GB191001108A - Improvements in or relating to Automatic Couplings for Railway and like Vehicles. - Google Patents

Abstract

1108. Allison, G. H. Jan. 15. Couplings, automatic. -In automatic buffer couplings for railway and like vehicles, of the kind in which the coupling-heads are provided with interengaging pivoted hooks, catches are provided which automatically lock the hooks in the coupled position, and, when rotated out of engagement with the hooks, co-operate with releasing-fingers which uncouple the hooks. Moreover, the coupling - heads are formed with interengaging projections and recesses for alining purposes. The coupling- heads a having pivoted hooks j are provided with locking-catches m, which are fixed upon vertical shafts o and formed with the tailpieces r, Fig. 5. The catches are normally retained in the position shown in Fig. 4 by springs or weights, but, during coupling, a r e pushed backwards as shown at the lefthand side of Fig. 5 by the co-operation of projections s on the hooks j with the tail-pieces r until the hooks become coupled, whereupon the catches are returned to their locking-position, Fig. 4. Releasing-fingers n are mounted loosely on the shafts o and formed with projections q adapted to engage with projections p on the catches m, sufficient lost motion being allowed between these projections to allow the above-described action of the catches m. When one of the catches m of the coupled heads is rotated out of its locking position sufficiently to bring the projections p, q into co-operation, the finger n is operated to push aside the hook of the opposing vehicle, the projection s of this hook serving to release the other catch m, as shown in Fig. 5. The shafts o are operated from the sides of the vehicle by means of chains 4, Fig. 6, connected to levers 3, y, which are pivoted at 2 to the undersides of the couplings and provided with pin-and-slot engagement with arms v secured to the shafts o. The finger n is retained in the uncoupled position until the couplings are separated, by the engagement of an arm 6 on the lever 3, y with a projection 7 on the opposing coupling, the lever 3, y being slotted at its connexion with the pivot 2 for this purpose. Combined buffer and draw gear.-To ensure the proper alinement of buffer couplings, each head a is provided with a vertical V-shaped projection c, Fig. 2, and corresponding recess b, and with an horizontal V-shaped projection e at one side and a corresponding recess d at the other side. Each coupling is connected to a draw-bar 9, Fig. 4, by a universal joint 10, preferably of the spherical type, and is formed at the rear end with a rounded portion 11 engaging a corresponding portion 13 formed on a buffing - sleeve 14, which surrounds the draw-bar. A spring 15 is arranged between' a stop 16 at the end of the braw-bar and a flange 17 formed on a collar 18, and serves as a draw and centralizing spring. A second spring 20 is arranged between a collar 22 abutting against shoulders on the sleeve 14, and a flanged collar 21 which bears against the frame 23. Rotation of the coupling-heads is prevented by the engagement of projections on the heads with slots 25, Fig. 6, in the sockets 13.