Coupling assembly between two successive wagon structures and a common bogie

An assembly for coupling to the same bogie the opposite ends of two successive wagon structures having a "V"-shaped front end (18) articulated on the bogie and an open rear end (13) consisting of two parallel arms (14, 15) has a pivoting cross member (26) on the bogie integrated with the "V"-shaped front end of the first wagon structure by which the preceding wagon structure is coupled, the pivoting cross member (26) comprising at each of its ends a receiving support (30, 31) equipped with an immobilizing device for each of the ends of the arms of the rear end (13) of the preceding wagon structure. The ends of the arms (14, 15) each have a junction structure cooperating with each receiving support.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a coupling assembly between two successive 
wagon structures and a common bogie. 
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The considerable development of road transport in industrialized countries 
has obliged industry to find means for rapid rail/road conversion and vice 
versa or for transportation of totally or partially constituted road units 
in order to relieve the road network without losing the advantages of road 
transport. 
French Patent Application Nos. 91 10590, 92 02763 and 92 02764 in the name 
of the Applicant relate to a wagon structure with an underslung base 
equipped with integral lifting means and means for coupling the adjacent 
ends of two successive wagon structures to one and the same bogie, 
permitting the implementation of various loading and unloading procedures 
in a handling area or a marshalling yard. 
The wagon structure described in these applications exhibits most of the 
numerous advantages desired, in particular simplicity of construction, as 
well as lateral transfer possibilities. 
However, the couplings between the wagon structures and the approach, 
joining and locking maneuvers require precise, delicate handling demanding 
a certain skill and sustained attention. In fact, coupling of each rear 
end of a wagon structure to the bogie requires centering prior to fitting. 
This detracts from the speed and security of transfer, handling and 
train-forming operations. 
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention enables these disadvantages to be remedied in a 
manner which will satisfy all the demands relating to this type of wagon 
structure. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
To this end, the invention relates to a coupling assembly between 
successive wagon structures and a common bogie, each wagon structure 
comprising, on the one hand, a front end formed by two branches converging 
to a point, and an open rear end defined by two parallel arms in the 
manner of a side sill. A common articulated assembly on the pivotally 
receives the front end point and a pivoting cross member comprising at 
each of its ends a receiving support for the arms of the open rear end of 
the preceding structure, the arms having at their ends junction means 
cooperating with the receiving supports with a view to the rapid coupling 
of the rear end. 
The means for establishing and maintaining the connection with the 
preceding wagon structure comprises, at each end of the pivoting cross 
member, a resiliently returnable transverse immobilizing pin emerging 
transversely from each receiving support and a receiving and extraction 
mechanism at each of the ends of the rear end arms of the preceding wagon 
structure. 
In this way, the coupling and uncoupling maneuvers are both simpler and 
quicker. In fact, the need for effecting the correspondence of members or 
mechanical parts before the coupling stage has been totally dispensed with 
.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The coupling assembly according to the invention is designed for particular 
wagon structures, in particular of the type described in the 
above-mentioned prior applications. 
This type of structure is a load-bearing structure fulfilling railroad 
standards and designed to be coupled in a separable manner by each of its 
ends to the opposite ends of preceding and succeeding adjoining structures 
and by an interface to a common bogie, the bogie interface being identical 
for all the bogies on the same railroad train. 
In a manner which is non-limiting and non-restrictive in application, and 
for reasons of clarity and sufficiency of description, we shall firstly 
describe below the general bogie interface means which are the subject 
matter of a parallel protection and which are capable of receiving at 
their ends, in a separable manner, the wagon structure according to the 
invention, and at the same time the general characteristics of this wagon 
structure. 
A front bogie 1 or rear bogie 2 traditionally comprises two axles 3 and 4 
which optionally carry brake disks. 
The ends of the axles are mounted in bearing boxes such as 5 and 6 
supporting paired blocks 7 and 8 forming, with various other mechanical 
elements, an underframe which is not shown in detail. This underframe 
conventionally supports at least one ball joint known as a center-casting 
9. 
This ball joint commonly receives in a pivotal manner, the lower end 
structure of the conventional wagon supported by the bogie. 
