RAILWAY VEHICLE OF MODULAR CONSTRUCTION

Abstract: A railway vehicle of modular construction which comprises a chassis module (2) and a car body module (1), which are each manufactured as separate units and subsequently assembled into a complete vehicle by connecting the chassis module (2), which at the top has a top section (4) adapted to fill up a longitudinal opening in the floor of the car body, to the car body module (1) by a preferably dismountable friction joint (3). The top section (4) of the chassis module (2) is built up around an apparatus plate (8) which, interalia, supports the electrical and drive equipment of the vehicle. The chassis module (2) constitutes a whole or is composed of one or more building blocks, which are joined together into the final chassis module (2). Such building blocks consist, for example, of a chassis frame corresponding to the load- and apparatus- receiving part (9) of the chassis module and a driving element comprising a bogie (6) and traction units (7). The car body module (1) may also comprise a roof module (11).

Description: Railway vehicle of modular construction TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a railway vehicle in which the assembly into a complete unit is achieved by joining together a chassis module and a car body module. BACKGROUND ART In the production of rail-mounted vehicles in assembly factories, it is common for the whole vehicle to be assembled integrally, that is, that supporting structural parts in a car, such as frameworks and floor spars together with walls, roofs, floors etc. are assembled into a complete coach, also by the supply of wheel sets, possible traction units, electrical equipment and other accessories. This assembly takes place locally and requires coordination of the production. In addition, certain installation work may be difficult since certain features, such as electrical equipment for power supply, brake equipment and traction units etc. are installed from below. An example of an assembly according to such a technique in a coach without motion by motor is given in German patent specification DE 3 019 843 C2. To facilitate assembly of a car according to the above, it is desirable to manufacture a car by assembly of different units which have been semi-manufactured and are thereafter assembled into a complete car. In patent specification DE 2 933 429 C2, a solution is described in which a number of building blocks are joined together into a final design. According to this specification, this provides the possibility and the advantage that the building blocks • included in the car are replaceable, which is an advantage when, for example, building blocks have to be replaced owing to damage. The latter specification, however, does not indicate any solution, which is desirable, for simplifying installation of equipment and accessories and for simplifying, by modula¬ rization, preliminary installation, final installation and testing of such equipment and accessories on the traction chassis and the car body, also called carriage, of a rail- mounted vehicle. At the same time, a more flexible construc¬ tion of the modules included in the car is desired, such that, for example, the chassis can be easily adapted to new demands on, for example, size or the ability to receive changed electrical or drive equipment. Further, the installation of certain components is performed from below the car according to the current technique and means that the personnel carrying out the installation are subjected to unsuitable operations involving a considerable amount of strain. The mechanical stiffness of a railway car is a parameter, the value of which is of importances for fulfilling the demands on passenger comfort and the proper environment for installed equipment. The stiffness must be maintained high and controls the construction method. When changing to, for example, a modularized construction method, the demands on comfort for passengers and equipment environments must be maintained. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a railway vehicle of modular con- struction which comprises a chassis module and a car body module, which are each manufactured as separate units and later on assembled into a complete vehicle by connecting the chassis module, which has a top section adapted to fill up a longitudinal opening in the floor of the car body, to the car body module by a preferably dismountable friction joint. The top section of the chassis module is built up around an apparatus plate which, inter alia, supports the electrical and drive equipment of the vehicle. The chassis module con- stitutes a whole or is assembled from one or more building blocks, which are joined together into the final chassis module. Such building blocks consist, for example, of a chassis frame corresponding to the load and apparatus receiving part of the chassis module and a driving element comprising a bogie and traction units. The apparatus unit is intended to accomodate the electrical equipment of the vehicle, for example for supply of the drive equipment, other auxiliary equipment for the chassis and any other equipment for the car disposed in standardized spaces, whereas a traction unit comprises a bogie and, where applicable, converters, motors and gears. At the top plane of the chassis module there is an apparatus plate which, as mentioned above, is utilized as a base for attaching a holder of different types of the equipment which is intended to be supported by the chassis. The upper side of the apparatus plate can also be utilized for supporting and arranging electrical and mechanical auxiliary equipment associated with the car body and comfort equipment for staff spaces in the car, as, for example, cable systems or fan, heating, cooling and ventilating accessories. The cavity immediately above the apparatus plate will then be located immediately below the inner floor of the car. The chassis module is modularized, which means that the cross section thereof across the longitudinal