GB2118505A

GB2118505A - A coupling device for automatically connecting air lines of rail vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2118505A
Application number: GB08310234A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hilmar Forster; Ernst Vahldiek
Original assignee: Scharfenbergkupplung GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Voith Turbo Scharfenberg GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1982-04-17
Filing date: 1983-04-15
Publication date: 1983-11-02
Also published as: FR2525170B1; AT375314B; NL8203613A; DE3214173C2; SE8300310L; SE455691B; DE3214173A1; NL189243C; GB8310234D0; FR2525170A1; ATA335382A; NL189243B; BE894525A; SE8300310D0; GB2118505B; DD211524A1

Abstract

In order to tow a rail vehicle equipped with a draw-hook (1) by a vehicle equipped with a shunting coupling, (10), it is necessary to automatically connect the brake air lines (9, 17) of the two vehicles. For this purpose, a coupling device is provided comprising a male (11) and a female component (2). The two components (2, 11) are elastically suspended from the draw-hook (1) and the shunting coupling (10) respectively for axial alignment during coupling and to compensate for transverse movements at the mechanical connection of the shunting coupling (10) and the draw-hook (1). Longitudinal play it, the mechanical connection of the two components is compensated for by means of a hollow piston (14) which is axially displaceable in a bore in the male component (11) and the end of which is held in a cup-shaped mouth (3) of the female component (2) exclusively by the air pressure in the brake air line. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A coupling device for automatically connecting air lines of vehicles The present invention relates to a coupling device for automatically connecting the brake air line of a vehicle, e.g. a rail vehicle, equipped with a drawhook to that of a similar vehicle equipped with a shunting coupling for towing purposes, the coupling members on the two vehicles being formed as male and female components respectively.

The connection of the brake air line of the vehicle equipped with a draw-hook and that of the vehicle equipped with a shunting coupling is effected manually by a service employee who couples the air lines together by way of a bayonet connection, or the like.

Although, with automatic central buffer couplings, it is known to effect the air line coupling simultaneously with the connection of the central buffer coupling, this assumes that the central buffer couplings and thus also the air line couplings are of identical design. Moreover, the sealing of the air line couplings to one another is effected by the compression of the central buffer couplings relative to one another. However, in the case of shunting couplings, this does not occur since, because of the design of the draw-hook, there is no possibility of obtaining a coupling which is free from play.

It is an object of the present invention to provide the shunting coupling and the draw-hook with an air line coupling device which is not affected by longitudinal play during shunting ortowing.

According to the invention, there is provided a coupling device for automatically connecting the brake air line of a first vehicle equipped with a draw-hook to that of a second vehicle equipped with a shunting coupling, said device comprising a tubular female component, the interior of which communicates with the air line of said first vehicle, and which component is elastically carried by the draw-hook of said first vehicle, and a male component, elastically carried by said shunting coupling, and in the form of a tubular housing connected to the air line of said second vehicle and having an axially-displaceable tubular piston therein, the arrangement being such that, on coupling of said vehicles, connection between said male and female components to connect the brake air lines of said two vehicles is effected exclusively by the engagement of the end of said piston in a mouth portion formed at the adjacent end of said female component.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be further described with reference to the drawing, in which Figure 1 is a schematic side view, partly in section, of a coupling device according to the invention in the ready-for-coupling position; and Figure 2 is a similar view to that of Figure 1, but showing the coupling device in the coupled position.

Atubularfemale component 2 is connected to a draw-hook 1 carried by a first rail vehicle, to form an axial extension of the articulation of the draw-hook 1 to the rail vehicle. The component 2 forms one component of a coupling device according to the invention and is connected to the draw-hook 1 in an elastic manner and so as to be horizontally pivotable. At its free end the female component 2 has a mouth 3 which extends conically outwards. The component 2 is horizontally mounted in a plate 4 of rubber or like elastic material which is supported by a respective clip 5 on either side and by a circular flange 2a formed on the female component 2. The clips 5 are each pivotally mounted at one end on a bolt 6 passing through an eye 7 in the draw-hook 1, so that the other ends are inclined forwards to the perpendicular.With this mounting, the female component 2 is located in the perpendicular longitudinal central plane of the draw-hook 1 and spaced from the latter. The female component 2 is provided with a connection 8 for the end of a brake air pipe 9.

