EP3950461A1

EP3950461A1 - Coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars

Info

Publication number: EP3950461A1
Application number: EP19920871.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hyung-Suk Mun; Jung-Joon Park
Original assignee: Korea Railroad Research Institute KRRI
Current assignee: Korea Railroad Research Institute KRRI
Priority date: 2019-03-27
Filing date: 2019-03-27
Publication date: 2022-02-09
Also published as: EP3950461A4; WO2020196949A1

Abstract

A coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars is proposed, the coupler structure being configured to increase the support strength of a duplex coupler while improving the durability of the coupler through distributing the load exerted thereon. The coupler structure includes a head unit having two different coupler forms integrated into a single body and a shank unit connected to a railroad car body while being coupled to the head unit. The shank unit includes a U-shaped head connector part and a securing part, the head unit being hinged to the head connector part and the securing part extending from a rear end of the head connector part and fixedly mounted on the car body. Supporting parts are projected from upper and lower surfaces of a rear end of the head unit, and supporting grooves receiving the supporting parts therein are formed on an inner surface of the head connector part.

Description

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars and, more particularly, to a coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars, the coupler structure being configured to increase the support strength of a duplex coupler provided in a transcontinental railroad car and to distribute the load on the coupler to improve the durability of the coupler.

Background Art

In general, railroad cars are one of the important means of transportation constituting passenger trains, freight trains, and electric trains running on railroad tracks. A number of railroad cars connected in series can carry hundreds or thousands of passengers while driving safely, as well as simultaneously transport a large amount of cargo.
The railroad cars travel as a train with a plurality of connected railroad cars, and a coupler is used to connect a railroad car to another railroad car.
The coupler prevents accidents caused by contact between a leading car and a rear car by always maintaining a predetermined distance therebetween. The coupler serves as a medium to transmit power from an engine room to each car, and a knuckle type automatic coupler or a lock type close coupler is mainly used as the coupler.
Transcontinental railroads refer to a railroad route that is being promoted with a goal of connecting Korea to China, Central Asia, Russia, and Europe.
In a case of freight cars among transcontinental railroads cars passing through various countries, it may be necessary to connect an additional car to the transcontinental railroads cars in order to add freight to be transported from a specific country to another country.
However, there is no a worldwide standardized railroad car coupler, and each country has different coupler standards. Therefore, when a railroad car moving from one country to another is connected to the railroad cars, a coupler must be replaced, and it takes a lot of time and money to replace the coupler.
As a related art to solve the above problem, Korean Utility Model Registration Publication No. 1991-0007833 proposed a rotatable twin headed coupler for railroad cars. As shown in FIG. 1, the coupler includes: a knuckle member 3 formed at one portion of the coupler; a contact plate 4 provided at a lower portion of the knuckle member 3 and on which a protrusion 4' is formed, wherein the knuckle member 3 and the protrusion 4' are disposed to be perpendicular to each other on a shaft hole 2; a coupler body 1 having a stopper 5, 5' and securing pin holes 6 that are formed around the shaft hole 2 by a mutually appropriate interval; and a shank 7 having a fitted part 7' in which a shaft hole 2' and a securing hole 8 are formed. A connecting shaft 9 is inserted through the coupler body 1 and the shaft hole 2, 2' of the shank 7, and one of the securing pin holes 6 and the securing hole 8 of the shank 7 match with each other while being adjusted by the stopper 5, 5', the holes being formed around the shaft hole 2 of a coupler body 1. A securing pin 10 is inserted into the securing pin hole and the securing hole 8 to selectively use a coupler matching with a coupler provided in a car to be connected.
In the related art, the coupler body 1 has two different head forms integrated into a single body so that it is possible to connect car frames having different type couplers to each other without replacement of a coupler. However, the coupler body 1 having the two different head forms is supported to the shank 7 only by a hinge coupling part, so support strength of the coupler may be week.
In the related art, among the two different head forms, a head not in use, i.e. a head not coupled to the car body, is projected in one direction so that the center of gravity of the coupler body 1 is biased to in the one direction. Then, when the railroad cars travel, the load on the coupler body 1 during traveling is eccentrically operated. Therefore, the traveling stability of the railroad car is degraded, and the load on a coupling portion between the shank 7 and the coupler body 1 causes deformation or breakage of the coupler.

