JPS5915863B2 - Tightening device for load-compensated vehicle release devices - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to a tightening device, and more particularly, for the purpose of removing cargo from an open steel moving freight car, the present invention relates generally to a tightening system for removing cargo from a rolling railroad car while the freight car is inverted. The tightening that is held in the freight car releasing device is related to the device.

Various types of fasteners range from cable-operated fasteners to hydraulic telescoping arm fasteners. It has been used for grasping and holding purposes.

Hydraulic telescoping arm type clamping devices are preferred over cable-operated type clamping devices because the clamping action is more reliable and durable during cargo opening operations.

Examples of tightening devices for these rotary wagon releasing devices are described in U.S. Pat. Are listed.

When the tightening device according to the present invention is used in a rotary releasing device for railway freight cars, the tightening device between the top of the freight car and the tightening device will cause a change in force when the freight car is rotated to an upside down position. It is characterized by the ability to compensate.

This ability minimizes damage to the wagons, clamps, and equipment, and thus reduces the need for maintenance of parts of the wagons, clamps, and equipment.

Since the clamping forces are lower than those of the prior art, the clamping allows for smaller device dimensions and lower manufacturing costs.

The improved tightening system of the present invention allows the railroad car spring to stretch during one complete rotation cycle.

In many prior art fastening devices, the device is mechanically locked or secured gradually as the railcar rotates, with the device becoming locked as the railcar rotates through approximately 75 degrees. It looks like this.

As a result, the railcar springs can only be stretched during the first approximately 75 degrees of rotation, and the railcar spring force is only released by about 35% under optimal conditions (usually much less than 35%). .

Further spring force cannot be released due to the large frictional forces created by the blocking that supports the sides of the vehicle as it rotates.

The improved tightening device of the present invention includes:
The tightening device is not fixed even when the railroad wagon is in a 180° rotated position, and the force acting on the jaw member that engages the upper end of the railroad wagon is applied by the spring of the device. It is designed to float when a predetermined force is exceeded, and the predetermined force can be set to a value that offsets the weight of the railway freight car, so the spring force of the railway freight car can be greatly reduced compared to conventional ones. It can be released.

The clamping device of the present invention can also absorb the shock of oil flow when it suddenly engages the top of a railroad freight car, thereby allowing high clamping speeds.

The clamping device of the present invention also acts as a shock absorber when lifted and the hydraulically actuated telescoping arm is brought to an abrupt stop midway through its travel.

Among the advantages of the tightening device of the present invention when used on open railroad wagons is the ability to release the springs of the railroad wagon.

This means that this type of tightening is one highly desirable feature of the device.

The release of the spring force in a railway freight car can be explained as follows.

The weight of the railcar and the weight of the cargo loaded onto it are supported by springs positioned on the railcar's bogie.

Therefore, a railroad freight car loaded with cargo has a lower height than an empty freight car.

This height difference is due to spring compression.

When the railcar is in the upright position and the device is engaged with the top of the railcar, the tightening for the rotary release device is determined by the sum of the weight of the railcar's spring wagon and the weight of the cargo loaded onto the railcar. is compressed with a force equal to .

Typically, prior art clamping devices are locked when the release device is rotated approximately 70 degrees.

When the releasing device rotates beyond 70° to 155° or 180°, the cargo in the wagon is released.

However, with the wagon rotated 155° to 180°, the locking or fixed clamping device that engages the top of the wagon prevents the extension movement of the railroad wagon springs;
Therefore, the trapped spring force is superimposed on the weight of the freight car and the weight of, for example, cargo that remains attached to the freight car because it has been frozen, and the tightening continues to push the device.

When the release device is in the fully rotated position and the wagon is in a nearly inverted position, the tightening force acting on the prior art release device is equal to the weight of the cargo loaded on the wagon plus the weight of the wagon. The combined force is equal to the trapped spring force of the equivalent wagon plus the weight of the wagon.

This is because, as mentioned above, the prior art releasing device
When the device is rotated by 0 degrees, the device is locked or fixed, and the force contained in the wagon's spring at this point is approximately 70 degrees.
(although it is somewhat reduced by a rotation of 180 degrees) is equal to the sum of the weight of the cargo and the weight of the freight car, and at the point of rotation of 180 degrees, the sealed spring force acts on the tightening device. .

If the cargo is frozen in the freight car and remains in the freight car while the freight car is upside down, additional tightening force will be applied.

This is because the tightening system must also support the weight of the cargo remaining in the wagon once it has rotated 180 degrees.

Both of these large forces often cause damage to the top of the wagon and the clamping equipment.