For reasons of drawing clarity, only the main structures of the bogies have 
been shown in the Figures. Thus, certain existing mechanical linkage 
supports are not visible. 
This common bogie interface, adaptable to all current railroad rolling 
stock, is used to articulate and connect the front and rear ends of two 
successive wagon structures to one and the same bogie through the 
intermediary of the coupling according to the invention. 
There now follows a brief description, with reference to FIG. 1, of a wagon 
structure for integration into a train between two like structures and for 
mounting on the two bogies, front bogie 1 and rear bogie 2, through the 
intermediary of couplings according to the invention. 
The structure comprises two side members 10 and 11 connected together at 
the level of their base by an underslung base 17. 
The side members are extended towards the rear end 13 at a higher level by 
two parallel arms 14 and 15 in the manner of side sills, defining with 
their edges adjoining the side members and the transverse base end, an 
access opening 16 for a load. 
The general construction of the rear end visible in the Figures is such 
that the opening plane thereof is set back considerably with respect to 
the ends of the arms. 
Thus, the rear transverse edge 17 of the base 12 is displaced forwardly so 
as to permit the tractor of a semitrailer truck to remain on the ground 
during loading and unloading. 
The side members are extended towards the front end 18 by two converging 
branches 19 and 20 arranged approximately at the same higher level as the 
rear end arms. They effect a general "V" shape, converging to a forwardly 
directed point 21 in a median zone determined by the general vertical 
median plane of the wagon structure and an upper horizontal plane which 
may be that defined by the two higher parallel edges of the side members. 
The bifurcated "V"-shaped front end 18 is firmly connected to a common 
central articulated pivoting assembly 22 with a common geometric axis 23 
as seen in FIG. 5. This articulated assembly 22 shown schematically in 
FIG. 5 comprises a cylindrical pivot 24 to which is firmly connected the 
point 21 of the "V"-shaped front end 18 and on which is pivotally mounted 
an internal joint 25 of the simple rolling contact type or with 
ball-effect rolling contact, the articulated assembly 22 being mounted on 
the center-casting 9. 
A pivoting cross member 26 is integrated mechanically into the front end 
18, this front end being effected by two spaced plates 27 and 28 kept 
separated by a strut 29 and mounted on the common articulated assembly 22, 
and the pivoting cross member 26 is also mounted on this articulated 
assembly 22 by the internal joint 25 and is accommodated in the space 
between the two plates 27 and 28 of the front end 18. 
According to the embodiment used as the basic variant, the two plates 27 
and 28 forming the front end 18 are firmly connected to the cylindrical 
pivot 24 which itself pivots with respect to the bogie. 
In an elaborated version the front end 18 may be separable from the 
articulated assembly 22. 
The internal joint 25 facilitates the pivoting movements made by the cross 
member. As indicated, this joint 25 may have an additional degree of 
freedom by being of the mixed pivot/ball type so as to permit slight 
inclined deflections such as those caused by rocking and pitching 
movements. 
The pivoting cross member 26 thus has mechanical degrees of freedom, in 
particular for independent pivoting movements. However, it is sandwiched 
between the two spaced plates 27 and 28 at the front end 18 and limited in 
angular deflection by the strut 29. 
As mentioned above, the pivoting joint of the end of the load-bearing 
structure and the upper and lower joints have a common axis 23. 
At each of its ends the pivoting cross member 26 comprises a receiving 
support 30, 31 enabling the establishment, maintenance and separation of 
the junction between the ends of the pivoting cross member and the ends 
32, 33 of the arms of the rear end of an adjoining wagon structure to be 
ensured. 
Each receiving support 30, 31 is formed as a cradle 34 or receptacle 35 of 
bent sheet metal, as seen in FIG. 6, and in each of which there emerges a 
transverse pin such as 36, as seen in FIG. 8, which is mounted so as to be 
movable transversely and resiliently in a reciprocably biased manner 
towards its extended position. Each cradle or receptacle 34 and 35 effects 
the general shape of a gutter, on the one hand, with inclined lower inlet 
ramps 37 and, on the other hand, with converging lateral inlet ramps 38, 
39 to the right and left. 
