Patent Publication Number: US-8534475-B2

Title: Supporting device for vertically supporting a coupling rod articulated to the car body underframe of a rail-borne vehicle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a supporting device in accordance with the precharacterizing part of independent claim  1 . 
     According thereto, the invention relates in particular to a supporting device for vertically supporting a coupling rod pivotably articulated vertically to a car body underframe of a rail-borne vehicle, particularly a railway vehicle, preferably by means of an elastomer spring linkage, wherein the supporting device comprises a support able to be brought into contact with the coupling rod and a mount connected to the support and able to be fixed to the car body underframe of the vehicle, and wherein the support can move relative to and in the direction of the mount upon the exceeding of a critical force acting on said support in the vertical direction. 
     2. The Prior Art 
     A supporting device of the above type is technically already known from the prior art, and in particular from rail vehicle technology. Such a supporting device thereby serves to vertically support a coupling rod pivotably articulated vertically to a car body underframe. 
       FIG. 1 , for example, shows a perspective view of a supporting device  110  known from the prior art which is mounted to the car body underframe  60  of a rail vehicle by means of a bearing  111 . This supporting device  110  serves to vertically support a coupling rod  51  which in the example depicted in  FIG. 1 , is articulated to the car body underframe  60  at its car body-side end region by means of a joint arrangement  50 . 
     In detail, the joint arrangement  50  depicted in  FIG. 1  is an elastomer spring linkage as described for example in the EP 1 785 329 A1 printed publication. Such an elastomer spring linkage  50  allows the horizontal and vertical pivoting as well as axial rotation of the coupling rod  51 . By so doing, the coupling rod  51  can for example realize pivoting motions relative to the car body underframe  60  as occurs particularly when a train set negotiates curves. The coupling rod  51  can furthermore follow vertical deflections, for example to compensate height differences between two coupled car bodies. 
     An elastomer bearing is usually configured in the linkage designed particularly as an elastomer joint arrangement  50  which provides for elastomer spring elements serving to dampen the tractive and impact forces transmitted from the coupling rod  51  under normal driving conditions. As a rule, the elastomer bearing configured in the linkage is able to allow the operationally required pivoting angle for the coupling rod  51  of approximately ±6° in the vertical direction V and approximately ±15° in the horizontal direction. 
     The supporting device  110  serves to vertically support the coupling rod  51  which is articulated to pivot in the vertical direction V and others. Such support in the vertical direction V is particularly necessary in order to enable the proper coupling of two adjacent car bodies. In so doing, it needs to be ensured that the coupling rod  51  is always in the horizontal central longitudinal plane during the coupling procedure. 
     To this end, the supporting device  110  depicted in  FIG. 1  comprises a support  112  in contact with the coupling rod  51  which is connected to a mount  114  by means of a support plunger  113 . The mount  114  is connected to the car body underframe  60  by means of the above-cited support  111 . 
     The supporting device  110  is an elastically-designed support in which the support plunger  113  is connected to the mount  114  by means of a spring element  115 . The support plunger  113  and the support  112  connected to the support plunger  113  are pressed against the coupling rod  51  from below in vertical direction V at a certain pretensioning by the spring element  115 . The pretensioning at which the support  112  presses against the coupling rod  51  is adjustable by appropriately selecting the spring constant for the spring element  115  and should be selected such that the coupling rod  51  is in the horizontal central position when in a non-operative state; i.e. when the coupling rod  51  is not subject to any dynamic forces in the vertical direction. 
     The mount  111  of supporting device  110 , which on the one hand serves to hold the spring element  115  and the support plunger  113 , and by means of which the support  112  can be pressed against the coupling rod  51  to be supported at a certain pretensioning on the other, is rigidly connected to the car body underframe  60  or the housing of the car body underframe  60  respectively. 
     A direct acting spring element  115  is normally used in the supporting device  110  known from the prior art and described above to vertically support the coupling rod  51 . Accordingly, the vertical supporting force introduced to the coupling rod  51  from the support  112  is essentially determined by the spring force resulting from the elastic deformation of the spring element  115 . In particular, the degree of elastic deformation of the spring element  115 , and thus the resulting spring force resulting from the elastic deformation of the spring element  115 , increases as the vertical deflection of the coupling rod  51  increases and acts as a supporting force to counter the vertical deflection of the coupling rod  51 . 
