CH683912A5 - Installation for rail transport of road vehicles partic. heavy goods vehicles - has rail track divided into sections for loading and unloading, rotation platforms each supporting track section, and access and exit routes to each platform - Google Patents

Abstract

The rail transport installation comprises transporter wagons or carriages (11) having a bridge onto which a heavy goods vehicle (V) can be driven. A rail track is divided into sections (10A,10B) for loading and unloading the lorries, with the sections being supported on respective rotating platforms (12). Each of the loading and unloading bays has access and exit routes (13) towards which a platform rotates to align the transporter carriage with the access/exit path. Securement elements are provided to immobilise the wagons of a convoy on the platform on the rail sections and decoupled. The platforms can be rotated to a partic. position to extend the access or entry route to allow a lorry drive move on or off the associated track section. Another rotation of the platforms allows realignment of the track sections and coupling of the wagons to form a convoy. USE/ADVANTAGE - E.g. for providing shuttle service for convoys of lorries between two locations. Avoids problems caused by road-haulage trucks on heavy traffic road routes.

Description

1

CH 683 912 A5

2

Description

The rail transport of road vehicles, in particular of heavy goods vehicles, with a view to eliminating the nuisances which arise from their passage by high-traffic roadways, is currently being studied as a priority by the authorities of many countries, including Switzerland for northern connections. -South.

This type of transport, which is designated by iron-routing, is however only rational if the loading and unloading of vehicles on the convoys provided for this purpose can be carried out in a minimum of time.

Currently the existing installations do not allow this condition to be fulfilled since the vehicles can only be placed one behind the other, that is to say one after the other, on the wagons of the convoy.

The subject of the present invention is an installation for the rail transport of road vehicles, more particularly of heavy goods vehicles, in which the vehicles are loaded or unloaded in parallel, that is to say independently of each other, hence a considerable time savings compared to that required to load or unload wagons in current systems.

This installation is defined by claim 1 of this patent application.

The attached drawing shows schematically and by way of example, an embodiment of the object of the invention.

Figs. 1 to 3 are plan views of the installation illustrating the loading of vehicles.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through line IV-IV of FIG. 2.

The installation shown comprises a loading and unloading railroad 10, divided into sections 10A, 10B, ..., transport wagons 11, rotating platforms 12, access tracks 13A derived from a main track 14 and relief tracks 13B connected in parallel to a main relief track, not shown, similar to track 14.

These tracks 13 and 14 are indicated on a double loading and unloading quay 15, of constant level, by marks on the ground 16. The lengths of the sections 10 correspond to those of the wagons 11, and these to those of the vehicles V to carry.

The platforms 12 are housed in pits at a level such that the bridges of the wagons 11 are in the same horizontal plane as the platform 15. They can pivot between the limit angular positions which they occupy respectively in FIGS. 1 and 3, respectively 2. In this last position, they are in the extension of the corresponding channels 13.

These tracks 13 end with a flange 17 under which the coupling devices 18 of the wagons 11 move during the rotation of the platforms 12.

These devices 18 are designed so that the coupling means (mechanical, pneumatic, electric) engage automatically or semi-automatically when the wagons 11 are brought in convoy formation, and inverted-ment when the wagons 11 leave this position.

The stowage of vehicles V on the wagons 11 is carried out by means of retractable shoes 19.

The wagons 11 are also blocked on the platforms 12, by means not shown, during their angular displacements.

The installation operates to load the vehicles, as follows: The wagons 11 are initially brought in convoy on the railway 10, as shown in FIG. 1, so that each wagon 11 is on a section 10A, 10B, ... then the platforms 12 are driven in rotation as far as the respective angular positions which they occupy in FIG. 2. In these positions the wagons 11 are exactly in the extensions of the corresponding access tracks 13A (and in the extensions of the clearance tracks 13B). Vehicles V arrive via a checkpoint located upstream from the main access route 14. An access route 13 is allocated to each driver. Arrived at this access route, he drives his vehicle on the deck of wagon 11 which extends this route. Once the vehicles V have been loaded, the terminals 19 corresponding to the wheels of the vehicle are put in place, which blocks the vehicle on the deck of the wagon 11.

The vehicle V being loaded and stowed, the platform 12 returns to its initial position as shown in FIG. 3.

When all the sections 10A, 10B, ... have returned to their initial positions, the track 10 is reconstituted and the wagons 11 form a loaded convoy ready to set off for a destination where a similar installation will be found where will reverse the unloading of vehicles.

It will also be noted that the installation described makes it possible either to load or unload a convoy, that is to say that it can be used for shuttle trains in both directions.

The huge advantage of the installation according to the invention lies in the fact that the vehicles can be loaded and unloaded practically at the same time, which saves considerable time compared to current systems.

In addition, this installation is relatively low cost and its operation can be largely automated.

Claims (3)

Claims 1. Installation for the rail transport of road vehicles (V), more particularly of heavy goods vehicles, comprising transport wagons on the deck of each of which at least one vehicle (V) can be brought, by its driver, in the longitudinal direction of the wagon, using an ad hoc access track, characterized in that it comprises a loading and unloading railroad (10) divided into sections (10A, 10B, ...), wagons (11), rotating platforms (12) each carrying a section (10A, 10B, ...) of the railway track (10), at least one road access road 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 2 3. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the said wagons (11) comprise means for fast stowing (19) of the vehicles (V). 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 3 3 CH 683 912 A5 (13) by platform (12), extending radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the latter and forming an angle with the longitudinal axis of the railway track (10), means making it possible to immobilize the wagons ( 11) of a convoy, or intended to form a convoy, on the successive platforms (12), the whole so that the wagons (11) being put in place, one per platform (12), on said railroad track (10 ) and uncoupled, a rotation of the platforms (12) makes it possible to bring each wagon (11) individually in the extension of the corresponding road access road (13) and for each driver to drive his vehicle (V) in his place on the corresponding wagon (11), and, conversely for unloading, and, once the vehicles (V) loaded or unloaded, another rotation of the platforms (12) makes it possible to restore the continuity of the railway track (10) and to couple the wagons (11) to form a convoy. 2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the wagons (11) are equipped with coupling devices (18) - mechanical and / or electrical and / or pneumatic - automatic or semi-automatic allowing rapid coupling and uncoupling wagons (11) mounted on the platforms (12).