Abstract:
A composite profile comprising a carrier profile made of a light metal material and a profiled strip which is made of a harder material and covers the top surface of the carrier profile. An insertable bar is added to the profiled strip on each longitudinal side in a position parallel to the direction thereof and is inserted into a lateral slot embodied therein. The insertable bar is firmly connected to the profiled strip thereof by a weld seam.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 11/711,397 filed Feb. 27, 2007 and U.S. application Ser. No. 11/708,210 filed Feb. 20, 2007. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention concerns a composite profile having a rail-like support body extruded from light metal material and a profile strip spanning its top surface and made of a harder metal. Also, the invention covers a method for making such a composite profile. 
     In DE 24 32 541 A1 can be found a method for making conductor rails consisting of a carrier profile and at least one covering which forms at least part of the upper surface of the carrier profile serving as the conductor and consists of a profile strip of a different metal as a covering profile with high abrasion resistance. During an extrusion process, the carrier profile is produced by forcing a bar out through the shaping cross-section of an extrusion die, and at the same time the profile strip passes through the die aperture or shaping cross-section parallel to the longitudinal axis of the die. During the extrusion process, an intimate metal bond is produced between the two profile components. For example, if the conductor rail is used to electrify rail-mounted vehicles, detachment of the profile strip from its support profile made of light metal takes place in the long term in cases of particularly high load in spite of the intimate metal bond. 
     In DE 44 10 688 A1 can be found a composite profile having a carrier profile made of light metal and a profile strip bonded thereto. The latter spans the upper surface of a rail head of the carrier profile, is channel-shaped in cross-section and comprises in its side arms—projecting from its inner surface on the support body side at a distance from each other—bulges which are embedded in the support body. These bulges define undercut gaps which are filled by the metallic material of the support body in form-locking relationship. This form-locking connection does not have the problems described for the metallic bond. 
     A composite conductor rail element for the power supply of a railway vehicle having a covering made of a material with high mechanical resistance which is rigidly attached to a rod made of material which is a good conductor of electricity, and forms the sliding or contact surface for current collectors of the vehicle, is disclosed by DE 25 46 026 A1. The covering is fixed to the conductive rod which serves as the carrier by clamping or squeezing the edges of the covering in the conductive rod. At least one indentation running in the longitudinal direction forms in the covering, penetrating into the conductive rod. For locking the edges of the covering, in the conductive rod is provided a groove which separates off a lip. The latter leads to locking of the covering to the conductive rod as soon as it has been at least partially folded over and pressed against the edge of the covering. 
     Conductor rails of which the wear components are attached to the live carrier profile by screws or additional insertion members passing through them laterally, have also proved to be disadvantageous. Other known manufacturing methods may disadvantageously lead to undulations on the upper surface of the covering profile which originate from stepwise caulking or stamping of the carrier profile. 
     Knowing this state of the art, the inventor set himself the aim of further improving the bond between carrier profile and profile strip while retaining the special possibilities of economic manufacture. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The foregoing object is achieved wherein attached to the profile strip or covering profile which more or less rests on the top or upper surface of the carrier profile and is preferably made of special steel, on each of its longitudinal sides, is an anchor or insertion rod which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the profile strip and which on the other side engages in a lateral insertion slot in the carrier profile; the insertion rod or insertion profile is preferably made of the material of the profile strip and joined to the latter by a weld seam. The insertion rods complement the profile strip on both sides and, owing to the welded connection, form a reliable protection for the inside surface of the live carrier profile. 
     According to a further characteristic of the invention, the thickness of the insertion end of the profile-like insertion rod corresponds to the width of the insertion slot in the carrier profile, so that the components are firmly seated on each other. 
     With a profile strip of channel-like shape which rests on the rail head of a rail-like carrier profile, it proved advantageous to connect the insertion rod to a side arm formed integrally on a base plate of the profile strip, and on the other side to insert it with at least one rod section projecting from that side arm, in the correspondingly arranged insertion slot in the carrier profile. The weld seam is advantageously to run at the end face of the side arm of that profile strip. 