     This linear connection between the spring action of the spring element  115  and the supporting force of the support  112  is particularly disadvantageous in those applications where the supporting device  110  is to support a coupling rod  51  articulated to a car body underframe  60  by means of an elastomer joint arrangement  50  in the vertical direction V. Since the coupling rod  51  is already partially supported in the vertical direction V by the elastomer spring element integrated in the arrangement  50  in a coupling rod  51  articulated to a car body underframe  60  by means of an elastomer joint arrangement  50 , conventional supporting devices  110  in which the supporting force increases with increasing deformation of the spring element  115  incorporated in the supporting device  110 , are too rigid. In other words, such a supporting device  110  hinders the coupling rod  51  from sufficiently pivoting in the vertical direction V relative to the car body underframe  60 , in consequence of which increased forces can arise in the coupling rod linkage  50  which could potentially damage the linkage  50  and/or the car body underframe  60 . 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Given this problem as set forth, the present invention is based on the task of further developing a supporting device of the type cited at the outset which is also in particular applicable to support a coupling rod articulated to a car body underframe by means of an elastomer spring linkage without increased forces occurring in the vertical direction during vehicle operation which could lead to damaging the joint arrangement and/or the car body underframe. 
     This task is solved in accordance with the invention by the subject matter of independent claim  1 . 
     According thereto, the inventive solution proposes that the supporting device of the type cited at the outset further comprise a spring mechanism having at least one spring element which is coupled to the support and the mount of the supporting device by means of a force-transmitting mechanism such that the at least one spring element is elastically deformed by the support moving relative to the mount, whereby the force-transmitting mechanism is designed to convert a spring force resulting from the elastic deformation of the at least one spring element into an external force acting against the supporting force directed at the support. 
     The advantages attainable with the present invention are obvious: Providing a force-transmitting mechanism ensures the spring force of the supporting device resulting from the elastic deforming of the at least one spring element is not transmitted directly to the support to there counter the external force acting vertically on the support as a supporting force. Instead, the inventive supporting device utilizes a mechanism which converts the spring force resulting from the elastic deformation of the at least one spring element of the supporting device into the supporting force which counters the external force acting on the support. The relationship between the spring force of the at least one spring element and the supporting force ultimately acting on the coupling rod to be supported in the vertical direction is defined by the design of the force-transmitting mechanism. In particular, the response and spring characteristics of the supporting force exerted by the supporting device on the coupling rod to be supported are adaptable to the specific application so that particularly also such vertical supporting forces as are exerted for example by an elastomer spring arrangement provided in the coupling rod linkage can be taken into account as well. 
     The force transmission preferably comprises a mechanism with which the distance traveled by the support relative to the mount upon moving can be converted into a spring deflection which elastically deforms the at least one spring element upon the support moving relative to the mount. This embodiment enables the response curve of the supporting force to be disassociated from the spring characteristic of the at least one spring element. In applications in which a coupling rod articulated by means of an elastomer spring linkage is to be supported in the vertical direction, it is particularly advantageous for the force-transmitting mechanism to be designed such that there will be an asynchronous correlation between the response curve of the supporting force and the spring characteristic of the at least one spring element so that the supporting force decreases in at least one operative area of the supporting device the more the at least one spring element of the supporting device is elastically deformed. 
     It is conceivable to provide the force-transmitting mechanism with a gearing arrangement, for example, with which the spring force resulting from the elastic deformation of the at least one spring element is converted into supporting force introduced from the support into the coupling rod to be supported in the vertical direction. Technically simpler and particular less prone to failure, however, is a force-transmitting mechanism which comprises at least one shears mechanism consisting of a single shears having two arms of equal length, wherein said two arms are movable relative each other about a common horizontal axis running through the centers of the arms. In this realization of the force-transmitting mechanism, each arm is connected on one side to the mount by means of a fixed bearing and on the other to the support by means of a floating bearing. The at least one spring element is thereby configured as a pressure spring and engages at a first arm of the two arms of equal length on the one side and the second arm of the two arms of equal length on the other. 