Accordingly, one important object of the present invention is to reduce the locking spring force on the wagon so that it does not cause damage to the wagon and the clamping equipment.

Another important feature of the tightening system of the present invention is that it reduces the impact of oil flow.

When the wagon clamping device engages the top of the wagon, the clamping device is moving at a speed proportional to the flow of oil from the hydraulic pump to the piston foot.

In prior art hydraulic clamping systems, this flow of oil within the system causes the clamping to stop abruptly when the system hits the upper edge of the freight car.

The shock pressure from the abruptly stopped oil flow is superimposed on the pump pressure, resulting in the need to design the cylinder and piping for maximum pressure.

The novel wagon spring release mechanism of the present invention absorbs the impact of this oil flow.

The pressure in the hydraulic cylinder, which is greater than the preset pump pressure, compresses the spring and creates a shock.

Mitigating the impact allows the tightening to achieve higher speeds and also reduces impact pressure and oil impact noise.

The tightening system of the present invention is normally raised to an intermediate stop position and pulled away from the freight car.

This has the effect of reducing the size of the hydraulically actuated device compared to prior art clamping devices in which the device is not stopped in an intermediate position.

The present invention provides a hydraulic fastening device having a first jaw member and a second jaw member in opposed relation to each other.

The support to which the second jaw member is fixedly connected is provided with an abutting portion on the base.

A hydraulically actuated telescoping arm acts between the first and second jaw members to move the jaw members toward or away from each other.

In order to connect the telescopic arm to the second joint member, the arm is connected to the arm and is seated and engaged with the abutting portion to resist the load applied to the arm, and when the load applied to the arm exceeds a predetermined value, these jaw members are connected to the arm. A device is provided that includes a floating support plate that moves the members apart from each other and away from the abutment.

A resilient device is provided which presses the floating support plate against the abutment with a predetermined force that depends on a predetermined load.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, a device is provided for prestressing the elastic device to apply a predetermined force.

The amount of prestress applied in a four-point tightening system is generally one fourth of the weight of the freight car plus the weight of the cargo loaded thereon.

With particular reference to FIGS. 1-3, FIG.
0 is indicated by a chain line, and this support supports an open railway freight car 16, and a support base 12 for a support rail 14, shown here, is arranged within the building.

Freight car 16 is supported by a bolster 18 supported by a coil spring, such as spring 20.

A tightening device 22 embodying the principle of the present invention is attached to the receiving platform 10 near the freight car entrance/exit end.

The tightening device 22 includes an upper jaw member 24 .

The second joint member of the device is tightened by connecting the rail 14, the abutment 12 to which the rail is fixed, and the abutment 12 in a known manner.
The receiver to which is fixed can be considered to be constituted by the stand 10.

The tightening force applied between the upper jaw member 24 and the rail 14 (second jaw member) is exerted by a hydraulically operated telescoping arm 26.
The arm is movable axially into and out of the hydraulic cylinder 28 in response to the supply of hydraulic fluid from the pump 30 to the head or rod end.

The distal end 32 of the arm is attached by a pin 34 (FIG. 2) to a clevis 36 which is connected to the crosshead 3.
It is fixed to 8.

The crosshead 38 is connected to the wagon edge engagement plates 44 and 46, respectively.
The splitting jaw members 40.degree. 42 having the same structure are connected so that they move together.

The jaw members 40, 42 are provided with guide grooves 48, 50 of U-shaped cross section on their outer surfaces, respectively, and are mutually guided by vertical bars 52, 54 secured to a box-shaped framework generally designated 56. Let's get along with each other.

The frame 56 is suitably mounted to the base 10 by means of support plates 58 and 60.

The rods 52 and 54 are provided with grooves 48 over the entire length of the telescoping arm 26.
It is designed to guide you through 50°.

To stabilize the jaw member 40, 42, a second guide groove 49 (FIG. 1) is provided in the jaw member 40 in spaced relationship with the guide groove 48.

Similarly, the jaw member 42 also has a guide groove 5 near its lower end.
A guide groove is provided to perform a guiding function in cooperation with the guide groove.

The fully extended position of jaw member 40 is shown in solid lines in FIG.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 3, the jaw member 24 is formed and arranged so as to surround the freight car at the end of the freight car entrance/exit of the base 10. The top of the ring-shaped frame) is split in order to pass through it.

When the tightening device is in this position, the receiver of the rotary releasing device can pass through the platform 10 without the locomotive colliding with the jaw 24 member.

At the lowest position indicated by the chain line, the tightening action is performed by the telescopic arm 26.
It is located below the upper edge of the railway freight car 16 so that it occurs over the entire journey.

