END CAB SWITCHER LOCOMOTIVE

Abstract

An end cab switcher locomotive includes buffer systems, an end cab and a switchman's footstep in front of the end cab on the side of a first one of the buffer systems. The switchman's footstep is disposed in such a way that when the buffer of the first buffer system is completely elastically pushed in, its buffer plane lies in front of the switchman's footstep. A corresponding buffer system for an end cab locomotive is also provided.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. An end cab locomotive for switching operations, the end cab locomotive comprising: buffer systems including a first buffer system having a buffer with a buffer plane; an end cab; and a switchman's footstep disposed in front of said end cab on a side of said end cab having said first buffer system; said switchman's footstep being disposed to locate said buffer plane of said buffer of said first buffer system in front of said switchman's footstep upon said buffer being completely elastically pushed in.

12. The end cab locomotive according to claim 11, wherein said switchman's footstep has a front edge, and said first buffer system is extended to cause said front edge to be at least 150 mm away from said buffer plane of said first buffer system in a relaxed state of said first buffer system.

13. The end cab locomotive according to claim 12, wherein: said buffer systems include a second buffer system disposed on said end cab and being extended to cause said front edge to be at least 150 mm away from a buffer plane of said second buffer system in a relaxed state of said second buffer system; said switchman's footstep is part of a switchman's stand having said front edge; and said switchman's footstep has a length of at least 350 mm.

14. The end cab locomotive according to claim 11, wherein: said first buffer system has a buffer plate and a buffer flange with a side facing away from said buffer plate; and said first buffer system has at least one of: a spacer on said side of said buffer flange facing away from said buffer plate, or an extension in a longitudinal direction between said buffer flange and said buffer plate.

15. The end cab locomotive according to claim 11, wherein said first buffer system includes at least one of: a crash element or a crash element and a buffer housing partially projecting into said crash element.

16. The end cab locomotive according to claim 15, wherein said first buffer system includes a buffer screw-on surface and a spacer disposed between said crash element and said buffer screw-on surface, and said buffer housing is a central flange buffer.

17. The end cab locomotive according to claim 11, which further comprises: a buffer flange having fastening points; buffer screws; a mounting interface for attaching supporting components to said buffer of said first buffer system; said mounting interface including a mounting body with a component-fastening region and an attachment region different from said component-fastening region; said component-fastening region being provided with at least one of fastening elements or holes for attaching the components; and said attachment region being configured to be fastened at least at two of said fastening points of said buffer flange with said buffer screws.

18. The end cab locomotive according to claim 17, wherein said mounting interface is a spacer.

19. The end cab locomotive according to claim 11, which further comprises: a vehicle structure of the end cab locomotive; and an attachment part having at least one of an interface or a mounting element for an accessory component for the switching operations; said attachment part being releasably attachable to said vehicle structure for transmitting occurring forces to said vehicle structure.

20. The end cab locomotive according to claim 19, wherein said switchman's footstep is attached to said attachment part.

21. The end cab locomotive according to claim 11, which further comprises: an external region of the end cab locomotive; a banister arrangement including a banister element; and a holding element receiving said banister element and permitting said banister element to rotate about an axis of rotation; said holding element being disposed in said external region of the end cab locomotive and orienting the axis of rotation vertically.

22. The end cab locomotive according to claim 21, which further comprises a plurality of locking elements configured and disposed to releasably fix said banister element in a predetermined position.

23. The end cab locomotive according to claim 22, wherein said banister element is configured to be fixed in two different positions corresponding to an angle of rotation of at least 70? about the axis of rotation.

24. The end cab locomotive according to claim 23, wherein said angle of rotation is at least 80? about the axis of rotation.

25. The end cab locomotive according to claim 23, wherein said angle of rotation is 90? about the axis of rotation.

26. The end cab locomotive according to claim 11, which further comprises: a switching coupling and a catch device for said switching coupling; said catching device including a lock, a catch body with an end stop, a right side stop and a left side stop together forming a holding body having an internal region being delimited on three sides and having an open side being lockable by said lock; said open side being dimensioned to permit said switching coupling to be moved through said open side into said internal region; and said catch device having at least one of at least one elastic stop element or an elastically mounted stop element on one of said stops.

27. A buffer system for an end cab locomotive according to claim 11, the buffer system comprising: a buffer with a buffer plate, a buffer flange and a buffer plane; said buffer plane being spaced apart from said switchman's footstep with a clearance of at least 150 mm in length on a side of the end cab having the buffer system, after attachment of the buffer system to the end cab locomotive.

28. The buffer system according to claim 27, which further comprises: a crash element with a center having a receiving space; said buffer having a buffer housing projecting into said receiving space, said buffer housing being surrounded by said crash element; and said buffer flange of said buffer being fastened to said crash element.

