Railway wheel/rail noise and wear reduction arrangement

Abstract

A railway wheel/rail squeal suppression, wheel/rail noise reduction and wear reduction arrangement includes a separate structure ( 14 ) carried by a rail. The separate structure has a saddle-like profile including a web portion ( 15 ) defining a running surface for supporting the wheel, and two flange portions ( 16 a , 16 b ). The saddle-like profile is shaped substantially in conformity with the shape of the railhead, is located on top it and is mechanically de-coupled therefrom. Resilient means ( 17 ) is interposed between the web portion and the railhead ( 13 ). The web portion ( 15 ) has a thickness not less than about twice the thickness of the flange portions so as to resist detrimental compression of the resilient means ( 17 ) and transfer only a portion of wheel load to the rail, and the flange portions ( 16 a , 16 b ) are connected to the rail so as to transfer a remaining wheel load thereto.

1 . A railway wheel/rail squeal suppression, wheel/rail noise reduction and wear reduction arrangement including a separate structure ( 14 ;  14 ′;  14 ″) carried by a rail having a foot portion ( 11 ), a web portion ( 12 ) and a head portion ( 13 ) normally supporting a wheel, the separate structure having a saddle-like profile including a web portion ( 15 ;  15 ′ a ) defining a running surface for supporting the wheel, and two flange portions ( 16   a ,  16   b ), the saddle-like profile being shaped substantially in conformity with the shape of the head portion, being located on top of it and being mechanically de-coupled from the head portion, and resilient means ( 17 ) being interposed between the web portion and the head portion ( 13 ), characterized in that the web portion ( 15 ;  15 ′ a ) has a thickness not less than about twice the thickness of the flange portions so as to resist detrimental compression of the resilient means ( 17 ) and transfer only a portion of wheel load to the rail, and that the flange portions ( 16   a ,  16   b ) are connected to the rail so as to transfer a remaining wheel load thereto.  
     
     
         2 . An arrangement according to  claim 1 , characterized by fastening and load transmitting means ( 19 ,  20 ,  21 ,  22 ;  19 ,  30 ) between the separate structure and the rail.  
     
     
         3 . An arrangement according to  claim 2 , characterized in that a viscoelastic layer ( 26   a ,  26   b ) is arranged between said fastening and load transmitting means and said rail.  
     
     
         4 . An arrangement according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the mass of the separate structure is small in relation to the mass of the co-oscillating mass of the rail.  
     
     
         5 . An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the railhead ( 13 ″) has reduced cross sectional dimensions and that the separate structure ( 14 ′) has external dimensions corresponding to those of a railhead having non-reduced dimensions.  
     
     
         6 . An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separate structure includes means ( 19   a ,  19   b ) for attachment to the fastening and load transmitting means ( 20 ,  21 ;  30   a ,  30   b ) carried by the rail.  
     
     
         7 . An arrangement according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the rail includes integrated means ( 30   a ,  30   b ) for the attachment of the separate structure.