     A channel-like insertion rod of approximately V-shaped cross-section which abuts by one channel arm against the inside of the side arm of the profile strip is preferred; the other channel arm is then directed towards the longitudinal axis of the profile strip. With this design, the cross-section of the slot in the rail head of the carrier profile is in turn V-shaped, the slot arm running in the side or longitudinal surface of the rail head being formed by a longitudinal indentation. Another insertion rod according to the invention is of angular cross-section, which with one channel arm abuts against the inside of the side arm; the other channel arm is inclined away from the base plate of the profile strip, or alternatively towards it. In this case the angle defined by the two channel arms is to measure more than 90°, preferably about 110°. 
     Within the scope of the invention is also an insertion rod of approximately semicircular cross-section, which at the vertex of its curvature is welded by the outer surface to the edge of the end face of the side arm of the profile strip in such a way that the two insertion rods of the profile strip are arranged in a common centre axis and open towards each other. This centre axis intersects the cross-sectional axis of the composite profile, which is in turn parallel to its side surfaces. Also, the centre axis of the insertion rods in each of the two longitudinal surfaces of the rail head is to define the position of a bead of which the cross-section is adapted to the shape of the interior of the insertion rod to be joined to it, and which is defined on each of two sides by an insertion slot for the free edge of the insertion rod. 
     The cross-section of another embodiment of the insertion profile or rod for the rail head according to the invention consists of a quadrant section and a linear section, which latter abuts on the inside against the side arm of the profile strip and is welded to its end face. These quadrant sections of the two insertion rods can be directed towards the base plate of the profile strip or away from it. The slot in the rail head for the linear section of the insertion rod is here to contain a longitudinal indentation in the longitudinal surface of the rail head. Furthermore, care must be taken that the pairs of identical insertion rods provide an inversely symmetrical design. 
     According to another characteristic of the invention, an insertion rod of hook-shaped cross-section having a free hook section directed towards the base plate of the profile strip and running at a distance from the side arm is welded at the other end to the end face of the side arm. 
     Also, it proved favourable to let a longitudinal rib formed integrally at a distance from the surface of the rail head and defined by the lower surface of the rail head engage under the slot-like indentation in the rail head. 
     In an alternative embodiment to the above-described mounting of the insertion rod of hook-shaped cross-section having a free hook section running at a distance from the inner surface of the side arm of the profile strip, the free hook section points away from the base plate of the profile strip, that is, towards the bottom region of the composite profile. This insertion rod too is welded to the end face of the side arm. 
     Another embodiment covers an insertion rod of step-shaped cross-section which at one end is welded to the inner surface of the side arm of the profile strip and at the other end with its free hook end engages behind a peg strip in the longitudinal surface of the rail head. 
     Also within the scope of the invention are insertion rods of linear cross-section, that is, strip-shaped, which are laid on the inside against the side arms of the profile strip and project beyond their respective end face to which they are joined by means of a continuous weld seam. Such an insertion rod of linear cross-section is according to the invention at one end welded to the end face of a side arm of the profile strip and inclined to the longitudinal axis of the cross-section of the composite profile at an angle of approximately 60° to 80°, preferably 70° to 75°. 
     It proved favourable to fix to the inner side of the side arm of the profile strip in the region of its end face a linear insertion rod parallel to the longitudinal axis of the profile strip, namely a round bar having a diameter of 5 to 10 mm, for example. For this, in the flank or longitudinal surfaces of the rail head of this composite profile is preferably formed in each case a longitudinal groove of which the bottom is arcuate in cross-section, in adaptation to the round bar. 
     A different shape of the rail body is also within the scope of the invention, namely a box-shaped carrier profile on the upper surface of which rests a plate-shaped profile strip at the longitudinal edges of which in each case an insertion rod is held by a weld seam. Here, the width of the profile strip is shorter than the width of the carrier profile, and each of the insertion rods is inserted in a slot which is allocated to a step indentation in the carrier profile. 
     The invention also covers a composite profile for making a composite profile in which a carrier profile having a top surface and insertion slots accompanying the latter on both sides is extruded from light metal material, also an insertion rod is introduced into each insertion slot and a profile strip overlapping the top surface is laid against a section of the insertion rod extending out of the insertion slot. The insertion rod is continuously welded to the profile strip. 
     First, therefore, the anchoring strips, anchor rods or insertion rods are laid or pressed or rolled into the light metal profile, in particular an aluminium base profile, or before welding or afterwards rolled or pressed hard by plastic deformation of the carrier profile. There is then provision for pressing the special steel covering profile onto the light metal carrier profile by means of a large-diameter pressure roller, and welding the anchoring strips or insertion rods on the right and left at the same time to the covering profile under this bias. 
