Rail vehicle, especially for local traffic

• US 6,289,821 B1
• Filed: 04/27/1999
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens Duewag Schienenfahrzeuge Gmbh (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Amrath, Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Morano, S. Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Olson, Lars A.
• Application Number:
  US09/300,617
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 105/182.1, 105/190.2, 105/191, 105/197.05, 105/199.1, 105/200, 105/207, 105/226, 105/159, 105/157.1, 105/203, 105/158.2, 267/3, 267/41
• US Class Current: 105/199.1
• CPC Class Codes: B61F 5/02 Arrangements permitting limited transverse relative movements between vehicle underframe or bolster and bogie; Connections between underframes and bogies

Abstract

The rail vehicle, especially for a streetcar or metropolitan transit car for local traffic, includes a car body (1) and an undercarriage (2) nonrotatably connected with each other by respective guide rods (3) each extending in a longitudinal direction. The connector members (3a) of these guide rods (3) facing the car body (1) and the corresponding receptacles (4) for them attached to the car body are arranged together in the central plane (M) of the undercarriage, which extends perpendicularly to the vehicle longitudinal axis (L). The connector members (3a) and the corresponding receptacles (4) are arranged together in the central plane (M) in a symmetrical arrangement so that a rapid reversal of the running direction of the undercarriage may be performed by only releasing the guide rods from their receptacles, rotating the undercarriage by about 180° and reconnecting the guide rods to the receptacles without moving the undercarriage from the first head end to the second head end of the car body (1). Alternatively the connector members (3a) of these guide rods (3) can be spaced a distance (a) from the central plane (M) of the undercarriage (2) and the receptacles (4) are equipped with connector pieces (4a) for spanning this distance (a), which are screwed on the receptacle (4), either in front of or behind the central plane (M) in a direction along the vehicle longitudinal axis (L).

Claims

1. A rail vehicle comprising

a car body (1) having a first head region and a second head region;

an undercarriage (2) on which the car body (1) is mounted for rail travel;

two guide rods (3) for connecting the undercarriage (2) and the car body (1) with each other in said first head region so that the undercarriage is not pivotable relative to the car body, said two guide rods (3) extending in a direction of a vehicle longitudinal axis (L) and including respective connector members (3a), said respective connector members (3a) facing said car body (1); and

two corresponding receptacles (4) receiving said respective connector members (3a) of said guide rods, wherein said receptacles (4) are attached to said car body (1);

wherein said guide rods (3) and said receptacles (4) are arranged together in a symmetrical arrangement in a central plane (M) of the undercarriage (2) and said central plane (M) extends perpendicularly to the vehicle longitudinal axis (L) so that a reversal of the running direction of the undercarriage (2) may be performed by only releasing the guide rods (3) from said receptacles (4), rotating the undercarriage by about 180° and

reconnecting the guide rods (3) to the receptacles (4) without moving the undercarriage from the first head region to the second head region of the car body (1).

2. The rail vehicle as defined in claim 1, further comprising a transverse shock absorber (5) with a connector member (5a) facing the car body (1), a receptacle (6) for said connector member (5a) attached to said car body (1) and stop elements (2e) limiting transverse motions of the car body (1) relative to the undercarriage (2), and wherein said shock absorber (5) and said stop elements (2e) are arranged between said car body (1) and said undercarriage (2) and wherein said shock absorber (5) and said receptacle (6) extend centered across said vehicle longitudinal axis (L).

3. The rail vehicle as defined in claim 1, further comprising a transverse shock absorber (5) with a connector member (5a) facing the car body (1), a receptacle (6) for said connector member (5a) attached to said car body (1), said receptacle (6) having a connector piece (6a), and stop elements (2e) limiting transverse motions of the car body (1) relative to the undercarriage (2), and wherein said shock absorber (5) and said receptacle (6) are arranged between said car body (1) and said undercarriage (2), said connector member (5a) has a transverse spacing (b) from the vehicle longitudinal axis (L) and said connector piece (6a) spans said transverse spacing (b) and is screwed on said receptacle (6) to the left or right side of said vehicle longitudinal axis (L).

4. The rail vehicle as defined in claim 1 and consisting of a streetcar or a metropolitan transit car for local or commuter traffic.

5. A rail vehicle comprising

a car body (1) having a first head region and a second head region;

an undercarriage (2) on which the car body (1) is mounted for rail travel;

two guide rods (3) for connecting the undercarriage (2) and the car body (1) with each other in said first head region so that the undercarriage is not pivotable relative to the car body, said two guide rods (3) extending in a direction of a vehicle longitudinal axis (L) and including respective connector members (3a), said respective connector members (3a) facing said car body (1); and

two corresponding receptacles (4) receiving said respective connector members (3a) of said guide rods, wherein said receptacles (4) are attached to said car body (1) and said receptacles (4) are equipped with respective connector pieces (4a);

wherein each of said connector members (3a) of said guide rods (3) has a longitudinal spacing (a) from a central plane (M) of said undercarriage (2), said central plane (M) extends perpendicularly to the vehicle longitudinal axis (L) and said respective connector pieces (4a) of said receptacles (4) span said longitudinal spacing (a) and are screwed in said receptacle either in front or behind said central plane (M) in a direction of said vehicle longitudinal axis (L) and said guide rods (3) and said receptacles (4) are arranged in a symmetrical arrangement so that a reversal of the running direction of said undercarriage (2) may be performed by only releasing the guide rods (3) from said receptacles (4), rotating the undercarriage by about 180° and

reconnecting the guide rods (3) to the receptacles (4) without moving the undercarriage from the first head region to the second head region of the car body (1).

6. The rail vehicle as defined in claim 5, further comprising a transverse shock absorber (5) with a connector member (5a) facing the car body (1), a receptacle (6) for said connector member (5a) attached to said car body (1) and stop elements (2e) limiting transverse motions of the car body (1) relative to the undercarriage (2), and wherein said shock absorber (5) and said stop elements (2e) are arranged between said car body (1) and said undercarriage (2) and wherein said shock absorber (5) and said receptacle (6) extend centered across said vehicle longitudinal axis (L).

7. The rail vehicle as defined in claim 5, further comprising a transverse shock absorber (5) with a connector member (5a) facing the car body (1), a receptacle (6) for said connector member (5a) attached to said car body (1), said receptacle (6) having a connector piece (6a), and stop elements (2e) limiting transverse motions of the car body (1) relative to the undercarriage (2), and wherein said shock absorber (5) and said receptacle (6) are arranged between said car body (1) and said undercarriage (2), said connector member (5a) has a transverse spacing (b) from the vehicle longitudinal axis (L) and said connector piece (6a) spans said transverse spacing (b) and is screwed on said receptacle (6) to the left or right side of said vehicle longitudinal axis (L).

8. The rail vehicle as defined in claim 5 and consisting of a streetcar or a metropolitan transit car for local or commuter traffic.