AU2014243337B2

AU2014243337B2 - Apparatus for adjustably fastening a signal transmitter on a signal screen

Info

Publication number: AU2014243337B2
Application number: AU2014243337A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Rudolf Temming
Original assignee: Siemens AG; Siemens Corp
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 2013-03-28
Filing date: 2014-03-11
Publication date: 2016-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 2034-03-11
Also published as: DE102013205584A1; AU2014243337A1; CN105102298A; CN105102298B; EP2953832A2; WO2014154477A3; WO2014154477A2

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for the adjustable fastening, in particular three-point fastening, of a signal transmitter (2), which has an optics assembly having an optical axis, on a signal screen (1) arranged fixedly in three dimensions, wherein helical springs (4) for adjusting a solid angle of the optical axis of 0° to approximately 3° are provided at fastening points. A quick-action fastening apparatus of this type, in which no special tool is required for signal installation, is characterized by the fact that each helical spring (4) is inserted into a sleeve (9) having an inner stop (8) on one side and can be pressed together against a flange (10) of the signal transmitter (2) by means of a stop-side rotary knob (6) of the sleeve (9) in such a way that a thread can be screwed into a mating thread of the signal screen (1).

Description

Apparatus for adjustably fastening a signal transmitter on a signal screen

The invention relates to an apparatus for the adjustable fastening, in particular three-point fastening, of a signal transmitter comprising an optics assembly having an optical axis, on a signal screen arranged fixedly in three dimensions, wherein helical springs for adjusting a solid angle of the optical axis of 0° to approximately 3° are provided at fastening points.

The adjustability of signals, for example track signals in railway safety technology, is necessary in order to guarantee the best possible visibility of the information to be signaled within the far range and the near range of the signal. To this end, the signal transmitter has to be able to be fastened to the signal screen, tilted in all directions up to approximately + /- 3° relative to the plane of the signal screen. The optical axis in this case is adjusted within this solid angle area.

In a known solution, a three-point fastening is provided. Figure 1 shows one of the three fastening points. A helical spring 4 guided on a threaded rod 3 is provided at each fastening point between the signal screen 1 which is made of sheet metal and the signal transmitter 2. The signal transmitter 1 is pressed against the helical spring 4 by means of a nut 5 on the threaded rod 3. The position of the three nuts 5 of the three-point fastening to one another determines the solid angle of the optical axis. By adjusting the three nuts 5 an optimal solid angle of between 0° and approximately 3° is set, starting from a parallel position of the signal transmitter 2 to the signal screen 1. To this end, a specific telescopic sight is used, said telescopic sight being aligned relative to the optical axis of the signal.

In addition to the multi-part nature of the spring construction, a principal drawback is the high degree of effort required for mounting the signal transmitter and the adjustment of the solid angle thereof relative to the signal screen.

It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate one or more of the above disadvantages, or at least provide a useful alternative.

The present invention provides an apparatus for the adjustable fastening, in particular three-point fastening, of a signal transmitter comprising an optics assembly having an optical axis, on a signal screen arranged fixedly in three dimensions, wherein helical springs for adjusting a solid angle of the optical axis of 0° to approximately 3° are provided at fastening points, wherein the apparatus further comprises a thread, at least one sleeve having an inner stop on one side and a rotary knob, and at least one helical spring that is inserted into the sleeve, wherein the spring can be compressed against the flange of the signal transmitter in such a way that the apparatus comprising the thread can be screwed with the signal screen having a mating thread.

By the premounting of the helical spring/sleeve assembly a manual fastening of the signal transmitter flange onto the signal screen thread is possible. Specific tools and small parts, for example nuts and washers, may not be necessary. The quick-action fastening apparatus is very useful for the technician, particularly during the cold months of the year, as small parts are then particularly difficult to handle. The technician simply has to insert the rotary knob, which is preferably provided with gripping recesses, through the flange of the signal transmitter and screw it to the signal screen. Relative to the known spring construction, this results in considerable time-saving, which leads to improved availability of the signal and thus shorter disruptions to the railway operation. Moreover, the maintenance costs are reduced, in particular when replacing the signal transmitter. In addition, the number of individual parts of the fastening apparatus is reduced. The initial mounting is able to be carried out more rapidly. By taking into account standard dimensions and distances relative to the signal screen and the signal transmitter, the quick-action fastening apparatus may be used as a spare part or optionally as an alternative to the conventional spring construction.