     Furthermore, the so-called covering profile is preferably a special steel strip which is cut from a coil and which is given the desired shape by roll-shaping or used directly as a cut tape. The insertion rod is a special steel strip—preferably the same alloy as the covering profile—which advantageously has been cut from the coil and given the desired shape by roll-shaping/chamfering/folding the edge up or over. 
     To remedy the above-mentioned faults, a continuously progressing composite profile is proposed—such as extrusion for the carrier profile and roll-shaping—over the whole profile length of covering profile and insertion rods or anchoring profiles. Joining is carried out by continuous welding over the profile length. 
     A requirement is a maximum possible width of the sliding surface with the possibility of brushing from the side and mechanical anchoring which, even when the wear profiles are completely worn down, ensures anchoring of the sliding surfaces of which two then remain. Also, a reduction of the fitted height tolerances compared with known composite profiles is desirable. The possibility of local manufacture worldwide without having to upgrade a large light metal extruder is also desirable. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further advantages, characteristics and details of the invention are apparent from the description below of preferred embodiments as well as with reference to the drawings; these show 
         FIGS. 1 ,  9 : in each case an oblique view of a section of a rail-shaped composite profile consisting of two composite partners; 
         FIG. 2 : the cross-section through the composite profile of  FIG. 1  full size with a component removed from the composite profile; 
         FIGS. 3 ,  4 : in each case a smaller cross-section than  FIG. 2  through a composite profile of a different design; 
         FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 : in each case two halves of the cross-sections of two different composite profiles; 
         FIG. 10 : the cross-section through the composite profile of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11 : an end view of one composite partner; 
         FIG. 12 : a side view of two elements of the composite partner of  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 13 : the two composite partners of  FIG. 10  before assembly; 
         FIGS. 14 and 18 : two further embodiments of composite profiles consisting of two composite partners; 
         FIGS. 15 and 19 : an end view of one composite partner in  FIG. 14  or  18 ; 
         FIGS. 16 and 20 : a side view of two elements of the composite partner of  FIG. 15  or  19 ; 
         FIGS. 19 ,  20 : views of  FIGS. 14 and 18  corresponding to the elements of  FIGS. 11 ,  12 ; 
         FIGS. 17 and 21 : in each case the two composite partners of  FIG. 14  or  18  before their assembly; 
         FIGS. 22 to 24 : three other embodiments of composite profiles in an end view. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A composite profile  10  having a height h of 105 mm here and a maximum width b of 92 mm comprises according to  FIG. 1  a rail-shaped carrier profile  12  with a rail base  14  and an endless rail head  22  formed integrally on the rail base  14  by means of a rail stem  20 . Two longitudinal edges  17  with a height c of 10 mm defining the bottom surface  16  of the rail base  14  run parallel to each other at a distance b 1  of 80 mm here. 
     From these longitudinal edges  17 , the two roof surfaces  18  of the rail base  14  are inclined slightly upwards to the cross-sectional centre axis Q traversing the longitudinal axis A of the composite profile  10 , and merge with that rail stem  20  having a height h 1  of approximately 30 mm and a thickness e of approximately 18 mm. From the upper end of the rail stem  20  extend the lower surfaces  26  of the rail head  22  which are inclined approximately upwards to the longitudinal edges  24  of this rail head  22 , which has a width b 2  of 78 mm and of which the outside height n of approximately 28 mm defines the position of the upper surface  28  of the rail head  22 . 
     From each of the longitudinal edges  24  of the rail head  22  in  FIG. 1  extends an insertion slot  30  which is inclined upwards at an angle w of approximately 60° and has a width a of 4 mm here and a depth t of 18 mm, and of which the lower wall surface in  FIG. 2  merges with a kind of longitudinal rib  34  of the rail head  22 , the outside of which is formed by that lower surface  26 . In the longitudinal edge  24  is formed a longitudinal indentation  32  as a spatial extension of the slot  30  of V-shaped cross-section, which also provides its width a. 
     This rail or carrier profile  12  of the composite profile  10  is formed from a light metal material in an extruder, not shown in the drawings for reasons of clarity. 
