US 2006026.

0503A1
(19) United States
(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2006/0260503 A1
Jeunehomme et al. (43) Pub. Date: Nov. 23, 2006
(54) ARTICULATED TRAIN RAKE AND CAR (30) Foreign Application Priority Data
FOR MAKING UP SUCH A RAKE
May 9, 2005 (FR).............................................. OSO4630
(75) Inventors: Sylvie Jeunehomme, Salles Sur Mer Publication Classification
(FR); Eric Courcimeaux, Dompierre
Sur Mer (FR); Alain Guinot, (51) Int. Cl.
Schweighouse/Moder (FR) B6ID 7/00 (2006.01)
(52) U.S. Cl. ............................................................... 105/4.1
Correspondence Address: (57) ABSTRACT
DAVIDSON, DAVIDSON & KAPPEL, LLC
485 SEVENTH AVENUE, 14TH FLOOR An articulated train rake includes a plurality of longitudi
NEW YORK, NY 10018 (US) nally aligned cars, each having leading and trailing longi
tudinal ends, for each car a ball joint between the leading end
(73) Assignee: ALSTOM Transport SA, Levallois-Per of said car and the trailing end of the preceding car in the
ret (FR) row, each car including a body, at least a bogie on which the
body rests, and pivot joint means for connecting the body to
(21) Appl. No.: 11/430,678 the bogie. The ball joints are disposed at a vertical level
lower than or equal to the pivot joint means relative to the
(22) Filed: May 9, 2006 rolling plane of the rake.

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US 2006/0260503 A1
ARTICULATED TRAN RAKE AND CAR FOR
MAKING UP SUCH A RAKE
TECHNICAL FIELD
0001. The invention generally relates to an articulated
train rake and to a car for making up Such a rake.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
0002 More specifically, according to a first aspect, the
invention relates to an articulated train rake, comprising:
0003 a plurality of longitudinally aligned cars, each
having leading and trailing longitudinal ends,
0004 for each car a ball joint between the leading end
of said car and the trailing end of the preceding car in
the row,
each car comprising a body, at least a bogie on which the
body rests, and pivot joint means for connecting the
body to the bogie.
0005 Rakes of this type are known from the prior art.
FIG. 1 shows a portion of such a rake, this portion com
prising a plurality of cars V connected by passages C by
means of which the passengers can walk from one car V to
another. The floor P in the rake is relatively higher in the
region of the walkway than in the centre of the cars, i.e. in
the compartment where the passengers sit. The difference in
level is approximately 125 mm.
0006. This difference in level is inconvenient for passen
gers wishing to pass from one car to another, particularly if
these passengers are pulling a bag or Suitcase on wheels.
0007. In this context, the object of the present invention
is to propose an articulated train rake inside which walking
between cars is easier than in prior art rakes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
0008 For this purpose, the articulated train rake accord
ing to the invention, of the type described above, is basically
characterised in that the ball joints are disposed at a vertical
level lower than or equal to the pivot joint means relative to
the rolling plane of the rake.
0009. The articulated train rake can also have one or
more of the following characteristics, in any technically
feasible combination:
0010. The pivot joint means are such that the body is
pivotally mounted on the bogie about an axis perpen
dicular to the rolling plane of the rake;
0011 Each car comprises a single bogie Supporting the
leading end of said car, the trailing end of the car being
supported by the leading end of the following car in the
row via the ball joint;
0012. The rake comprises, for each car, a walkway
which causes an internal volume of the body of said car
to communicate with an internal volume of the body of
the preceding car, the ball joint between the two cars
being disposed below the walkway;
0013 Each body has a stepped bottom comprising
leading and trailing bottoms located vertically rela
Nov. 23, 2006
tively higher, relative to the rake rolling plane, and a
relatively lower central bottom;
0014. The pivot joint means are disposed below the
leading bottom;
0015 The bogie extends partially below the leading
bottom and partially below the walkway, the ball joint
being interposed vertically between the bogie and the
walkway;
0016. The bogie of each car extends partially below the
trailing bottom of the body of the preceding car;
0017. The internal volume of each body and the walk
way causing this internal Volume to communicate with
the internal volume of the preceding body are delimited
on one lower side by respective floors extending sub
stantially at the same level vertically relative to the
rolling plane of the rake;
0018. Each bogie comprises two longitudinally spaced
parallel transverse axles, the ball joint being disposed
longitudinally between the two axles;
0019. The ball joint for connecting each car to the
preceding car is disposed longitudinally at a distance of
less than 2 metres from the pivot joint means between
the body and the bogie of the car; and
0020. The rake comprises a pantograph capable of
sliding along a catenary and disposed above one of the
cars, vertically in line with the pivot joint means of this
Ca.
