HOOD DEVICE FOR COUPLING CARS

Abstract: A hood device for coupling cars in which a hood com­ ponent is divided in a longitudinal direction of car bodies 1, 2 into first and second hood components 3, 4. The first hood component has one end secured to one of the car bodies, while the second hood component has one end secured to the other car body. The other ends of the first and second hood com­ ponents are coupled together when the car bodies are coupled together. Each of the side panels of the hood components includes a fixed panel 14 having one end secured to the other end of corresponding hood component, and a movable panel 15 having one end mounted to the corresponding car body turnably about a substantially vertical axis and the other end portion resiliently urged to be engaged with an inner surface of the fixed panel. The movable panel of one of each pair of side panels substantially aligned with each other in the longitudinal direction of the car bodies when the hood components are coupled together in a normal condition includes an interference preventing member 25 for guiding the latter movable panel to turn inwardly of the hood component about the vertical axis, thereby preventing the latter movable panel from striking against the movable panel substantially aligned therewith when the car bodies 1, 2 are approached exceeding a pre­ determined amount.

Description: HOOD DEVICE FOR COUPLING CARS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hood device for coupling cars for use in railway cars or the like, and more particularly to a hood device for coupling cars which includes an interference prevention means for side panels provided internally of the side portions of hood components. Description of the Prior Art Heretofore, there has been known a hood device for coupling cars in which a hood component is divided into two parts in the longitudinal direction of car bodies to be coupled with each other, thereby constituting a first hood component having one end secured to one car body and a second hood component having one end secured to the other car body, the other ends of both the hood components being interconnected when the car bodies are coupled with each other. Side panels are provided in positions adjacent te both side portions of each of the hood components. Such a hood device for coupling cars is disclosed, by way of example, in the Japanese Patent Publication No. 59-41426. The conventional hood device using a pair of divided hood components as mentioned above has accompanied a problem that, when the coupled cars are abnormally approached exceeding a predetermined amount, the side panels may be damaged due to mutual interference and collision between the side panel of one hood component and that of the other hood component. SUML'UIARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a hood device for coupling cars which can solve the above problem encountered in the prior art, and with which a side panel of one hood component is displaced relative to a side panel of the other hood component to avoid mutual interference therebetween, when car bodies coupled with each other are abnormally approached, thereby preventing damages of the side panels. More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a hood device for coupling cars comprising; a first hood component having one end secured to one of a pair of car bodies to be coupled with each other; the first hood component having side panels disposed internally of and adjacent to both side portions thereof; and a second hood component having one end secured to the other of the pair of car bodies and the other end to be coupled with the other end of the first hood component; the second hood component having side panels disposed internally of and adjacent to both side portions thereof and arranged to be substantially aligned with the side panels of the first hood component in the longitudinal direction of the cars, respectively, when both the hood components are coupled with each other in a normal condition: wherein each of the side panels comprises a fixed panel having one end secured to the other end of corresponding one of the hood components, and a movable panel having one end mounted to the corresponding car body turnably about a substantially vertical axis and the other end urged to be engaged with the inner surface of the fixed panel; and the movable panel of one of each alignment pair of the side panels substantially aligned with each other in the longitudinal direction of the cars when both the hood components are coupled with each other in a normal condition, includes an interference prevention-means for guising the latter movable panel to turn inwardly of the corresponding hood component about the vertical axis, to thereby prevent the latter movable panel from striking against another movable panel substantially aligned therewith, when both the car bodies are approached exceeding a predetermined amount. Other object, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a side view of a hood device for coupling cars according to an embodiment of the present invention with the hood device mounted on car bodies coupled with each other; Fig. 2 is a view of one hood component of the hood device as seen from the rear side toward the front or the car; Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view, partially sectioned, of the hood device of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional view of the hood device as seen from above; Figs. 5 and 6 are a side view and a plan sectional view of a fixed panel, respectively; Figs. 7 and 8 are a side view and a plan sectional view of a movable panel, respectively; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a projection constituting an interference prevention member; and Fig. 10 is a schematic plan sectional view showing the condition of side panels when the coupled cars are abnormally approached. