Modular Rail Replacement Train for Continuous Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current railway track maintenance methods for replacing worn rails are inefficient, requiring extensive operations such as preliminary storage and welding of new rails, which increases track occupancy time and labor costs, and does not adequately protect personnel.
Innovation Solution
A modular rail replacement system where a single construction train divides into three autonomous parts: one for rail supply and welding, another for substitution and release, and a third for loading old rails, allowing continuous on-site rail supply and welding directly into long bars, eliminating the need for preliminary storage and reducing manual handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If new rails are supplied from ground level and assembled into long bars by welding in preliminary operations, then welding precision can be maintained, but track occupancy time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assembling three individual rails into long bars at the rear of the construction train using flash forging welding before arrival at the work site. This preliminary assembly ensures welding precision is maintained in a controlled environment while eliminating the need for on-site welding operations, thereby reducing track occupancy time and improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The construction train is divided into autonomous functional parts: a supply train that assembles long bars from individual rails, and a replacement train that performs the actual rail replacement. This segmentation allows the welding and assembly operations to occur separately from the replacement operations, enabling parallel processing and reducing overall track occupancy time while maintaining welding precision through dedicated equipment.
2Device complexity
If a single construction train is used for both supply/welding and substitution operations, then device complexity is reduced, but machine efficiency decreases due to dual功能的 requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The single construction train is segmented into two autonomous functional units: a supply train equipped with welding equipment for assembling long bars from individual rails, and a replacement train for substituting worn rails. Each unit is optimized for its specific function, maintaining high machine efficiency while the overall system remains relatively simple compared to using completely separate trains for each operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The construction train dynamically transforms during the replacement process. The supply train assembles long bars and transfers them to the replacement train, which then performs the substitution. This dynamic functional distribution allows each part of the system to operate at optimal efficiency for its specific task while maintaining overall system simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If manual handling and storage of new rails is performed, then ease of operation is maintained, but productivity decreases and personnel safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical handling of rails with automated mechanical systems. The supply train uses specialized equipment to assemble individual rails into long bars using flash forging welding, and then automatically transfers these long bars to the replacement train. This mechanical automation eliminates manual handling operations, significantly improving productivity and reducing track occupancy time while maintaining ease of operation through automated control systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly reduces track occupancy time, optimizes machine efficiency, and enhances personnel safety by automating processes, enabling faster return to commercial speed operations and eliminating dedicated storage and welding operations, saving approximately two hours compared to traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
the three rails of each row are assembled on site into long bars by flash forging
Implementation Method 2
said long bars are released by induction heating at a temperature between 25°C and 32°C
Data Source
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AI summary
In the process, for each rail, the following steps are carried out: (1) a new rail is taken from new rail transport wagons containing a plurality of new rails arranged on roller supports enabling them to move freely in the longitudinal direction; (2) the new rail is moved by guiding it with guiding means and placed on rollers previously laid on the ground between the sleepers of the rails to be replaced; (3) said new rail is butt-welded to a new rail, previously laid, with a welding train; (4) the welding train is moved so that the new welded rail is unloaded from the transport wagons by sliding on roller supports and on the guiding means; (5) while the welding train is moving, a new rail is taken from the plurality of new rails and brought close to the free end of the welded rail being unloaded;(6) Steps (2) to (5) are repeated to achieve the predetermined number of new rails welded one after the other; (7) the new welded rails are released by heating them to a release temperature; (8) the old rails are replaced by the new welded and released rails by fixing them at their release temperature; (9) the old replaced rails are removed. The application also relates to a device for carrying out this process.