     In this embodiment of the force-transmitting mechanism, it is of particular advantage to be able to adjust a pretensioning of the at least one spring element. This can occur for example by the at least one spring element configured as a pressure spring being connected to the first and/or second arm by means of a first and second stop, wherein reducing the distance between the two stops will increase the pretensioning of the spring element. 
     The term “fixed bearing” as used herein refers to a bearing with which a shear arm of the shears mechanism is connected to the mount, the support respectively, of the supporting device such that the arm can rotate relative to the support/mount of the supporting device about one horizontal axis while the other two degrees of translational freedom are fixed. 
     The term “floating bearing” as used herein refers to a bearing fixed in one degree of translational freedom, wherein the arm can rotate relative to the support, the mount respectively, as well as move in the longitudinal direction of the support/mount. 
     A floating bearing is preferably realized by means of an elongated hole extending in the longitudinal direction of the support/mount. 
     Alternatively to the latter embodiment in which the force-transmitting mechanism comprises a shears mechanism consisting of a single shears, a preferred further development of the solution according to the invention provides for the force-transmitting mechanism to comprise at least one double shears mechanism consisting of first and second shears. Each of the shears of the double shears mechanism thereby exhibits two arms of equal length which are movable relative each other about a common horizontal axis running through the centers of the two arms. The respective first arm of each of the shears of the double shears mechanism is connected to the support by means of a fixed bearing and to the mount by means of a floating bearing. The second arm of each of the shears of the double shears mechanism is connected to the mount by means of a fixed bearing and to the support by means of a floating bearing. In this realization of the force-transmitting mechanism, the at least one spring element is configured as a tension spring and is to engage directly or indirectly at least one arm of the first of the shears on the one side and at least one arm of the second of the shears on the other. 
     An advantageous further development of the latter embodiment in which the supporting device comprises a force-transmitting mechanism having a double shears mechanism provides for the longitudinal axis of the at least one spring element configured as a tension spring to lie in a horizontal axis extending perpendicular to the horizontal axis about which the arms of the first of the shears of the double shears mechanism can move relative to each other on the one hand and extending perpendicular to the horizontal axis about which the arms of the second shears of the double shears mechanism can move relative to each other on the other. Doing so thus achieves an especially compactly designed supporting device. However, other embodiments to this effect are of course also conceivable. 
     In order to be able to adjust the support&#39;s operative point; i.e. the operative point on the response curve of the supporting force, to be for example contingent upon the specific application in a supporting device in which the force-transmitting mechanism comprises a double shears mechanism, a preferred further development of the latter embodiment provides for arranging the at least one spring element configured as a tension spring between a first and a second counter bearing, wherein the distance between the first and the second counter bearing is adjustable, and wherein the at least one spring element configured as a tension spring is already in a pretensioned state at the maximum distance between the first and second counter bearing when there is no external force acting on the support in the vertical direction. 
     Another advantageous realization of the force-transmitting mechanism utilized in the inventive supporting device provides for the at least one double shears mechanism to consist of a first and second shears, wherein—as is also the case with the above-indicated embodiment—each of the shears of the double shears mechanism exhibits two arms of equal length which can move relative to each other about a common horizontal axis running through the centers of the two arms, wherein the respective first arm of one of the respective shears of the double shear arrangement is connected to the support by means of a fixed bearing and to the mount by means of a floating bearing and the second arm of the respective shears of the double shears mechanism is connected to the mount by means of a fixed bearing and to the support by means of a floating bearing. In contrast to the embodiment discussed above, however, the at least one spring element here is configured as a pressure spring and arranged between a first bolt situated in the horizontal axis about which the arms of the first of the shears of the double shears mechanism can move relative to each other and a counter bearing, wherein said counter bearing is connected to a second bolt by means of a tension rod situated on the horizontal axis about which the arms of the second of the shears of the double shears mechanism can move relative to each other. 
     The first bolt is preferably connected to the arms of the first of the shears of the double shears mechanism and the second bolt preferably connected to the arms of the second of the shears of the double shears mechanism such that the respective arms are pivotable relative to the bolts. 
