Magnetic rail brake device

A magnetic rail brake device of a rail vehicle comprises at least one braking magnet including a magnet coil body having a plurality of magnetic elements held thereon, and which magnetic elements are movable. The device also comprises at least one fixing strip running parallel to a longitudinal length of the magnetic coil body and directly connected to the magnetic coil body to fix the braking magnet to other components of the magnetic rail brake device.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to a magnetic rail brake device of a rail vehicle including at least one braking magnet. The at least one braking magnet includes a magnet coil body, on which a plurality of magnetic magnet elements are held such that they can move. Also included is at least one fixing strip, which runs parallel to the longitudinal extent of the magnet coil body and is directly connected to said magnet coil body, for the purpose of fixing the braking magnet to further components of the magnetic rail brake device.

A magnetic rail brake is described, for example, in DE 101 11 685 A1. The force-generating main component of an electrical magnetic rail brake is the braking magnet. In principle, it is an electromagnet, comprising a magnet coil extending in the rail direction and a magnet core, which is similar to a horseshoe and forms the base or carrier body. The direct current flowing in the magnet coil brings about a magnetic voltage, which induces a magnetic flux in the magnet core, which magnetic flux is short-circuited via the rail head as soon as the braking magnet rests on the rail. As a result, a magnetic attraction force is brought about between the braking magnet and the rail. Owing to the kinetic energy of the moving rail vehicle, the magnetic rail brake is pulled along the rail via drivers. In this case, a braking force is produced owing to the sliding friction between the braking magnet and the rail in conjunction with the magnetic attraction force. The extent of the braking force of a magnetic rail brake is dependent, inter alia, on the reluctance of the magnetic circuit, i.e. the geometry and permeability, the current linkage, the friction value between the braking magnet and the rail and the rail state.

In relation to the embodiments of magnetic rail brakes, reference is also made to the publication “Grundlagen der Bremstechnik” [Fundamentals in braking technology], pages 92 to 97 by Knorr-Bremse AG, Munich, 2003.

In principle, it is possible to distinguish between two different types of magnets in terms of their structural design. In a first embodiment, the braking magnet is a rigid magnet, to which two wearing strips are screwed which are separated by a nonmagnetic strip in the longitudinal direction. This serves the purpose of avoiding a magnetic short circuit within the braking magnet. Rigid magnets are usually used for local transport in streetcar systems and city railroads.

Furthermore, generic link magnets are known, in the case of which the magnet coil body does not have a continuous, rigid steel core, but has open chambers split off between the steel cores merely by partition walls. Magnet elements are inserted into the individual chambers and can move during the braking process. It is thus possible for them to follow uneven sections on the rail head. Link magnets are used as standard in the standard-gage railroad sector. In the case of known link magnets, at least one fixing strip, which runs parallel to the longitudinal extent of the magnet coil body and is directly connected to said magnet coil body, can be provided for the purpose of fixing the braking magnet to further components of the magnetic rail brake device, such as to track holders or to flanges of actuating cylinders, for example. In this case, the track holders or flanges of the actuating cylinders may result in magnetic short circuits, which disadvantageously reduce the holding force of the link magnets on the rail.

In contrast, the present disclosure relates to a magnetic rail brake device such that it produces a braking power which is as high as possible given a simple design and with low manufacturing costs.

The magnetic rail brake device of the present disclosure comprises a fixing strip that includes a diamagnetic or paramagnetic material.

A diamagnetic material is generally understood to be a material whose relative permeability is less than 1 and which weakens the magnetic field. Such a material may be, for example, silver or copper. Paramagnetic materials have a relative permeability of slightly greater than 1 and increase the magnetic field slightly. Such a material may be, for example, aluminum, platinum or air. In terms of their effect on the magnetic field, these materials differ markedly from ferromagnetic materials such as iron, cobalt, nickel, for example, which considerably intensify the magnetic field.