     The top or upper surface  28  of the rail profile  12  or its rail head  22  is spanned in the final state by a profile strip  40  having a thickness f of 6 mm, which is made from a ferrous or non-ferrous metal. This profile strip  40  is channel-shaped in cross-section, and its side arms  46  which extend from a base plate  42  and are parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis B of the profile strip  40  and which have a height c 1  of 20 mm abut against the longitudinal edges  24  of the rail head  22 . In this position the outer surface  44  of the profile strip  40  forms the upper surface of the composite profile  10 . 
     Associated with parallel axis with each side arm  46  of the profile strip  40  resting on the upper surface  28  of the rail head  22  in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2  on the inside is a channel-shaped insertion rod  50  of approximately V-shaped cross-section having an apex angle w 1  of approximately 65°, of which the channel arms  49 ,  49   i  provide a thickness a 1  which corresponds with a slight clearance to the width a of the insertion slot  30 . One of these channel arms  49  which are linear in cross-section abuts with its outer side—running parallel to the cross-sectional longitudinal axis Q—against the side arm  46  of the profile strip  40  on the inside in a contact width c 2  of 5 mm and is welded thereto in sealing fashion by a weld seam shown at  48 . The latter runs at the end face  47  of the side arm  46  of the profile strip. The other channel arm  49   i  is inserted in the adjacent slot  30  in the rail head  22 . Thus a permanent and sealing combination of the two composite partners  12 ,  40  of the composite profile  10  is formed. 
     The rail head  22   a  of the composite profile  10   a  according to  FIG. 3  has, instead of a V-shaped slot, an insertion slot  30   a  of angular cross-section which has a width (radius 4 mm) for a correspondingly shaped insertion rod  50   a  of the profile strip  40 , which is inherently shaped according to  FIG. 2 . Towards the rail base  14 , the insertion slot  30   a  is defined by an upwardly inclined longitudinal rib  34   a  of the rail head  22   a . This insertion slot  30   a  receives the free end  55  of the cross-section of the insertion rod  50   a  which in a side view is a longitudinal strip. 
     The profile strip  40  of  FIG. 4  too is essentially designed according to  FIG. 2 ; with this composite profile  10   b , however, the two insertion profiles or insertion rods  50   b  are semicircular in cross-section and in each case welded at their vertex to the end face  47  of a side arm  46  of the profile strip  40 . The insertion rods  50   b  opening towards each other at a centre axis M intersecting the cross-sectional longitudinal axis Q encompass at the rail head  22   b  a bead  36  of arcuate cross-sectional contour which is defined on both sides by longitudinal ribs  34   b , forming insertion slots  35  for the cross-sectional ends of the insertion rod  50   b . 
       FIG. 5  shows in each case one half of two composite profiles  10   c ,  10   d  ending at the cross-sectional longitudinal axis Q; the other halves, not shown, are shaped accordingly. Associated with the profile strip  40  of the left design in  FIG. 5  is an insertion rod  50   c  having a thickness a 1  of which the cross-section consists of an arcuate section  54  and a linear section  49   c  which is welded to the corresponding side arm  46  of the profile strip  40 . That arcuate section  54  extends towards the rail base  14 . In the embodiment on the right side of  FIG. 5 , the insertion rod  50   c  is fixed in such a way that the arcuate section  54  is directed towards the base plate  42  of the profile strip  40 . In both composite profiles  10   c ,  10   d  the linear section rests in a longitudinal indentation  32  of the rail head  22   c  or  22   d , which merges with a slot  30   c  of curved cross-section. 
       FIG. 6  too shows two insertion profiles or insertion rods  50   e  directed in opposite directions to each other and having an angled or hooked—and inherently identical—cross-sectional shape with corresponding slots in the rail head  22   e  or  22   f  of the composite profile  10   e ,  10   f . These insertion rods  50   e  too are welded to the end face  47  of the side arm  46  of the profile strip, and with their free hook section  56  engage behind a parallel-axis peg strip  37  having the width k 1  of the rail head  22   e  or  22   f . 
     An insertion rod  50   g  which is essentially stepped in cross-section runs in the composite profile  10   g  of  FIG. 7 ; it is firstly welded to the inner surface of the side arm  46  and secondly engages with its free hook end  56  behind a peg strip  37  in the longitudinal surface  24  of the rail head  22   g . 
     An insertion rod  51  of linear cross-section and having a thickness a 2  of 4 mm is laid on the inside against the side arm  46  of the profile strip  40  of composite profile  10   h  of  FIG. 7  and is welded to the end face  47  of the side arm  46  in such a way that the free cross-sectional end—which is parallel to the latter—engages behind a peg strip  37  of the rail head  22   h . 