The intermediate position shown by the chain line between the most extended position shown by the solid line and the retracted position shown by the lower chain line is the intermediate position shown when only the freight car, not the locomotive, passes through the releasing device. be done.

This means that in normal operation, the jaw member 24 is only extended to the intermediate position shown in FIG. 1 after the locomotive has passed the bridge 10.

When moving the jaw member to this intermediate position, the hydraulic pump 30 supplies pressurized fluid to the hydraulic cylinder 28 at the maximum delivery rate in order to move the jaw member quickly.

Stopping at this position would impose an excessive hydraulic shock on the system without the structure described below.

With particular reference to FIG. 4, which is partially enlarged and shown in cross section, a UIJ link 62 is provided at the lower end of the hydraulic cylinder 28.

The U-link 62 is attached by pins 64 to a tongue-like member 66 having a floating support plate 68 at its lower end.

Floating support plate 68 is normally in abutting relation to an abutment plate 70 whose abutment, which forms part of the second jaw member, is secured to the framework of platform 10 by welding.

An elongated pin 72 whose lower end T4 is threaded is attached to the lower surface of the floating support plate 68 by welding.

A locking nut 76.7B cooperates with a washer 80 to form an adjustable support for a helical spring seat 82, which spring seat 82 has an oversized hole 84 in its center which allows the pin T2 is a slidable fit around the end of the holder.

The spring seat 82 is equipped with a strong coil spring 88 as is conventionally known.
A protrusion 86 is provided which is suitably dimensioned to be inserted therein.

Also provided on the underside of the abutment plate 70 is a collar 90 of suitable size for insertion into the coil spring 88.

A coil spring works together between the bottom of the plywood 70 and the spring seat 82, and the biasing force of the spring is transferred to the washer 80 and the nut 76.
．． 78 to the pin 72 and then to the floating support plate 68, the system can withstand loads up to a predetermined value without moving the floating support plate 68, and the prestressed biasing spring Loads exceeding this predetermined value can be withstood by further compressing the spring.

Therefore, by holding the adjustable nut 78 with the locking nut 76 and adjusting the position of the seat portion 82 in the axial direction, a predetermined degree of pressure contact is made between the abutting plate 70 and the floating support plate 68.

The spring 88 biases the floating support plate 68 against the abutment plate 70, but when the wagon is inverted, a force is applied to the jaw member, which causes the cylinder 28 to move upward. The force or spring 88 that pulls it upward as seen in Figure 3
When the biasing force applied by is exceeded, the floating support plate 68 moves away from the abutment plate 70.

To limit the distance that floating support plate 68 moves away from abutment plate 70, a stop device of any suitable construction may be provided.

In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG.
It includes studs 92, 94 suitably secured to the abutment plate 70 by heads 96, 98 seated therein and welded at points 104.

Studs 92,94 extend through oversized holes 106, 108, respectively, in floating support plate 68.

The flanged nut 110.112 is the stud 92,
washers 1 threadedly secured to the ends of 94 to the floating support plate 68 or surrounding these studs 92,94;
13. It is designed to be seated in pressure contact with 115.

The tightening apparatus of the present invention also collectively includes a compact motor and pump combination designated generally at 114.

By constructing the device of the invention in this manner, the receiver forms a standard sized clamping unit which can be secured to a suitable support plate within the platform 10 by means of suitable brackets such as brackets 5B, 60.

The motor and pump combination 114 includes all of the elements necessary to provide pressurized hydraulic fluid to open and close the clamping device as shown in FIGS. 1-4.

Therefore, pre-assembled and pre-tested units of standard dimensions can be supplied to the site where the wagon release device is to be installed.

Normally, four such units are used.

When these units are built to standard dimensions, they can be tightened onto freight car dumping devices, greatly reducing installation costs, reducing piping, reducing leakage, reducing contamination, and reducing filtration. It reduces the ingress of water, facilitates the replacement of units that are not working properly, and allows precise adjustment of each unit under factory-controlled conditions.

In FIG. 5, a hydraulic circuit according to the invention is illustrated using prior art symbols for operating the device.

A hydraulic fluid reservoir 116 with a heater 118 inside is diagrammatically shown in this hydraulic circuit.

A variable volume pump 122 , driven by a motor 124 via a flexible coupling 126 , utilizes a suction conduit 120 to supply fluid to a four-way valve 128 .

This four-way valve is a solenoid operated valve.

When solenoid A is activated, spool 130 is moved into a position that provides communication between conduit 132 and a combination control valve, generally designated 134.

