Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B61—RAILWAYS
  • B61G—COUPLINGS; DRAUGHT AND BUFFING APPLIANCES
  • B61G3/00—Couplings comprising mating parts of similar shape or form which can be coupled without the use of any additional element or elements
  • B61G3/16—Couplings comprising mating parts of similar shape or form which can be coupled without the use of any additional element or elements with coupling heads rigidly connected by rotatable hook plates or discs and balancing links, the coupling members forming a parallelogram, e.g. "Scharfenberg" type
  • B61G3/18—Locking devices
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B61—RAILWAYS
  • B61G—COUPLINGS; DRAUGHT AND BUFFING APPLIANCES
  • B61G3/00—Couplings comprising mating parts of similar shape or form which can be coupled without the use of any additional element or elements
  • B61G3/04—Couplings comprising mating parts of similar shape or form which can be coupled without the use of any additional element or elements with coupling head having a guard arm on one side and a knuckle with angularly-disposed nose and tail portions pivoted to the other side thereof, the nose of the knuckle being the coupling part, and means to lock the knuckle in coupling position, e.g. "A.A.R." or "Janney" type
  • B61G3/06—Knuckle-locking devices

Definitions

• This invention relates to an automatic central buffer coupling for rail vehicles comprising a coupling head with a projection, a hook mounted on a fixed pivot bearing in the coupling head for swinging in a coupling position, an articulated arm mechanism mounted in the coupling head and spring means acting on the hook.
• US 2,161,724 discloses an automatic central buffer coupling consisting of a pair of mating coupling heads each having a rotatable hook plate and a coupling eye pivoted to the hook plate. Pivotally connected to each hook plate is a bow-shaped lever arm which is designed to engage with the coupling eye of the other hook plate. Moreover, each hook plate is provided with a coupling spring which tends to rotate the hook plate in a coupling position. The lever arms and the hook plates form a parallelogram. When unlocking this known central buffer coupling the hook plates are rotated against the force of the coupling springs until the bow-shaped lever arms can be disengaged from the coupling eyes .
• GB 1,247,128 discloses a central buffer coupling for rail vehicles comprising a locking pin for locking the coupling with a counter coupling in a coupled position, a manually operable lever for releasing the locking pin and hydraulic or pneumatic piston cylinder means adapted to alternatively actuate the manually operable lever to release the coupling.
• US 3,405,811 discloses an automatic hook type coupler for rail vehicles having pivotally mounted in its coupling head an unlocking cam and a lock.
• the unlocking cam in. an uncoupling operation acts on said hook and a corresponding hook of a mating coupler engaged thereby for swinging said hooks to uncoupling position.
• the lock on coupling of said couplers locks the hook of the mating coupler in coupling position.
• Each coupling head is provided with an uncoupling lever which can be manually or automatically actuated for swinging both hooks to uncoupling position through the unlocking cam while releasing the hook of the mating coupler from the lock.
• An operative connection is provided between the levers when the couplers are coupled for enabling actuation of one to actuate both in unison. The operative connection permits the swing of the hooks to be so restricted that the couplers cannot be uncoupled unless both hooks are swung to uncoupling position.
• the object of the present invention is to provide another automatic central buffer coupling of the type mentioned in the introduction which permits simple coupling and uncoupling at a high level of functional reliability.
• an automatic central buffer coupling for rail vehicles having a coupling head with a projection, a hook mounted on a fixed pivot bearing in the coupling head for swinging in a ' coupling position, an articulated arm mechanism mounted in the coupling head and spring means acting on the hook.
• the articulated arm mechanism comprises a first articulated arm which is pivotally connected to a second pivot bearing defining a fixed axis of rotation with respect to the coupling head, wherein the hook is connected by means of a pivot joint to a second articulated arm which is connected by means of a second pivot joint to the first articulated arm whose movement is limited by a wall or stop provided with the coupling head.
• the central buffer coupling according to the invention distinguishes in that it permits a simple and reliable coupling and uncoupling.
• a third articulated arm is connected by means of a third pivot joint to the hook.
• the third articulated arm projects from the hook in its uncoupling position towards an opening in the front of coupling head for co-operating with a projection of a mating coupling head of another rail vehicle in order to trigger a movement of the hook from the uncoupling position in the coupling position.