     In both embodiments of  FIG. 8 , a linear insertion rod  51  having a free length k of 15 mm is welded to the end edge or end face  47  of each of the side arms  46  of the profile strip  40  in such a way that it runs inwardly at an angle w 2  of approximately 70° to 75° to the cross-sectional longitudinal axis Q. In the composite profile  10   i  on the left side of the figure, the insertion rod  51  is directed towards the base plate  42 , and in the other composite profile  10   k  it points away from the base plate  42 . The corresponding slots  30  in the rail head  21   i  or  22   k  run in each case above a longitudinal rib  34  or  34   a . 
     The composite profile  10   e  of  FIGS. 9 to 13  contains two insertion rods  50   a  of which the shape has been described for  FIG. 3 . By contrast with that drawing, here the free ends  55  of the insertion rods  50   a  point upwards, that is, towards the base plate  42  of the profile strip  40 . 
     In  FIG. 11  can be seen the exact design of the profile strip  40  of which the straight width q here measures 68 mm with a stretched length of approximately 116 mm and an area of approximately 697 millimeters [Mat. 1.4016 (X 6 Cr 17), with 5373.1 g/m]. 
     The insertion rod  50   a  of  FIG. 12  defines, with its two profile arms  55 ,  55   i  having a length z of 7.8 mm and 5.8 mm (z i ) and the end faces  57 , an angle y of 65°.  FIG. 13  shows the length of the slots  30  described above and longitudinal indentations  32  in the rail head  22   e . 
       FIGS. 14 to 17  show the cycle discussed for  FIGS. 10 to 13  for the embodiment of  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 15  corresponds to  FIG. 11 . In  FIG. 16  the length z or z 1  of the two profile arms  55 ,  55   i  of the insertion rod  50   a  measures 5.6 mm and the angle y here is 76°. 
     A round bar  52  having a diameter d of 7 mm is welded on the inside in each case to the side arms  46  of the profile strip  40  of  FIGS. 18 to 21 . Here, the stretched length is approximately 112 mm, and the area approximately 674 mm [Mat. 14016 (X6Cr17) 5189.8 g/m)]. 
     To receive the round bar  52  in clamping fashion, at the vertical centre of the longitudinal edges or surfaces  24  having a height i of 28 mm of the rail head  22   n  is formed in each case a longitudinal groove  60  of which the bottom is cross-sectionally defined by a semicircle. 
     The box-shaped carrier profile  13  of the composite profile  11  of  FIGS. 22 to 24  has an essentially rectangular cross-sectional shape with a width b 1  of 105 mm and a height h 2  of 50 mm and is provided with an interior  62  which is defined on both sides by profile arms  64  from which in each case project bottom webs  66  aligned parallel to the upper surface  28  and with each other and having a width b 3  of 20 mm. That upper surface  28  is narrower than the carrier profile  13 , as each of its upper corner edges has a step indentation  68  with a width b 4  of 5 mm. From the latter in  FIG. 22  extends a slot  31  which is directed substantially diagonally to the cross-sectional area and which has a width a of approximately 3 mm and a length t 1  of approximately 9 mm. The slot  31  serves to receive an insertion rod  50   a  of angled cross-section which is welded with one profile arm  55   i  to the longitudinal edge  70  of a plate-shaped profile strip  44  of which the width b measures approximately 95 mm with a thickness f of 5 mm. The free profile arm  55  sits in the slot  31 . 
     The composite profiles  11   a  and  11   b  and their carrier profiles  13  in  FIGS. 23 and 24  differ in the shape of the insertion profiles or insertion rods  51   k  or  50  of their profile strips  41 . The insertion rod  51   k  of  FIG. 23  is similar to that of the composite profile  10   h , but is slightly bent. The insertion rod  50  of  FIG. 24  corresponds to that of  FIGS. 1 ,  2 . However, it is laid with one channel arm  49  against the lower surface  41  of the profile strip  41  and thus welded; the weld seam  48  runs at the longitudinal edge  70  of the profile strip  41  and the outer surface of the channel arm  49 . The corner region of the carrier profile  13  is correspondingly shaped with a longitudinal indentation  32  in the top or upper surface  28  of the carrier profile  13   b  and that step indentation  68 , between which a bead  36   a  runs parallel to the longitudinal axis of the profile.