WO2021028417A1

WO2021028417A1 - Automatic air coupling for a rail vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2021028417A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/072458
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kay Uwe Kolshorn; Martin Schüler; Wladimir SCHÄFER; Jörn Schulz
Original assignee: Voith Patent Gmbh
Priority date: 2019-08-12
Filing date: 2020-08-11
Publication date: 2021-02-18
Also published as: CN218141541U; DE102020121079A1; EP4013658B1; HUE064047T2; PL4013658T3; EP4013658A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an automatic air coupling for a rail vehicle, in particular in the form of a freight wagon, with a mouth piece for coupling the air coupling to a mating air coupling; with a compressed-air connection piece for connecting the air coupling to a rail vehicle compressed-air system; with a flow duct which connects the mouth piece in compressed-air-conducting fashion to the compressed-air connection piece; with a valve which is arranged in the flow duct and which has a valve body and a valve seat, wherein the valve body can be moved between an open position, in which it opens the flow duct at least substantially or completely, and a closed position, in which it shuts off the flow duct in a pressure-tight manner. The automatic air coupling according to the invention is characterized in that a free flow cross section for the compressed air through the mouth piece, the flow duct, the valve in the open position of the valve body, and the pressure connection piece has a minimum width of 20 mm.

Description

Automatic air coupling for a rail vehicle

The present invention relates to an automatic air coupling for a rail vehicle, the rail vehicle being designed in particular in the form of a freight car, in detail according to the preamble of claim 1.

Automatic air couplings are conventionally used in rail vehicles intended for passenger traffic and are part of the automatic train coupling there. The automatic air coupling is used to couple the main air line between the individual rail vehicles of a train, that is, between the individual wagons, whereby wagons are both railcars and pulled / pushed wagons. The necessary air pressure must be built up in the main air line of the train in order to release the brakes of all coupled rail vehicles. Conversely, if the air pressure in the main air line falls, the respective rail vehicle is braked.

In passenger traffic, the air coupling is automatically activated when two automatic train couplings are driven against each other and a secure mechanical connection is established between the train couplings. As a rule, the mouthpiece of the respective air coupling is positioned centrally on the upper edge of the face plate and a flow channel for the compressed air, in which a valve is arranged, connects to the mouthpiece. The flow channel opens beyond the valve, as seen from the mouthpiece, in a compressed air nozzle to which a compressed air hose or a compressed air pipe of the corresponding rail vehicle can be connected in order to establish the connection to the brakes or to the other end of the rail vehicle and the air coupling provided there. The valve in the flow channel is actuated mechanically by the so-called coupling lock, more precisely by its main bolt, which is rotated by a so-called frog connected to it when the pulling couplings are moved against each other. With the frogs of both couplings and corresponding coupling loops, in which the projections of the frogs engage, the mechanical locking between the two pulling couplings is established. Uncoupling is also done by turning the frogs and thus the coupling lock and the main bolt.

Generic automatic air couplings have an extension of the coupling lock or the main pin, the extension in the form of a shaft can be connected to the coupling lock or the main pin in a rotationally fixed manner and is provided with a cam which, when the shaft is rotated, the valve in the sense of opening the flow channel operated during the coupling process. During the uncoupling process, the cam is rotated back with the shaft and releases the valve, which is then closed by the force of a spring accumulator and blocks the flow channel.

The position of the valve or of a valve body of the valve which works together with a valve seat is thus dependent on the position of the coupling lock. In the ready-to-couple position, the valve keeps the flow channel and thus the main air line closed. In the coupled position, the valve keeps the flow channel and thus the main air line open.

When coupling, the mouthpieces of both air couplings meet and are pressed together airtight. At the same time, the coupling lock or its main pin rotates into the coupled position and opens the valve, as explained. If the coupling breaks, i.e. if the pulling couplings are accidentally moved apart, although the main bolt is in the locked position, the position of the cam in relation to the coupled state also remains unchanged. This leaves the valve open and the main air line can be vented. The pressure drop leads to an emergency braking of the rail vehicle because the brakes are applied.