Disclosure

Technical Problem

Accordingly, the present disclosure has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an objective of the present disclosure is to provide a coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars, the coupling structure being configured to increase the support strength with respect to the load on a head unit having two different coupler forms integrated into a single body, during traveling of a transcontinental railroad car, to improve the durability of the head unit.
Another objective of the present disclosure is intended to provide a coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars, the coupler structure being configured to distribute the load on the coupler during traveling of a transcontinental railroad car to prevent the traveling stability of the transcontinental railroad car from being degraded due to the eccentric load.

Technical Solution

In order to achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars is configured as follows.
The coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars includes a head unit having two different coupler forms integrated into a single body; and a shank unit connected to a railroad car body while being coupled to the head unit, wherein the shank unit may include a U-shaped head connector part and a securing part, the head unit being inserted into and hinged to the U-shaped head connector part, and the securing part extending from a rear end of the head connector part and fixedly mounted on the car body, supporting parts may be projected from upper and lower surfaces of a rear end of the head unit, and supporting grooves into which the supporting parts may be inserted may be formed on an inner surface of the head connector part.
The supporting parts and the supporting grooves may be formed in arc forms.
First and second hinge holes, into which a hinge pin may be inserted and coupled, may be respectively formed in a location of the head unit and a location of the head connector part that correspond to each other, and an insertion hole and a coupling hole, into which a securing pin for securing the head unit to the head connector part may be inserted and coupled, may be respectively formed on rear portions of the first and second hinge holes.
The insertion hole may include first to third insertion holes that may be spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals, and the coupling hole may include first and second coupling holes that may be spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval, and the securing pin may include first and second securing pins that may be respectively coupled to the first and second coupling holes and the first and second insertion holes or to the first and second coupling holes and the second and third insertion holes.
A supporting frame may be coupled to a location outside the head connector part, the supporting frame having an accommodating space for accommodating the head unit therein.
First and second connector parts may be respectively projected on opposite portions of the head unit, the first and second connector parts being configured to be fastened and secured to the head connector part by a fastening means while being accommodated in the accommodating space of the supporting frame.
A heating wire may be inserted and provided in the supporting frame.

Advantageous Effects

According to the present disclosure, during traveling of a transcontinental railroad car, the coupling structure can support the head unit having the two different coupler forms integrated into a single body more stably, distribute eccentric load, bending load, torsional load, etc. on the coupler, and improve the load support strength of the coupler. Therefore, the traveling stability of a transcontinental railroad car can be improved and the durability of the coupler can be dramatically improved.

Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing a conventional rotatable twin headed connector for railway cars.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 3 is an exploded-perspective view showing the coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is an axial-sectional view showing the coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is an exploded-perspective view showing a coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIGS. 6A and 6B are views showing the coupler structure of the present disclosure shown in FIG. 5 to which another coupler having a different shape is coupled.
FIG. 7 is a view showing results of structural analysis of the coupler structure of the present disclosure shown in FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the coupler structure of the present disclosure shown in FIG. 8.

