Abstract:
A funicular intended particularly for transporting heavy loads between an upstream station ( 10 ) and a downstream station ( 12 ), comprises a railway track ( 14 ) connecting the upstream station ( 10 ) to the downstream station ( 12 ) and a vehicle ( 16 ) running on the track ( 14 ) and drawn by at least one towing cable ( 30 ). The vehicle comprises a chassis ( 50 ) defining a median longitudinal vertical plane that rests on at least one pendulum running gear, comprising two independent lateral pendulum devices ( 60 ) each comprising a secondary pendulum ( 62 ) articulated in relation to the chassis ( 50 ) and two primary pendulums, each articulated in relation to the secondary pendulum ( 62 ). Each lateral pendulum device ( 60 ) comprises a plate ( 64 ) connected to the chassis ( 50 ) via one or several jacks ( 66 ) to which the secondary pendulum device ( 62 ) is articulated.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a railway vehicle and more specifically a funicular, particularly for transporting heavy loads, such as for example confinement hoods for radioactive wastes intended to be buried in an underground site. 
       PRIOR ART 
       [0002]    Document FR 2 954 747 describes a funicular designed to transport radioactive wastes between an upstream overground station and a downstream station of an underground waste landfill facility. An inclined ramp connects the upstream station to the downstream station and materialises a rail transport track and one or several counterweight tracks. A wagon runs on the transport track whereas one or several counterweights run in the opposite direction on the counterweight track. The wagon and the counterweight(s) are connected by two cables that each pass over a driving pulley, in order to give the installation redundancy with a view to increasing its safety. The metallic chassis of the wagon rests on track rollers, at least four in number and preferably eight. These rollers can be mounted on a rigid primary suspension, for example by means of Belleville washers. In order to take account of any slight variations in the spacing between the rails, the rollers running on one of the rails may be provided with guide flanges, whereas the rollers running on the other rail may be cylindrical. This suspension, although designed to transport heavy loads, is not suitable for the conditions of use and does not guarantee balanced distribution of the load between the rollers. 
         [0003]    In document CH415731, a vehicle designed to run on a railway track is described, comprising a chassis defining a median longitudinal vertical plane. The chassis rests on at least one pendulum running gear, comprising two independent lateral pendulum devices situated on either side of the median longitudinal vertical plane. Each lateral pendulum device comprises: a secondary pendulum articulated in relation to the chassis around a horizontal secondary pivot axis and two primary pendulums, wherein each of the two primary pendulums is articulated in relation to the secondary pendulum around a horizontal primary pivot axis, wherein the primary pivot axes of the two primary pendulums are spaced apart from each other, longitudinally on either side of the secondary pivot axis, wherein each primary pendulum is associated with at least two support rollers designed to run on the railway track, each rotating around a rotation axis parallel to the primary pivot axis of the associated primary pendulum and situated longitudinally on either side of the primary pivot axis of the associated primary pendulum. This vehicle is not however suitable for travelling on an inclined track. Moreover, no particular provision is made for loading and unloading the vehicle, nor for its braking. 
       DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The invention aims to solve the drawbacks of the prior art and propose a vehicle running on a railway and capable of transporting heavy loads by balancing the load imposed on the railway. 
         [0005]    For this purpose, a first aspect of the invention proposes a vehicle designed to run on a railway track and comprising a chassis defining a median longitudinal vertical plane. The chassis rests on at least one pendulum running gear, comprising two independent lateral pendulum devices situated on either side of the median longitudinal vertical plane. Each lateral pendulum device comprises: a secondary pendulum articulated in relation to the chassis around a horizontal secondary pivot axis and two primary pendulums, wherein each of the two primary pendulums is articulated in relation to the secondary pendulum around a horizontal primary pivot axis, wherein the primary pivot axes of the two primary pendulums are spaced apart from each other, longitudinally on either side of the secondary pivot axis, wherein each primary pendulum is associated with at least two support rollers designed to run on the railway track, each rotating around a rotation axis parallel to the primary pivot axis of the associated primary pendulum and situated longitudinally on either side of the primary pivot axis of the associated primary pendulum. 