Such automatic air couplings are not conventionally used in freight wagons. Rather, simple pipe sections are coupled here via seals on the face in order to connect the main air line of two rail vehicles to one another. This makes it possible to design such couplings and all of the main air lines with a particularly large flow cross section. The great length of trains with freight wagons is remarkable. If the clutch breaks, the pressure drop in the main air line must spread from vehicle to vehicle starting from the break point in order to brake all vehicles together. High demands are therefore placed on the speed of propagation, also known as the speed of penetration. In particular, according to railway standards, a minimum breakthrough speed of 250 meters per second is specified.

The disadvantage of the air couplings for freight cars is the effort required to operate them. At the same time, however, these air couplings are extremely robust. The automatic air couplings of rail vehicles for passenger traffic, on the other hand, are conventionally less robust and, for example, susceptible to foreign bodies hitting from above, such as parts of bulk goods, as occurs in rail vehicles for freight traffic. Furthermore, the more complex piping leads to greater pressure losses.

The present invention is based on the object of specifying an automatic air coupling for a rail vehicle, the automatic Air coupling can be operated comfortably and also meets the requirement of air couplings for rail vehicles in the form of freight cars and in particular is designed to be robust at the same time.

The object according to the invention is achieved by an automatic air coupling with the features of claim 1. The dependent claims describe advantageous and particularly expedient embodiments of the invention and an automatic pull coupling with an automatic air coupling according to the invention.

The automatic air coupling for a rail vehicle according to the present invention, wherein the rail vehicle is designed in particular in the form of a freight wagon, has a mouthpiece for coupling the air coupling to an air coupling of the same type, in accordance with the generic design explained at the beginning, and also a compressed air connector for connecting the air coupling to a Rail vehicle compressed air system and a flow channel that connects the mouthpiece to the compressed air nozzle in a compressed air-conducting manner. A valve, which comprises a valve body and a valve seat, is arranged in the flow channel. The valve body is movable between an open position, in which it at least largely or completely releases the flow channel, and a closed position, in which it closes the flow channel in a pressure-tight manner. In particular, a main air line, of which the flow channel forms a part, is blocked accordingly.

According to the invention, a free flow cross-section for the compressed air through the mouthpiece, the flow channel, the valve in the open position of the valve body and the compressed air nozzle has a minimum width of 20 mm or more than 20 mm. The minimum width here means the smallest existing distance between two opposing, in particular diametrically opposing walls of the flow channel or the components enclosing the flow cross section. If such a relatively large minimum width of the free flow cross-section is provided, for example a ball with a diameter of approximately 20 mm or with a minimum width of more than 20 mm with a diameter of 20 mm through the mouthpiece, the flow channel, the valve and the Compressed air connections can be moved without getting stuck.

In particular, the mentioned minimum width is at least or more than 30 mm or 31.75 mm.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the free flow cross section can be at least essentially circular.

The flow channel is preferably curved.

For example, the air coupling has a housing that forms the flow channel. The mouthpiece and the compressed air connection can then be part of the housing or be connected to the housing.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a valve drive is assigned to the valve, which at least indirectly engages the valve body in order to move it from the open position to the closed position and / or from the closed position to the open position, i.e. to actuate it accordingly. For example, the valve drive actively brings the valve body into the open position, whereas the valve body is moved into the closed position by the force of a spring accumulator, for example a compression spring. However, it is also conceivable that the valve drive actively brings the valve body into the closed position and the valve body is brought into the open position by the force of a spring accumulator. Finally, it is conceivable that the valve drive actively effects both movements, that is to say moving the valve body from the open position to the closed position and vice versa. The valve drive advantageously comprises a shaft that can be rotated about an axis of rotation, which is designed for a non-rotatable connection to a rail vehicle coupling lock, in particular its main bolt, or which is formed by the rail vehicle coupling lock or its main bolt. The rotatable shaft is preferably provided with at least one cam which can be designed integrally with the shaft or is non-rotatably mounted on the shaft. The at least one cam engages at least indirectly on the valve body to actuate it.

According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one position sensor is provided in the area of the cam, which detects a rotational position of the cam.

In such an embodiment it is thus possible to reliably determine whether the cam is in a position in which the valve body assumes the open position or in a position in which the valve body assumes the closed position or, if appropriate, an intermediate position. It can also be reliably determined whether turning the main bolt of the coupling lock causes the desired rotation of the cam and thus the valve is operated as desired.

