Wheel flange
.jpg)
The wheel flange is a vertical bead about three centimeters high, which is located on the side of the wheels of modern railroad vehicles facing the center of the track . Its job is to keep the track: it ensures that the wheel stays in the center of the track. A single flange only prevents its wheel from running out to the outside; the flanges of the two wheels of an axle jointly prevent their wheels from running out in both directions.
construction
At the wheel flange , the usually 70 degrees inclined includes wheel flange flank , before the flange on the groove in the tread passes. The distance between the two flanges of a wheel set is called the track dimension . The totality of the two wheels with wheel flanges, which determines their affiliated axle and possibly the brake discs is wheelset . The track clearance within which the railroad vehicle can move in the transverse direction is limited by the wheel flanges by a wheel flange approach, that is, a wheel flange approaching the inner rail head. This ensures safe track guidance, especially in the lower speed range. To curves in noise generation and excessive wear of the flange by the rubbing on the flank of the rail to avoid many have locomotives , driving trailers and railcars on devices for wheel flange lubrication .
Special designs
Some funiculars / mountain railways use wheels with double flange on one side in order to be able to use the Abt switch .
Wheels for runways , monorails , overhead conveyors , as the Wuppertal suspension railway or cable cars have wheels with flanges on both sides.
literature
- Article wheel rim in: Lexikon der Eisenbahn . transpress VEB publishing house for transport, Berlin, 5th edition 1978