Best Mode

Hereinbelow, a coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars according to preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is an exploded-perspective view showing the coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is an axial-sectional view showing the coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is an exploded-perspective view showing a coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 6A and 6B are views showing the coupler structure of the present disclosure shown in FIG. 5 to which another coupler having a different shape is coupled. FIG. 7 is a view showing results of structural analysis of the coupler structure of the present disclosure shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the coupler structure of the present disclosure shown in FIG. 8.
The present disclosure relates to a coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars, the coupled structure increasing support strength of a duplex coupler provided in transcontinental railroad cars and improving durability by distributing the load on the coupler. The coupler structure includes a head unit 100 and a shank unit 200, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
Specifically, the head unit 100 serves to connect a car body to another car body, the car bodies being adjacent to each other. The head unit 100 has a structure in which two different coupler forms are integrated into a single body.
The coupler forms included in the head unit 100 may include two forms among widely used various coupler forms. The coupler structure of the present disclosure is used for transcontinental railroad cars, so the form of the head unit 100 may be the structure consisting of an AAR (Association of American Railroads) type coupler (a first coupler 100a) used in most countries including Korea and a CA-3 type coupler (a second coupler 100b) mainly used in Russia and China are integrated into a single body, as shown in FIG. 3. The present disclosure will be described with reference to the above structure.
The shank unit 200 is connected to a rear portion of the head unit 100 and serves to allow the coupler 50 to be fixedly mounted to the car body of a transcontinental railroad car. The shank unit 200 includes a head connector part 210 and a securing part 220. The head unit 100 is hinged to the head connector part 210, and the securing part 220 is fixedly mounted to the car body.
More specifically, the head connector part 210 is formed in a 'U'-shape having an open front portion so that the head unit 100 may be inserted into and coupled to the inside of the head connector part 210 through the open portion. The securing part 220 is formed in a shank shape that extends rearward of the head connector part 210. A rear end of the securing part 220 is coupled to the car body, whereby the coupler 50 may be fixedly mounted to the car body.
A first hinge hole 110 is vertically formed in a center portion of the head unit 100, and a second hinge hole 212 is formed in a portion of the head connector part 210 that corresponds to the location of the first hinge hole 110. The above-described structure may be configured such that, the head unit 100 may be hinged to the inside of the head connector part 210 by a hinge pin 160.
The head unit 100 is hinged to the inside of the head connector part 210 by the hinge pin 160 that is inserted into and coupled to the second hinge hole 212 formed in the head connector part 210 and the first hinge hole 110 formed in the head unit 100. Therefore, even when the coupler 50 needs to be replaced, the hinge pin 160 serves as a shaft, without separating the head unit 100 from the head connector part 210, the first coupler 100a and the second coupler 100b may be replaced by rotation on the hinge pin 160.
Meanwhile, an insertion hole 120 is formed at rear of the first hinge hole 110 formed in the head unit 100, and a coupling hole 214 is formed on a location, which corresponds to the location of the insertion hole 120, in rear of the second hinge hole 212 formed in the head connector part 210. The insertion hole 120 and the coupling hole 214 serve to receive and to be coupled to a securing pin 170 provided for fixing the head unit 100.
The securing pin 170 serves to solidly fix the head unit 100 to the head connector part 210 of the shank unit 200 and to support the load applied to the coupler 50 during traveling of a transcontinental railroad car. While the head unit 100 is coupled to the head connector part 210 by the hinge pin 160, the securing pin 170 is inserted into and coupled to the head unit 100 and the head connector part 210 through the insertion hole 120 and the coupling hole 214 respectively formed in the head unit 100 and the head connector part 210. Accordingly, the head unit 100 may be solidly fixed to the head connector part 210.
As shown in FIG. 2, supporting parts 130 are respectively formed while being projected on upper and lower surfaces of a rear end of the head unit 100, and supporting grooves 216 into which the supporting parts 130 are inserted are formed on an inner surface of the head connector part 210. The supporting parts 130 and the supporting grooves 216 serve to improve support strength of the head unit 100 coupled to the head connector part 210.
Conventionally, during traveling of a transcontinental railroad car, the load on the coupler 50 is supported only by the hinge pin 160 and the securing pin 170, so that load support strength is reduced with respect to the load transmitted from various directions, such as eccentric load, bending load, torsional load, etc. On the other hand, according to the present disclosure, the supporting parts 130 that are respectively projected on upper and lower portions of the head unit 100 are inserted into and coupled to the supporting grooves 216 formed on the head connector part 210. Therefore, a supporting area with respect to the head unit 100 increases so as to dramatically improve the support strength with respect to the lead on the head unit 100.
As shown in FIG. 3, the supporting parts 130 and the supporting grooves 216 are formed in arc shapes. Therefore, even when the first coupler 100a and the second coupler 100b need to be replaced, that is, even when the head unit 100 is rotated on the hinge pin 160, the supporting parts 130 may be supported without being separated from the supporting grooves 216.
According to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, the coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars is configured as follows. The insertion hole 120 formed in the head unit 100 includes first to third insertion holes 120a, 120b, and 120c that are disposed to be spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals. The coupling hole 214 formed in the head connector part 210 also includes first to second coupling holes 214a and 214b that are disposed to be spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval. The first to third insertion holes and the first and second coupling holes serve to allow the securing pin 170, which is located in rear of the hinge pin 160 and fix the head unit 100 to the head connector part 210, to be inserted into and coupled to two locations.
As described above, the head unit 100 has the first coupler 100a and the second coupler 100b integrated into a single body. When one of the two couplers is used, another coupler not in use, i.e. another coupler that is not coupled to another car body is projected in one side so that the center of gravity of the head unit 100 is biased in the one side. When a transcontinental railroad car travels while only the hinge pin 160 and the single securing pin 170 support the load on the head unit 100 of the coupler, the lead on the head unit 100 during traveling eccentrically acts. In this case, the traveling stability of the transcontinental railroad car is degraded and the load support strength with respect to the head unit 100 is not enough, so that the coupler 50 may be deformed or damaged. Therefore, according to the present disclosure, the head unit 100 is fixed by first and second securing pins 170a and 170b that is inserted to be spaced apart from each other at rear of a hinge coupling portion between the head unit 100 and the head connector part 210, whereby the head unit 100 may be solidly fixed to the head connector part 210 and the load support strength of the coupler may be improved.
