Central climbing protection for rail vehicles with additional functions

Abstract

A rail vehicle includes a chassis, a vehicle structure and a support unit disposed at the end face of the rail vehicle. The vehicle is comparatively lightweight and economical and can also advantageously perform other tasks in addition to supporting a track reamer. The support unit includes a plateau section which is part of the vehicle structure and includes a climbing protection device on its end face and a track reamer holder for supporting a track reamer. The track reamer holder is disposed below the plateau section and is rigidly secured thereto.

Claims

1. A rail vehicle, comprising: a vehicle end face; an underframe having a chassis; a vehicle structure including a driver's cab and a car body supported on said underfame; a support unit disposed on said vehicle end face, said support unit having a plateau section being part of said vehicle structure and being welded to said chassis of said underframe; said plateau section having a plateau section end face and a climbing protection device disposed on said plateau section end face; said driver's cab extending above said plateau section and being welded to said plateau section; and a track reamer holder disposed below said plateau section for holding a track reamer, said track reamer holder being fixedly connected to said plateau section; a retaining device connecting said track reamer holder to said plateau section; said retaining device, said plateau section and said track reamer holder forming a coupling cage configured for extending a coupling through said coupling cage and for providing stops for the coupling through said coupling cage.

2. The rail vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said coupling cage forms a jacking point, and said support unit provides stability to enable jacking of the rail vehicle at said jacking point.

3. The rail vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said plateau section extends in longitudinal and transverse directions to form a horizontal surface having an underside on which said retaining device is fastened.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIGURE shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the inventive rail vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(2) The FIGURE shows a perspective view of a locomotive 1 as a rail vehicle. The locomotive 1 has a vehicle structure 2 which is supported on a chassis (not shown), which has wheel sets with wheels which roll on the rails of a track (likewise not shown in the FIGURE). The vehicle structure 2 comprises a car body 3 which is supported on an underframe. The underframe has longitudinal members 4 extending in the direction of travel as well as cross members running at right angles thereto. Recognizable on the end face of the locomotive 1 depicted in the FIGURE is a support unit 5, which forms a plateau section 6 which extends in a planar manner in the transverse direction and in the longitudinal direction, wherein the plateau section 6 is integrated into the underframe and thus into the vehicle structure 2 of the locomotive 1 in a fixed manner. In other words, the plateau section 6 is connected to longitudinal and cross members of the underframe in a fixed manner. Thus the support unit 5 and in particular the plateau section 6 is for example welded, or permanently connected in another manner, to the longitudinal member 4 and the driver's cab 7 extending above the plateau section 6. On a forward-facing end face surface 8 of the plateau section 6, ribs 9 are disposed which provide a climbing protection. In the event of an impact, the ribs 9 are brought into engagement with corresponding ribs of a locomotive approaching from the front, so that through this engagement a climbing of the locomotive and thus a derailment is prevented.

(3) In addition to the plateau section 6, the support unit 5 possesses a track reamer holder 10, which is provided to hold and fasten clearing blades of a track reamer. The track reamer holder 10 is permanently connected to the plateau section 6 via retaining means 11, wherein the retaining means 11 possess reinforcement sheets 12 extending between the track reamer holder 10 and the plateau section 6, which reinforcement sheets 12 form side wall sections 13.

(4) The side wall sections 13 extend between the track reamer holder 10 and the plateau section 6 as part of the reinforcement sheets 12 and thus as part of the retaining means 11. In doing so, a coupling cage 14 is formed which is delimited below by the track reamer holder 10 and laterally by the retaining means 11 in the form of the side wall sections 13. The upper limitation of the coupling cage 14 can for example be effected by the plateau section 6. In the exemplary embodiment shown in the FIGURE, however, a profile support 15 additionally extends in the transverse direction between the side wall sections 13 of the retaining means 11. This profile support 15 is permanently welded to the side wall sections 13 and is embodied in a particularly stable manner, so that a jacking point 16 is embodied in the center thereof, at which for example with the aid of a crane car the locomotive 1 can be jacked and thus rerailed. In a version of the invention differing herefrom the jacking point 16 is disposed on the track reamer holder 10, which then has a sufficient combined strength with the vehicle in order to jack the vehicle.

(5) The coupling cage 14 serves to limit a movement of a center coupling (not shown in the FIGURE) which extends out of the rail vehicle 1 from a through opening 17 embodied further behind in the vehicle structure, through the coupling cage 14, forward in the direction of travel. The coupling serves for the coupling of further rail vehicles.

(6) Due to the cage-like structure of the support unit 5, this has a high bending moment so that high forces can be absorbed without the support unit 5 needing to be manufactured from particularly thick material. The inventive rail vehicle 1, which is equipped with such a support unit 5, is therefore very lightweight.