0021 According to a second aspect the invention relates
to a train car capable of forming part of an articulated rake
comprising a plurality of longitudinally aligned cars, the car
comprising a body, at least a bogie on which the body rests,
pivot joint means for connecting the body to the bogie and
ball joint means capable of co-operating with complemen
tary ball joint means of the preceding car in the row in Such
a way that the cars are joined by a ball joint, characterised
in that the ball joint means are disposed at a vertical level
lower than or equal to the pivot joint means relative to the
car rolling plane.
0022. The car can also have one or more of the following
characteristics, in any technically feasible combinations:
0023 The car comprises, at a leading end, a walkway
portion capable of co-operating with a complementary
passage portion of the preceding car so as to create a
passage which causes the respective internal volumes
of the bodies of the two cars to communicate, the ball
joint means of the car being disposed below the walk
way:
0024. The body has a stepped bottom comprising lead
ing and trailing bottoms located vertically relatively
higher, relative to the rolling plane of the rake, and a
relatively lower central bottom, the pivot joint means
being disposed below the leading bottom; and
0025 The internal volume of the body and the walk
way portion are delimited on a lower side by respective
floors extending Substantially at the same level.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
0026 Further characteristics and advantages of the
invention will emerge from the following description given
as a non-limiting example with reference to the accompa
nying drawings, in which:
US 2006/0260503 A1
0027 FIG. 1 is a side view of a portion of articulated
train rake according to the prior art;
0028 FIG. 2 is a view similar to that in FIG. 1 of a train
rake according to the invention;
0029 FIG.3 is an enlarged view of a detail III from FIG.
2 illustrating a bogie, its pivot joint with respect to a car
body and the ball joint between this car and the preceding
car, the walkway between the two cars not being shown for
the sake of clarity.
0030 FIG. 4 is a plan view along the arrow IV in FIG.
3, the walkway and a right-hand lateral half of the cars not
being shown in order to reveal the bogie and the ball joint:
and
0031 FIG. 5 is a partial section in a horizontal plane of
the ball joint in FIGS. 3 and 4.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS
0032. The articulated train rake of which a portion is
shown in FIG. 2 comprises a leading power car, a trailing
power car and a plurality of cars aligned longitudinally
between the two power cars. The cars 2 are connected to one
another and are connected to the leading and trailing power
cars. The leading power car is capable of driving the rake in
a forward longitudinal direction, symbolised by the arrow F
in FIG. 2. The trailing power car is capable of driving the
rake in the opposite direction.
0033. In the remainder of the text, reference will be made
to leading, trailing, right and left directions or sides, which
are defined with reference to the direction of travel of the
rake when it is driven by the leading power car.
0034). Each car 2 comprises a body 4, a bogie 6 on which
the body 4 rests by a leading end, pivot joint means 8 for
connecting the body 4 to the bogie 6 and ball joint means 10
co-operating with complementary ball joint means 12 of the
preceding car 4 in the row.
0035. The ball joint means 10 are provided at the leading
end of the car 2 and the complementary ball joint means 12
at a trailing end of the preceding car 2. The ball joint means
10 and the complementary ball joint means 12 create a ball
joint 14 between the two cars by means of which the leading
end of the car 2 supports the trailing end of the preceding car
2.
0036) Thus, each car is supported at its leading end by the
bogie 6 and at its trailing end by the following car 4 in the
row, via the ball joint 14.
0037. In addition, the rake comprises, for each pair of
Successive cars 2, a walkway 16 causing the respective
internal volumes 18 of the bodies 4 of the two cars 2 to
communicate. For this purpose, each car 2 comprises, on a
leading side, a passage portion 20 capable of cooperating
with a complementary passage portion 22 provided on a
trailing side of the preceding car 2, the two passage portions
being longitudinally attached and thus creating the walkway
16.