         [0006]    Each lateral pendulum device comprises a plate connected to the chassis via one or several jacks oriented perpendicularly to the secondary pivot axis and around which the secondary pendulum device is articulated. The arrangement of the primary and secondary pendulums of each lateral pendulum device serves to balance the forces exerted on the support rollers and therefore distribute the vehicle weight over a large number of support rollers. 
         [0007]    According to a preferred embodiment, the vehicle is designed to run at low speed on a straight railway, the state of which is mastered and controlled. Hence there is no need to allow pivoting of the running gear or the lateral pendulum devices around a rotation axis perpendicular to the track. The secondary pendulums are hinged to the chassis such that the secondary pivot axes of the secondary pendulums are always perpendicular to the median longitudinal vertical plane. Hence there is no rotation of the secondary pendulums around a second axis perpendicular to their second pivot axis. This secondary articulation is therefore a pivoting linkage with one pivot axis only. 
         [0008]    Preferably, the primary pendulums are articulated in relation to the secondary pendulums such that for each lateral pendulum device, the primary pivot axes are always parallel to the secondary pivot axis. The articulations are therefore pivoting linkages with a single pivot axis. 
         [0009]    Preferably, the jacks are capable of lifting the chassis for setting the vehicle in motion and lowering the chassis for loading or unloading phases or for emergency braking. The vehicle may comprise skids fixed to the chassis, intended to bear against a braking track running alongside the railway track when the chassis is lowered. 
         [0010]    According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, for each lateral pendulum device, the plate is connected to the chassis via two jacks, preferably parallel, oriented perpendicularly to the secondary pivot axis, preferably arranged longitudinally on either side of the secondary pivot axis. 
         [0011]    According to one embodiment, the vehicle is a funicular comprising a floor defining a horizontal plane and a vertical axis. The jacks are oriented along an axis tilted in relation to the vertical axis and designed to be perpendicular to the track. 
         [0012]    According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the vehicle is a cable-drawn vehicle and comprises at least one first return pulley to guide a towing cable pulling the vehicle in a predetermined first towing direction, wherein the first return pulley has a rotation axis situated in the median longitudinal plane and rotating in a bearing integral with the vehicle chassis, preferably at a distance from and forward of the secondary pivot axes of the secondary pendulums of the first pendulum running gear in the towing direction. This arrangement also helps to ensure correct orientation of the vehicle on the track. 
         [0013]    According to a preferred embodiment, the vehicle comprises at least a second return pulley to guide a towing cable (which may or may not be identical to the towing cable passing over the first return pulley), said towing cable pulling the vehicle in a second towing direction opposite to the first towing direction, wherein the second return pulley has a rotation axis situated in the median longitudinal plane and rotating in at least one bearing integral with the vehicle chassis and preferably offset longitudinally in relation to the bearing of the first return pulley in the second towing direction. This arrangement likewise helps to ensure correct orientation of the vehicle on the track. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the centre of gravity of the vehicle when empty is situated, in the first towing direction, at a distance from and to the rear of the bearing of the first return pulley, in the median longitudinal plane of the vehicle. This arrangement likewise helps to ensure, on an inclined, straight track, correct orientation of the vehicle on the track. 
         [0015]    In practice, the vehicle comprises at least a second pendulum running gear, spaced apart from the first pendulum running gear in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The second pendulum running gear is similar to the first pendulum running gear and comprises two independent lateral pendulum devices situated on either side of the median longitudinal vertical plane. Each lateral pendulum device comprises: a secondary pendulum articulated in relation to the chassis around a horizontal secondary pivot axis and two primary pendulums, wherein each of the two primary pendulums is articulated in relation to the secondary pendulum around a horizontal primary pivot axis, wherein the primary pivot axes of the two primary pendulums are spaced apart from each other, longitudinally on either side of the secondary pivot axis, wherein each primary pendulum is associated with at least two support rollers designed to run on the railway track, each rotating around a rotation axis parallel to the primary pivot axis of the associated primary pendulum and situated longitudinally on either side of the primary pivot axis of the associated primary pendulum. 
