Patent GB-446907-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to automatic couplers for railway or like vehicles
IPC: B61G7/08
Filed: 1934-11-07
Abstract: 446,907. Railway-vehicle couplings. UNION-KUPPLUNG AKT.-GES., 33, Boulevard Royal, Luxemburg. Nov. 7, 1934, No. 32026. Convention date, Nov. 13, 1933. [Class 103 (v)] In an automatic buffer coupling in which the heads are guided into contact by two diametrically opposed projections on the head having inclined surfaces forming horizontal and vertical directing surfaces a symmetrical arrangement is provided of the planes of the directing surfaces and also of the independent buffer surfaces which latter solely take up the buffer forces. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, the automatic coupling head is provided with two projections having directing surfaces 3, 4 and 3<1>, 4<1> inclined to the horizontal and vertical planes respectively and meeting in flat or inclined buffing surfaces 5, 51. Between the projections are arranged corresponding recesses having buffing surfaces 11, 11<1> to receive the projections on the opposing coupler. The inclined surfaces 3, 4, 31, 41 terminate in horizontal and vertical surfaces 12, 13 and 12<1>, 13<1>, the surface 13 being provided with a recess for a locking pin 2. Bearing pads 14, 15 and 14<1>, 15<1> are provided on the horizontal and vertical surfaces and maintain a clearance between the inclined surfaces in the locked position of opposed coupler heads. A flat surface 16 at the junction of the inclined surfaces forms a seating for an air pipe connection and may also form an additional buffing surface. The locking pin 2, Fig. 10, has a nose 17 for engaging with the nose of the opposing pin and is maintained in position by a spring 29. When the pin is withdrawn for uncoupling purposes movement of the cam 22 retracts the pin which rotates together with the spring plate 25 in pin-and-slot connections 23, 24. The pin is provided with clearance 27, 28 in the coupler head and the edge of the hole at 18 may be bevelled. The locking device may be a pivoted jaw 20, Fig. 13, with a tail 86 projecting into the path of the opposed coupler, the jaw being locked by a lug 40 moved into position by a lever 43, the lever having a projection which is struck by the opposing coupler to move the lug 40 clear of the jaw 20. The pin 2, Fig. 14, is connected to toggle levers 31, 32 each provided with arms 35, 36 forced apart by a spring or springs 29. The toggle arm 32 bears against a stop 37 and the toggle is broken by a lever 21 to withdraw the pin, it is also broken when the pin is pushed back in coupling due to the play 27 and the position of the stop 37. In Fig. 1 the coupler head is mounted on a ball joint 46 connected by a buffing and draw rod to a spring 56. A member 45 pivoted at 44 holds the ball joint 46 against its seating in the coupler shank and a lever 49 pivoted at 48 to the member maintains a spring 51 in the coupler shank in compression. The other end of the lever 49 is connected by a link 53 to the buffing plate 55 and centralizes the coupling head. The buffer plate 55 bears on springs 57. Play h<1> between the coupler shank and buffer plate and h<3> and h<2> between the spring stops in the springs 56 and 57 respectively limits the buffing stroke to h<1> and h<2> and the draught stroke to a distance h<2> and h<3>. In Fig. 4, the combined buffing and draw spring 57 is housed in the coupler shank and is connected by rod 62 to a ball joint 64 on the underframe. A lever 69, free to slide in the rod 65, is pivoted to the follower plate 66 and is connected to a link 67 which contacts at its free end with an abutment 68 on the underframe. In draught, the spring 57 is compressed by the end plate 66, the rod 67 sliding along the abutment and in buffing by the front spring plate and by the forward movement of the rear plate 66 when the rod 67 is stopped by the abutment. The coupling may be connected to the T-head of a draught rod, the coupling being maintained in the horizontal position by pivoted links connected to a spring, the junction of the links being releasable to drop the coupling head. A pair of pivoted links, for coupling to an opposing draught hook may be connected to lugs on the top of the coupling head, provision being made to move the point of connection when it is desired to tighten the coupling.