0038. The internal volume 18 of each body 4 is subdi
vided into a leading portion 24 communicating with the
passage 16 leading to the preceding car 2, a central portion
26 accommodating the passengers and a trailing portion 28
Nov. 23, 2006
communicating with the passage 16 connecting the car 2 to
the following car 2 in the row.
0039 The leading, central and trailing portions 24, 26, 28
of the internal volume 18 and the walkways 16 of the two
opposing longitudinal sides of the car 4 are delimited, on a
lower side, by a floor 29, this floor extending substantially
at the same level relative to the rolling plane of the rake
throughout the internal volume 18 and the walkways 16.
0040. Referring to FIG. 2, each body 4 has a stepped
bottom 30 with a leading bottom 32 and a trailing bottom 34
located vertically at a relatively higher level, relative to the
rolling plane of the rake, and a central bottom 35 located
vertically at a level relatively lower level, relative to the
rolling plane of the rake.
0041. The leading, trailing and central bottoms 32, 34, 35
are located below the respective leading portion 24, trailing
portion 28, and central portion 26 of the internal volume 18.
0042. In FIG. 3, the bogie 6 comprises a frame 36, two
axles 38 mounted on the frame 36, four wheels 40 mounted
in pairs on the axles 38 and two shock absorbers 42
interposed between the leading bottom 32 of the body 4 and
the frame 36.
0.043 More specifically, FIG. 4 shows that the frame 36
comprises two mutually parallel longitudinal sole bars 44
and two mutually parallel transverse crossbars 46 connect
ing the two sole bars 44. The axles 38 are mounted at the two
opposing longitudinal ends of the sole bars 44. The crossbars
46 are disposed symmetrically about the median transverse
vertical plane of the two axles 38, each extending between
this plane and one of the axles 38. The bogie 6 further
comprises brake discs 48 mounted on the axles 38 and
co-operating with brake actuators 50 mounted on the cross
bars 46.
0044) The shock absorbers 42 each rest on a sole bar 44
and are disposed in the median transverse vertical plane of
the two axles 38.
0045. The pivot joint means 8 are disposed below the
leading bottom 32 and are such that the leading bottom 32
of the body 4 is pivotally mounted on the bogie 6 about a
pivot axis. A perpendicular to the rolling plane of the rake.
The pivot joint means 8 are disposed in the median trans
verse vertical plane of the two axles 38 and also in the
median longitudinal vertical plane of the two crossbars 46.
These means are of a known type and will not be described
in detail here.
0046) The ball joint means 10 comprise a front arm 52
extending from the leading bottom 32 below the connecting
passage 16 and a stirrup 54 integral with the leading arm 52.
0047 FIGS. 3 and 4 show that the leading arm 52
comprises a first portion which extends downwards and
forwards from the leading bottom 32 and a second portion
extending the first portion horizontally forwards. The stirrup
54 extends from the second portion of the leading arm 52
and comprises two parallel bent arms 56, each arm 56
comprises a first portion 58 extending transversely to the
right from the leading arm 52 and a second portion 60
vertically extending the first portion 58.
0048. The complementary ball joint means 12 comprise a
trailing arm 62 which extends longitudinally backwards
US 2006/0260503 A1
substantially horizontally from the trailing bottom 34. This
trailing arm 62 is located vertically immediately above the
first portions 58 of the bent arms 56. The complementary
means 12 further comprise a central plate 64 extending
transversely to the right from the trailing arm 62. The central
plate 64 engages between the second portions 60 of the
stirrup 54. A space G remains on each side of the plate 64
between this plate 64 and the second portions 60 of the bent
arms 56, as shown in FIG. 5.
0049. The second portions 60 and the plate 64 are per
forated by respective cylindrical bores 66, 68 which are
coaxial and have a longitudinal axis.
0050 Referring to FIG. 5, the bore 68 receives a ball 70,
a sleeve of resilient material 72 being interposed between
this ball 70 and the internal Surface of the bore 68. The ball
70 is typically made of rubber.
0051) The ball joint means 10 further comprise a shaft 74
extending through the bores 66 of the two bent arms 56 and
also passing through the ball 70 via an orifice provided for
this purpose in the ball 70.
0.052 The ball 70 is rigidly fixed in terms of translation
along the shaft 74 by any suitable means. The resilient sleeve
72 is integral with both the ball 70 and the plate 64.