         [0016]    Each lateral pendulum device of the second pendulum running gear preferably comprises a plate connected to the chassis and to which the secondary pendulum of the second pendulum running gear is hinged. For each lateral pendulum device of the second pendulum running gear, the plate is preferably connected to the chassis via one or several jacks oriented perpendicularly to the secondary pivot axis. 
         [0017]    The centre of gravity of the vehicle when empty is preferably between the secondary pivot axes of the two pendulum running gears. In the case of a platform for bearing a load, the latter is preferably arranged between the secondary pivot axes of the two pendulum running gears in such a way that the centre of gravity of the vehicle when loaded is likewise situated between the secondary pivot axes of the two running gears. 
         [0018]    According to one embodiment, the vehicle is driven by cables and is not motorised. In particular, the support rollers of the first pendulum running gear and of the second pendulum running gear are not motorised. 
         [0019]    In the case of a vehicle with two return pulleys and two running gears, the second return pulley is preferably at a distance from and forward of the primary pivot axes of the second pendulum running gear. The axes of the return pulleys are preferably situated between the pivot axes of the secondary pendulums of the first running gear and of the second running gear. The centre of gravity of the vehicle is preferably between the secondary pivot axes of the two pendulum running gears. 
         [0020]    According to another aspect of the invention, the latter refers to a funicular comprising an upstream station, a downstream station, a railway track connecting the upstream station to the downstream station and a vehicle as described above, running on the railway track and drawn by at least one towing cable. 
         [0021]    According to another aspect of the invention, which is the subject of an international application submitted concomitantly with the present application and to which reference can be made, the latter refers to a funicular comprising an upstream station, a downstream station, a track, preferably a railway, connecting the upstream station to the downstream station, a vehicle running on this track, particularly a vehicle according to the first aspect of the invention, at least one traction cable having a first traction section passing over a first pulley of the upstream station and over a return pulley fixed to the vehicle and a second traction section, in all ways separate from the first traction section and passing over the return pulley and over a second pulley of the upstream station. 
         [0022]    More generally, the contents of the former applications, of which the present application claims priority, are entirely incorporated in the present application by reference. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0023]    Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be clear from reading the following description, made in reference to the appended figures, which show: 
           [0024]      FIG. 1 , a diagrammatic view of a funicular according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2 , a side view of a vehicle of a funicular according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3 , a top view of the vehicle in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4 , a front view of the vehicle in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5 , a detailed view of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 6 , an isometric view of a part of an upstream station of the funicular in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 7 , a top view of the upstream station in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 8 , a side view of the upstream station in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 9 , an isometric view of a downstream station of the funicular in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 10 , a top view of the downstream station in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 11 , a diagrammatic view of a funicular according to a second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0035]      FIG. 12 , another diagrammatic view of the funicular in  FIG. 11 . 
       
    
    
       [0036]    For greater clarity, identical or similar features are identified by identical reference signs in all the figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0037]    In  FIG. 1 , a diagrammatic and simplified illustration is provided of a funicular comprising an upstream station  10 , a downstream station  12  and a track  14 , preferably a railway, along which a single vehicle  16  travels back and forth, designed to transport a load interchangeably from the upstream station  10  to the downstream station  12  or from the downstream station  12  to the upstream station  10 . The track  14  preferably has a constant incline between the upstream station  10  and the downstream station  12 . 
         [0038]    The upstream station  10  is equipped with two driving pulleys  20 . 1 ,  20 . 2 , powered by motor means  22 . 1 ,  22 . 2 , which may be common or separate for each pulley. 
