Apparatus for compacting the ballast bed of a track

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for compacting the ballast bed of a track, comprising a machine frame which is movable on the track with a stabiliser unit which runs on rollers on the track and is equipped with a vibration drive for producing a vibration in a plane parallel to the track. The stabiliser unit is preferably equipped with tension rollers engaging around the rail head. The stabiliser unit is linked in a height-adjustable manner to the machine frame with an adjusting drive and can be moved against the track under load. In order to provide advantageous constructional conditions it is provided that the vibration drive comprises at least one cylinder vibrator which is formed by a hydraulic cylinder and is triggered via a proportional or servo valve.

Claims

1. An apparatus for compacting the ballast bed of a track, comprising: a machine frame which is movable on the track; and a stabiliser unit which runs on rollers on the track, wherein the stabiliser unit is linked in a height-adjustable manner to the machine frame with an adjusting drive and can be moved against the track under load, wherein the stabiliser unit includes a vibration drive for producing a vibration in a plane parallel to the track, and wherein the vibration drive comprises at least one cylinder vibrator which is formed by a hydraulic cylinder and is triggered via a proportional or servo valve and wherein the hydraulic cylinder of the cylinder vibrator is associated with a pressure cylinder measuring the hydraulic pressure for determining a static and dynamic resistance against lateral displacement of the track.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stabiliser unit is equipped with tension rollers engaging around a rail head.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stabiliser unit is linked in a height-adjustable manner to the machine frame via hydraulic adjusting cylinders which are aligned vertically, and can be moved under load against the track and can be excited in a vibromotive manner, and wherein the adjusting cylinders also form a cylinder vibrator which is controlled by a proportional or servo valve.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one auxiliary mass for amplifying the dynamic force, wherein the at least one auxiliary mass is associated with the cylinder vibrator of the vibration drive.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the at least one auxiliary mass is associated with the hydraulic cylinder and/or a piston of the hydraulic cylinder.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vibration drive includes two mechanically coupled hydraulic cylinders, with each comprising integrated piston displacement measurement.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein types of vibration with which the vibration drive and/or the adjusting drive can be excited can be predetermined freely by an open-loop/closed-loop control unit.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cylinder vibrator of the vibration drive is formed by a synchronous cylinder.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder vibrator is equipped with a sensor which measures the piston position of the piston associated with the hydraulic cylinder.

10. An apparatus for compacting the ballast bed of a track, comprising: a machine frame which is movable on the track; and a stabiliser unit which runs on rollers on the track, wherein the stabiliser unit is linked in a height-adjustable manner to the machine frame with an adjusting drive and can be moved against the track under load, wherein the stabiliser unit includes a vibration drive for producing a vibration in a plane parallel to the track, and wherein the vibration drive comprises at least one cylinder vibrator which is formed by a hydraulic cylinder and is triggered via a proportional or servo valve and wherein the cylinder vibrator is equipped with a sensor which measures the piston position of the piston associated with the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the at least one cylinder vibrator of the vibration drive is formed by a synchronous cylinder, wherein the stabiliser unit is linked in a height-adjustable manner to the machine frame via hydraulic adjusting cylinders which are aligned vertically, and can be moved under load against the track and can be excited in a vibromotive manner, and wherein the adjusting cylinders also form a cylinder vibrator which is controlled by a proportional or servo valve, wherein the adjusting cylinders are associated with pressure sensors measuring the hydraulic pressure for determining a static and dynamic vertical stiffness of the track.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the adjusting cylinders are equipped with a sensor measuring a position of an associated piston.

12. An apparatus for compacting the ballast bed of a track, comprising: a machine frame which is movable on the track; and a stabiliser unit which runs on rollers on the track, wherein the stabiliser unit is linked in a height-adjustable manner to the machine frame with an adjusting drive and can be moved against the track under load, wherein the stabiliser unit includes a vibration drive for producing a vibration in a plane parallel to the track, and wherein the vibration drive comprises at least one cylinder vibrator which is formed by a hydraulic cylinder and is triggered via a proportional or servo valve and wherein the at least one cylinder vibrator of the vibration drive is formed by a synchronous cylinder that comprises two piston rods.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the cylinder vibrator is equipped with a sensor which measures the piston position of the piston associated with the hydraulic cylinder.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the stabiliser unit is equipped with tension rollers engaging around a rail head.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the stabiliser unit is linked in a height-adjustable manner to the machine frame via hydraulic adjusting cylinders which are aligned vertically, and can be moved under load against the track and can be excited in a vibromotive manner, and wherein the adjusting cylinders also form a cylinder vibrator which is controlled by a proportional or servo valve.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the adjusting cylinders are equipped with a sensor measuring a position of an associated piston.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the adjusting cylinders are associated with pressure sensors measuring the hydraulic pressure for determining a static and dynamic vertical stiffness of the track.

18. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising: at least one auxiliary mass for amplifying the dynamic force, wherein the at least one auxiliary mass is associated with the cylinder vibrator of the vibration drive.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the at least one auxiliary mass is associated with the hydraulic cylinder and/or a piston of the hydraulic cylinder.

20. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the vibration drive includes two mechanically coupled hydraulic cylinders, with each comprising integrated piston displacement measurement.

21. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein types of vibration with which the vibration drive and/or the adjusting drive can be excited can be predetermined freely by an open-loop/closed-loop control unit.

22. An apparatus for compacting the ballast bed of a track, comprising: a machine frame which is movable on the track; and a stabiliser unit which runs on rollers on the track, wherein the stabiliser unit is linked in a height-adjustable manner to the machine frame with an adjusting drive and can be moved against the track under load, wherein the stabiliser unit includes a vibration drive for producing a vibration in a plane parallel to the track, and wherein the vibration drive comprises at least one cylinder vibrator which is formed by a hydraulic cylinder and is triggered via a proportional or servo valve and wherein the cylinder vibrator is equipped with a sensor which measures the piston position of the piston associated with the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the hydraulic cylinder of the cylinder vibrator is associated with a pressure cylinder measuring the hydraulic pressure for determining a static and dynamic resistance against lateral displacement of the track.

23. An apparatus for compacting the ballast bed of a track, comprising: a machine frame which is movable on the track; and a stabiliser unit which runs on rollers on the track, wherein the stabiliser unit is linked in a height-adjustable manner to the machine frame with an adjusting drive and can be moved against the track under load, wherein the stabiliser unit includes a vibration drive for producing a vibration in a plane parallel to the track, and wherein the vibration drive comprises at least one cylinder vibrator which is formed by a hydraulic cylinder and is triggered via a proportional or servo valve and wherein the cylinder vibrator is equipped with a sensor which measures the piston position of the piston associated with the hydraulic cylinder, wherein the at least one cylinder vibrator of the vibration drive is formed by a synchronous cylinder, wherein the synchronous cylinder comprises two piston rods.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the system described herein are schematically shown in the drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a top view of a stabiliser unit in accordance with the system described herein;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a front view of the stabiliser unit of FIG. 1 in accordance with the system described herein;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a stabiliser unit of FIGS. 1 and 2 on a smaller scale which is arranged on a machine frame;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram for vertical track stiffness over the load; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram for the lateral displacement force over the amplitude.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

(7) An apparatus for compacting the ballast bed of a track 1 comprises a machine frame 2, which is especially a part of a rail construction train or the like and which can be moved with a stabiliser unit 5 on the track 1, which stabiliser unit runs with rollers 3 on the track 1 and is provided with a vibration drive 4 for generating a vibration in a plane E which is parallel to the track, wherein the track plane is designated with reference G. The stabiliser unit 5 is attached to a frame 6, movable on the track 1 using rollers 3 equipped with wheels rims, and provided with tension rollers 7 which engage around the rail head and which are provided with a pivoting drive 8 for releasing the rail head in order to allow the stabiliser unit 5 to be released from the track 1 and to lift off from said track.

(8) Furthermore, the stabiliser unit 5 is linked in a height-adjustable way to the machine frame 2 by an adjusting drive 9 (two hydraulic cylinders) and can be moved against the track 1 under load. The rollers 3 are equipped with telescopic shafts 10 which press the rollers 3 against the tracks, thus allowing variations in the track widths to be compensated and ensuring play-free guidance of the stabiliser unit 5 on the track transversely to the travelling direction.

