GB147963A - Improvements in or relating to automatic couplers and safety indicators therefor forrailway vehicles and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

147,963. Boonzaier, W. G. Jan. 21, 1919. Draw-gear; combined buffer and draw-gear; couplings, automatic, and applications of indicators to.-In a coupling for railway and like vehicles of the type, such as described in Specification 29133/12, having hook-link coupling-members on each vehicle, means are provided for adjusting the position of the coupling-members, for effecting tight coupling by mechanism operating in conjunction with the buffers, for uncoupling tightly coupled vehicles, and for visually indicating whether the coupling is in an operative or inoperative position. The coupling-member 1, Fig. 1, of each vehicle is hinged to an horizontal transverse shaft 2 movable parallel to the horizontal axis of the vehicle, and supported in the operative position on a central crank portion 14, Fig. 2, of a second transverse shaft 15, which is rotated so as to allow the coupling-member to drop for uncoupling purposes. The shaft 2 is connected with the draw-bar b of the vehicle by a bracket 6 through the intermediary of a rotary spindle 8 and a sleeve 7, which have a screw-threaded engagement, so that, by rotating the spindle 8 by means of a rotary transverse shaft 11 and bevel-gearing 9, 10, the shaft 2 can be moved forwards or backwards, for uncoupling tightly coupled vehicles or for tightening coupled vehicles. In this operation the coupling member 1 is constrained to move parallel with the track by the engagement of a wedge projection 1<a> having an horizontal under surface with the crank portion 14, which may either be integral with or angularly adjustable on the shaft 15. In order to obtain automatically a tight coupling, the shanks d of the buffers are arranged to contact with pivoted levers 22, the inner ends of which abut against a portion of the draw-bar b. Thus, when two vehicles approach and the buffers contact, the draw-bars b and with them the shafts 2 and coupling-members 1 are forced outwardly and the draw-bar springs e are compressed; when the buffing pressure is relieved, the springs e tend to retract the draw-bars and coupling-members, whereby a tight coupling is ensured. The operating cranks or handles 15<a> of the shaft 15 are adapted to engage either shallow or deep slots 20, 21 in a T-slotted plate 19, Fig. 3, corresponding to the operative and inoperative positions of the coupling members 1. Connected with the handles 15a by means of links 17 and levers 25 are indicator disks 26, which project from the sides of the vehicles when the coupling-members are in their lowered or inoperative positions. In a modification the continuous draw-bar b is replaced by short draw-bars to which the shafts 2 are connected through shafts 3 and brackets, and the threaded sleeves 7 are carried by the draw-bar instead of by the shafts 3. In a further modification, the shaft 3 and draw-bar b are entirely separate, the rotatable spindle 8 being mounted in a bearing in the vehicle frame, and the inner ends of the levers 22 bearing against a collar on the shaft 3. In another construction, Fig. 16, the levers 22 are replaced by a vertical lever 48, one end of which contacts with the rear end of the shank g of a central coupling- buffer, while the other end abuts against the end of the spindle 8. A spring 47 located around a slidable shaft 42 takes up the active pull on the coupling. In a further modification, Fig. 17, the lever 48 is replaced by two bent levers 51, the inner ends of which contact at 50 with the spindle 8, while the outer ends are connected to a bar 67, bearing against the shank g..