Rail wheel

Abstract

A rail wheel with a wheel body and wheel brake discs connected thereto with fastening elements on both sides is designed in such a way that at least in the respective contact regions of the wheel brake discs a mechanically and thermally highly resilient intermediate layer is arranged on the wheel body.

Claims

1. A rail wheel comprising: a wheel body; and wheel brake disks connected to the wheel body on both sides with fastening elements, wherein a mechanically and thermally highly loadable intermediate layer is provided between the wheel body and a respective wheel brake disk at at least respective contact regions of the wheel brake disks, wherein the intermediate layer is composed of a plurality of circular ring portions forming a ring, wherein some of the plurality of circular ring portions lie between the wheel body and one of the wheel brake disks, each of the plurality of circular ring portions composed of a sheet of stainless steel having a polished surface and having a greater strength than the wheel body or a wheel web and each having two contact portions on an outer border of the circular ring portion and one contact portion on an inner border of the circular ring portion, and wherein the intermediate layer slides relative to the respective wheel brake disk.

2. The rail wheel of claim 1, further comprising sliding blocks provided between the respective wheel brake disk and the wheel web and, in a region of overlap with the sliding blocks, wherein the intermediate layers have punched-out portions in which the sliding blocks engage, the basic contour dimensions of the sliding blocks approximately corresponding to a basic contour dimensions of the associated punched-out portions.

3. The rail vehicle of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer is located in a steps of the wheel web.

4. The rail vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the contact portions bear against steps in the brake disks.

5. The rail vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the contact portions bear against steps in the wheel body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a partial cutout of a rail wheel according to the invention in a sectioned side view,

(3) FIGS. 2 and 3 each show a further exemplary embodiment of the invention in an enlarged partial cutout corresponding to FIG. 1,

(4) FIGS. 4A and 4B show part of the rail wheel in a top view corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 3, respectively,

(5) FIG. 5 shows a further exemplary embodiment of the invention in an enlarged partial cutout in a sectional side view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 illustrates a partial region of a rail wheel taken at section 1-1 of FIG. 4A, specifically of one of the regions in which wheel brake disks 2 are connected on both sides to a wheel body 1.

(7) In this case, a wheel web 3 of the wheel body 1, which wheel web forms two circumferential, radially extending contact surfaces, has a bore 14 through which a bolt 6 is guided, with which the wheel brake disks 2 are fixedly connected to the wheel body 1.

(8) Each bolt 6, of which a plurality is furthermore distributed at an equal angular spacing on a circumferential circle, is guided through a fastening eye 5 in the respective wheel brake disk 2, the end side of said eye likewise forming a contact region in relation to the wheel web 3, such as cooling ribs 4 of the wheel brake disk.

(9) An intermediate layer 7 assigned to each wheel brake disk 2 is arranged between the contact regions of the fastening eye 5 and the cooling ribs 4 and the wheel web 3, and therefore the wheel web 3 and the contact regions of the wheel brake disk 2 bear against said intermediate layer.

(10) Said intermediate layers 7 are composed of a mechanically and thermally highly loadable material, e.g., of a hard-rolled metal sheet, the hardness or strength of which is greater than that of the wheel web 3.

(11) As can be seen particularly clearly in FIG. 4, the intermediate layers 7 consist of circular ring portions which are distributed uniformly over the circumference, wherein the number of circular ring portions can vary. For example, for twelve bolts 6, the same number of circular ring portions is provided, said portions accordingly each enclosing an angle of 30.

(12) For radial securing purposes, the intermediate layers 7 may be held in a form-fitting manner, to which end, in the example shown in FIG. 1, the wheel web 3 has steps 8 in which the intermediate layers 7 are located in a manner substantially secured against displacement in the radial direction.

(13) The intermediate layers 7 have corresponding openings for the passage of the bolts 6.

