GB1025090A - Improvements in or relating to automatic couplers for rail vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

1,025,090. Automatic couplers of William type for rail vehicles. ENGLISH STEEL CORPORATION Ltd. Jan. 27, 1965 [Nov. 4, 1964], No. 44900/64. Heading B7T. An automatic coupler of Willison type for rail vehicles comprises a cam 28, or 28X, Figs. 5-8 (not shown), which has two diametrically opposed lift portions 34 and is rotatable by a vertical spindle 29 or 29X extending upwards or downwards out of the coupler body 19 and carrying laterally extending means displaceable by a shunter's pole (not shown) or by a track mounted device 44, Figs. 9, 10 (not shown), and a lever 24 having one arm 26 engaging an abutment 22 in the tail 16 of a locking member 15 and the other arm 27 engaging the cam 28, or 28X, rotation of the lever withdrawing the locking member 15 into the coupler body. In an embodiment, Figs. 1-4, the laterally extending means comprises an arm 31 carried by the upper extension 30 of the spindle 29 and having an eye 32 engageable by a shunter's pole. The lift portions 34 are perpendicular to a long flat face 35 of the cam, closer to the axis of the spindle 29, so that the arm 27 passes through an over-centre position between the faces 34, 35. The lever 24 and the cam 28 are also held or solely held in their relative positions by a spring 39 carried by a shank 25 and engaging one of the faces of the square section extensions 30. In another embodiment, Figs. 5-8 (not shown), the laterally extending means comprises the four arms 42 of a rotor 41 engageable one at a time by a lateral projection 43 on the track-mounted device 44. The rotor is carried by the lower extension 30X of the spindle 29X below the coupler body, the arm 27 is below the arm 26, and the cam 28X lies below the tail 16 and has a second long flat face 35X parallel to the first. The projection 43 effects withdrawal and advance of the locking member with either direction of travel over the device. A spring 47 carried by a bracket 48 on the underside of the coupler body 19 has a hooked end 49 engageable with a corner of the extension 30X to assist in holding or alone to hold the cam 28X and the lever 24X in their relative positions. The pivot shank 25X extends upwardly from the body 19 and carries a lateral arm 50 having an eye 51 engageable by a shunter's pole (not shown), the arm 50 being movable by a pull from one side only of the coupler to effect temporary withdrawal of the member 15 while the pull is maintained. The position of the arm 50 indicates the position of the locking member 15. The rotor 41 has a downward cylindrical extension 45 for location in a groove 46 in the device 44 to guide the rotor into engagement with the projection 43. The track-mounted device 44, Figs. 9, 10 (not shown), comprises a shoe 52 including the projection 43 and the groove 46, and removably held in a wide shallow groove 53 in a carrier 54 by a slot 56 and by a plate 55 and screws 57. The carrier 54 includes a pair of lugs 59 pivoted at 61 to brackets 62 bolted on a base plate 63 in a well 64 between the rails 65. A lever arm 66 of the carrier 54 is pivoted to the end 68 of a pre-loaded spring-urged plunger 69 having a head 73 which abuts an internal shoulder 74 of a spring cylinder 70 when the carrier and shoe are horizontal. The groove 46 is flared at each end 80 to gather-in the extension 45 of the rotor 41. The projection 43 is protected by ribs 81 which are bevelled downwardly at 83, 84 and continued by the carrier surfaces 85, 86 so that the carrier and shoe are depressed smoothly into the well 64 by an obstructing part of a railway vehicle.