By positioning the at least one position sensor directly in the area of the cam, for example in a common plane, in particular horizontal plane, with the cam, the application described above, especially in the case of a freight wagon, is also taken into account that a foreign body, for example bulk material, hits the air coupling from above falls and thus can jam the cam and / or damage the cam or its connection to the shaft. Thus, situations are conceivable in which the shaft or the coupling lock or main pin to which the shaft is connected is rotated, but the cam does not follow this rotation, which has not been done so far or was not immediately detectable. The present invention thus increases the operational reliability of the air coupling.

The arrangement of the at least one position sensor in the region of the cam also enables a particularly favorable design that is optimized in terms of space and good accessibility to the at least one position sensor.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the air coupling comprises a housing which forms the flow channel and at the same time encloses the cam over its outer circumference at least in the circumferential direction to the axis of rotation.

The at least one position sensor can then advantageously be carried by the housing, for example held in a bore in the housing. In particular, the at least one position sensor is inserted through the bore in the housing and screwed or otherwise fastened there.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the flow channel extends at least in sections in an arcuate manner in the circumferential direction and / or tangential direction to the axis of rotation.

The mouthpiece and / or the compressed air nozzle can extend, for example, in the radial direction to the axis of rotation, i.e. the compressed air flow into or out of the mouthpiece initially takes place in the radial direction, then the compressed air flows through the flow channel in the circumferential direction and / or In the tangential direction and then the compressed air in the compressed air connection flows again in the radial direction, each related to the axis of rotation.

It is particularly favorable if the housing covers the cam and in particular the shaft at the end face to the axis of rotation. So the cam is and In particular, the shaft is secured against falling foreign bodies, such as bulk material. Additional shielding plates can advantageously be dispensed with.

The position sensor is designed, for example, as an inductive sensor or as a capacitive sensor. However, other position sensors can also be considered, for example in the form of an optical sensor or a fall sensor.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the shaft is provided with at least two cams positioned distributed over the circumference, of which the first cam is arranged to actuate the valve body and the second cam is designed as a position transmitter for the position sensor. The second cam should then rotate together with the first cam and is correspondingly at least indirectly connected to the first cam in a rotationally fixed manner or made in one piece with it.

In a particularly favorable configuration of the invention, the housing has an outer circumferential wall and an inner circumferential wall viewed in a radial section through the axis of rotation. The inner circumferential wall separates a cam space, in which the at least one cam is positioned, from the flow channel. The outer circumferential wall delimits the flow channel and the cam space on the radially outer side in relation to the axis of rotation, the at least one position sensor preferably being arranged on a wall section of the outer circumferential wall which is diametrically opposite the inner circumferential wall in relation to the axis of rotation.

An automatic train coupling according to the invention for a rail vehicle, which in turn is designed in particular in the form of a freight wagon, has at least one end plate which encloses mechanical coupling components such as a funnel and a cone. According to the invention an air coupling of the type shown is provided, the mouthpiece preferably protruding from an end face of the end plate.

The automatic pulling coupling has in particular the components shown at the beginning, such as a frog, at least one coupling eye, a coupling lock and / or a main bolt, with the shaft of the air coupling, as explained, being able to be connected thereto.

The invention is to be explained below using an exemplary embodiment and the figures.

Show it:

FIG. 1 shows a radial section through the axis of rotation of an automatic air clutch designed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional plan view of an automatic train coupling with an air coupling according to the invention, which is designed in accordance with the air coupling from FIG.

In FIG. 1, an automatic air coupling according to the invention for a rail vehicle, preferably in the form of a freight wagon, is shown, the view showing a radial section through the axis of rotation 6 of the valve drive 5.

The air coupling has a mouthpiece 1, with which the air coupling can be coupled to an opposing air coupling, in particular to an opposing mouthpiece. The mouthpiece 1 protrudes, for example, from a front plate 11 of a pulling coupling or over this, as indicated by the dashed lines. For example, the mouthpiece 1 has a sleeve 1.1, which is displaceable or deformable in the coupling direction so that the free end of the mouthpiece 1 when two vehicles are coupled, that is, when the two end plates 11 move towards one another and are placed against one another, they are moved back, in particular until they are flush with the end face of the end plate 11. For example, the free end of the mouthpiece 1 is formed by a sleeve 1.2 with a sealing ring 1.3, the sleeve 1.2 correspondingly rests against a sleeve of the mating coupling which is of the same configuration. The sleeve 1.2 can be pushed onto the sleeve 1.1, for example in the form of a rubber tube, and can be acted upon by the illustrated compression spring 1.4 with an axial force in the sense of an extension.