     A preferred realization of the latter embodiment provides for the at least one spring element to be configured as a pressure spring washer through which the tension rod at last partially extends, wherein the counter bearing comprises a first counter element, in particular a nut, arranged at a first end region of the tension rod, and a second counter element, in particular a nut, arranged at an opposite second end region. The at least one spring element configured as a pressure spring washer is thereby tensioned between the first counter element and the first bolt. It is thereby advantageously provided for the distance between the first counter element and the second counter element to be variable in order to be able to adjust the pretensioning of the at least one spring element and thus the support&#39;s operative point. 
     Providing for the spring mechanism to comprise at least one first and one second spring element, each configured as a pressure spring washer, is even more preferred with the latter embodiment, wherein the at least one first spring element is arranged between the first counter element and the first bolt and the at least one second spring element is arranged between the second counter element and the second bolt. 
     It is hereby conceivable for the at least one first spring element to be accommodated in a first spring housing connected to the first bolt and for the at least one second spring element to be accommodated in a second spring housing connected to the second bolt. Said spring housings concurrently assume guidance of the correspondingly accommodated spring elements. 
     Lastly, it is preferred for the mount of the supporting device to comprise a flange area with which the supporting device can be attached, preferably detachably, to the car body underframe of the vehicle. The supporting device is thus suited to subsequent retrofitting which would then be the case, for example, when a close coupler normally disposed between two car bodies of a multi-member railway vehicle needs to be disconnected and the individual car bodies towed away. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Reference will be made in the following to the accompanying drawings in describing an example embodiment of the solution according to the invention. 
       Shown are: 
         FIG. 1 , already described, a perspective view of a supporting device known from the prior art; 
         FIG. 2  a perspective view of an example embodiment of the inventive supporting device in the installed state; 
         FIG. 3  a side view of the supporting device according to  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4   a  a longitudinal sectional view of the supporting device according to  FIG. 1  in the unloaded state; 
         FIG. 4   b  a plan view of the supporting device according to  FIG. 4   a  depicted in a longitudinal sectional view; 
         FIG. 4   c  a view of the front end of the supporting device according to  FIG. 4   a;    
         FIG. 4   d  a perspective view of the supporting device according to  FIG. 4   a;    
         FIG. 4   e  a partly sectional perspective view of the supporting device according to  FIG. 4   a;    
         FIG. 5   a  a perspective view of the supporting device according to  FIG. 1  in a loaded state after the vertical supporting capacity of the supporting device is exhausted; 
         FIG. 5   b  a longitudinal sectional view through the supporting device according to  FIG. 5   a;    
         FIG. 6  a force/path diagram of the supporting device according to  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 7  a longitudinal sectional view of a further example embodiment of the inventive supporting device in the unloaded state. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  depicts a known prior art supporting device  110  serving to vertically support a coupling rod  51  articulated to a car body underframe  60  by means of an elastomer joint arrangement  50 . As already noted in the introductory part of the description, this conventional supporting device  110  comprises a spring element  115  in the form of a helical pressure spring which is arranged between a support  112  and a mount  114  and presses the support  112  toward the coupling rod  51  to be vertically supported. The mount  114  itself is supported on the car body underframe  60  by means of a bearing  111 . 
     Accordingly, a system with a directly acting helical pressure spring  115  is utilized for the vertical support of the coupling rod  51  in the conventional supporting device  110  depicted in  FIG. 1 , wherein the spring force resulting from the elastic deformation of the spring element  115  configured as a helical pressure spring corresponding to the characteristic curve of the spring element  115  continues to increase with increasing vertical deflection of the coupling rod  51 . This phenomenon occurs regardless of whether a helical pressure spring made from metal or an elastomer spring made e.g. from rubber or a differently designed spring is used as the spring element  115 . 
     The conventional design of the supporting device  110  does not allow the vertical supporting force exerted on the coupling rod  51  by said supporting device  110  to be adapted to the specific application. In particular, the vertical support of a coupling rod  51  cannot be optimized for the conventional supporting device  115  when same for example is already experiencing a vertical supporting force by means of an elastomer mechanism integrated in the joint arrangement  50 . The same also holds true for coupling rods  51  which are articulated to the car body underframe  60  of a vehicle by means of a spherical bearing. 
