AU677416B2

AU677416B2 - Passage device between two coupled vehicles

Info

Publication number: AU677416B2
Application number: AU73812/94A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Norbert Melzer
Original assignee: Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft
Current assignee: Huebner Gummi und Kunststoff GmbH
Priority date: 1993-09-03
Filing date: 1994-08-19
Publication date: 1997-04-24
Anticipated expiration: 2014-08-19
Also published as: GR3024665T3; KR100306271B1; CA2148585A1; CH687379A5; EP0672001A1; ES2107240T3; DK0672001T3; CN1114105A; NO951659D0; NO951659L; NO300535B1; WO1995006580A1; EP0672001B1; AU7381294A; CN1056573C; DE59403394D1; ATE155409T1; JPH08502939A

Abstract

The passage device with its bellows-like surround (7, 8) between two coupled vehicles (1, 2) is supported by variable-length, horizontally acting supports (17, 18, 19, 20) via a central frame (9, 10) and an auxiliary frame (7', 8'). The horizontal linkage between the supports and the vehicles (1, 2) and, where appropriate, the vertical coupling of the ends of two opposite supports (17, 19,; 18, 20) provides rigid supports which are necessarily able to adopt the angle between the coupled vehicles.

Description

WO 95/06580 PCT/CH94/00164 Device forming a passageway between two coupled vehicles The present invention concerns a device, totally enclosed by means of a bellows-like shrouding, permitting passage between two coupled vehicles, in particular rail vehicles, said device consisting of two basic parts that are adjustable in length and each of which is linked at the one end with one of the respective vehicles, whereas at least portions of the free ends of both basic parts are separably linked to each other, with each basic part comprising foldable bridging passageway components, a bellows-like shrouding means, as well as if desired a ceiling casing, and having, at the free ends of the shrouding parts, surrounding central frames that are linked to each other and which are supported, or rather carried, either from above or from below by means of at least two supports extending between the vehicles which are adjustable in length and essentially operate in a horizontal plane.

Passageway devices between two coupled, rail-bound vehicles are known in the most varied forms of embodiment. Equally known are the manifold problems occurring with such passageway devices.

One of the problems is to support the device, whether it does consist of one or two basic parts, in such a way that a passageway results which is as simple as possible and which offers the user trouble-free passage. The passageway device must either be supported from below or if required be suspended from a complex arrangement. With this type of support there have of late arisen problems because the passageways are relatively short and are used between vehicles that are also deployed on [railway lines having] relatively small cu:ve radii. Here arises the problem that the passageway's support from below becomes insufficient or at least unreliable, at least in the important central portion.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

There is disclosed herein a passageway device between two coupled vehicles, in particular rail vehicles, enclosed on all sides by means of a bellows-like shrouding, which device consists of two length-adjustable basic parts, each of which is connected at one end to one of the respective vehicles, while at least parts of the free ends of both basic parts are separably connected to each other; with each basic part possessing a foldable passageway bridging part consisting each of two parts articulated at respectively the vehicle and a central frame, a bellows-like shrouding part as well as if desired a ceiling casing, said central frames being linked to each other and being disposed at the free ends of the shrouding parts, said central frames being supported by at least two length-adjustable supports essentially acting in a horizontal plane, characterised by an auxiliary frame being provided in the bellows-like shrouding part of each basic part between its central frame at the free end of its shrouding part and the end connected to one of the respective vehicles intended to serve as a support for said 20 passageway bridging parts and said bellows-like shrouding parts, said auxiliary frames also being supported by the length-adjustable supports.

The arrangement of auxiliary frames according to a preferred embodiment, and •i"...their co-operation with the supports effects a reliable carriage, either from below or from above, of the central frames, the auxiliary frames and thus of the passageway 25 shrouding parts and above all of the foldable bridging parts. With the supports formed as scissors and/or telescopic bearers there even occurs a forced angular transmission [of forces] onto these supports that is independent of the curve radius respectively the angular position of the two coupled vehicles, which in turn ensures an optimal support for the passageway device proper. If this effect is desired or required, it can be achieved, in the case of support constructions in the form of telescopes, by means of additional guiding elements, for instance in the form of scissors.

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 a passageway device according to the invention, drawn in an exploded view to more clearly explain the construction and the individual constructive elements; [N:\LIBLL]00601:CJS WO 95/06580 PCT/CH94/00164 Fig. 2 a purely schematic representation of one of the supporting scissors; Fig. 3 connection of scissors to a vehicle by means of a universal joint, and Fig 4 purely schematically, the linkage of two free scissors ends in the region of the fulcrum and point of support below the central frame.