When this occurs, pressurized fluid flows into cylinder 28 via swivel 136, flexible hose section 13B-, and swivel 140 to drive telescoping arm 26 upwardly.

As the telescoping arm is driven upward, fluid exits the top of cylinder 28 and flows through swivel 142, flexible conduit 144, swivel 146, and flow restriction device 14.
8, bypass check valve 150 and drain conduit 152 and returns to storage tank 116 via return conduit 154.

When solenoid B is activated, it reverses the direction of fluid flow through the spool, causing pressurized fluid to rotate through joint 14.
6, a flexible hose 144, and a swivel joint 142 before flowing into the upper part of the cylinder 28.

The solenoids and other controls of the hydraulic system are operated in a manner known in the art, for example, by limit switches, such as those shown at 156 in FIG.

This limit switch is actuated by trigger 158 in a well known manner.

The positioning and operation of such limit switches is well known to those skilled in the art.

Thus, as pressurized hydraulic fluid enters the upper end of the cylinder 28 and exits the lower end thereof, the clamping device is moved to a position where it clamps the top of the railroad car, as shown in phantom in FIG.

The impact on the upper edge of the iron wagon is absorbed by the coil spring 88.

If the load exceeds the prestress applied to spring 88, floating support plate 68 moves away from buffering liquid 70, as described above, causing spring 88 to absorb the load.

Also, the effect of the hydraulic hammer is conveniently absorbed by the spring 88 when the tightening device is stopped midway through the full travel of the telescoping arm 26.

The tightening device may include a limit switch such as a limit switch 156 and a striker or trigger 158 which act to stop pump 122 and a check valve such as valve 150 or 151 to hold it in an intermediate position. In combination with a striker, it can be stopped at an intermediate position.

A pressure sensitive switch 147 is provided to determine whether pressure is present in the system during the discharge operation.

If no pressure is indicated on this switch, the switch will automatically open and stop the release device from further action.

Once the pressure is sufficient to hold the wagon, the switch remains closed allowing the dumping cycle to continue.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a tightening device particularly suitable for use in rotary release devices for railroad freight cars.

This tightening device is characterized in that it includes a hydraulically actuated telescoping arm connected between the first and second jaw members to move them toward and away from each other.

A device is provided for securing the telescoping arm to the second jaw member, the device being configured to seat and engage an abutment plate connected to the telescoping arm and in fixed relationship with the second jaw member. It also includes a floating support plate.

When the floating support plate engages the abutment plate, it resists the jaw separation load on the arm and allows the floating support plate to float so that it can move away from the abutment plate when the load on the arm exceeds a predetermined load.

A spring arrangement is provided for pressing the floating support plate against the abutment plate with a predetermined force that depends on a predetermined load.

In addition, a device for stopping the device at an intermediate position is also provided for tightening.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 shows the tightening of the split mold according to the present invention in the position shown by the dotted line in which the device is positioned on the rotary release device for railway freight cars of the prior art and fully pulled up, the intermediate position, and the upper edge of the railway freight car. Figure 2 is a top view taken from a plane along line 2-2 in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a plane view taken along line 3-3 in Figure 1. The tightening shown in Figure 1 is a side view of the device as seen from above, and Figure 4 shows an enlarged view of the locking device for the fixed end of the hydraulically actuated starting arm, showing that the lower end of the arm is attached to the receiver of the wagon release device. FIG. 5 is a detailed view showing the prestressed coil springs pressed into abutting relationship with the platform; FIG. 14... Second jaw member, 22...
Tightening is done by a device, 24...first jaw member, 26
...Arm, 68...Support plate, 70.
...Plywood, 74...Pin, 76.7B
..... Locking nut, 88 ..... Elastic device, 92, 94 ..... Stud, 110, 112
...Natsuto (limiting device).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first jaw member, and the abutting portion is provided in a fixed relationship with an abutting portion that faces the first jaw member and is in a tightening relationship therewith. a second jaw member; a hydraulically actuated telescoping arm for connecting the first and second jaw members to move them toward or away from each other; The locking device is connected to the arm and is structured to sit and engage with the abutting portion while resisting a load applied to the arm to separate the jaws. A floating support plate that moves away from the abutment when the load applied to the arm exceeds a predetermined load; and an elastic device that presses the floating support plate against the abutment with a predetermined force determined by the predetermined load. A hydraulic tightening device comprising: 2. Claim 1 comprising a device for limiting the distance of movement of said floating support plate away from said abutment.
The equipment described in section. 3. The device of claim 1 including a device for prestressing the elastic device to apply the predetermined force.