     To resolve these disadvantages, it is inventively proposed to disassociate the vertical supporting force to be introduced by the supporting device into the coupling rod to be supported by the appropriate mechanism from the spring characteristic of the at least one spring element in order to thus be able to achieve an advantageous force profile for the respective application. 
     Reference will be made in the following to the accompanying drawings in describing possible realizations of the inventively proposed force-transmitting mechanism in greater detail. 
       FIG. 2  shows in detail a first example embodiment of a supporting device  100  in the installed state in which a coupling rod  51  is supported in vertical direction V by means of supporting device  100 . In the  FIG. 1  embodiment, the coupling rod  51  is connected to a (not explicitly shown) car body underframe of a rail-borne vehicle, a railway vehicle in particular, by means of an elastomer joint arrangement  50 . Reference will be made in the following to the  FIG. 3  depiction in describing the design of the elastomer joint arrangement  50  in greater detail. 
     It can be specifically noted from the  FIG. 3  depiction that the elastomer joint arrangement  50  comprises a base plate  52  which can be connected to the car body underframe of the vehicle, by means of which the tractive and impact forces transmitted via the coupling rod  51  when the vehicle is in operation are introduced to the car body underframe. The elastomer joint arrangement  50  further comprises a tension rod-side front elastomer spring element  53  between a tension rod-side front spring plate  54  and the pressure plate  52  as well as a car body-side rear elastomer spring element  55  between the pressure plate  52  and a rear spring plate  56 , wherein said elastomer spring elements  53 ,  55  are accordingly tensioned. The rear spring plate  56  is fixed to a centerpiece  58  by means of a locknut  57 , wherein said centerpiece  58  runs through the elastomer spring elements  53 ,  55  configured as hollow rubber springs as well as through corresponding passage openings provided in the spring plates  54 ,  56  and the base plate  52  and is connected to the coupling rod  51 . 
     The linkage  50  configured as an elastomer spring joint not only allows the damping of tractive and impact forces transmitted via the coupling rod  51  during operation but also effects a vertical support of the coupling rod  51 , although it is insufficient to hold the coupling rod  51  in the horizontal central longitudinal plane in the uncoupled state. 
     To that end, the embodiment makes use of the inventive supporting device  100  depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , which—as can especially be noted from the representations provided in FIGS.  4  and  5 —comprises a support  1  able to be brought into contact with the coupling rod  51  to be supported as well as a mount  2  connected to the support  1  and affixable to the car body underframe of the vehicle. As depicted, the support  1  can be configured as a platform and the mount  2  as a base frame. Providing recesses in the appropriate areas of the support  1  configured as a platform and/or the mount  2  configured as an base frame hereby lends itself particularly well to reducing the overall weight of the supporting device  100 . 
     The mount  2  is connected to a flange area  9  or respectively comprises a flange area  9  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) by means of which the supporting device  100  can be attached, preferably detachably, to the car body underframe of the vehicle. 
     A force-transmitting mechanism  10  is employed in the example embodiment in accordance with  FIGS. 2 to 5  in order to disassociate the supporting force exerted by the supporting device  100  on the coupling rod  51  to be supported in vertical direction V from the spring characteristic of a spring element of supporting device  100 . The spring elements  3   a ,  3   b  provided in the supporting device  100  in accordance with  FIGS. 2 to 5  are coupled to the support  1  and the mount  2  by means of said force-transmitting mechanism  10  and thereby in such manner that said spring elements  3   a ,  3   b  will elastically deform upon the support  1  moving relative to mount  2 . 
     As will be described in grater detail below with reference to the depictions provided in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the force-transmitting mechanism  10  is particularly designed to convert the spring force resulting from the elastic deformation of the spring elements  3   a ,  3   b  into a supporting force acting in vertical direction V. 