The passageway device according to Fig. 1 is to be built in between two vehicle parts 1,2. It consists of two basic parts, each end of which is connected with one of the vehicles 1 respectively 2. The free ends of the basic parts are separably linked to each other.

Each basic part possesses foldable passageway bridging parts 3 respectively 4, and furthermore a ceiling casing respectively 6 as well as each a bellows-like shrouding part 7 respectively 8.

The shrouding parts 7,8 each possess a surrounding central frame 9 respectively 10 at their free ends, which are connected to each other by means of suitable coupling means, for example coupling bars 11 respectively 12. In the centre of each shrouding part 7,8 is proposed a surrounding auxiliary frame each which ensures optimal operation of the passageway.

Each passageway bridging part 3 respectively 4 in turn consists of two parts respectively of which in each case one 3' respectively 4' is articulated at the associated vehicle 1 respectively 2, and the other is articulated at the central frame 9 respectively 10. When the vehicles 1,2 are coupled and the passageway device is deployed, the part 3' respectively 4' articulated at the vehicle 1 respectively 2 in this case is supported on the associated auxiliary frame 7' respectively while the second part 3" respectively 4" when folded down is supported by the first part 3' respectively 4'.

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WO 95/06580 PCT/CH94/00164 The central frames 9,10 and the auxiliary frames are supported, according to the invention, from below by supports in such a way that they are able to carry not only the weight of the passageway device but also maximum operating weights (of persons utilising the passageway).

The type of these supports will be explained in more detail later.

At the vertical pillars of the door openings of the vehicles 1 and 2 are articulated swivelling [door] wings 13,14 respectively 15,16 which, together with corresponding swivelling wings 13',14' respectively 15',16', lie against the shroudings 7,8 respectively the auxiliary frames 7', overlapping the vertical posts of the frames 9,10 as soon as the device is put together. These swivelling [door] wings furthermore possess elastomeric parts that lie against the passageway bridging parts 3, 4 respectively the ceiling casings 5, 6.

Thus a passageway device is formed in which the passage is completely encased by the swivelling [door] wings respectively the bridging parts and ceiling casing, and the entire arrangement is surrounded by a bellows-like shrouding.

As mentioned earlier, the central frames 9, 10 and the auxiliary frames of the passageway device are supported by length-adjustable supports, preferably by multi-section scissors 17,18 respectively 19,20. The multisection scissors 17,18 and 19,20 act in a horizontal plane and are each linked to one of the vehicles by means of a universal joint (see Fig. 3) and otherwise with their free ends to a directly opposite pair of scissors by means of a vertical articulation bolt (Fig. The vertical articulation bolts at the point of junction and the equally vertical articulation bolts of the scissors proper produce, if the scissors legs are suitably sized, a support between the two vehicles 1, 2 that fs absolutely flexionally stiff in a vertical direction. Since the scissors are articulated at the vehicles themselves by means of horizontal bolts of

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WO 95/06580 PCT/CH94/00164 the universal joint (Fig. differences of level between the two vehicles during operation can be accommodated without problems. It has been found that this construction, which is intrinsically capable of transmitting all angles between the vehicles 1,2, forms an optimal support for the passageway device. Uncoupling the two vehicles is relatively simple, being achieved by releasing both the linkage bolts between the scissors on the one hand, and the coupling between the central frames 9, 10 on the other hand. Subsequently, each basic part can be pushed back against the associated vehicle part and [can be] fixed there.

As shown by the drawing, the central frames 9,10 are articulated ac the associated vehicles by means of a length-adjustable guide 21,22 respectively 23,24 between the shroudings 7,8 and the ceiling casings 5,6. These guides are preferably also formed as scissors, whereby these scissors centre the auxiliary frames and guide the central frame 9,10.

Due to this simple construction with central and auxiliary frames and the supports 17,18 respectively 19,20, preferably formed as scissors, one obtains a faultless support for the passageway device in practically any imaginable angular position the two vehicle parts may take vis-&-vis each other. The passage supported in this way is impeccably enclosed on all sides and thus protected against all outside influences (draughts, noise).

As mentioned earlier, Fig. 2 shows the schematic formation and the effect of the supporting scissors in the horizontal plane. The scissor legs 25,26 cross at joint 27 and are formed as continuous, rigid bearers. The legs 28,29 respectively 30,31 are articulated at the legs 25,26 by means of vertical joint bolts on the one side, and on the other side with their other ends either at the vehicle 1 or with the opposing scissors (Fig. 4) by means of suitable joints 32,33.

s'~ WO 95/06580 PCT/CH94/00164 Fig. 3 shows the point of linkage between support scissors and vehicle 1 (enlargement of the left end of Fig. 2).