Specifically, the first to third insertion holes 120a, 120b, and 120c formed in the head unit 100 are formed in a vertical direction to be spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals. As shown in FIG. 5, the second insertion hole 120b is formed in rear of the first hinge hole 110, and the first and third insertion holes 120a and 120c are formed in left and right of the first hinge hole 110 at the same predetermined intervals with the second insertion hole 120b as the center between the first and third insertion holes 120a and 120c. Therefore, the first to third insertion holes 120a, 120b, and 120c are formed in a '¬' shape.
The first and second coupling holes 214a and 214b formed in the head connector part 210 are spaced apart from each other at the interval same as an interval between the first and second insertion holes 120a and 120b and an interval between the second and third insertion holes 120b and 120c. The first and second coupling holes 214a and 214b are disposed symmetrically to each other at rear of the second hinge hole 212.
As shown in FIG. 6A, when the first coupler 100a of the head unit 100, the first securing pin 170a is fixed by being fastened via the first insertion hole 120a and the first coupling hole 214a. The second securing pin 170b is fixed by being fastened via the second insertion hole 120b and the second coupling hole 214b.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6B, when the second coupler 100b of the head unit 100 is used, the first securing pin 170a is fixedly fastened via the second insertion hole 120b and the first coupling hole 214. The securing pin 170b is fixedly fastened via the third insertion hole 120c and the second coupling hole 214b.
As the above structure, the head unit 100 may be fixed to the head connector part 210 by the first and second securing pins 170a and 170b at the two locations that are spaced from a longitudinal central shaft of the coupler 50 at the predetermined interval and are disposed symmetrically to each other. Therefore, it is possible to further support a rear portion of the first or second coupler 100a or 100b not in use of the head unit 100. Furthermore, support strength may increases with respect to the load transmitted from various directions, such as eccentric load, bending load, torsional load on the head unit 100. Therefore, traveling stability of a transcontinental railroad car may be improved.
In addition, when the coupler 50 needs to be replaced, such as when a new freight car is added in the transcontinental railroad car at a station, coupling of the head unit 100 by the first and second securing pins 170a and 170b is released and the head unit 100 is rotated on the hinge pin 160. Then, only an accident the first and second securing pins 170a and 170b are fixedly fastened, and the coupler 50 may be replaced.
FIG. 7 shows results of structural analysis using a finite element analysis program (ANSYS) while applying a tension load condition to an E-type freight car coupler knuckle of the domestic railway vehicle technical standards. When the head unit 100 is fixed by using two securing pins, i.e. the first and second securing pins 170a and 170b, as in the present disclosure, the maximum stress was about 608Mpa. In the above result, it was confirmed that the support strength was improved by more than 25% compared to the support strength of the conventional coupler structure that fixes the head unit 100 by using a single securing pin 170.
According to a third embodiment of the present disclosure, the coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars includes a supporting frame 300 fixedly mounted to a location outside the head connector part 210 of the shank unit 200. The supporting frame has an accommodating space 300a for the head unit 100 to be accommodated therein, as shown in FIG. 8. First and second fastening holes 310 and 320, to which a fastening means 330, such as a bolt, pin, etc. is inserted into and coupled, are formed in portions on upper and lower surfaces of the supporting frame 300.
First and second connector parts 140 and 150 are respectively projected on opposite portions of the head unit 100. The first and second connector parts 140 and 150 respectively have first and second fastening holes 142 and 152 into which the fastening means 330 such as a bolt, pin, etc. may be inserted.
The first and second fastening holes 310, 142, 320, and 152, which are respectively formed in the supporting frame 300, the first and second connector parts 140, and 150, are formed on locations corresponding to each other, and thus fixedly mount the head unit 100 accommodated in the supporting frame 300 by the fastening means 330, that is, mount the first or second coupling 100a or 100b not in use of the head unit 100. The above structure is configured to further support the load on the head unit 100 during traveling of a transcontinental railroad car.
More specifically, the first or second coupler 100a or 100b not in use in the head unit 100 is partially accommodated inside the supporting frame 300. The portion of the first or second coupler accommodated in the supporting frame 300 is fastened and secured to the head connector part by the fastening means 330, which is coupled to the head unit by passing through the first or second fastening holes (142 or 152 and 310 or 320) of the first and second connector parts 140 and 150 of the head unit 100 and of the supporting frame 300, the first and second fastening holes being formed at locations corresponding to each other. The above-described structure may fix the head unit 100 together with the securing pin 170 and support the load during traveling of a transcontinental railroad car.
In addition, the first and second connector parts 140 and 150 projected on the opposite portions of the head unit 100 are formed on locations that does not interfere the first or second coupler 100a or 100b to be coupled to a coupler of another car body. The supporting frame 300 is able to be fixedly mounted to an under frame (not shown) of the car body, not the head connector part 210.
Meanwhile, the supporting frame 300 serves to protect the head unit 100 from an external impact, i.e. an impact due to a collision between the car body and an external object, during traveling of a transcontinental railroad car. In this the supporting frame 300, a heating wire (not shown) may be provided while being inserted.
A transcontinental railroad car to which the present disclosure is applied travels in a microthermal climate or polar climate area, so the coupler 50 is often frozen by snow or ice. In this case, it may be difficult to perform rotation of the head unit 100 and replacement of the first or second coupler 100a or 100b. Therefore, the heating wire is provided inside the supporting frame 300 to use heat transmitted from the supporting frame 300 to prevent the shank unit 200 and the head unit 100 from freezing.
Not shown in the drawings, a temperature sensor is provided inside the supporting frame 300, a cockpit of a transcontinental railroad car has a control unit that heats the heating wire in response to the temperature measured by the temperature sensor. Therefore, the present disclosure may be configured such that, a driver can selectively control heating of the heating wire in response to the temperature in the coupler.
According to the present disclosure as described above, the coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars may stably support the head unit 100, in which the two differentially shaped couplers 100a and 100b are integrated into a single body during traveling of a transcontinental railroad car, distribute eccentric load, bending load, torsional load, etc. on the coupler, and improve the load support strength. Accordingly, the coupler structure of the present disclosure has various advantages such as improvement in the traveling stability of a transcontinental railroad car and drastic improvement in the durability of the coupler 50.
Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described for illustrative purposes, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Industrial Applicability