         [0039]    The downstream station  12  is also equipped with two pulleys  24 . 1 ,  24 . 2 , freely rotating, turning around axes parallel to those of the driving pulleys of the upstream station  10 . 
         [0040]    The vehicle  16  is in turn equipped with two large-diameter return pulleys  26 ,  28 , freely rotating around two axes A, B situated in a median longitudinal median plane P of the vehicle  16 . The return pulleys  26 ,  28  are arranged at a distance from another along the path of the vehicle, one on the side of the upstream station  10  and the other on the side of the downstream station  12 . 
         [0041]    A closed-loop cable  30  is towed between the return pulleys  26 ,  28  of the vehicle  16  and the pulleys  20 . 1 ,  20 . 2 ,  24 . 1 ,  24 . 2  of the upstream and downstream stations. More specifically, the cable  30  comprises a first towing section  32 . 1  towed between the upstream return pulley  26  of the vehicle  16  and a first pulley ( 20 . 1 ) of those of the upstream station  10 , a first linking section  34 . 1  towed between the first driving pulley  20 . 1  and a first pulley of those of the downstream station  24 . 1 , a first return section  36 . 1  towed between the first pulley of the downstream station  24 . 1  and the downstream return pulley  28  situated on the vehicle  16 , a second return section  36 . 2  towed between the downstream return pulley  28  and the second pulley of the downstream station  24 . 2 , a second linking section  34 . 2  towed between the second pulley of the downstream station  24 . 2  situated in the downstream station and the second driving pulley  20 . 2  of the upstream station  10  and a second towing section  32 . 2  between the second driving pulley  20 . 2  and the upstream return pulley  26  of the vehicle  16 , thereby closing the loop. 
         [0042]    Optionally, each of the two linking sections  34 . 1 ,  34 . 2  passes through a tensioning device  38 . 1 ,  38 . 2  comprising an upstream guide pulley  40 . 1 ,  40 . 2 , a downstream guide pulley  42 . 1 ,  42 . 2  and a mobile pulley  44 . 1 ,  44 . 2  bearing a weight  46 . 1 ,  46 . 2  moving in a vertical well  48 . 1 ,  48 . 2 . In the diagrammatic representation in  1 , the spatial orientations of the pulleys and the path of the cable have not necessarily been respected, but will be more readily apparent from  FIGS. 2 to 10 . 
         [0043]    Provision is also made for cable braking devices  49 . 1 ,  49 . 2 , which may for example act on the driving pulleys  20 . 1 ,  20 . 2 ., or on the towing sections  32 . 1 ,  32 . of the cable. 
         [0044]    The vehicle  16 , illustrated in detail in  FIGS. 2 to 5 , comprises a chassis  50  on which a horizontal platform  52  bearing the load  54  is formed. It is possible to define a longitudinal axis X of the vehicle parallel to the direction of the rectilinear path, a transverse axis Y, perpendicular to the above axis and horizontal and a third reference axis Z of the vehicle, perpendicular to the above axes and the track. The chassis  50  rests on an upstream running gear  56  and a downstream running gear  58 . Each running gear is composed of two independent lateral pendulum devices  60 . Each lateral pendulum device  60  comprises a secondary pendulum  62  mounted to pivot around an axis  62 . 1  on a plate  64  fixed to the chassis via two jacks  66  and two primary pendulums  68  articulated in relation to the secondary pendulum  62  around pivot axes  68 . 1  and on each of which two support rollers  70  are mounted running on the track  14  and rotating around axes  70 . 1 . The jacks  66 , which are oriented along axis Z perpendicular to the track  14 , do not have a filtering suspension function, but allow raising of the chassis  50  above the ground for its setting in motion and its lowering in contact with the ground of the track  14  when stationary for the loading and unloading phases in the station or when moving for emergency braking. The pivot axes  68 . 1  of the primary pendulums  68  are arranged longitudinally on either side of the secondary pivot axis  62 . 1  and the rotation axes  70 . 1  longitudinally on either side of the primary pivot axis  68 . 1 , which allows balancing of the forces exerted by the support rollers  70  on the track. On one side of the vehicle, the rollers  70  are cylindrical, whereas on the other, they are provided with lateral guide flanges  70 . 2  to allow compensation for any slight variations in the spacing between the rails. Each roller  70  may also be equipped with a brake  70 . 3 . 