Description

[0083] The invention will be explained once again in detail below with reference to the attached figures and using exemplary embodiments. The same components in the various figures are provided with identical reference numbers. The figures are generally not to scale. In the figures:

[0084] FIG. 1 shows a rail vehicle according to the prior art,

[0085] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of an end cab locomotive according to the invention from the front,

[0086] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of an end cab locomotive according to the invention from above,

[0087] FIG. 4 shows a preferred end cab locomotive with a switchman's stand,

[0088] FIG. 5 shows a preferred end cab locomotive with a maintenance stand,

[0089] FIG. 6 shows a preferred end cab locomotive with an attached switchman's footstep,

[0090] FIG. 7 shows a preferred buffer system for an end cab locomotive according to the invention,

[0091] FIG. 8 shows a switching coupling with a preferred catch device.

[0092] FIG. 1 shows a rail vehicle 20 with an end cab 25 according to the prior art from the front and the buffer region thereof additionally is also in a perspective view for better clarity. This is a typical design of the front end region of a rail vehicle 20 with an end cab 25. The buffers 21, the coupling 27 and the front apron 22 can clearly be seen. An upper footstep plane 23 which can be reached via footsteps 24 on the side of the rail vehicle 20 is arranged on the buffers 21 for maintenance purposes. The footsteps 24 are screwed to the side of the rail vehicle 20 at a standard interface. Due to the restricted space provided, there is no space here for a switchman's footstep according to standard EN16116, but merely for the footsteps and the footstep plane (neither of which are a switchman's footstep according to the standard EN16116).

[0093] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of an end cab locomotive 1 according to the invention, and FIG. 3 shows the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 2 once again from above. It basically shows a rail vehicle 20 with an end cab 25 according to FIG. 1, but which has been modified in accordance with the invention. The end cab locomotive 1 which is shown is now suitable for switching operations and is provided with a switchman's stand 2, 4 (switchman's footstep 4 and banister arrangement 2). In order to create the required space for the switchman's stand 2, 4, the end cab locomotive 1 comprises two special buffer systems 10 (see, e.g., FIG. 7) which are arranged on the right and left of the coupling 27. Each of the buffer systems 10 is extended by means of a spacer 17, and therefore the switchman's footstep is still at a sufficient distance from the buffer plate 21, e.g. is at least 300 mm away from the latter. The buffer plane E of the buffer, which is relaxed here, is indicated by chain-dotted lines.

[0094] FIG. 4 shows an end cab locomotive 1 with a preferred switchman's stand 2, 4, comprising a switchman's footstep 4 and a preferred banister arrangement 2 in the switching position. Part of the perspective detail from FIG. 1 can be seen from a somewhat different viewing angle. A preferred banister arrangement 2 is illustrated with an upper banister element 2a and a lower banister element 2b which are both mounted lying opposite one another in a rotatable manner in a holding element 3 (one above the holding element 3 and one below) such that they can rotate about a vertical axis of rotation D (chain-dotted line). In this example, for better understanding of the orientations, described below, of the banister elements 2a, 2b, it can be assumed that the upper banister element 2a is fixedly connected to the lower banister element 2b via a continuous bar, and therefore, when the upper banister element 2a rotates, the lower banister element 2b correspondingly rotates therewith.

[0095] In the front end region, the end cab locomotive 1 has a maintenance footstep at the top and a switchman's footstep 4, which is mounted on an attachment part 6 (see FIG. 6), at the bottom. On the maintenance footstep 5 it is possible, for example, to reach the window of the end cab 25 in order to clean it. A person can stand on the switchman's footstep 4 during switching operations. It corresponds here to the specifications of the standard EN16116.

[0096] In this example, the maintenance footstep 5 is attached directly to the buffer 21 by means of a mounting interface (see FIG. 7). The mounting interface 17 is located here between the buffer flange 11 of the buffer 21 and a crash element 16 and is fastened there with the buffer screws 12.

[0097] The banister elements 2a, 2b of the banister arrangement 2 are manufactured here from bars (rods) which are preferably hollow and are preferably a steel tube structure. In the upper banister element 2a, the bars largely run parallel to the axis of rotation D so that they can readily serve as gripping bars. In the lower banister element 2b, the bars largely run orthogonally to the axis of rotation D so that they can readily serve as footstep bars.

[0098] The banister arrangement 2 is positioned in such a manner that it delimits the two footsteps 4, 5 on at least one of the sides thereof with a banister element 2a, 2b. The banister arrangement 2 can be rotated into a switching position (FIG. 4) and into a maintenance position (FIG. 5) and fixed there.

[0099] FIG. 4 shows the banister arrangement 2 in the switching position. In this position, access from the switchman's footstep 4 to the maintenance footstep 5 is blocked by the upper banister element 2a which can additionally be used as a grip for a person standing on the switchman's footstep 4. The lower banister element 2b, which is arranged between the footsteps 4, 5, is used here as a banister and delimits the switchman's footstep 4 on its side facing away from the end cab 25.

[0100] FIG. 5 corresponds to FIG. 4 with the difference that the banister arrangement 2 is rotated there into the maintenance position. In the maintenance position, access from the switchman's footstep 4 to the maintenance footstep 5 is permitted since the upper banister element 2b has now been pivoted forward and forwardly delimits the front side of the maintenance footstep 5. Therefore, at the same time, the transition between the switchman's footstep 4 to the maintenance footstep 5 is free, and the lower banister element 2b can serve as a footstep from the switchman's footstep 4 to the maintenance footstep 5 and, as a banister, additionally delimits the switchman's footstep 4 from the buffers 21 of the end cab locomotive 1.