In an embodiment, it is provided that the sleeve and the rotary knob are configured as a one-piece sleeve/rotary knob assembly. The rotary knob, which forms the grip, is integrally formed on the sleeve which receives the helical spring. The rotary knob and the sleeve, however, may also be configured as separate components which are bonded, welded or simply inserted into one another.

In another embodiment, it is provided that the inner stop for the helical spring inside the sleeve is formed by a nut, the outer contour thereof being adapted to the inner contour of the sleeve such that the nut is able to be displaced relative to the sleeve but is not rotatable, wherein the nut is able to be screwed into a signal screen screw which has the mating thread of the signal screen. The nut which is supported on the rotary knob or a hexagonal connector of the rotary knob protruding into the sleeve, may be configured, for example, as a hexagonal nut and may be inserted with a small degree of clearance into a hexagonal inner contour of the sleeve. By means of the hexagonal shape the nut is prevented from twisting inside the sleeve so that the nut is able to be screwed with the rotary knob into the signal screen thread, wherein the helical spring is tensioned against the flange of the signal transmitter.

In yet another embodiment, the sleeve has shaped portions which oppose the rotary knob and which correspond to mating shaped portions in the flange of the signal transmitter. In this manner, vibrations and other mechanical effects are not able to release or twist the screw connection between the sleeve assembly and the signal screen and thus not alter the adjustment of the optical axis.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows a spring fastening corresponding to the prior art,

Figure 2 shows individual parts of an embodiment of a quick-action fastening apparatus according to the invention,

Figure 3 shows the quick-action fastening apparatus according to Figure 2 in the mounted state and

Figure 4 shows the quick-action fastening according to Figure 3 in cooperation with a signal transmitter and a signal screen.

The spring construction already described above with reference to Figure 1 for the adjustable fastening of the signal transmitter 2 to the signal screen 1, by means of compressible helical springs generally at three fastening points between the signal screen 1 and signal transmitter 2, is replaced by a substantially simpler and more convenient quick-action fastening apparatus according to the invention.

According to Figure 2, the quick-action fastening apparatus consists of a rotary knob 6 with a hexagonal shape 7 integrally formed thereon, a nut 8, the helical spring 4 and a sleeve 9. The nut 8 and the helical spring 4 are pushed into the sleeve 9, wherein the internal shape of the sleeve 9 is designed such that the nut 8 is able to be easily displaced relative to the sleeve (9) but is not able to rotate. The rotary knob 6 with the hexagonal shape 7 is positively pushed into the sleeve 9 and adhesively bonded thereto.

The quick-action fastening apparatus premounted in this manner is illustrated in Figure 3.

As Figure 4 shows, the technician simply has to screw this premounted quick-action fastening apparatus through a bore in a flange 10 of the signal transmitter 2 to the signal screen -1 in Figure 1. A signal screen screw 11, which is inserted into the sleeve 9 through the helical spring 4 thereof and is screwed to the nut 8, is used for this purpose. On the flange side, the sleeve 9 is provided with shaped portions 12 which engage in similar mating shaped portions 13 of the flange 10. This results in a vibration-proof connection between the signal transmitter 2 and the signal screen 1, whereby the adjustment of a solid angle of an optical axis of the optic assembly of the signal transmitter 2, i.e. the screw-in depth of the signal screen screw 11 into the quick-action fastening apparatus is permanently fixed. By means of the quick-action fastening apparatus, the mounting is considerably simplified, wherein in particular specific tools and also small parts, such as nuts and washers, are not required.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the adjustable fastening, in particular three-point fastening, of a signal transmitter comprising an optics assembly having an optical axis, on a signal screen arranged fixedly in three dimensions, wherein helical springs for adjusting a solid angle of the optical axis of 0° to approximately 3° are provided at fastening points, wherein the apparatus further comprises a thread, at least one sleeve having an inner stop on one side and a rotary knob, and at least one helical spring that is inserted into the sleeve, wherein the spring can be compressed against the flange of the signal transmitter in such a way that the apparatus comprising the thread can be screwed with the signal screen having a mating thread.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sleeve and the rotary knob are configured as a one-piece sleeve/rotary knob assembly

3. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner stop for the helical spring inside the sleeve is formed by a nut, the outer contour thereof being adapted to the inner contour of the sleeve such that the nut is able to be displaced relative to the sleeve but is not rotatable, wherein the nut is able to be screwed into a signal screen screw which has the mating thread of the signal screen.

4. The apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sleeve has shaped portions which oppose the rotary knob and which correspond to mating shaped portions in the flange of the signal transmitter.