Owing to the guiding function performed thereby, these ramps permit 
engagement and positioning in the same movement of the ends of the arms in 
the receiving supports and slight automatic height adjustment of the ends 
of the side sills so as to bring them to the same level as the pivoting 
cross member, that is to say into the rolling position. 
In a simplified variant, the front end 18 is formed of a single plate and 
may be vertically separated from the bogie. In this case, the cross member 
is free since it is not sandwiched and loading/unloading by vertical 
separation applies fully. 
We shall now examine in more detail, with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8, the 
junction means provided at the end of each arm of the side sill and 
designed to cooperate with the receiving/immobilizing means provided at 
each of the ends of the pivoting cross member with a view to establising a 
separable connection. 
First of all, the receiving/immobilizing means comprise the receiving 
supports and the transverse immobilizing pins such as 36 which are movable 
transversely between a retracted position and an extended position towards 
which they are compelled by a return spring. 
Each immobilizing pin may have a cylindrical body 40 sliding in a 
cylindrical receptacle 41 and a head with two bevelled edges 42 and 43, 
which are slightly inclined for example, as shown in FIG. 7. In this 
Figure, it is also possible to see a guiding rod 44 and a receptacle 45 in 
which there is mounted a return spring (not shown). 
The junction means themselves relate firstly to the converging shape of the 
ends of each arm of the side sill formed, for example, by a plurality of 
ramps converging towards a tapered end 46. 
In each of these ends there is accommodated an engagement/extraction 
mechanism such as 47 visible in FIGS. 6 and 8. 
It comprises a receiving member 48 in the aperture of which there engages 
the immobilizing pin 36 and a disengaging device formed of a rocker 49 
actuated by an articulated member 50 with an adjustable connecting rod 51 
or the like. The rocker 49 comprises an angled disengaging member 52 which 
is pivotably articulated on the one hand to a pivoting shaft 53 and on the 
other hand to the end of the connecting rod 51 by a pivotable lateral 
rod-end strap 54. 
Support of the end of the bent angled disengaging member 52 on the head of 
the retractable immobilizing pin 36 permits extraction of the receiving 
member 48 and freeing of the corresponding end of the side sill. Complete 
separation is then effected by short longitudinal displacement. 
Owing to these automatic junction means and receiving/immobilizing means 
with mechanical disengagement, at the time of performing the coupling 
operations, the multiple precentering adjustments required with devices 
featuring guide pin centering, for example, are avoided. In fact, the 
height adjusts automatically and centering/guiding is ensured by the inlet 
ramps provided at the ends of the receiving supports and at the tapered 
end of each arm. 
In order to permit pivoting and a first height adjustment of one or the 
other end or of both ends simultaneously, the wagon structure optionally 
comprises, in the vicinity of its ends, individual, preferably autonomous, 
lifting means optionally with or without integral rolling, for example 
props 55, 56 provided at each of the ends of each side member, at a single 
end of the wagon structure or at both ends thereof, as seen in FIG. 4. 
The type of prop envisaged is that of a retractable and extendable, for 
example telescopic, prop. The props may he hydraulic or even manually 
actuated. 
To permit totally autonomous displacement of the train wagon structure by 
oblique transverse movement, it is possible to provide the base of each 
prop 55, 56 with directional or fixed axis rolling means. 
In the case of a fixed axis, the constant general direction thereof is 
radial, that is to say passing through the pivot center. 
According to an advantageous embodiment, it is possible to combine these 
rolling means with extendable props. 
Thus, the lower ends of the props are mounted on a pivoting roller table. 
To permit the loading of standard or non-standard containers, it is 
possible to provide, on the upper edges of the side members, twistlocks 
such as are shown in FIG. 3 at 57 and 58 interacting with the lower corner 
members of the containers with a view to their firm connection with the 
wagon structure. 
In order to admit large containers, four additional twistlocks are 
provided, two of which are at the front, such as 59, and two of which are 
at the back, such as 60, as seen in FIG. 1. These twistlocks are supported 
by a retractable plate which permits the assembly to retract into the wall 
of each of the ends of each of the side members. 