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT There will now be described an embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the drawings. Referring to Fig. 1, designated at reference numerals 1, 2 are car bodies to be coupled with each other. As shown, a pair of first and second hood components 3, 4 divided in the longitudinal direction of the car bodies are mounted between the end faces of the car bodies opposite to each other, and have each a body side metal frame secured to the end face of the associated car body. When the car bodies are moved away from each other by decoupling a pair of couplers 5, 6, the hood components 3, 4 are separated at their divisible opposite faces lying at the centers, while when the couplers 5, 6 are coupled with each other, the hood components 3, 4 are pushed together and interconnected at their divisible opposite faces so as to cover the circumference of a through passage between the car bodies. Each of the hood components 3, 4 includes a hood member 9 including a hood framework and hood cloth for expansion and contraction, the hood member 9 being disposed between a fixed side metal frame 7 secured to the end face of the associated car body and an open side metal frame 8 serving as a free end, as well as a hood pushing unit 10 for urging the open side metal frame 8 forwardly by virture of resilient forces, the hood pushing unit 10 being disposed between the end face of the associated car body and the open side metal frame 8. When the car bodies 1, 2 are coupled, the open end metal frames 8, 8 of both the hood components 3, 4 are pushed against and interconnected to each other by means of the hood pushing units 10, 10. Designated at reference numeral 11 is a hood sling or a metal frame suspender. Within each of the hood components 3, 4, there are provided panels to surround a ceiling portions and both side wall portions of its own through passage as follows. Note that because both the hood components 3, 4 have the same panel construction, the description will be made mainly on the thirst hood component 3. First, a ceiling panel is constructed in separatable fashion such that, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it comprises a fixed ceiling panel 12 fixed at its right end (as viewed in Fig. 3) to the open side metal frame 8 of the hood component 3, and a movable ceiling panel 13 supported at its left end (as seen in Fig. 3) to the end face of the car body 1 and partially covering the panel 12 from above. Side panels will now be described. Each of the side panels are constructed in separatable fashion such that, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it comprises a fixed panel 14 secured at one end thereof to the open end metal frame 8 of the hood component 3 or 4, and a movable panel 15 mounted at one end thereof to the car body turnably about a substantially vertical axis and partially covering the inner surface of the panel 14. Such a side panel is disposed on each of both sides of the through passage. First, the fixed panel 14 of the hood component 3 will be described. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the fixed panel 14 is formed into a rectangular shape having a longitudinal length substantially equal to a half of that of the hood component 3 and a vertical length substantially equal to that of the hood component 3, with a base end thereof (right end as viewed in Fig. 4) being secured to the open side metal frame 8 by means of not shown bolts or the like. Also, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the front portion, i.e., free end portion, of the fixed panel is bent outwardly while extending from substantially from its center The fixed panel 14 is so constructed that, as shown in Fig. 6, an inner plate 17 and an outer plate 18 are secured to a framework 16 at their sides facing the interior and exterior of the through passage, respectively, and a space defined between the inner and outer plates 17, 18 is filled with a sound and heat insulating material. Furthermore, a pair of slide guide plates 20 are bonded to the upper and lower portions of the inner plate 17 on its surface facing the interior of the through passage over the entire length thereof in the longitudinal direction, and a slip-off prevention plate 21 formed of a flexible material such as a hard rubber plate is projected out of the front end of the fixed panel 14. The movable panel 15 of the hood component 3 will now be described. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the movable panel 15 is disposed inside the fixed panel 14 and has its base end (left end as viewed in Fig. 4) mounted to the car body turnably about a vertical axis. A longitudinal length of the movable panel 15 is so selected that its distal end (right end as viewed in Fig. 4) reaches the rectlinear portion of the fixed panel 14. Further, the movable panel 15 has the outer configuration as shown in Fig. 7 and the plan sectional configuration as shown in Fig. 8. The movable panel 15 is also constructed by an inner plate, an outer plate, and a sound and heat insulating material in a like manner to the fixed panel 14. Designated at reference numeral 22 is a hinge member for attaching the movable panel 15 to the car body turnably about a vertical axis. Designated at 23 is a spring for resiliently urging the movable panel 15 to be pushed at its distal end portion against the inner surface of the fixed panel 14. Designated at reference numeral 24 is a roller provided at the distal end of the movable panel 15 on the outer side thereof, which roller is disposed in number of two at vertically spaced positions for abutment with the upper and lower slide guide plates 20 bonded to the fixed panel 14, so that each roller 24 is rolled over the slide guide plate 20 as the fixed panel 14 is moved forth and back. The movable panel 15 includes a pair of interference prevention members 25 secured onto the outer surface thereof in vertically spaced positions, each of which members 25 is consitituted in the form of a projection projecting outwardly, i.e., toward the adjacent fixed panel, as shown in Figs. 4, 7 and 8. As shown in Fig. 3, the members 25 are located at positions vertically deviated from the slip-off prevention plates 21 and hence they do not engage with the latter. Each interference prevention member 25 is so constructed that, as shown in Fig. 9, a bar material is bent into a substantially triangle shape in plan view, which is secured to a base plate 26, and then the base plate 26 is in turn secured to the outer surface of the movable panel 15. The interference prevention member 25 is provided on only one of the movable panels 15, 15 of the hood components 3, 4 located opposite to and aligned with each other in the longitudinal direction. The member 25 is at a location not engaged with