0053. It will therefore be appreciated that an angular
displacement between the trailing arm 62 and the stirrup 54,
around the ball 70, is possible.
0054 The portion of the bogie 6 located on a trailing side
of the pivot axis A is located completely below the leading
bottom 32 of the body 4. The portion of the bogie 6
extending to the front of the pivot axis A extends firstly
below the leading bottom 32 then below the walkway 16 and
finally extends partially below the trailing bottom 34 of the
preceding car 2. The axle 38 located furthest forward
extends Substantially in the region of the trailing end of this
preceding car 2.
0055 FIG. 4 shows that the ball joint 14 is located
longitudinally below the walkway 16. The ball joint 14 is
also located between the two axles 38 of the bogie, more
specifically between the leading axle 38 of the bogie and the
pivot axis A, even more specifically between the leading
crossbar 46 and the leading axle 38.
0056 Vertically, the ball joint 14 is interposed between
the bogie 6 and the floor of the connecting passage 16 and,
more specifically, between the leading axle 38 and the floor
of the connecting passage 16.
0057 The ball joint 14 is disposed at a vertical level
lower than or equal to that of the pivot joint means 8 relative
to the rolling plane of the rake.
0058. The ball 70 of the ball joint 14 is disposed longi
tudinally at a distance of less than 2 metres from the axis A
of the pivot joint means 8 and is preferably located 1 metre
from the axis A of the pivot joint 8.
0059. The rake can comprise a car 2 provided with a
pantograph arm 76 mounted on the roof of the body 4, this
pantograph arm 76 advantageously being disposed at a
leading end of this roof in line with the axis A of the pivot
joint means 8.
Nov. 23, 2006
0060. The train rake described above has numerous
advantages.
0061 The ball joint 14 articulating one car 2 to the
preceding car is offset forwards relative to the pivot joint
means 8 of this car 2 on its bogie 6. In addition, the ball joint
14 is disposed at a level lower than or equal to that of the
pivot joint means. It is thus possible to dispose the floor of
the passage 16 vertically at the same level as the floor of the
internal volume 18 of the car 2.
0062. In the prior art, the floor of the walkway 16 was
disposed higher than the floor of the central portion of the
internal volume 18 of the car because the ball joint was
disposed above the pivot joint means and below the walk
way, as shown in FIG. 1.
0063. This new arrangement of the ball joint 14 and the
pivot joint means 8 allows the level of the floor of the
walkway 16 to be lowered by approximately 125 mm
relative to the prior art.
0064. It is thus possible to create a floor having the same
level along all the cars of the rake in Such a way that a
passenger passing from one car to another does not encoun
ter differences in level.
0065. It should be noted that the fact of dissociating the
ball joint from the pivot joint reduces the overall lateral
space occupied by the cars at bends. For a given transverse
width of car, the car will project laterally relative to the rails
over a shorter distance when it travels round a bend.
0066. According to a further aspect, with a given maxi
mum overall transverse size at bends, it is possible to
increase the transverse width of the body. For a displacement
of 1 metre between the ball joint and the pivot joint means,
it is possible to gain approximately 35 mm over the width of
the body.
0067. In addition, since the pivot joint means 8 are
disposed below the leading portion of the body 4, it is
possible to install the pantograph arm 76 vertically in line
with the pivot joint means 8. This disposition simplifies the
displacement of the pantograph arm relative to the catenary
T8.
0068 Finally, the fact that the pivot joint means 8 are
disposed below the leading portion of the body and not
below the walkway 16 enables the shock absorbers 42 to rest
directly on the leading bottom 32 of the body 4.
0069. The train rake described above can have numerous
variations without departing from the scope of the invention.
0070 Alternatively, thus, a difference in levels is formed
between the floor of the internal volume of the body and the
floor of the walkway, by jointly lowering the levels of the
two floors. This enables the height of the access steps to the
interior of the body from the platform to be reduced.
0071. In a variation, the ball joint 14 between a car and
the car preceding it is disposed below the trailing bottom 34
of the leading car rather than below the floor of the walkway
causing the two cars to communicate.
0072. It is possible that the bogie 6 of a car 2 is connected
not to the leading bottom 32 of the body 4 but to the trailing
bottom 34 of this body. In this case, the leading end of the
car 2 is Supported by the trailing end of the car preceding it
via the ball joint 14.