(9) In order to provide especially simple and compact overall conditions, the vibration drive 4 comprises at least one cylinder vibrator 12 which is triggered via a proportional or servo valve 11 and formed by a hydraulic cylinder. The cylinder vibrator 12 is formed by a synchronous cylinder with two piston rods 13, which respectively carry one auxiliary mass 14 each. The cylinder vibrator 12 is provided with a sensor 15 (displacement sensor) which measures the piston position of the hydraulic cylinder piston. The sensor 15 either measures the position of the piston directly, the piston rod or optionally the position of the auxiliary masses. Furthermore, the hydraulic cylinder of the cylinder vibrator 12 is associated with a pressure sensor 16 that measures the hydraulic pressure in order to subsequently enable the calculation of the static and dynamic lateral displacement resistance of the track 1.

(10) The stabiliser unit 5 is linked in a height-adjustable way to the machine frame 2 via hydraulic adjusting cylinders forming the adjusting drive 9 and being vertically aligned, and can be moved under load against the track 1 and can be excited vibromotively. Such a force can thus be set via the adjusting cylinders with which the stabiliser unit 5 is pressed against the track 1 under support on the machine frame 2. The adjusting cylinders also form a cylinder vibrator which is controlled or regulated by a proportional or servo valve 11. The position of the adjusting cylinder piston is measured again by a sensor 15 and the adjusting cylinders are associated with a pressure sensor 16 measuring the hydraulic pressure for determining a static and dynamic vertical stiffness of the track.

(11) FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram concerning the vertical stiffness of the track. It is composed of different individual stiffnesses such as rail elasticity, elasticity of the intermediate layer, the elasticity of the sleepers in the case of a potential elastic sleeper padding, the ballast, the stiffness of the track bed and/or the frost-protection layer, and the stiffness of the ground situated beneath. This characteristic curve is a highly non-linear one, as shown by the illustrated schematic curve. If a static force is applied by the vertical load, the track panel is lowered under said load. This subsidence is measured using the displacement sensors associated with the cylinders, i.e. the sensors 15. The force applied for this purpose can also be determined via the cylinder pressure measurement. Conclusions on the vertical stiffness stated in the diagram can be drawn from these data. The so-called operating point A is obtained from a specific static load F.sub.STAT. Since the adjusting cylinders are also excited dynamically, a dynamic force fluctuation F.sub.DYN is obtained around this operating point, which corresponds to a vertical fluctuation in stiffness. The dynamic vertical stiffness s.sub.DYN, which approximately corresponds to the tangent or ascent of the curve in the operating point, is obtained from a division of the stiffness fluctuation by the measure of the force fluctuation F.sub.DYN.

(12) FIG. 5 shows a schematic lateral displacement diagram of a track. The horizontal line shows the exciter amplitude of the vibration unit and the vibration path of the track in the ballast bed. The illustrated area beneath the curve corresponds to the actual frictional work done. The vertical line shows the horizontally acting force which needs to be applied for displacing the track panel. The displacement is measured by the displacement sensor attached to the cylinder vibrator and the force is determined via the hydraulic pressure measurement in the cylinder. It is common practice in the railway industry to determine the resistance against lateral displacement from a displacing force which is required for displacing the track by 2 mm from the zero position. Since the respective parameters of path and force are measured, it is possible to determine from the measured values the static resistance against lateral displacement at 2 mm and the ascent of the tangent in this operating point, i.e. the dynamic lateral displacement resistance.

(13) Various embodiments discussed herein may be combined with each other in appropriate combinations in connection with the system described herein.

(14) Additionally, in some instances, the order of steps in the described flow processing may be modified, where appropriate. Further, various aspects of the system described herein may be implemented using hardware, software, a combination of hardware and software and/or other computer-implemented modules or devices having the described features and performing the described functions. The system may further include a display and/or other computer components for providing a suitable interface with a user and/or with other computers.

(15) Software implementations of aspects of the system described herein may include executable code that is stored in a computer-readable medium and executed by one or more processors. The computer-readable medium may include volatile memory and/or non-volatile memory, and may include, for example, a computer hard drive, ROM, RAM, flash memory, portable computer storage media such as a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, an SD card, a flash drive or other drive with, for example, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and/or any other appropriate tangible or non-transitory computer-readable medium or computer memory on which executable code may be stored and executed by a processor. The system described herein may be used in connection with any appropriate operating system.

(16) Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the specification or practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.