the inner surface of the adjacent fixed panel 14 when the hood components are coupled with each other in a normal condition. However, the member 25 is moved in such a manner that, immediately before the distal ends of both the opposite movable panels 15, 15 strike against each other, the interference prevention member 25 rides over the rectlinear portion of the adjacent fixed panel 14, thereby causing the distal end of the movable panel 15 having the interference prevention member 25 to be escaped inwardly of another movable panel 15 disposed opposite to and aligned with the former movable panel. Operation of this embodiment will be described below. In a normal condition where the car bodies 1, 2 are coupled with each other on straight railroads, the respective fixed panels 14 are arranged, as shown in Fig. 4, parallel to the longitudinal center axis 0 of the car bodies with one end of each fixed panel 14 of the first hood component 3 disposed opposite to one end of the corresponding fixed panel 14 of the second hood component 4. The respective movable panels 15 are likewise positioned parallel to the longitudinal center axis 0 with their distal ends locating in contact with the inner surfaces of the adjacent fixed panels 14. When the car bodies 1, 2 are subjected pitching, the side panels follow the pitching with their fixed panels 14 and the movable panels 15 being vertically displaced relative to each other. Next, when the car bodies 1, 2 are passing over curved railroads, the movable panels 15 are each turned about the hinge member 22 lying in a vertical axis, thereby following lateral movements (vertical movements as seen in Fig. 4) of the fixed panels 14 to cope with passage of the car bodies over the curved railroads. At this time, because the rollers 24 of the movable panels 15 are rolled on the slide guide plates 20 of the fixed panels 14 relative displacements between the movable and fixed panels are effected smoothly. During the foregoing operation, when the distal end of the movable panel 15 is slipped out of the distal end of the fixed panel 14 due to abnormal extension of the hood components, the roller 24 provided at a bracket 30 (Fig. 8) projecting from the distal end or free end of the movable panel 15 forwardly, i.e., toward the open side metal frame 8, is engaged with a slip-off prevention plate 21 projecting from the distal end of the slide guide plate 20 forwardly, i.e., in the direction opposite to the metal frame 8, so that the engagement between both the panels 14 and 15 will never be released. Further, during passage of the car bodies along the curved railroads by way of example, when the hood components are too contracted so that the distal ends of both the opposite movable panels 15, 15 would be abnormally approached to make interference on the contracted side of the hood components, the interference prevention member 25 rides over the rectlinear portion of the adjacent fixed panel 14 causing the distal end of the movable panel 15 having the interference prevention member 25 to be escaped inwardly of the distal end of another movable panel 15 opposite to the former movable panel, as shown in Fig. 10, thereby preventing damages of both those movable panels 15, 15 due to their mutual collision. According to the present invention, as fully described above, it becomes possible to prevent interference between the movable panels and hence to prevent damages thereof, when the successive car bodies are abnormally approached to each other.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A hood device for coupling cars comprising; a first hood component having one end secured to one of a pair of car bodies to be coupled with each other; said first hood component having side panels disposed internally of and adjacent to both side portions thereof; and a second hood component having one end secured to the other of said pair of car bodies and the other end to be coupled with the other end of said first hood component; said second hood component having side panels disposed internally of and adjacent to both side portions thereof and arranged to be substantially aligned with the side panels of said first hood component in the longitudinal direction of the cars, respectively, when both said hood components are coupled with each other in a normal condition: wherein each of said side panels comprises a fixed panel having one end secured to said other end of corresponding one of said hood components, and a movable panel having one end mounted to the corresponding car body turnably about a substantially vertical axis and the other end urged to be engaged with the inner surface of said fixed panel; and the movable panel of one of each alignment pair of said side panels substantially aligned with each other in the longitudinal direction of the cars when both said hood components are coupled with each other in a normal condition, includes an interference prevention means for guiding the latter movable panel to turn inwardly of the corresponding hood component about the vertical axis, to thereby prevent the latter movable panel from striking against the movable panel substantially aligned therewith, when both said car bodies are approached exceeding a predetermined amount. 2. A hood device for coupling cars according to claim 1, wherein the fixed panel of each of said side panels has a portion substantially linearly extending from the other end of the hood component including said fixed panel in the longitudinal direction of the cars, and a free end portion extending from the distal end of said linearly extending portion and bent laterally outwardly with respect to said hood component, and wherein said interference prevention means includes a projection provided on the outer surface of the movable panel disposed internally of and adjacent to said fixed panel, said projection being at a location not engaged with the inner surface of said fixed panel when both said hood components are coupled with each other in a normal condition, and being engaged with the linearly extending portion of said fixed panel to turn said movable panel inwardly, when both said hood components are approached exceeding a predetermined amount.

Inventors: ANDO, ROKURO, HATANO, MIKIO
Applicants: NARITA SEISAKUSHO MFG., LTD.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B61D17
IPC codes: B61D17, E04C2