• a second spring means acts on the third articulated arm and being supported on a second supporting bearing located on the second articulated arm of the articulated arm mechanism.
• Fig. 1 is a perspective oblique view of a coupling head having a hook pivotally mounted therein and a projection, with the housing of the coupling head shown partly cut away and the front surface located in the forward direction, and with a hook of a mating coupling head (not shown) of another rail vehicle;
• Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the coupling head according to Fig. 1, wherein a projection of a mating coupling head (not shown) is pushed against an articulated arm or tappet pivotally connected to the hook of the coupling head;
• Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the coupling head according to Fig. 1 in the coupled position, wherein the projection of a mating coupling head (not shown) is completely in an opening of the coupling head and the two hooks are engaged in their coupling position; and
• Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the coupling head according to Fig. 1 with one hook being in its uncoupling position.
• a coupling head 1 comprises a coupling housing 2 in which a hook 3 is pivotally mounted on a pivot bearing 4 defining a fixed axis with respect to the coupling housing.
• the hook 3 has a forked section with upper and lower fork legs 5, 6 disposed at the opposite end of the head section 7 of the hook 3.
• the pivot bearing or pivot pin 4 is positioned between the forked section and the head section 7.
• the head section 7 projects into a projection 25 of the coupling head 1 through an opening 8 beyond the front surface or front plate 9 of the coupling housing 2.
• the hook 3 is provided with an articulated arm mechanism comprising a first articulated arm 10 and a second articulated arm 11.
• the first articulated arm 10 is pivotally connected to a second pivot bearing or pivot pin 12 defining another fixed axis of rotation with respect to the housing of coupling head 1.
• the first articulated arm 10 has also a forked section, wherein the second articulated arm 11 is accommodated between the fork legs 5, 6 of the hook 3 and the fork legs of the first articulated arm 10.
• the hook 3 is connected by means of a pivot joint 13 to the second articulated arm 11 which is connected by means of a second pivot joint 14 to the first articulated arm 10.
• a third articulated arm 15 is provided which serves as a tappet and being connected by means of a third pivot joint 16 to the hook 3.
• the third articulated arm or tappet 15 is arranged between the fork legs 5, 6 of the hook 3 with the third pivot joint 16 being located between the fixed pivot pin 4 and the pivot joint 13.
• the articulated arms 10, 11, 15 are provided with two spring means each comprising a helical spring 17, 18 and a guide means 19, 20 for maintaining an essential straight longitudinal extension of the respective helical spring 17, 18 during movement of the articulated arm mechanism.
• a first or main spring means 17, 19 is supported on a supporting bearing 21 disposed between the pivot bearing or pivot pin 4 of the hook 3 and the pivot bearing or pivot pin 12 of the first articulated arm 10.
• the other end of the main spring means 17, 19 acts directly or indirectly on the ' first and second articulated arms 10, 11.
• the point 22 where the spring force of the main spring means is applied to the articulated arm mechanism lies essentially in the area of the pivot joint 14.
• the second spring means 18, 20 is associated to the second and third articulated arms 11, 15.
• the second spring means 18, 20 acts on the third articulated arm 15 in a point of application of force 23 lying adjacent the pivot joint 16.
• the other end of the second spring means 18, 20 is supported on a supporting bearing or point of application of force 24 located on the second articulated arm 11 adjacent to the pivot joint 13. Both points 23, 24 are formed by pivot joints.
• the second spring means 18, 20. is accommodated between fork legs of the second and third articulated arms 11, 15.
• the third articulated arm 15 projects from the hook 3 in its uncoupling position towards the opening 8 in the front 9 of coupling head 1.
• the movement of the first articulated arm 10 is limited by a stop 27 provided with the coupling head (cf. Fig. 4).
• the stop 27 may consist of a wall 28 of the coupling housing 2.
• the wall section 28 presenting the stop is oblique with respect to the rear wall 26 and the front surface 9 of the coupling housing 2. Accordingly, the movement of the pivot joint 14 and the articulated arm mechanism is limited by the stop 27 or housing wall section 28.
• the articulated arm mechanism is pressed by means of the main spring means 17, 19 against the stop 27 or wall 28 of the coupling head 1.
• the hook 3 engages a coupling section 29 of the hook 3 ' of a mating coupling head of another rail vehicle (cf. Fig. 3).