US 2006/0260503 A1
0073. The invention also applies to articulated train rakes
in which each car 2 is provided with two bogies 6, one bogie
6 being situated below the leading bottom 32 of the body 4
and one bogie 6 being situated below the trailing bottom 34
of the body 4. In this case, the sole function of the ball joint
14 is to articulate one end of a car 2 to the end of the
preceding car 2; it does not have the function of Supporting
the end of one of the cars.
0074 The train rake described above may be electrically
or thermally powered.
0075) The car provided with a ball joint 14 which is
underslung relative to its pivot joint 8 may be motorised (a
power car) or non-motorised. The power car may be dis
posed at the end of the rake or in an intermediate position
between two non-motorised cars.
1. Articulated train rake, comprising:
a plurality of longitudinally aligned cars, each having
leading and trailing longitudinal ends,
for each car a ball joint between the leading end of said
car and the trailing end of the preceding car in the row,
each car comprising a body, at least a bogie on which the
body rests, and pivot joint means for connecting the
body to the bogie, characterised in that the ball joints
are disposed at a vertical level lower than or equal to
the pivot joint means relative to the rolling plane of the
rake.
2. A rake according to claim 1, wherein the pivot joins
means are such that the body is pivotally mounted on the
bogie about an axis perpendicular to the rolling plane of the
rake.
3. A rake according to claim 1, wherein each car com
prises a single bogie Supporting the leading end of said car,
the trailing end of the car being Supported by the leading end
of the following car in the row via the ball joint.
4. A rake according to claim 3, and comprising, for each
car, a walkway which causes an internal Volume of the body
of said car to communicate with an internal Volume of the
body of the preceding car, the ball joint between the two cars
being disposed below the walkway.
5. A rake according to claim 4, wherein each body has a
stepped bottom comprising leading and trailing bottoms
located vertically relatively higher, relative to the rolling
plane of the rake, and a relatively lower central bottom.
6. A rake according to claim 5, wherein the pivot joint
means are disposed below the leading bottom.
7. A rake according to claim 5, wherein the bogie extends
partially below the leading bottom and partially below the
walkway, the ball joint being interposed vertically between
the bogie and the walkway.
Nov. 23, 2006
8. A rake according to claim 7, wherein the bogie of each
car extends partially below the trailing bottom of the body
of the preceding car.
9. A rake according to claim 4, wherein the internal
Volume of each body and the walkway causing this internal
volume to communicate with the internal volume of the
preceding body are delimited on one lower side by respec
tive floors extending substantially at the same level verti
cally relative to the rake rolling plane.
10. A rake according to claim 1, wherein each bogie
comprises two longitudinally spaced parallel transverse
axles, the ball joint being disposed longitudinally between
the two axles.
11. A rake according to claim 1, wherein the ball joint for
connecting each car to the preceding car is disposed longi
tudinally at a distance of less than 2 metres from the pivot
joint means between the body and the bogie of the car.
12. A rake according to claim. 1, wherein it comprises a
pantograph capable of sliding along a catenary and disposed
above one of the cars, vertically in line with the pivot joint
means of this car.
13. Train car capable of forming part of an articulated rake
comprising a plurality of longitudinally aligned cars, the car
comprising a body, at least a bogie on which the body rests,
pivot joint means for connecting the body to the bogie and
ball joint means capable of co-operating with complemen
tary ball joint means of the preceding car in the row in such
a way that the cars are joined by a ball joint, characterised
in that the ball joint means are disposed at a vertical level
lower than or equal to the pivot joint means relative to the
car rolling plane.
14. Car according to claim 13, and comprising, at a
leading end, a walkway portion capable of co-operating with
a complementary passage portion of the preceding car so as
to create a passage which causes the respective internal
volumes of the bodies of the two cars to communicate, the
ball joint means of the car being disposed below the walk
way.
15. Car according to claim 14, wherein the body has a
stepped bottom comprising leading and trailing bottoms
located vertically relatively higher, relative to the rolling
plane of the rake, and a relatively lower central bottom, the
pivot joint means being disposed below the leading bottom.
16. Car according to claim 15, wherein the internal
volume of the body and the walkway portion are delimited
on a lower side by respective floors extending substantially
at the same level.