     In detail, the force-transmitting mechanism  10  in the embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 2 to 5  comprises a double shears mechanism consisting of a first and second shears  15 ,  16 . Each of the shears  15 ,  16  of the double shears mechanism consists of two arms  17   a ,  17   b ;  18   a ,  18   b  of equal length which can move relative to each other about a common horizontal axis H 2 , H 3  extending through the centers of the two arms  17   a ,  17   b ,  18   a ,  18   b . Each respective first arm  17   a ,  18   a  of each of the respective shears  15 ,  16  is connected to the support  1  by means of a fixed bearing  19   a ,  19   b  and to the mount  2  by means of a floating bearing  20   a ,  20   b , whereas the respective second arm  17   b ,  18   b  of each of the respective shears  15  is connected to the mount  2  by means of a fixed bearing  19   c ,  19   d  and to the support  1  by means of a floating bearing  20   c ,  20   d.    
     Employing a total of two double shears mechanisms of the type described above is particularly provided in the embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 2 to 5 , whereby each respective double shears mechanism is arranged on a side of the supporting device  100 . 
     The spring elements  3   a ,  3   b  are configured as a pressure spring system and are situated between a first bolt  4  and a counter bearing in the depicted embodiment. The first bolt  4  lies on horizontal axis H 2  about which the arms  17   a ,  17   b  of the first of the shears  15  of the double shears mechanism can move relative to each other. Specifically, the first bolt  4  is connected to the two arms  17   a ,  17   b  of the first of the shears  15  such that the arms  17   a ,  17   b  can rotate about the horizontal axis H 2  relative to the first bolt  4 . A fixed bearing is again employed to this end. The counter bearing is connected to a second bolt  5  by means of a tension rod  8 , whereby said second bolt  5  lies on horizontal axis H 3  about which the arms  18   a ,  18   b  of the second of the shears  16  of the double shears mechanism can move relative to each other. Specifically, the arms  18   a ,  18   b  of the second of the shears  16  are connected to the second bolt  5  by means of a fixed bearing such that the arms  18   a ,  18   b  can rotate about the horizontal axis H 3 . 
     As can particularly be noted from the partially sectional perspective depiction in  FIG. 4   e , the spring elements  3   a ,  3   b  are each configured as a pressure spring washer system through which the tension rod  8  at least partly extends, wherein the counter bearing comprises a first counter element  6   a  in the form of a nut arranged at a first end region of the tension rod  8  and a second counter element  6   b , likewise in the form of a nut, arranged at an opposite second end region of tension rod  8 . The first spring element  3   a  configured as a pressure spring washer system is thereby arranged between the first counter element  6   a  and the first bolt  4 , whereas the second spring element  3   b , likewise configured as a pressure spring washer system, lies between the second counter element  6   b  and the second bolt  5 . By tightening the counter elements  6   a ,  6   b  configured as nuts, the distance between the first counter element  6   a  and the second counter element  6   b  can be varied in order to adjust the pretensioning of the spring elements  3   a ,  3   b  configured as a pressure spring washer system. 
     In detail, the spring elements  3   a ,  3   b  configured as a pressure spring washer system are tensioned between the respective counter elements  6   a ,  6   b  and the base of a spring housing  7   a ,  7   b  of cup-shaped design. The respective spring housings  7   a ,  7   b  are connected to the first bolt  4  and the second bolt  5  respectively. 
     The providing of such a force-transmitting mechanism  10  converts the distance traveled by the support  1  upon the displacing relative to the mount  2  into a spring deflection elastically deforming the two spring elements  3   a ,  3   b  upon the support  1  moving relative the mount  2 . Particularly realized is a transmission of force with which the response curve of the supporting force is independent of the spring characteristics of spring elements  3   a ,  3 . 
       FIG. 6  depicts a force/path diagram of a supporting device  100  comprising a force-transmitting mechanism  10  as employed in the first example embodiment according to  FIGS. 2 to 5 . 
     Accordingly, upon an external force being exerted in the vertical direction on the support  1 , the supporting force initially increases and then drops almost linearly after peaking. This thus enables there to be an asynchronous (non-linear) correlation between the response curve of the supporting force and the spring characteristics of the spring elements  3   a ,  3   b  for the force-transmitting mechanism  10 , and specifically one in which the supporting force decreases in at least one operative area of the supporting device  100  the more the spring elements  3   a ,  3   b  of the supporting device  100  are elastically deformed. 