• the first and second articulated arms 10, 11 When the hook 3 is moved in its coupling position the first and second articulated arms 10, 11 are moved beyond the position in which their longitudinal axes coincide with the straight line connecting the axes of rotation of the pivot point 13 and the fixed pivot pin 12. In the coupling position of the hook 3 the longitudinal axes of the first and second articulated arms 10, 11 form an obtuse angle. Accordingly, in the coupling position of the hook 3 the axes of rotation defined by the first and second pivot joints 13, 14 and the second pivot bearing 12 intersect an arc-shaped line indicated in Fig. 3 by the dashed line 30.
• the supporting or pivot point 21 of the main spring means 17, 19 is located on the concave side of the arc-shaped line 30.
• a stop 31 projecting from the rear wall 26 of the coupling housing 2.
• the stop 31 has an oblique front co-operating with an sharp-shaped end of the third articulated arm 15. After the front of the projection 25' of the mating coupling head has reached its deepest position in the opening 8 and before the pivot joint 14 is pressed against the stop 27 or oblique wall section 28 of the coupling housing 2 the third articulated arm 15 touches with its sharp-shaped end the stop 31 whereby the third articulated arm 15 is swung such that its opposite end is moved towards the fixed pivot bearing or pivot pin 4 in order not to get stuck with the projection 25' of the mating coupling head of another rail vehicle during uncoupling of the hook 3.
• the third articulated arm 15 comprises a stop 32 which co-operates with the front edge of the upper leg 5 of the hook 3. By means of the stop 32 two stop positions for the swing movement of the third articulated arm 15 are defined with respect to the hook 3.
• the third articulated arm 15 During the swing movement of the third articulated arm 15 from its position shown in Fig. 2 into the position shown in Fig. 3 the helical spring 18 of the second spring means is pressed to a shortest length wherein the helical spring 18 has a longer longitudinal extension in the respective positions shown in Figures 2 and 3. Due to the spring force of the pressure spring 18 the third articulated arm 15 retains in the coupling position of the hook 3 in a position in which it is spaced with respect to the projection 25' of the counter coupling head (cf . Fig. 3) .
• the first articulated arm 10 In order to uncouple the two hooks 3, 3' the first articulated arm 10 is rotated around its fixed axis 12 away from the wall 28 of the housing 2.
• the rotation of the first articulated arm 10 can be performed by a manually operable lever (not shown) and/or electric, hydraulic or pneumatic piston cylinder means (not shown) .
• Due to its pivot connection with the first articulated arm 10 the hook 3 is rotated around its fixed pivot bearing or pivot pin 4.
• the main spring means 17, 19 will automatically swing the hook 3 further into the uncoupling position (cf . Fig. 4) .
• Each of the projections 25, 25' of the respective coupling head has a recess 33, 33' for allowing the hook 3, 3' to swing from its uncoupling position in its coupling position and vice versa. While the hook 3 is moved in its uncoupling position the second articulated arm 11 is rotated too and the helical spring 18 is moved beyond the position in which its longitudinal extension has the shortest length (cf . Fig. 4) . Due to the spring force present in this position the third articulated arm or tappet 15 will swing back to the ready position shown in Fig. 2 as soon as the vehicle having the mating coupling head with the projection 25' is driven away.'
• the projection 25' of the mating coupling head is designed with respect to the third articulated arm 15 such that during the coupling process the third articulated arm 15 with the stop 31 can trigger the movement of the hook 3 from the uncoupling position and the third articulated arm 15 cannot move back towards the fixed pivot bearing or pivot pin 4.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Seats For Vehicles (AREA)
• Train Traffic Observation, Control, And Security (AREA)
• Pivots And Pivotal Connections (AREA)
• Agricultural Machines (AREA)
• Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=34965270

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Citations (2)

• 2004
  • 2004-06-08 GB GB0412724A patent/GB2414975A/en not_active Withdrawn
• 2005
  • 2005-04-20 ES ES05735101T patent/ES2313327T3/es active Active
  • 2005-04-20 PL PL05735101T patent/PL1753649T3/pl unknown
  • 2005-04-20 PT PT05735101T patent/PT1753649E/pt unknown
  • 2005-04-20 EP EP05735101A patent/EP1753649B1/en active Active
  • 2005-04-20 WO PCT/EP2005/004189 patent/WO2005120921A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2005-04-20 AT AT05735101T patent/ATE407047T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2005-04-20 DE DE602005009524T patent/DE602005009524D1/de active Active
• 2008
  • 2008-10-15 HR HR20080511T patent/HRP20080511T3/xx unknown

Patent Citations (2)

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