         [0045]    One can see in  FIGS. 2 to 4  the positioning of the two large-diameter return pulleys  26 ,  28 , on the chassis, above the track and rotating around two axes A, B situated in the longitudinal median plane and slightly angled in relation to the axis Z perpendicular to the track. The return pulleys are guided in relation to the chassis  50  by bearings  26 . 1 ,  28 . 1 . spaced apart from one another along the path of the vehicle. In this case, the bearings  26 . 1  of the upstream return pulley  26  linking the vehicle to the upstream station, is situated upstream from the bearings  28 . 1  of the downstream return pulley  28  linking the vehicle to the downstream station  12 . Furthermore, the bearings  26 . 1 ,  28 . 1  are situated longitudinally between the secondary pivot axes  62 . 1  of the upstream running gear  56  and downstream running gear  58 . Guide rollers  72  are arranged along the track to support the cable  30 . Return pulleys  26 ,  28  are arranged above the guide rollers  72 . The chassis  50  is equipped with orientation rollers  74  allowing the cable  30  to be raised and oriented in the oblique plane of the return pulleys  26 ,  28 . 
         [0046]    The vehicle may also be equipped with upstream and downstream driver&#39;s cabins  76 , each provided with a control console  78 . The chassis  50  of the vehicle  16  features wear skids  80  which, when the jacks  66  are lowered, rest on the ground in an area. 
         [0047]      FIGS. 6 to 8  allow visualisation of the path of the cable in the upstream station. The first towing section  32 . 1  enters the station along a path situated essentially in a vertical plane parallel to the axis X of the path from the return pulley  26  to the driving pulley  20 . 1 . The same applies to the second towing section  32 . 2  between the return pulley  26  and the second driving pulley  20 . 2 . On leaving the first driving pulley  20 . 1 , the first linking section  34 . 1  of the cable crosses the two towing sections  32 . 1  and  32 . 2  and is diverted by the upstream guide pulley  40 . 1  towards the mobile pulley  44 . 1  in the well  46 . 1 , re-emerging and being guided by the downstream guide pulley  42 . 1  so as to run along a vertical plane parallel to the path of the vehicle  16 , to the downstream station  12 . The second linking section  34 . 2  follows a similar path, crossing the two towing sections  32 . 1 ,  32 . 2  and being diverted by the upstream guide pulley  40 . 2  towards the mobile pulley  44 . 2  in the well  46 . 2 , re-emerging and being guided by the downstream guide pulley  42 . 2  so as to run along a vertical plane parallel to the path of the vehicle  16 , to the downstream station  12 . Crossing of the linking sections  34 . 1   34 . 2  with the towing sections  32 . 1 ,  32 . 2  in the upstream station  10  ensures contact between the cable  30  and each of the driving pulleys  20 . 1 ,  20 . 2  over more than 180° and in practice over more than 225° and preferably over more than 240°. In this embodiment, the upstream driving pulleys, the downstream guide pulleys and the mobile pulleys have horizontal rotation axes, whereas the driving pulleys have vertical axes. 
         [0048]      FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate the downstream station  12  equipped with the two pulleys  24 . 1 ,  24 . 2 , freely rotating, turning around vertical axes. The diameters of the driving pulleys  20 . 1 ,  20 . 2  of the upstream station and of the idle pulleys  24 . 1 ,  24 . 2  of the downstream station are preferably substantially identical. As illustrated by  FIGS. 2 to 10 , the linking sections  34 . 1 ,  34 . 2 , in their path along the track  14 , flank the towing sections  32 . 1 ,  32 . 2  and the return sections  36 . 1 ,  36 . 2 . 