Universal joints of the kind shown are known and consist of a horizontal joint gudgeon 34 which is disposed in an elastomeric material 35 in the bearer 36 (the joint is thus a kind of cardan joint). The two legs cross at joint 39 and are connected to gudgeon 34 by means of strap Fig. 4 finally shows, purely schematically, one of the possibilities of coupling two free scissor ends, and that in a way that produces a flexiv.ally stiff (in the vertical direction) support also at the point of linkage.

Instead of the supporting scissors one could also employ telescopic bearers of suitable construction for supporting respectively suspending the central and auxiliary frames, or one could use partly scissors and partly telescopic supports. The scissors have the big advantage of the point of support for the auxiliary frames moving proportionally and thus always taking the auxiliary frame into the optimal position (without relative sliding movement).

Claims

1. Passageway device between two coupled vehicles, in particular rail vehicles, enclosed on all sides by means of a bellows-like shrouding, which device consists of two length-adjustable basic parts, each of which is connected at one end to one of the respective vehicles, while at least parts of the free ends of both basic parts are separably connected to each other; with each basic part possessing a foldable passageway bridgiIng part consisting each of two parts articulated at respectively the vehicle and a central frame, a bellows-like shrouding part as well as if desired a ceiling casing, said central frames being linked to each other and being disposed at the free ends of the shrouding parts, said central frames being supported by at least two length- adjustable supports essentially acting in a horizontal plane, characterised by an auxiliary frame being provided in the bellows-like shrouding part of each basic part between its central frame at the free end of its shrouding part and the end connected to one of the respective vehicles intended to serve as a support for said passageway bridging parts and said bellows-like shrouding parts, said auxiliary frames also being supported by the length-adjustable supports.

2. Passageway device according to Claim 1, wherein said surrounding :auxiliary frames are each disposed substantially centrally between ends of each basic part at the shrouding part. 20

3. Passageway device according to one of Claims 1 or 2, characterised by the length-adjustable supports being formed as telescopically extensible bearer elements and/or as multi--ectioned scissors acting in a horizontal plane. S"

4. Passageway device according to Claim 3, characterised by each of the coupled vehicles having at least one of said length adjustable supports connected, the 25 free end of which is coupled either to the opposite vehicle or to the free end of a support fixedly connected to the opposite vehicle.

Passageway device according to one of the Claims 1 to 4, characterised by each passageway bridging part consisting of two parts one of which is foldably linked to the vehicle and bears on a lower beam of said surrounding auxiliary frame, whereas the other is foldably connected to the associated central frame and bears upon the first part.

6. Passageway device according to one of the Claims I to 5, characterised by each support being connected to the vehicle by universal joint.

7. Passageway device according to one of the Claims 1 to 6, characterised by the length-adjustable supports being formed as multi-section scissors acting in a horizontal plane, with each of the vehicles having at least one such support scissors connected thereto, the free end being coupled to either the opposite vehicle or the free end of a support scissors that is connected to the opposite vehicle. [N:\LIBLL]00601 :CJS

8. Passageway device according to Claim 7, characterised by each of said support scissors having at least two parallelepipedic scissors sections, the equi-directional scissor legs of which that adjoin at the joint are continuous rigid bearers.

9. Passageway device according to one of the Claims 7 or 8, having two support scissors articulated at each vehicle, the free ends of which are each coupled to a free end of a support scissors of the opposite vehicle, characterised by each scissor leg of the one support scissors being rotatably connected to a scissor leg of the opposite support scissors, so that even in the coupling joint the scissor legs that cross each other in an articulated manner form continuous rigid bearers.

Passageway device according to one of the Claims 1 to 9, characterised by each central frame being connected to the associated vehicle at an upper frame beam of said central frame by means of at least one length-adjustable guide also acting in a horizontal plane, for example in the form of scissors.

11. Passageway device according to Claim 10, characterised by each basic .part possessing two said length-adjustable guides.

12. Passageway device according to one of the Claims 10 or 11, characterised by each auxiliary frame being connected at said upper beam of said .:central frame to the guide that is formed, for example, as scissors. 20

13. Passageway device according to one of the Claims 1 to 12, characterised by swiv;iling wings being provided at vertical posts of the central frames, and at vertical pillars located at a doorway at an end of each of the coupled vehicles, said wings lying against the inner wall of the associated bellows-like shrouding part respectively against the auxiliary frame and/or being guided by it, and at the same time overlapping each other with their free ends.

14. Passageway device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated 7 February, 1997 SIG Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON [N:\LIBLL]00601:CJS I- I