Ballast arrangement for a rail vehicle, and method for producing a ballast device

Abstract

A ballast arrangement for a rail vehicle includes at least one ballast device. The at least one ballast device has a concrete weight body, at least one built-in metal reinforcement, and at least one securing device built into the weight body. There is also described a method for producing a ballast arrangement according to the invention.

Claims

1. A method for producing a ballast device for a rail vehicle to be arranged in a ballast arrangement, the method comprising: preparing a formwork; introducing a metal reinforcement into a cavity of the formwork; introducing at least one securing device into the formwork and attaching the at least one securing device to the metal reinforcement, the at least one securing device being configured to be integrated into the ballast device and for attaching further ballast arrangements, providing a filling material consisting of a mixture of concrete components, including a normal concrete component and a heavy concrete component, and selectively mixing a ratio of normal and heavy concrete components to influence a density of the weight body and to control a mass of the ballast device so that a finished ballast device fulfills different ballasting and balancing tasks in dependence of the ratio while retaining constant installation conditions and constant space requirements independent of the ratio; filling the filling material into the cavity of the formwork; and allowing the filling material to set so as to form a ballast device in the formwork, and subsequently removing the formwork from the ballast device.

2. The method according to claim 1, which comprises mixing the filling material and increasing a density of the filling material by adding at least one additive while the filling material is being mixed.

3. The method according to claim 2, which comprises adding at least one a additive selected from the group consisting of steel shot and magnetite.

4. The method according to claim 1, which comprises using the formwork to produce a plurality of ballast devices.

5. The method according to claim 1, which comprises coating the ballast device with a plastics coating or with paint.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a ballast arrangement according to a first exemplary embodiment,

(2) FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of a ballast arrangement according to a second exemplary embodiment, and

(3) FIG. 3 shows a schematic flow chart of a method for producing a ballast device according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) In the figures, the same structural elements each have the same reference numerals.

(5) FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a ballast arrangement 1 for a rail vehicle 2 according to a first exemplary embodiment. Illustrated in particular is a detail of an underside of a rail vehicle 2, on which the ballast arrangement 1 is arranged. The ballast arrangement 1 serves to balance a mass distribution along the rail vehicle 2, such that the running behavior of the rail vehicle 2 can be optimized by a uniform mass distribution.

(6) According to the first exemplary embodiment, the ballast device 1 has a ballast device 4. The ballast device 4 is rectangular in shape and has a concrete weight body coated with a plastics coating. The ballast device 4 has a metal reinforcement (not illustrated) for mechanically reinforcing the weight body of the ballast device 4.

(7) The ballast device 4 is embodied here with a trough-like recess 6. Thus, the ballast device 4, in addition to locally increasing a mass of the rail vehicle 2, can be used as a storage compartment. Introduced into the plastics-coated weight body in a materially bonded manner on two opposite sides of the ballast device 4 are respective securing devices 8 having two screw connections 10. The securing devices 8 in this case project into the weight body of the ballast device 4 and can be welded to or screwed together with the metal reinforcement of the weight body.

(8) The securing devices 8 are metal plates 10 having introduced threads or bores for receiving screws 10. Via the screw connections 10, the ballast device 4 can be mechanically connected to the rail vehicle 2. On a free surface of the ballast device 4, two threaded sleeves 9 have been introduced into the weight body as additional securing devices 8 for receiving screws and for attaching further ballast devices 4.

(9) FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective illustration of a ballast arrangement 1 on an underside of a rail vehicle 2 according to a second exemplary embodiment. Secured to the underside of the rail vehicle 2 is a steel plate 12 made of cast steel. Secured to the steel plate 12 by screw connections 10 are two planar ballast devices 4. The ballast devices 4 have through-openings 8 (not illustrated for clarity reasons) as securing means 8 for receiving the screw connections 10. Four through-openings 8 are arranged in each ballast device 4.

(10) In addition to the through-openings 8 as securing means 8, the ballast devices 4 each have four threaded sleeves 9 that are arranged in a spatially offset manner with respect to the through-openings 8. The threaded sleeves 9 are likewise securing devices 8 of the ballast devices 4. The threaded sleeves 9 are cast, parallel to the through-openings 8, into the weight bodies produced from concrete. In particular, the threaded sleeves 9 and the through-openings 8 realized in the form of sleeves can be connected to the metal reinforcement of the weight body, such that a robust and vibration-resistant connection of a plurality of ballast devices 4 is made possible.

(11) The through-openings 8 and the threaded sleeves 9 have in this case been introduced into the ballast devices 4 such that, after a planar ballast device 4 has been rotated through 180° along its planar extent or its contact surfaces 14 with respect to another planar ballast device 4, the through-openings 8 in one ballast device 4 are arranged over the threaded sleeves of the second ballast device 4. As a result, the first ballast device 4 can be screwed together with the second ballast device 4 by screws 10. In particular, as a result of such an arrangement of threaded sleeves 9 and through-openings 8, as many ballast devices 4 as desired can be stacked one on top of another and secured together by screws 10. For this purpose, the ballast devices 4 each have, in the region of the through-openings 8, a recess for receiving a screw head of a screw 10. In this way, flat support surfaces 14 between two ballast devices 4 and a durable connection of the ballast devices 4 can be made possible.

(12) According to the second exemplary embodiment, the ballast devices 4 have a coat of colored paint for signaling a mass of the respective ballast devices 4. In order to secure the ballast devices 4 to the steel plate 12, threads, corresponding to the through-openings 8 in the ballast device 4, for receiving screws 10 and for securing a ballast device 4 to the steel plate 12 have been introduced.

(13) FIG. 3 shows a schematic flow chart of a method 16 for producing a ballast device 4 for a rail vehicle 2 according to one embodiment. In a first step, a formwork is built 18 as a mold for the weight body, to be produced from concrete, of the ballast device 4.

(14) A cavity for forming a shape of the weight body arises in the built formwork. A metal reinforcement is introduced into the cavity 20.

(15) In a further step, the securing devices 8, 8 are arranged within the formwork 22. The securing devices 8, 9 can be connected together by a mask or a frame in this case, so as to make it possible to introduce the securing devices 8, 9 into the weight body quickly and in an automated manner. In particular, the securing devices 8, 9 can have spacer elements with respect to the formwork. Preferably, the filling material is still deformable during this step of the method 16. Alternatively, the securing devices 8, 9 can be arranged together with the metal reinforcement in the cavity of the formwork before the filling material is introduced.

(16) In a further step of the method 16, a filling material consisting of at least one concrete is provided and is poured into the formwork with the metal reinforcement introduced into the cavity. In this case, the cavity is entirely or gradually filled with the filling material 24.

(17) In final steps of the method 16, the filling material can set 26 with the fastening devices 8, 9 and the metal reinforcement to form a ballast device 4 and be demolded from the formwork 28.

(18) Although the invention has been described in detail and illustrated more specifically by the preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.