Modular Underfloor Wheel Lathe for Portable Rail Reprofiling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional railway maintenance lathes are bulky, heavy, and expensive, requiring large pits and being inflexible for different rail spacings, making them unsuitable for various types of rolling stock and inefficient in terms of space and cost.
Innovation Solution
A modular and portable pit lathe with a precision centering system, removable components, and a single mobile carriage that can be easily assembled and disassembled, allowing adaptation to different rail widths and easy transport between workshops, featuring hydraulic drive rollers and a pneumatic measuring head for precise wheel reprofiling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional lathe is used, then the wheel reprofiling function is provided, but the device becomes bulky, heavy, and expensive, requiring large pits
Solution Approach 1:
The lathe is divided into modular components: a mobile carriage that can be positioned on either side of the pit, a central beam that can be removed, and separate base elements. This segmentation allows the lathe to be disassembled into transportable parts while maintaining full reprofiling functionality when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The lathe structure transitions from a fixed conventional design to a dynamic, reconfigurable system. The mobile carriage can move between positions, the central beam can be inserted or removed, and the base elements can be repositioned, allowing the same equipment to adapt to different pit configurations and transport requirements.
2Reliability
If a conventional lathe is used, then the wheel reprofiling function is provided, but the pit size and civil engineering costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the lathe into a mobile carriage and separate base elements, the equipment fits within standard pit dimensions. The mobile carriage operates from the side rather than requiring overhead space, and the base elements can be positioned within the pit footprint, significantly reducing the required pit area compared to conventional lathes.
Solution Approach 2:
The lathe design moves operations from a vertical overhead configuration to a horizontal side-mounted configuration. The mobile carriage travels along the side of the pit rather than suspending from above, fundamentally changing the spatial arrangement and reducing the vertical and horizontal space requirements within the pit.
3Reliability
If a conventional lathe is used, then the wheel reprofiling function is provided, but the lathe is only suitable for a single specific rail spacing
Solution Approach 1:
The lathe structure transitions from a fixed conventional design to a dynamic, reconfigurable system. The mobile carriage can move between positions, the central beam can be inserted or removed, and the base elements can be repositioned, allowing the same equipment to adapt to different pit configurations and transport requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile carriage is designed to perform multiple functions: it can be positioned on either side of the pit to service different wheels, it accommodates various rail spacings through adjustable positioning, and it integrates different measurement and machining tools. This multi-functionality makes the lathe universally applicable to various rolling stock types.
4Reliability
If a conventional lathe is used, then the wheel reprofiling function is provided, but the lathe cannot be easily moved between workshops
Solution Approach 1:
The lathe is divided into modular components: a mobile carriage that can be positioned on either side of the pit, a central beam that can be removed, and separate base elements. This segmentation allows the lathe to be disassembled into transportable parts while maintaining full reprofiling functionality when assembled.
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
The modular design enables efficient reprofiling of wheels across various rail vehicles, reduces the size and cost of the pit, and allows a single lathe to be used across multiple workshops, minimizing space and transportation costs while ensuring precise alignment and machining.
Implementation Method 1
two drive rollers (10) enabling, in use, the rotation of a wheel (3) of the railway vehicle
Implementation Method 2
an external leveling system (11) enabling, in use, the maintenance of an axle (4) of the railway vehicle at a determined reference height
Implementation Method 3
The precision centering system includes at least one pin (17) included in an upper surface of each base (6) and at least one corresponding cavity (18) provided in the base of each lateral frame (7)
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
An installation consisting of an assembly comprising a modular lathe (1) for reprofiling the wheels of a railway vehicle and two bases (6), said lathe being adapted to be placed in a pit (2) over which access rails (5) pass, and said bases (6) being adapted to be fixed in the bottom of said pit (2) at a certain distance from each other transversely with respect to the direction defined by the access rails, said modular lathe (1) comprising at least the following modular constituent elements: - two lateral frames (7) capable of being removably attached respectively to each of the two bases (6); - a central beam (8) capable of being removably attached to the two lateral frames (7) so as to create a transverse connection;- two drive roller arms (9) removably fixed respectively on each of the lateral frames (7), each comprising two drive rollers (10) enabling, in use, the rotation of a wheel (3) of the railway vehicle; - an external leveling system (11) enabling, in use, the maintenance of an axle (4) of the railway vehicle at a determined reference height; so that said modular tower (1) can be disassembled, respectively reassembled and removably secured as a single unit in relation to the two bases (6); each lateral frame (7) comprising a cavity (17) cooperating by interlocking with a respective stud (16) of the base (6) to position and align said modular tower (1) on said bases (6).