In general, several methods of proceeding with the loading/unloading 
operations are possible with the rail transport unit coupled by the 
coupling assembly according to the invention. 
The following loading/unloading methods may be distinguished. 
First mention is of linear or longitudinal loading/unloading, according to 
which the series of rail transport units is separated at the level of the 
couplings between load bearing structures without any other movement than 
that of longitudinal connection and disconnection of the junction means. 
Thereafter, mention may be made of oblique loading/unloading, according to 
which the rear ends of the load bearing railroad structures are disengaged 
from the neighboring supporting structure by a retraction/disengagement 
movement followed by one of rotation as far as an obliquely displaced 
position permitting oblique longitudinal penetration into the load bearing 
structure through its transverse end opening with a view to its 
loading/unloading. 
Final mention is of vertical loading/unloading by an external handling 
means possible in the case of a variant with a separable front end and 
more particularly with a single plate front end. 
The various methods of loading/unloading will be described in more detail 
below. 
The first method relates to linear or longitudinal loading/unloading. 
This method of loading/unloading requires a loading area with rails 
integrated into the ground. 
According to this method, the rail transport unit is connected or 
disconnected by a longitudinal, horizontal displacement movement of its 
open end effected by external means. The road haulage unit is loaded or 
unloaded, either directly along linear load bearing displacement 
structures, or indirectly through the intermediary of one or more 
transverse mobile load bearing structures on which rests the road train. 
The oblique loading/unloading operations will now be examined, which enable 
all these operations to be effected without any modification to the 
railroad train, that is to say independently of the other railroad units 
which it may comprise. 
Loading/unloading is effected by moving the rear end into an oblique 
position after disconnection from the neighboring load bearing structure 
by any means, for example by props, then oblique displacement by rolling 
along the loading platform, during which operation the load bearing 
structure pivots as a unit about its front end, gaining pivotal support 
from the front bogie. 
After loading of a road vehicle, for example, the load bearing structure is 
brought laterally back towards its starting position by a pivoting 
movement of the assembly in the same manner as previously done but in 
reverse order. 
The lifting means, for example integral in the form of props, raise the 
front ends of the side members, and position them opposite the 
connecting/locking means of the front end of the subsequent load bearing 
structure. 
After coupling and locking, the load bearing structure is ready in the 
train with its new load for railroad transport. 
All unloading operations are effected in a reverse order as those of the 
loading operations. 
On the other hand, owing to the means of lifting the two ends, when 
provided, it is possible to deposit the wagon structure by transverse or 
longitudinal displacement in the case of vertically separable variants 
also at the front end. 
The means for lifting the rear end, such means being integral with the 
wagon structure or thereof, permit, after opening of the additional safety 
bolts (not shown), disconnection of the junction means and the achievement 
of the disconnection of the wagon structure from the bogie interface. A 
rotational movement about the front end ensures disengagement of the rear 
end by oblique displacement. 
The front end is then disconnected and brought out of the alignment of the 
train. 
The simplest, most conventional method relates to vertical disconnection 
and transportation by an external lifting appliance which is only possible 
here with the vertically separable variants. 
It is sufficient, to free possible blockages or locking, to disconnect the 
junction means from the ends of the adjoining wagon structures and to 
effect slight longitudinal displacement (elaborated variant), then to lift 
the assembly by a lifting appliance whose gripping elements and members 
are based on technical forms and structures specially provided to this 
end. 
This lifting of the assembly permits the extraction from the train of the 
rail transport unit with its load, the same elsewhere while waiting, or 
insertion with its load into another railroad train. 
Means of lifting the two ends permit the removal for the wagon structure by 
transverse or longitudinal displacement. 
The above-described means offer the possibility of selecting and effecting 
the loading/unloading method best suited to the load (container, 
road-haulage unit or the like) and to the design of the yard handling 
area, of the train and of the constraints and peculiarities of the 
marshalling operation. 
It goes without saying that various obvious modifications and simple 
variants come within the scope of the present invention beyond the 
above-described means. It is therefore to be understood that within the 
scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced 
otherwise than as specifically described herein.