direction has a fixed area and comprises standardized spaces, which means that the cross section mentioned is adapted to many different vehicle types. Further, assembly work at the chassis module can be adapted to a predetermined method. The fixed area in the cross section allows the chassis module to be put together with a car body profile in accordance with special customer requirements, which leads to a rationalized manufacturing method. The apparatus plate in the chassis module can be extended at the ends of the chassis for adaptation to car body modules of different lengths. One advantage with the manufacture of a chassis module according to the above is most apparent on comparison with the assembly of auxiliary equipment to the underframe in connection with the assembly of a vehicle according to the complete vehicle principle, where overhead mounting is often carried out when mounting parts from the underside of the vehicle. By using a modular technique, the chassis module or the sub-modules of the chassis, when installing equipment into these, can be placed in a rotating jig, whereupon the chassis or the sub-modules in the jig are rotated 90°, so that the underside of the chassis becomes easily accessible from the side to the assembly personnel, thus obtaining an ergonomically advantageous assembly. A further advantage is that the longitudinal opening in the car body module during the manufacture can be utilized as an assembly-facilitating intake opening for necessary accesso¬ ries and interior fittings when preparing the interior of the car. The joint between the chassis module and the car body module suitably consists of a friction joint or a mechanical joint. In this way the necessary stiffness in the vehicle is obtained. Possibly, friction-increasing material is used between the two modules at the connection point, whereby oscillations which normally occur in the load-carrying body of a vehicle are damped by the joint, which leads to increased comfort with lower weight, since the oscillations arising in vehicles manufactured according to the current technique are minimized by avoiding, for example, coordina- ted oscillations with the bogies by means of measures which increase the mass of the vehicle. The location of the joint may vary depending on the doorstep function on the part of the car body module. In a modification of the embodiment according to the above, parts of the equipment for the vehicle are moved from the chasεj.s module to a roof module, where a longitudinal part of the vehicle roof is left open in the car body for receiving a roof module which is adapted to be subsequently fitted as a part of and constitute a roof frame in the car/vehicle. The roof module is attached to the car body module with the aid of the above-mentioned principles of attachment. The latter solution with a roof module as complement can be advantageously used in rail-mounted vehicles with a low floor concept. A further advantage of the construction method described is obtained as the chassis with the drive equipment can be test run separately, before the car body module is mounted on the chassis. This is achieved by equipping the chassis module with a driver's seat and a control desk. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a cross section through a rail-mounted vehicle composed of a car body module and a chassis module. Figure 2 illustrates the chassis module in a side view where module spaces are indicated. Figure 3 illustrates in a view from above how the joint between the car body module and the chassis module is located in the vehicle. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying figures. Figure 1 schematically shows an assembled rail-mounted vehicle composed of a carriage 1, which constitutes the above-mentioned car body module, and a chassis module 2, which in the example shown is represented by a traction chassis module. The two modules, the car body module 1 and the chassis module 2, are joined together at a connection point, the joint 3. The joint 3 is achieved by designing a top section 4 in the chassis 2 from a framework, which fits into and fills up a rectangular recess, extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, in the form of an opening 5 in the bottom plane of the carriage, this opening 5 being shown in Figure 3. A framework is also built up around the opening 5, whereby the advantage is obtained that, when the chassis 2 with its top section 4 is fitted into the opening 5, a contact surface is obtained between, on the one hand, the top section 4 and, on the other hand, the framework in the opening 5 around the top section 4 of the chassis. The sides of the top section 4 are fixed to the sides of the opening 5 with an optional type of joint. A bolt is suitably used for the joining, but also other types of joints, including welding, can be used. If desired, friction-increasing material can be fitted in between the top section 4 and the contact surfaces of the opening 5 towards the top section 4 in the joint 3 to increase the damping of oscillations in the load-carrying body of the vehicle. The chassis 2 can be divided into sub-units, where a bogie 6, represented by a single-axled bogie in Figure 1, and a traction unit 7 are comprised in a driving element whereas the remainder of the chassis 2 constitutes a chassis frame with a supporting apparatus plate 8. These two building blocks, driving element and chassis frame, are then assem- bled to form a chassis module 2. In its upper part the chassis 2 consists of an apparatus plate 8, which may be located in the lower part of the top section 4, which is intended to be fitted into the opening 5 of the car body module 1. With this location of the appara¬ tus plate 8, free volumes are created in the chassis module, partly above the apparatus plate 8, partly below the appa¬ ratus plate 8. In these volumes standardized spaces, here referred to as module spaces 9a, 9b, are arranged, intended to receive different types of modularized equipment, appara¬ tus modules, for