Owing to the fact that the present disclosure provides for the fixing strip to include a diamagnetic or paramagnetic material, this causes the magnetic field to be weakened or only slightly intensified, with the result that the magnetic stray flux on the magnet coil body is markedly reduced in comparison with a fixing strip consisting of a ferromagnetic material. The diamagnetic or paramagnetic material brings about an advantageously high magnetic holding force. The fixing strip therefore fulfills an advantageous dual function in that, on the one hand, it holds the magnet coil body on the attachment parts and, on the other hand, contributes to the avoidance of magnetic short circuits brought about thereby. As a result, no additional separating bodies including a diamagnetic or paramagnetic material are required.

Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following descriptions when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In order to be able to better adapt to uneven sections of a rail1, an embodiment of a braking magnet2of a magnetic rail brake4is shown inFIG. 1. A plurality of magnet elements6are provided instead of a single magnet. The magnet elements6are held such that they can move to a limited extent on a magnet coil body8extending in a longitudinal direction of the rail1. This is achieved by the fact that the magnet elements6are suspended such that they can tip or pivot to a limited extent symmetrically with respect to a vertical central plane on side faces38(seeFIG. 2), which point away from one another, of the magnet coil body8in chambers formed between partition walls10, for example, by screw connections12. The transmission of braking forces to the magnet coil body8takes place via the partition walls10. End pieces14,15are rigidly connected to the magnet coil body8and provide the braking magnet2with effective guidance over points and rail joints. The magnet coil body8, which contains a magnet coil (not visible here), consequently bears or includes the magnet elements6, which form a magnet core of the braking magnet2.

The magnet elements6are fixed to the magnet coil body8such that their lower ends16facing the rail1protrude beyond the magnet coil body8. As a result, the lower ends16form limbs and pole shoes, or north or south poles, of the braking magnet2, which pole shoes run parallel to one another in cross section. An air gap20is provided between the pole shoes16and a rail head18of the rail1.

As is best shown inFIG. 2, a connecting device26is provided in order to supply the magnet coil with electrical voltage. The connecting device26has at least two electrical connections22,24for the positive and negative terminal of a voltage source and is arranged, for example, in an upper region of side face38(seeFIG. 2) of the magnet coil body8, approximately centrally with respect to its longitudinal extent or length. The electrical connections22,24point away from one another and extend in the longitudinal direction of the magnet coil body8.

When suspending the magnetic rail brake4, two braking magnets2, which are arranged symmetrically over the rails1and of which only one is shown inFIG. 1, are connected to track holders28to form a fixed brake square. The braking magnets2are mounted in the running gear via actuating cylinders, which are not shown inFIG. 1for reasons of scale. Storage springs in the unpressurized actuating cylinders press the brake square into an upper position. The actuating cylinders are connected to associated braking magnets2via flanges30.

In order to fix the magnet coil body8to attachment parts of the magnetic rail brake4, such as to the track holders28or to the flanges30of the actuating cylinders, fixing strips32,34, for example, are provided which run parallel to the longitudinal extent of the magnet coil body8and are connected directly to the magnet coil body8. When viewed in the longitudinal extent of the magnet coil body8, one fixing strip32,34is arranged on one side face of the magnet coil body8directly above an upper front face36of the magnet elements6(seeFIG. 3). In the process, one fixing strip32extends essentially from one end piece14to the other end piece15of the braking magnet2, while the other fixing strip34is split into two parts,34a,34b, and the connecting device26is arranged between the two parts34aand34b(seeFIG. 2). The two fixing strips32,34are welded to the magnet coil body8and form a welded assembly together with the magnet coil body8.

If a direct current flowing in the magnet coil now brings about a magnetic voltage, which generates a magnetic flux in the magnet core comprising the magnet elements6, which magnetic flux is short-circuited via the rail head18as soon as the braking magnet2rests on the rail1, magnetic short circuits may result owing to attachment parts such as the track holders28or the flanges30. Such short circuits may reduce the holding force of the magnetic elements6on the rail1.

According to the present disclosure, at least one of the fixing strips32,34includes a diamagnetic or paramagnetic material. This results in the magnetic field being weakened or only slightly intensified such that the magnetic stray flux on the magnet coil body8is markedly reduced, which brings about an advantageously high magnetic holding force.

Although the present disclosure has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is done by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The scope of the present disclosure is to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.