         [0049]    The symmetry of the installation is such that in theory, if the two driving pulleys  20 . 1 ,  20 . 2  are driven at equal speed in opposite directions and assuming the dynamic elastic deformations of the cable identical on either side, the vehicle  16  is driven in an ascending or descending direction, without the return pulleys  26 ,  28  rotating. In practice, the conditions for perfect symmetry are not achieved, owing for example to the differences in perimeter of the driving pulleys and rotation of the return pulleys  26 ,  28  allows dynamic balancing of the forces exerted on the sections of the cable  30 . It may also be chosen to control the driving pulleys  20 . 1 ,  20 . 2  with a speed difference, so as to cause constant rotation of the return pulleys  26 ,  28 , as discussed above. This speed difference may be constant or variable, particularly periodically. 
         [0050]    It is also noted that the relative position of the bearings  26 . 1 ,  28 . 1  allows, in case of a slight lack of alignment of the vehicle in relation to the track, generation of a compensating torque on the chassis  50  of the vehicle, thereby bringing the vehicle back into alignment. The positioning of the bearings  26 . 1  upstream from the centre of gravity of the vehicle when empty and upstream from the platform  52  bearing the load  54  also ensures correct orientation of the vehicle on the track, both when loaded and when empty, to the extent that the centre of gravity of the vehicle  16  when empty is in the median longitudinal plane and that the load  54  is also positioned such that its centre of gravity is in the median longitudinal plane. 
         [0051]    In the event of failure of one of the motors  22 . 1 ,  22 . 2 , the corresponding brake  49 . 1 ,  49 . 2  can be operated and the vehicle  16  can be driven at low speed by the other motor. 
         [0052]      FIGS. 11 and 12  provide a simplified and diagrammatic illustration of a second embodiment of the invention. According to this embodiment, the towing cable  30  is a closed-loop cable featuring a first towing section  32 . 1  between a return pulley  26  on the vehicle  16  and a first driving pulley  20 . 1  situated in the upstream station, a first linking section  134 . 1  towed between the first driving pulley  20 . 1  and a second return pulley  26  mounted on a counterweight  140  travelling on a counterweight track  140  parallel to the track  14  (preferably under the latter), in the opposite direction to the vehicle  16 , a second linking section  134 . 2  towed between the counterweight pulley  124  and a second driving pulley  20 . 2  situated in the upstream station and a second towing section  32 . 2  towed between the second motor pulley  20 . 2  and the return pulley  22 , closing the loop of the cable  30 . In order to facilitate understanding of the entire funicular, the spatial positioning of the various different elements of the installation deliberately does not correspond to reality. 
         [0053]    In order to control the funicular according to the invention in its different embodiments, it is possible to resort to different sensors in order to measure different status variables of the installation and more particularly: sensors measuring the speed or rotation of the driving pulleys  20 . 1 ,  20 . 2 , sensors measuring the speed or rotation of the pulleys  24 . 1 ,  24 . 2  of the downstream station, sensors measuring the speed or rotation of the return pulleys  26 ,  28 , extensometric sensors detecting stretching of the different sections of the cable or some thereof, sensors measuring the resulting force on the axis of the upstream return pulley  26 , sensors measuring the speed of the vehicle  16  and sensors measuring the motor torque of the driving pulleys  20 . 1 ,  20 . 2 . 
         [0054]    Naturally, various modifications are possible. It is possible in particular to double the installation, so as to ensure redundancy in towing. 
         [0055]    The tensioning devices are not necessary positioned on the towing sections, but may be alternatively placed on the linking sections or the return sections. The drive motors may be arranged in the downstream station. Motorisation divided between the two stations may also be contemplated.