(14) In the example shown in FIG. 2 in which, as in FIGS. 3 and 5, an enlarged illustration in the contact region of the intermediate layers 7 is reproduced; the radial securing takes place in both directions, i.e., to the outside and to the inside, by means of a sleeve 9, which is inserted into the bore 14 and is held in an axially secured manner there. The sleeve 9 protrudes over the wheel web 3 on both sides at least by the thickness of the intermediate layers 7.

(15) The outside diameter of the sleeve 9 approximately corresponds to the clear diameter of a central recess in the intermediate layer 7 such that the latter can easily be attached and is held in a manner secured against lateral displacement.

(16) In the variant embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 2, the intermediate layers 7, 7 are, therefore, locked on the wheel web 3, 3. By means of the visible extensive contact of the intermediate layers 7, 7 with the wheel web 3, 3, the outside radius of which is determined by the radial width of the cooling ribs 4 which virtually form outer contact regions, the production of significant temperature differences between the metal sheet and wheel web are avoided and therefore so too are thermally induced distortions of the intermediate metal sheets in relation to the wheel. The metal sheets do not slide on the wheel web.

(17) By contrast, the wheel brake disk 2, 2 which is supported on the respective intermediate layer slides in the radial direction on the intermediate layer 7, 7 in the event of a thermally induced changing shape such that scoring or damage of the wheel web is prevented.

(18) In the sense mentioned above, intermediate layers 7 may also lock on the wheel web 3 in the example shown in FIG. 5. For this purpose, the intermediate layers 7 may have flanges 13 in the region of the bores 14 in the wheel web 3, the flanges being in the form of collars and projecting into the bore 14, and corresponding in the outside diameter thereof approximately to the clear diameter of the bore 14 such that radial securing in both directions is ensured.

(19) FIG. 3 illustrates a further example of fixing the intermediate layers 7. Here, the wheel brake disk 2, in the contact regions thereof which face the wheel web 3, has steps 10 in each of which one of the intermediate layers 7 is located and secured radially.

(20) During a temperature-induced expansion and contraction of the wheel brake disks 2, in the radial direction, the respective intermediate layer 7 moves at the same time by the same amount such that the intermediate layers 7 virtually slide on the wheel web 3.

(21) As can be seen in FIGS. 4A-4B, there is a further type of radial fixing of the intermediate layers 7, in that punched-out portions are made in said intermediate layers in the region of overlap with sliding blocks 11, which are arranged between the wheel web 3, 3 and the wheel brake disks 2, 2, said punched-out portions corresponding in the basic contour dimensions thereof to the sliding blocks 11, wherein the sliding blocks 11 pass through the associated punched-out portions, thus resulting in form-fitting positional fixing on the wheel web 3, 3.

(22) Since temperature differences occur between the wheel brake disk 2, 2 and the intermediate layer 7 during each braking operation, the intermediate layer 7 is designed in such a manner that differences in curvature do not result in any distortion.

(23) The intermediate layer 7 is configured such that the intermediate layer 7 is provided on the outer and inner borders with contact portions 12 which may bear against the associated edges of the steps 8, 10.

(24) In principle, a single-part intermediate layer in the form of a ring is capable of functioning. However, due to the large diameter of the wheel brake disks 2 for rail wheels, it is substantially more cost effective to use circular ring portions, wherein the latter are punched or cut by laser beam or water jet.

(25) In the example shown in FIGS. 4A-4B, 60 circular ring portions are selected, and each intermediate layer 7, is provided on the outer border with two contact portions 12 and on the inner border with one contact portion 12 which is located in the center while the two outer contact portions are arranged, with respect to the length, in the outer border regions, thus resulting in three-point contact by means of which, as mentioned, distortion in the event of differences in curvature is prevented.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(26) 1 Wheel body 2, 2, 2 Wheel brake disk 3, 3, 3 Wheel web 4, 4 Cooling rib 5, 5 Fastening eye 6 Bolt 7, 7, 7 Intermediate layer 8 Step 9 Sleeve 10 Step 11 Sliding block 12 Contact portion 13 Flange 14 Bore