Patent GB-1158878-A (GB)
Title: Trainline Connector
Inventor: DAWSON DENNIS EARL
IPC: B61G5/08
Filed: 1967-05-24
Abstract: 1,158,878. Vehicle automatic couplings. MIDLAND-ROSS CORP. 24 May, 1967, No. 24198/67. Addition to 1,158,454. Heading B7T. [Also in Division F2] In a trainline connector for connecting air or steam conduits or electric circuits between railway vehicles comprising a body 18 which is slidably mounted on a railway vehicle coupler B for movement between extended and retracted positions, a spring 79 for biasing the body to the retracted position, an actuating lever assembly 74, 76, 78, which is engageable by a co-operating coupler B<SP>1</SP> mounting a like connector A<SP>1</SP> and which serves when so engaged to move the body to the extended position, the body is slidably-mounted on the coupler by a U-shaped bracket, a pin or bolt 24 extending laterally between the arms of the bracket and through an elongate slot 25 in the body, Fig. 4, thereby pemitting lateral, tilting and longitudinal movement of the body with respect to the coupler. Two parallel bores 28 are formed in the upper and lower parts of the body. A tubular member 31 fits in each bore and has a shoulder 34 engaging a flange 29 at the end of the bore for limiting its forward movement. An assembly, comprising cup-shaped member 38 having connection 42 for a steam or air hose and a two-part end member 47 slidable therein, is slidably mounted in the tubular member 31. A lug 45 extending from the cup-shaped member extends through a slot 45 in the tubular member and is locked to lugs 26 of the body by a pin 46 so that cup-shaped member 38 moves with the body. A spring 57 acts between the cup-shaped member and the two-part endmember 47, which carries a gasket 63 for sealing engagement with the gasket of the like connector A<SP>1</SP>, to urge the members apart. The actuating lever assembly comprises a shaft 76 pivotally mounted on the coupler, said shaft carrying an arm 78, which is adapted for engagement by the co-operating coupler B<SP>1</SP> and an arm 75, which extends through an aperture 75 in the body and bears against camming walls defining the sides of said aperture. The spring biasing the body to the retracted position acts through arm 75 and is positioned on the shaft 76. Covers 17 are pivoted on arms 15 and are normally spring-urged in the closed position. Each sleeve 31 is provided with a terminal flange 65 having an alignment opening 67 and pin 66 for engagement with a corresponding pin and hole in the flange of the co-operating connector. In operation, before final coupling of the couplers B, B<SP>1</SP>, the connectors lie behind the coupling plane of the couplers. As couplers are finally-connected, the arm 78 of each connector actuating lever assembly is engaged by a projection on the co-operating coupler and shaft 76 is rotated, the body 18 being moved to the extended position by the corresponding rotary movement of the arm 75 until gasket 62 sealing engages the like gasket of the other connector. As body 18 moves forward, cup-shaped member 38 which is locked to the body, moves with it. However when terminal flange 65 on the sleeve engages the like flange of the other connector, said sleeve retracts relative to the body taking the two-part member 47 with it thus compressing spring 57 and causing the gaskets 62 of each connection to ba independently pressed together. As the body 18 of each connector is extended, a cam 27 carried by the body engages a cam portion 84 of the arm 15 and positively urges the covers associated therewith laterally outwards to clear the terminal portions of the connectors. As shown in Fig. 6, the couplers B, B<SP>1 </SP>are of the Willison fixed jaw type. In the embodiment of Figs. 8 and 9 (not shown), the connector is mounted on knuckle-type couplers.