example converters, feeder units and other auxiliary equipment. Such module spaces 9b are arranged below the apparatus plate 8 or both above and below the apparatus plate 8 according to Figure 1, as upper module spaces 9a and lower module spaces 9b. In the upper module spaces, equipment for the car is installed, for example, electrical, heating and ventilating equipment as well as cables. The apparatus plate 8 may be designed as a plate of, for example, light metal with longitudinal, stiffening flanges 8a, where these flanges 8a, depending on the orien¬ tation of the apparatus plate, are facing upwards or down¬ wards. In another modified embodiment, the chassis module 2 has the apparatus plate 8 disposed on top of the top section 4, in which case only lower module spaces 9b are used, which will then be located below the apparatus plate 8. The standardized module spaces 9a, 9b, for example in the form of apparatus boxes, apparatus spaces or cable/air ducts, are intended to receive auxiliary equipment according to predetermined dimensions or volumes, which means that the permissible dimensions of such equipment intended for installation in the chassis module are known independently of in what vehicle type the chassis module is to be included, which simplifies readjustment to production of new or different vehicle types. The chassis module 2 is surrounded by a protective casing 10, which protects equipment installed in the chassis against damage and the influence from the surroundings. In a still further modified embodiment of a construction method with modules, a roof module 11 it utilized which is fitted into a longitudinal, preferably rectangular, roof opening 12 located between stiffened longitudinal roof beams 13 in the car body module 1. The roof module 11 is also utilized as a space for locating equipment for the car in roof module spaces 14a, 14b, which have the same function as the module spaces 9a, 9b in the chassis module 2. Also the equipment of the roof module 11 is surrounded outwardly by a protective casing 10a.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A railway vehicle of modular construction comprising a car body and a chassis, characterized in that the chassis and the car body each constitute separate building blocks in the form of a chassis module (2) and a car body module (1), which are each manufactured as separate units and subsequen¬ tly assembled into a complete vehicle, by joining the chassis module (2) and the car body module (1) to each other by means of a joining arrangement, adapted to the respective module, which is obtained by the chassis module (2) being provided at the top with a top section (4) adapted to fill up a longitudinal opening (5) located in the bottom plane of the car body module (1) , wherein the top section (4) of the chassis module is connected to the car body module by means of a joint (3) . 2. A railway vehicle of modular construction according to claim 1, characterized in that the joining arrangement between the top section (4) of the chassis module and the opening (5) of the car body consists of a friction joint, for example in the form of a bolted joint. 3. A railway vehicle of modular construction according to claim 1, characterized in that a friction-increasing material is fitted into the joint between the chassis module (2) and the car body module (1) . 4. A railway vehicle of modular construction according to claim 1, characterized in that the joint (3) is dismountable. 5. A railway vehicle of modular construction according to claim 1, characterized in that the chassis module (2) in a cross section across the vehicle exhibits a locked cross section area. 6. A railway vehicle of modular construction according to claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus plate (8) of the chassis module is extendable in the longitudinal direction to be adapted to car body modules (1) of different designs. 7. A railway vehicle of modular construction according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper part of the chassis module (2) has an apparatus plate (8) for attaching apparatus modules to the chassis, wherein said apparatus plate (8) exhibits, at its underside, module spaces (9b) for receiving, for example, driving element, feeder unit and other auxiliary equipment, whereas the upper side of the apparatus plate (8) , in one vehicle variant, in addition exhibits module spaces (9a) for receiving auxiliary equip¬ ment for the car unit, for example electrical equipment for heating and ventilation, electricity for the car unit and cables. 8. A railway vehicle of modular construction according to claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus plate (8) of the chassis module is adapted to receive different types of bogies (6), for example in the form of single-axled or two- axled bogies. . A railway vehicle of modular construction according to claim 1, characterized in that an additional building block is integrated with the vehicle in that a roof module (11) is adapted to be fitted into a roof opening (12) exten- ding along the roof of the car body in another variant of car body module (1) provided with both an opening (5) in the bottom plane and a roof opening (12) . 10. A railway vehicle of modular construction according to claim 9, characterized in that the roof module (11) com¬ prises roof module spaces (14a, 14b) for the equipment of the car body, for example electrical and air-conditioning equipment as well as cables. 11. A railway vehicle of modular construction according to claim 1, characterized in that the chassis module (2) is surrounded by a protective casing (10) . 12. A railway vehicle of modular construction according to claim 1, characterized in that the chassis module (2) is possible to test run separately by the arrangement of a driver's seat and a control desk at the chassis module (2) .

Inventors: MARCUSSON LAGE, MARCUSSON, LAGE
Applicants: ASEA BROWN BOVERI, ASEA BROWN BOVERI AB
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B61D17
IPC codes: B61D17