Claims

A coupler structure for transcontinental railroad cars, the coupler structure comprising:
a head unit having two different coupler forms integrated into a single body; and

a shank unit connected to a railroad car body while being coupled to the head unit,

wherein the shank unit comprises a U-shaped head connector part and a securing part, the head unit being inserted into and hinged to the U-shaped head connector part, and the securing part extending from a rear end of the head connector part and fixedly mounted on the car body,

supporting parts are projected from upper and lower surfaces of a rear end of the head unit, and

supporting grooves into which the supporting parts are inserted are formed on an inner surface of the head connector part.
The coupler structure of claim 1, wherein the supporting parts and the supporting grooves are formed in arc forms.
The coupler structure of claim 1, wherein first and second hinge holes, into which a hinge pin is inserted and coupled, are respectively formed in a location of the head unit and a location of the head connector part that correspond to each other, and an insertion hole and a coupling hole, into which a securing pin for securing the head unit to the head connector part is inserted and coupled, are respectively formed on rear portions of the first and second hinge holes.
The coupler structure of claim 3, wherein the insertion hole comprises first to third insertion holes that are spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals, and the coupling hole comprises first and second coupling holes that are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval, and the securing pin comprises first and second securing pins that are respectively coupled to the first and second coupling holes and the first and second insertion holes or to the first and second coupling holes and the second and third insertion holes.
The coupler structure of claim 3, wherein a supporting frame is coupled to a location outside the head connector part, the supporting frame having an accommodating space for accommodating the head unit therein.
The coupler structure of claim 5, wherein first and second connector parts are respectively projected on opposite portions of the head unit, the first and second connector parts being configured to be fastened and secured to the head connector part by a fastening means while being accommodated in the accommodating space of the supporting frame.
The coupler structure of claim 5, wherein a heating wire is inserted and provided in the supporting frame.