GB437173A - Improvements in coupling devices for railroad vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

437,173. Railway-vehicle couplings and undercarriages. BUGATTI, E., Molsheim, Bas-Rhin, France. May 17, 1936, Nos. 14491, 14492, and 14493. Convention dates, May 19, 1934, Nov. 22, 1934, and April 10, 1935. [Classes 103 (v) and 103 (vi)] A coupling device for connecting the units of an articulated railway vehicle, locomotive, &c. comprises a coupling-beam or equivalent member which connects the two adjacent axles or trucks of the vehicles and is rigid in the transverse direction, one or two vertical guiding members secured to the beam, and coupling-bars adapted to connect the vehicle underframes with a common universal joint or with two universal joints slidable on the vertical guide or guides, as the case may be. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the adjacent axle-trucks of the two vehicles are connected by a single rigid beam 20 balljointed at its two ends 21, 22 in sockets 23 on the truck frames, while a single vertical guide 19 is secured to the beam and is slidably engaged by fork members 17, 18 pivoted respectively to the coupling-bars 11, 12 associated with the underframes 9, 10. One of the coupling- bars, e.g. 12, is sprung by means of a spring 30 and is capable of swivelling about an horizontal axis, while the other one is fixed, such arrangement permitting a relative rolling movement between the two vehicles. The sockets 23 are mounted on vertical sleeves 24 slidable laterally in guides on the truck frames against the action of centralizing springs 25. Helical springs 27 are inserted between the underframes and trucks, bearing upon shoes 28 that are adapted to slide or roll upon tables 29 on the trucks. Modifications are described in which the relative vertical movement between the truck and underframe is compensated for otherwise than by sliding movement of the coupling-bars relative to the guide 19. In another construction, Fig. 6, the ends of the coupling-beam 20 are universally jointed at 51 to casings enclosing and sprung with respect to the axles. In place of a single rigid coupling-beam, an articulated beam 66, 67, Fig. 13, may be employed, e.g. in the form of two fork members pivoted to a common transverse member 68 so as to provide rigidity in the transverse direction. In a further modification, Fig. 17, the coupling- beam is formed of two parts 71, 71<1> adapted to be united by a pair of screw or like members 80, and each part carries a vertical guide 82 on which the-coupling bar 89 connected to the underframe is slidable. With such an arrangement, two vehicles can be disconnected, by uncoupling the two parts 71, 711 of the beam. Further constructions are described in which the coupling-beam is hollow and preferably in two parts each accommodating power means for driving the truck axles. In still further constructions the supporting springs, instead of being disposed between the trucks and underframes, are arranged between the coupling-beam and underframes, or between the coupling-beam and truck frames.