A flow channel 3 adjoins the mouthpiece 1 in the flow direction of the compressed air when compressed air is supplied via the mouthpiece 1, the end facing away from the mouthpiece 1 opening into a compressed air connection 2. A pipe 12 or a hose can be connected to the compressed air connection 2, for example, in order to connect the air coupling to the compressed air system or the main air line of the rail vehicle.

In the area of the end of the flow channel 3 with the compressed air connection 2, a valve 4 is arranged, which comprises a valve body 4.1 and a valve seat 4.2. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the valve seat 4.2 is provided in the area of the connection of the compressed air connection 2. The valve body 4.1 is shown in its open position, in which it is held by the force of the compression spring 13. To bring the valve body 4.1 into its closed position, the valve body 4.1 must be moved across the width of the flow channel 3 until it strikes the valve seat 4.2.

The movement of the valve body 4.1 into its closed position is brought about by the cam 5.2, which is non-rotatably connected to a shaft 5.1. The shaft 5.1 is in turn connected non-rotatably to a main bolt, not shown here, of a coupling lock or another suitable component of the coupling lock. When the drawbar coupling is locked and the main bolt or the other component of the Coupling lock is actuated, the shaft 5.1 is rotated so that the cam 5.2 engages the valve body 4.1 on the side facing away from the valve seat 4.2 and shifts the valve body 4.1 in the direction of the valve seat 4.2.

A further cam 5.3 is provided on the shaft 5.1 of the valve drive 5 and rotates together with the first cam 5.2. This further cam 5.3 serves as an encoder for the position sensor 7.

In the embodiment shown, the cam 5.3 is directly opposite the position sensor 7 in the axial direction of the position sensor 7 or in the radial direction to the axis of rotation 6 of the shaft 5.1 when the shaft 5.1 is in the position that corresponds to an open coupling state, i.e. in which the cam 5.2 is not acts on the valve body 4.1. If, on the other hand, the coupling is closed and the shaft 5.1 has been rotated so that the valve body 4.1 has moved into its closed position, the distance between the second cam 5.3 or the surface of the component forming the cams 5.2, 5.3, in particular the metallic component, is on the Wave 5.1 larger, which can be detected by the position sensor 7. It can thus be reliably determined whether the cam 5.2 or the component 5.2 forming the cam has been rotated into a position in which the cam 5.2 holds the valve body 4.1 in the closed position.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, a second position sensor 7 ′ is provided, which enables redundant monitoring of the position of the cam 5.2 of the valve drive 5. The second position sensor 7 'detects whether the cam 5.2 has approached it and is in its closed position. Accordingly, the signal from the two position sensors 7, 7 'is always in opposite directions, that is, when the position sensor 7 detects a nearby component, the valve drive 5 or the valve body 4.1 is in the open position, and when the position sensor 7' detects a nearby component, is the Valve drive 5 or the valve body 4.1 in the closed position. This enables particularly reliable monitoring of the position to be achieved.

The air coupling has a housing 8 which, in the exemplary embodiment shown, comprises an outer peripheral wall 8.1 and an inner peripheral wall 8.2. The inner circumferential wall 8.2 separates a space in which the valve drive 5 or the cams 5.2, 5.3 are arranged, here called the cam space 10, from the flow channel 3. The outer circumferential wall 8.1 is the outer wall of the housing 8 and closes the flow channel 3 and the cam space 10 radially on the outside, based on the axis of rotation 6. As can be seen, the position sensors 7, 7 'are positioned in that section of the outer circumferential wall 8.1 which the inner peripheral wall 8.2 is diametrically opposite. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the position sensors 7, 7 'are screwed into bores 9 in the outer peripheral wall 8.1.

The flow channel 3 is designed in a flow-optimized manner. This preferably has a free flow cross section for the compressed air with a minimum width of 20 mm, preferably 30 mm or 31.75 mm. The free flow cross section can for example be at least essentially circular. The same also applies to the mouthpiece 1 and the compressed air connection 2, with regard to the minimum width also to the valve 4 when the valve body 4.1 is in the open position.

