segment 43 with a separately height-adjustable tool carrier 44. Each tamping unit frame 42 can be laterally displaced independently of the other tamping unit frames 42 by means of its own segment displacement drive 45.

[0040] The respective aggregate frame 42 comprises vertical guides 46 on which the associated tool carrier 44 is guided. A hydraulic height adjustment drive 47 is arranged between the respective aggregate frame 42 and the associated tool carrier 44. Tamping tools 48 are mounted in pairs on the tool carriers 44. The respective 24019

[0041] 13

[0042] The tamping tool 48 is a pivoting lever with an upper lever arm connected to an auxiliary drive 49, and a lower lever arm on which a pick holder 50 is arranged. A vibratory drive 51 is also attached to the respective tool carrier 44. The vibratory drive 51 comprises an eccentric shaft on which the auxiliary cylinders 49 of a pair of tamping tools are mounted. Rotation of the eccentric shaft is transmitted via the auxiliary cylinders 49 into oscillating pivoting movements of the tamping tools 48.

[0043] Preferably, the two stuffing units 11 are constructed asymmetrically with respect to a vertical transverse plane 52. The axes of rotation of the eccentric shafts of all vibratory drives 51 of one of the stuffing units 11 lie in this transverse plane 52. Furthermore, the transverse plane 52 divides the associated stuffing unit segments 43 into two segment halves 53, 54.

[0044] The segment halves 53 of the two tamping units 11 facing each other have a narrower design than the segment halves 54 facing away from each other. This narrower design is achieved by a shorter auxiliary drive 49 and by using only one pivoting tamping pick 24. Consequently, space is only required on the tamping tool 48 for one pivoting drive 55. In this way, the tamping units 11 can be arranged so close to each other that both rows of tamping picks of the facing segment halves 53 can be lowered simultaneously into the same sleeper compartment 25.

[0045] The wider segment halves 54 have longer auxiliary drives 49 and two pivoting tamping picks 24 each. This ensures that a

[0046] The opening width of the pick is adjustable to different sleeper spacings and to double sleepers. Furthermore, with 24019

[0047] 14 of this design, in each tamping unit segment 43, all but one tamping pick 24 can be swung upwards. This allows for high flexibility in turnout processing.

[0048] Figures 4 and 5 show the tamping units 11 in positions for tamping under a sleeper 2 in a central section of the turnout 20. Here, the tamping machine 1 operates in single-sleeper mode with a cyclical forward movement of the tamping units 11 by one sleeper pitch t. In Figure 4, the front tamping unit 11 is shown above the through main track and the diverging turnout track, with the track gauges w of both tracks indicated. The following terms "right," "left," "inside," and "outside" refer to the present representation of the rail and tamping unit arrangement. These terms serve to describe the figures and are not limiting. The left outer and left inner tamping unit segments 43 follow the left through rail track 8. The right inner tamping unit segment 43 tamps under the sleepers 2 for as long as possible on the inside of the right through rail track 8.The right outer tamping unit segment 43 follows the outside of the right branching rail section 8. Subsequently, this right outer tamping unit segment 43 may be used for tamping on the inside of the right branching rail section 8. In Fig. 4, the tamping picks 24 are shown above a first group of tamping points.

[0049] In Fig. 5, the same threshold 2 is shown one tamping cycle later with the rear tamping unit 11 and with a second group of tamping points 23. The positions of the tamping picks 24 of the front tamping unit 11 are shown with dotted lines. With the rear tamping unit 11, all 24019

[0050] 15

[0051] Tamping points 23, previously skipped by the front tamping unit 11, are processed. The left outer tamping unit segment 43 tamps on the outside of the left branching track 8. The left inner

[0052] Tamping unit segment 43 tampes on the outside of the right continuous rail strand 8. The remaining two right tamping unit segments 43 follow the right branching strand, with only the inner right tamping unit segment 43 being lowered.

[0053] In another processing mode, the inner and outer right tamping unit segments 43 follow the outer branching rail. Preferably, all four tamping unit segments of the front row are lowered.

[0054] The rear plugging unit segments 43 plug all those areas which were left out by the front plugging unit segments 42.

[0055] In another processing mode, the front tamping unit 11 tampes the outermost rail sections, both inside and out. The rear tamping unit 11 tampes all the gaps in between.

