Patent GB-805473-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to automatic couplers for railway and like vehicles
IPC: B61G5/08
Filed: 1956-01-02
Abstract: 805,473. Pipe couplings. WESTINGHOUSE BRAKE & SIGNAL CO. Ltd., SIMMONS, A. W., and KERSHAW, J. W. G. Dec. 6, 1956 [Jan. 2, 1956], No. 17/56. Class 99(1). In an automatic coupler for railway and like vehicles of the kind having a substantially vertical face 10 arranged to abut a corresponding face on a mating coupler so that when the two couplers are locked in coupled relation relative movement between those faces is substantially prevented, there is train pipe connecting means, for a braking system operable by compressed fluid, comprising a hollow body 23 slidable axially within a housing 14 of the coupler in a direction normal to the plane of the vertical face and having a port 25 providing permanent communication between the interior of the body and the train pipe, a piston 26 slidable in the body to close one end thereof and leave open the other end facing outwardly of the coupler and adapted to be engageable in a rearward direction with the housing or a part in fixed relationship therewith so as to relieve the body of rearwardly directed thrust due to compressed fluid contained therein, and a resilient sealing member extending around the open end of the body and located for engagement with the corresponding member of the mating coupler. There is also a spring 28 positioning the body in the housing such that when the coupler is not coupled the open end projects beyond the vertical face, whereby when two couplers are coupled the spring is further stressed to provide sealing pressure between the sealing members, a valve 32 biassed by a spring 35 towards the open end of the body to co-operate with a valve seat at that end, and means for the automatic opening of the valve by the coupling together of two couplers. The valve seat is formed on an elastically deformable element which, when exposed on the outer side to the pressure of the atmosphere and on the inner side to the pressure of compressed fluid with which the train pipe may be charged, is deformed outwardly of the body to dilate the valve seat and thereby allow the escape of compressed fluid from the train pipe to atmosphere. As shown, the piston 26 is provided with fluid sealing rings 27 and the spring 28 is interposed in compression between the body and piston to force a tubular extension 29 of the piston into engagement with the rear wall of the housing and the body forwardly to a position in which the end 24 thereof projects beyond the face 10 of the coupler. The annular, rubber element 30 has a rim fitted in a groove of the body and an annular lip 31 affording the seating surface for the valve 32, the stem 33 of the valve being guided in a boss 34 of the body ; the stem has a groove to retain a spring ring 36a which, with washers 36, form a combined stop and spring seat, one of the washers abutting the boss to relieve the valve of the force of the spring 35 when the valve is seated on the lip 31. When two couplers are brought together for coupling, the noses of the valves engage one another and the valves are displaced from the valve seats to establish fluid communication between the two units, the two elements 30 providing a fluid seal between the units ; alternatively, separate, reislient, sealing members encircle the open ends of the bodies. In a modification, the valve 32, Fig. 3b is movable outwardly of the body 23 under the action of the escaping fluid and in opposition to the force of an additional spring 37 extending between a fixed seat 38 and a seat 39 slidable on the valve stem 33 and engageable with a shoulder 40 on the stem. Specification 768,386 is referred to.