GB1086957A - Railway vehicle automatic coupling - Google Patents

Abstract

1,086,957. Railway vehicle automatic couplings. DEUTSCHE REICHSBAHN. Oct. 14, 1964, No. 41984/64. Heading B7T. An automatic coupler-is provided with a block 2, Figs. 1, 2, mounting an air feed conduit 3, electrical contacts 4, an air brake conduit 5, a guide horn 6 and provided with a recess 7. The lower side of the block 2 has a bolt 9, Fig. 11 on which is pivoted a lever 8 adapted to engage with a lever 8 on a similar mating coupler. The lever part N rests against a bolt K of a control valve 37, the bore of which valve contains a projecting plunger 10. The block 2 terminates in a shaft 13 having a surface 14 reacting against a spring-loaded lever 17, Fig. 5 (not shown), which normally holds the block in a coupling position, but the whole block can be drawn back by releasing a bolt 22 and pulling on a handle 23 attached to a lever 21, and in addition the block 2 may be pivoted to the side. In Fig. 6 the air conduit 3 terminates in a ring 24 and an internally sprung valve 26, and is screwthreaded to a piston 25 able to move in a cylinder 27. An insulating disc 28 on the piston mounts contacts 30. A spring 29 presses the housing 2 against the piston 25. The air conduit 5, Fig. 7, can be either complete with the block 2 or provided with a displaceable piston mouth (60), Fig. 16 (not shown), and a spring- pressed locking valve 33 constructed as a piston. In the control of the piston 25, the conduit 3, the valve 33 and the air braking conduit 5, use is made of the slide valve 37 having a reduced portion 39 which may be connected via ducts 40, 41, 42 to the conduit 5, the chamber 43, Fig. 7, and the chamber 27 respectively. In the uncoupled position Figs. 6, 7, air from the conduit 5 is ducted to chamber 43 where it closes the valve 33, and in this position the chamber 27 is vented to atmosphere and the relief valve 26 closes the conduit 3. When coupling up to the position of Figs. 9, 10 (not shown), the blocks 2 come together and the plungers 10 and valves 37 are displaced and air flows through the various ducts to open the valves permitting air to flow from one conduit 5 to another via valves 33, and the pistons 25 are moved forward to abut and open the valves 26 and close the contacts 30 and connect the conduits 3. If the couplings accidentally uncouple and the blocks 2 move apart the slide valves 37 remain in the coupled-up position, in the absence of a restoring force as the spring 38 is not compressed, and air will emerge from 5 into the atmosphere to produce rapid braking. In service line uncoupling, Fig. 11, whilst the traction and buffing jaws are still engaged the displacement of the control slide valve 37 is brought about by pulling on a cable 65 and pivoting the control lever 8 which also pivots the lever 8 on the mating coupler. The lever 8 compresses a spring 46 and an end N of the lever, moves against a bolt K on the valve 37, and returns the valve to its pre-coupled position. The lever 8 also carries a spring-biased pawl 47 which can turn on a shaft 48, the end of the pawl near the valve 37 being moved downwardly by and finally engaging with a pin F so that when the lever 8 and; pawl 47 complete the movements the spring 38 is compressed and the parts held as in Fig. 12 (not shown) by the lever 8 and the pawl 47 the service valves being thus closed by the slide valve control. When the couplings move apart, the cable may be released but the valve 37 is held in the Fig. 12 position. The plunger 10, however, is moved outwardly by the spring 38, the pin F releases the pawl 47, and the lever 8 is returned by the spring 46, so that the parts return to the Figs. 6 and 7 position. The levers 8 can be operated by the cable 65 to secure the slide valve 37 and hold the valves closed and the contacts 30 retracted so that the coupler may be used as a buffer. The block 2, see Fig. 13 (not shown), can be moved by engagement of a lever (53) with the guide horn of a mating coupler from an idle retracted position to a forward or ready position, or the same effect may be obtained by abutment of the buffing jaw with a vertical lever (54), Figs. 14, 15 (not shown). The springs (19) in these latter embodiments may however be replaced by an air cylinder. In a modification, Fig. 16 (not shown), the ring (32) is displaceably mounted on an airoperated piston.