[0056] The possible lateral displacement of the outer tamping picks 24 results from a lateral end position of the laterally displaced rotary device 12, a lateral end position of the respective outer tamping unit segment 42 along the transverse guides 41, and a pivoting of the tamping picks 24 outwards. The lateral displacement range is large enough that the diverging rail section can also be tamped in the area of ​​the longest continuous sleeper, at least on the inner side of the outer rail. 24019

[0057] 16

[0058] In particular, to increase the lateral reach, the outer pivot picks 24 are pivoted slightly outwards by means of the associated pivot drives 55, without affecting the achievable tamping depth. The tamping depth is usually specified by positioning pick plates arranged on the tamping picks 24 approximately 2-3 cm below the bottom edge of the sleeper.

[0059] For the coordinated lateral positioning of the tamping picks 24, the common transverse displacement drive 31 of the rotary device 12, the respective segment displacement drives 45, and the respective rotary drives 55 are controlled by means of a common control unit 56. For example, a corresponding algorithm is configured in the control unit 56 and / or control parameters for the individual drives 31, 45, 55 are stored in a memory unit coupled to the control unit 56, depending on a predetermined lateral position of the tamping picks 24 and including a predetermined angular position about the vertical axis 34.

[0060] In the track section, a two-sleeper mode is used, whereby the tamping units 11 are moved forward cyclically by two sleeper increments (2t). In a track curve, both tamping units 11 are moved laterally together. In the turnout section, the two-sleeper mode is also used as much as possible at the turnout start and end.

Claims

17 Patent claims 1. Tamping machine (1) for tamping sleepers (2) of a track (3) supported in a ballast bed (21), in particular in a turnout area, with a machine frame (5) supported on rail bogies (6), with a lifting and aligning unit (9) and with two tamping units (11) arranged directly one behind the other on the machine frame (5), each mounted on height-adjustable tool carriers (44) and driven by auxiliary drives (49) tamping tools (48) with tamping picks (24) for immersing into ballast of a respective sleeper bay (25), wherein each tamping unit (11) comprises laterally pivotable tamping picks (24), characterized in that both The tamping units (11) are arranged to be rotatable about a vertical axis (34) by means of a common rotating device (12) which is laterally displaceable relative to the machine frame (5), and adjacent rows of tamping picks of the tamping units (11) can be lowered together into the same sleeper compartment (25).

2. Tamping machine (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that for each pair of tamping tools (48) to be arranged relative to each other, staking drives (49) of different lengths are arranged and that the tamping tools (48) mounted as pivot levers on the associated tool carrier (44) have lever ratios that are close to each other.

3. Stuffing machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each stuffing unit (11) has four stubby units arranged side by side in the transverse direction of the machine. The filling unit segments (43) with separately height-adjustable tool holders (44) are included and that the Stuffing of aggregate segments (43) by segment displacement drives (45) is arranged separately and laterally displaceable on transverse guides (41).

4. Stuffing machine (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the transverse guides (41) are attached at their ends in a support frame (36) of the rotary device (12).

5. Tamping machine (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the common rotary device (12) is arranged transversely displaceable on several crossbeams (32) of the machine frame (5) by means of a transverse displacement drive (31).

6. Stuffing machine (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the respective auxiliary drive (49) is connected on the one hand to the associated stuffing tool (48) and on the other hand is coupled to a vibration drive (51).

7. Stuffing machine (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that each auxiliary drive (49) is mounted on an electrically driven eccentric shaft of the associated vibration drive (51) and that the eccentric shaft in particular has eccentric sections with adjustable eccentricities.

8. Method for operating a tamping machine (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that in a track section as well as in a starting section and in an end section of a turnout (20) two adjacent sleepers (2) are completely tamped by the two tamping units (11) and that in a 19 The central section of the switch (20) includes a continuous sleeper (2) that connects the rails (8) of a continuous track and the rails (8) of a diverging track of the switch (20), with which one tamping unit (11) is used at a first group of tamping points (23) and with the other tamping unit (11) at a second group of tamping points (23).

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that a common transverse displacement drive (31) of the rotary device (12), respective segment displacement drives (45) of the tamping units (11) and pivot drives (55) for laterally pivoting the tamping picks (24) are coordinated by means of a common control device (56) to position the respective tamping pick (24) over the intended tamping point (23).

10. Method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that inclinations and distances of the sleepers (2) with respect to a coordinate system (xyz) are detected by means of a sensor device (14) and that for each tamping operation a rotation angle of the rotary device (12), lateral displacement paths of the rotary device (12) and the tamping assemblies (11) as well as pivot angles for laterally pivoting the tamping picks (24) are automatically specified.

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