GB147422A - Improvements in or relating to couplings for railway vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

147,422. Fahdt, H. Feb. 11, 1919, [Convention date]. Couplings, automatic; drawgear. - Each coupling of a railway vehicle comprises a casing 1, Figs. 2 and 3, having a coupling-bar 2 which is adapted to enter a recess 3 on the opposed vehicle and is provided with a recess 5 for engagement with one pivoted pawl 6 so as to form a main coupling and with a slot 13 for engagement with a second pivoted pawl 10 to form a safety coupling in case of breakage of the head 2a of the bar 2; the safety coupling and main coupling are successively uncoupled by means of two levers 16, 15 mounted on a transverse rotary shaft 17. In the act of coupling, the casings 1 on two vehicles are brought into vertical alinement by providing the recess 3 with a sloping bottom 3<a> and with a roller 4 near the top, so as to guide the coupling-bar 2 into position. The two pawls 6, 10 engage the coupling-bar automatically under the influence of springs 8, 10<a> respectively, and the movement of the rotary shaft 17 is limited in one direction by the lever 15 abutting against a fixed bracket 20 and in the other direction by the lever 16 engaging the hooked end 10<b> of the pawl 10. In order to relieve the pin 7 on which the pawl 6 is pivoted from strain during traction, the pin is passed through an elongated hole 7a in the pawl, allowing the pawl a slight forward movement so as to contact with a shoulder 9 at the side of the recess 3. At its inner end the casing 1 bears by means of a spherical surface 23 against a frame 22 through which the draw-bar 21 passes, the casing and draw-bar being resiliently connected through a cross-bar 26, springs 25 and bolts 25a. Each casing 1 also carries a coupling head 31 having inclined meeting-faces 34 for the steam or like pipes 29. these heads being supported on shafts 30 surrounded by springs 32. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 (3) (a) comprises also the construction shown in Fig. 9 (Cancelled) in which the pipes or conduits 29 are provided with cocks 39 which are arranged to be opened automatically when the vehicles couple and to be closed automatically when the vehicles are uncoupled. For this purpose each coupling-bar 2 carries a spring- controlled pivoted lever 41, the point of which passes the operating-arm 40 of the cock 39 and then engages a roller 46 which deflects the lever 41 to one side and throws the operating-cam 40 into a slot 47 on the lever 41, the edges 48, 49 of which slot are adapted to effect the movements of the cock. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.