As a result of the streamlined design, breakdown speeds of 250 m / s and more can be achieved in a main air line that extends over several rail vehicles with automatic air couplings according to the invention and accordingly through the air couplings.

As shown, both the mouthpiece 1 and the compressed air connection 2 are advantageously oriented radially to the axis of rotation 6 with respect to their direction of flow. The flow channel 3 advantageously extends at least in sections or in total arc shape in the circumferential direction and / or tangential direction to the axis of rotation 6.

As can be seen in particular from FIG. 2, which shows an automatic pulling coupling with an end plate 11, the automatic air coupling according to the invention is preferably positioned in the upper middle area in the end plate 11 or above the end plate 11. The cam space 10 (see FIG. 1) is preferably also covered by the housing 8 at the end face to the axis of rotation 6 so that no foreign bodies can penetrate into the housing 8 from above and damage the function of the cams 5.2, 5.3 or the position sensors 7, 7 ' can.

The design of the housing also provides reliable protection against dirt, snow and ice.

List of reference symbols

1 mouthpiece

1.1 sleeve

1.2 socket

1.3 sealing ring

1.4 Compression spring 2 compressed air connections

3 flow channel

4 valve

4.1 valve body

4.2 valve seat

5 valve drive

5.1 wave

5.2 cams

5.3 cams

6 axis of rotation

7, 7 ‘position sensor

8 housing

8.1 outer peripheral wall

8.2 inner peripheral wall

9 hole

10 Cam chamber 11 Front plate 12 Pipeline 13 Pressure spring

Claims

1. Automatic air coupling for a rail vehicle, in particular in the form of a freight wagon, with a mouthpiece (1) for coupling the air coupling to an opposite air coupling; with a compressed air connection (2) for connecting the air coupling to a rail vehicle compressed air system; with a flow channel (3) which connects the mouthpiece (1) to the compressed air connector (2) in a way that conducts compressed air; with a valve (4) which is arranged in the flow channel (3) and has a valve body (4.1) and a valve seat (4.2), the valve body (4.1) being movable between an opening position in which it at least largely or completely releases, and a closed position in which it closes the flow channel (3) pressure-tight; characterized in that a free flow cross-section for the compressed air through the mouthpiece (1), the flow channel (3), the valve (4) in the open position of the valve body (4.1) and the compressed air connection (2) has a minimum width of 20 millimeters.

2. Automatic air coupling according to claim 1, characterized in that the free flow cross-section is at least substantially circular.

3. Automatic air coupling according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the minimum width is 30 millimeters or 31.75 millimeters.

4. Automatic air coupling according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the flow channel (3) is arcuate.

5. Automatic air coupling according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the air coupling comprises a housing (8) which forms the flow channel (3).

6. Automatic air coupling according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a valve drive (5) is provided which acts on the valve body (4.1) at least indirectly to move it from the open position into the closed position and / or from the closed position into the To operate open position; wherein the valve drive (5) comprises a shaft (5.1) which can be rotated about an axis of rotation (6) and is designed for non-rotatable connection to a rail vehicle coupling lock or is formed by a rail vehicle coupling lock and is provided with at least one cam (5.2) which is at least indirectly on the Valve body

(4.1) attacks to operate it.

7. Automatic air coupling according to claim 6, characterized in that the housing (8) seen in a radial section through the axis of rotation (6) has an outer circumferential wall (8.1) and an inner circumferential wall

(8.2), the inner peripheral wall (8.2) separates a cam space (10), in which the at least one cam (5.2, 5.3) is positioned, from the flow channel (3) and the outer peripheral wall (8.1) separates the flow channel (3) and delimits the cam space (10) on the respective radially outer side.

8. Automatic air coupling according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the mouthpiece (1) is aligned with respect to its flow direction radially to the axis of rotation (6) and the compressed air connector (2) is aligned radially to the axis of rotation (6) with respect to its direction of flow.

9. Automatic air coupling according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the flow channel (3) extends at least in sections in an arcuate manner in the circumferential direction and / or tangential direction to the axis of rotation (6).

10. Automatic train coupling for a rail vehicle, in particular in the form of a freight wagon, with an end plate (11) which encloses mechanical coupling components such as a funnel and a cone, and with an air coupling according to one of claims 1 to 9.