     The supporting device  100  according to the invention is thus particularly suited to (temporarily) supporting a coupling rod  51 , for example a close coupler, when said coupling rod is articulated to the car body underframe of a vehicle by means of an elastomer spring joint arrangement  50  as described for example in the EP 1 785 329 B1 printed publication. Since close couplers are not usually equipped with vertical supporting devices, the coupling rod is only held at the bearing point by the elastomer spring joint arrangement and drops out of the horizontal central longitudinal plane when the coupling rod  51  is not connected to the coupling rod of a neighboring car body. This accordingly lends itself in this case to the inventive device  100  being mounted to the vehicle underframe in order to support the coupling rod  51  in the vertical direction as for example required when towing the car body. In so doing, the spring elements  3   a ,  3   b  are to be adjusted by tightening the counter elements  6   a ,  6   b  configured as nuts such that the support  1  bears against the coupling rod  51 . Further tightening of the counter elements  6   a ,  6   b  can additionally apply a pretensioning force. 
     An adapter coupler, for example, can thereafter be mounted to the coupling rod  51  in order to allow the vehicle to be towed. The inventive supporting device  100  thereby allows a vertical movement of the coupling rod  51  relative to the car body underframe during operation. 
     The inventive solution is not limited to the specific embodiment of the supporting device  100  described above with reference to the  FIGS. 2 to 5  depictions. It is in particular conceivable to use a spring element  3   c  configured as a tension spring system instead of the spring elements  3   a ,  3   b  configured as pressure spring system, said spring element  3   c  engaging on the one side with at least one arm  17   a ,  17   b  of the first of the shears  15  of the double shears mechanism and with at least one arm  18   a ,  18   b  of the second of the shears  16  of the double shears mechanism on the other as suggested in  FIG. 7 . 
     Specifically, in the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 7 , the longitudinal axis of the spring element  3   c  configured as a tension spring system lies on a horizontal axis which, on the one hand, runs perpendicular to the horizontal axis H 2  about which the arms  17   a ,  17   b  of the first of the shears  15  can move relative to each other and, on the other, perpendicular to the horizontal axis H 3  about which the arms  18   a ,  18   b  of the second of the shears  16  can move relative to each other. 
     In order to be able to adjust the operative point of the supporting force in the embodiment of the supporting device  100  depicted in  FIG. 7 , the spring element  3   c  configured as a tension spring system is arranged between a first and a second counter bearing  21   a ,  21   b , wherein the distance between the first and the second counter bearing  21   a ,  21   b  can be adjusted accordingly. 
     In a further structurally simple realization of the inventive solution, a shears mechanism consisting of a single shears is employed as the force-transmitting mechanism  10 , wherein said single shears comprises two arms of equal length which can move relative to each other about a common horizontal axis extending through the centers of the two arms. Each arm of the single shears is thereby connected on one side to the mount by means of a fixed bearing and on the other to the support by means of a floating bearing. A spring element configured as a pressure spring or pressure spring system thereby engages at the first arm of the two equal-length arms of the single shears on one side and at the corresponding second arm of the two equal-length arms on the other. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               1  support 
               2  mount 
               3   a, b, c  spring element 
               4  first bolt 
               5  second bolt 
               6   a, b  counter element 
               7   a, b  spring housing 
               8  tension rod 
               9  flange area 
               10  force-transmitting mechanism 
               12   a ,  12   b  fixed bearing 
               13   a ,  13   b  floating bearing 
               15 ,  16  shears of a double shears mechanism 
               17   a ,  17   b  arm of shears  15   
               18   a ,  18   b  arm of shears  16   
               19   a ,  19   b  fixed bearing 
               20   a ,  20   b  floating bearing 
               21   a ,  21   b  counter bearing 
               50  elastomer spring linkage 
               51  coupling rod 
               52  base plate 
               53  front elastomer spring element 
               54  spring plate 
               55  rear elastomer spring element 
               56  spring plate 
               60  car body underframe 
               100  supporting device 
               110  supporting device (prior art) 
               111  bearing (prior art) 
               112  support (prior art) 
               113  support plunger (prior art) 
               114  mount (prior art) 
               115  spring element (prior art) 
             V vertical direction 
             H 2 , H 3  horizontal axis