[0101] FIG. 6 shows a preferred end cab locomotive 1 with an attached switchman's footstep 4 which is fastened to a special advantageous attachment part 6. The attachment part 6 is attached to a lateral standard interface 26 in the region of the end cab 25 (see, e.g., FIG. 1); this is the standard interface 26 to which the footsteps 24 are attached there). The attachment part 6 comprises a fastening region at the rear for fastening it as intended to a lateral standard interface 26 of the end cab locomotive 1 and at the front three interfaces for fastening the switchman's footstep 4 at the bottom, a maintenance stand 5 at the top (not shown here, see, e.g., FIGS. 4 and 5) and a handle 7 likewise at the top. Between the interfaces and the fastening region, the attachment part has two mounting elements 8 which serve for storing drag shoes 9.

[0102] The attachment part 6 is releasably fastened via the standard interface 26 to a rail vehicle structure of the end cab locomotive 1 by means of screws, and therefore forces which occur, e.g. because of the weight of the drag shoes 9 or that of a person standing on the switchman's footstep 4 (see, e.g., FIGS. 2 and 3) can be transmitted to the rail vehicle structure.

[0103] The attachment part 6 is formed here as a plate in the region of its fastening as intended to the end cab locomotive 1 and has an indentation in the region of the mounting elements 8 such that the drag shoes 9 do not project by more than 200 mm beyond an outer side wall of the end cab locomotive 1. The front part is somewhat thickened and has approximately the cross section of a square. This serves for better stability. Despite its thickened portion, this region does not protrude laterally beyond the side wall of the end cab locomotive 1, but rather into the space at the buffers 21.

[0104] FIG. 7 shows a preferred buffer system 10 for an end cab locomotive 1 according to the invention with an exemplary embodiment of a mounting interface 17 according to the invention to which a footstep 18 is attached.

[0105] The buffer system 10 comprises a buffer 21 with a buffer flange 11 which serves for fastening the buffer 10 to a buffer beam of a rail vehicle 20 or, as illustrated here, to a crash element 16. The buffer is fastened by means of buffer screws 12, of which only a single one is illustrated here, in order also to show the holes which are present for this purpose in the buffer flange 11 and the crash element 16. The buffer sleeve 13, into which the buffer plunger 14 projects, is welded here onto the buffer flange 11. Both elements are part of the buffer housing. Between said two elements, an elastic buffer element which is not visible here is introduced into the interior of the buffer housing, said buffer element being able to reversibly absorb and dispense pressures which act on the buffer plate 15, wherein it can preferably also somewhat convert the energy into heat and therefore serves as an impact damper. In the event of an accident in which much higher forces are in action than normally, the crash element 16 serves to absorb said forces. It is deformed irreversibly in the process and acts as a crumple zone.

[0106] The buffer system 10 according to the invention comprises, between the buffer 21 and the crash element 16, a mounting interface 17 which is attached to the buffer flange 11 and to the crash element 16 with buffer screws 12. Said mounting interface here has a mounting body 17 (and consists in this example basically of said mounting body 17) which here comprises two component-fastening regions 17a which are separated from each other, an upper and a lower component-fastening region, to which the footstep 18 is also attached. Between said component-fastening regions 17a there is the attachment region 17b which here has the same shape as the buffer flange 11. The component-fastening region 17a is provided here with holes, but it could be entirely possible for there also to be screws instead of the holes in the component-fastening region 17a. The attachment region 17b can be fastened here between the crash element 16 and buffer flange 11 with all four buffer screws 12, and therefore said buffer screws 12 connect the crash element 16 and buffer flange 11 by the mounting interface 17 lying in between to the buffer system 10 which additionally uses the mounting interface 17 as a spacer 17.

[0107] FIG. 8 shows a switching coupling 28 in a parking position in a preferred catch device 30. The catch device 30 comprises a catch body, which can be fastened with a fastening 31 to the end cab locomotive 1, an end stop 32, a right side stop and a left side stop 33, which together form a holding body which has an internal region B delimited on three sides. Said body furthermore has an open side, but which is lockable to a lock 34 and is dimensioned in such a manner that the switching coupling 28 can be moved through the open side into the internal region B. The catch device 30 in each case has an elastic stop element 35 at the two side stops 33 and an elastically mounted stop element 36 at the end stop 32.

[0108] In conclusion, attention is once again drawn to the fact that the embodiments described in detail above are merely exemplary embodiments which can be modified in many different ways by a person skilled in the art without exceeding the scope of the invention. Moreover, the use of the indefinite article a or an does not exclude the possibility that there may be more than one of the features concerned. In addition, terms such as unit do not exclude the fact that the components concerned consist of a plurality of interacting subcomponents which may optionally also be arranged in a spatially distributed manner.