A male component 11 is arranged for connection to the female component 2 at the head of the shunting coupling 10 of a second rail vehicle and in the perpendicular longitudinal central plane thereof.

This male component comprises a tubular housing 12 in which a piston 14 having a central bore 13 is mounted so as to be axially displaceable. The piston 14 is so designed that the piston head 15 covers an opening 16 for the ingress of air from the brake air pipe 17 and that the cross-sectional area of the bore 13 is smaller than that of the opening 16. The piston 14 is maintained in its initial position by biassing means, in this case a compression spring 18.The housing 12 is attached to the head of the shunting coupling 10 in that an arm 19 is fixed to the housing 12 so as to extend upwardly, whilst a support member 20 is fixed to the shunting coupling 10 so as to extend downwardly, the arm 19 and the support member 20 being connected to one another by means of one or more pads 21 of rubber or like elastic material, in such a way that when the shunting coupling 10 is to be coupled, the male component 11 and the female component 2 are arranged approximately on a common axis.

When the shunting coupling 10 engages into the mouth of the draw-hook 1, these two components are aligned relative to one another, that is to say that, between their pivot bearings located on the respective rail vehicles, the draw-hook 1 and the shunting coupling 10 form an axial unit, even when the coupling is on a curve in the track, or the like. The male and female components 11 and 12 are thus similarly axially aligned with respect to one another and a gap, albeit small, remains between them.

When the air valve on the shunting coupling 10 is opened, the air acts first on the surface of the piston head 15 and thus forces the piston 14 against the action of the spring 18 back into the mouth 3 of the female component 2, where, because of a sealing ring 22 located at the bottom of the mouth 3 against which the rear end of the piston bears, and the small cross-sectional area of the bore 13 relative to that of the opening 16, it is maintained in this position and the air flows through the bore 13, the female component 2, and the brake pipe 9 of the other vehicle. When towing has been completed, the air valve is closed and the piston 14 is returned to its starting position by the compression spring 18.

Claims

1. A coupling device for automatically connecting the brake air line of a first vehicle equipped with a draw-hook to that of a second vehicle equipped with a shunting coupling, said device comprising a tubular female component, the interior of which communicates with the air line of said first vehicle, and which component is elastically carried by the draw-hook of said first vehicle, and a male component, elastically carried by said shunting coupling, and in the form of a tubular housing connected to the air line of said second vehicle and having an axially-displaceable tubular piston therein, the arrangement being such that, on coupling of said vehicles, connection between said male and female components to connect the brake airlines of said two vehicles is effected exclusively by the engagement of the end of said piston in a mouth portion formed at the adjacent end of said female component.

2. A coupling device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said female component is suspended on the draw-hook by means of a plate of rubber or like elastic material which is supported on either side by a respective clip mounted at one end in an eye in the draw-hook and by an annular flame on the outer surface of said female component, the ends of said clips remote from said draw-hook eye being inclined forwards relative to the perpendicular.

3. A coupling device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the head of said piston covers an opening in said male componentforthe ingress of air from the air line of said second vehicle, the cross-sectional area of the central bore of said piston being smaller than that of said opening, and said piston being passed towards the position in which the head thereof covers said opening.

4. A coupling device as claimed in Claim 4, wherein said piston is biassed by a compression spring.

5. Acoupling device as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the tubular housing of said male component carries an upwardly-directed arm, and said shunting coupling carries a downwardly-directed support, said arm and said support being connected to one another by means of one or more pads of rubber or like elastic material.

6. A coupling device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the drawing.