EP0836977B1 - Systèmes d'attelages pour véhicules ferroviaires - Google Patents

Systèmes d'attelages pour véhicules ferroviaires Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0836977B1
EP0836977B1 EP97308101A EP97308101A EP0836977B1 EP 0836977 B1 EP0836977 B1 EP 0836977B1 EP 97308101 A EP97308101 A EP 97308101A EP 97308101 A EP97308101 A EP 97308101A EP 0836977 B1 EP0836977 B1 EP 0836977B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
compression
movement
relative
tailpin
sub
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP97308101A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0836977A1 (fr
Inventor
David W. c/o Powell Duddryn Standard Ltd. Tandy
Alan B. c/o Powell Duddryn Standard Ltd. Harding
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Powell Duffryn Rail Ltd
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Powell Duffryn Rail Ltd
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Publication date
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Publication of EP0836977A1 publication Critical patent/EP0836977A1/fr
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61G—COUPLINGS; DRAUGHT AND BUFFING APPLIANCES
    • B61G1/00—Couplings comprising interengaging parts of different shape or form and having links, bars, pins, shackles, or hooks as coupling means
    • B61G1/22—Couplings comprising interengaging parts of different shape or form and having links, bars, pins, shackles, or hooks as coupling means having screws incorporated in the links for lengthening or shortening the couplings
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61G—COUPLINGS; DRAUGHT AND BUFFING APPLIANCES
    • B61G5/00—Couplings for special purposes not otherwise provided for
    • B61G5/02—Couplings for special purposes not otherwise provided for for coupling articulated trains, locomotives and tenders or the bogies of a vehicle; Coupling by means of a single coupling bar; Couplings preventing or limiting relative lateral movement of vehicles

Definitions

  • This invention relates to railway vehicle coupling systems and is concerned more particularly, with semi-permanent coupling systems for connecting together railway wagons.
  • a conventional coupling system for coupling a railway wagon to an adjacent wagon or engine comprises a linkage assembly mounted on the wagon and detachably interconnectable with a corresponding linkage assembly on the adjacent wagon, and buffers positioned on the wagon to cooperate with corresponding buffers on the adjacent wagon or fixed buffers.
  • Such conventional coupling systems extend above the bed of the railway wagon on which they are mounted and thus restrict the length of the load carried on the wagon, as well as obstructing the passage of goods from wagon to wagon, for example by means of a conveyor belt system.
  • US 3910418 discloses a detachable coupling arrangement in which a damping system is provided.
  • DE 3248289 describes a coupling arrangement including spring means placed into compression both when the coupling arrangement is in tension and when under compression.
  • EP 0547887 describes a drawbar coupling arrangement. It is an object of the invention to provide a novel railway vehicle coupling system which can be used to overcome some of the disadvantages of known semi-permanent coupling systems.
  • a railway vehicle semi-permanent coupling system for coupling together two railway vehicles, the system comprising a sub-assembly for coupling to one of the railway vehicles, and a drawbar for coupling the sub-assembly to the other railway vehicle, wherein the sub-assembly comprises mounting means for connection to said one railway vehicle, spring means mounted on the mounting means, compression means movable relative to the mounting means in an axial direction to compress the spring means both in response to movement together of the railway vehicles from a relative mean position and in response to movement apart of the railway vehicles from the relative mean position, bearing means connecting the drawbar to the compression means to effect said axial movement of the compression means in response to relative movement between the railway vehicles whilst permitting limited relative pivoting movement between the drawbar and the compression means, said bearing means comprising an annular bearing element surrounding a pivot pin so as to be pivotable with respect to the pivot pin, and guide means for guiding the bearing means relative to the compression means in such a manner as to substantially prevent relative rotational
  • the provision of the guide means substantially prevents rotation of the drawbar about its axis in such a manner as to generate forces at the coupling between the drawbar and the sub-assembly which might otherwise lead to failure of the coupling system over time.
  • the provision of such guide means tends to result in an increased working life before the coupling system requires replacement or maintenance.
  • the guide means comprises two oppositely facing parallel guide surfaces between which the bearing means is pivotable.
  • the compression means may comprise two compression members between which the spring means is located such that relative movement between the compression members from the relative mean position results in compression of the spring means.
  • the compression members may be located between limiting end stops such that movement together of the railway vehicles from the relative mean position forces one of the compression members against at least one of the end stops and causes compression of the spring means by the other compression member, whereas movement apart of the railway vehicles from the relative mean position forces said other compression member against at least one other end stop and causes compression of the spring means by said one compression member.
  • the compression means may include a tailpin extending through axial apertures in the compression members and axially movable by the bearing means so as to effect movement of one of the compression members relative to the other compression member by a first shoulder on the tailpin engaging said one compression member on relative movement in one direction and so as to effect movement of said other compression member relative to said one compression member by a second shoulder on the tailpin engaging said other compression member on relative movement in the opposite direction.
  • the first shoulder may be provided by a flange on the tailpin
  • the second shoulder may be provided by a retaining nut on the tailpin.
  • the tailpin may comprise upper and lower forks between which the bearing means is retained so that axial movement of the bearing means results in corresponding axial movement of the tailpin.
  • the invention also provides a railway vehicle coupling system in which a further sub-assembly similar to the first-mentioned sub-assembly is provided for coupling to said other railway vehicle, and the drawbar serves to couple together the two sub-assemblies.
  • the coupling system in accordance with the invention is a semi-permanent rigid drawbar coupling system 1 for connecting together the ends of two railway wagons 2 and 3 as shown in plan and side view in Figure 1.
  • the wagon 2 or 3 has at its opposite end a conventional coupling system 4 consisting of a linkage assembly and buffers.
  • the semi-permanent coupling system 1 increases the area of the bed of the wagon 2 or 3 which is available for the load, as compared with an arrangement in which a conventional coupling system is provided at both ends of the wagon.
  • Figure 2 shows the main components of the semi-permanent coupling system 1 consisting of a first sub-assembly 10 shown in the assembled state on the left hand side of the figure, a second sub-assembly 20 shown in an exploded view on the right hand side of the figure, and a drawbar 30 interconnecting the sub-assemblies 10 and 20.
  • the sub-assemblies 10 and 20 are of identical construction, and accordingly only the sub-assembly 20 will be described in detail below.
  • the sub-assembly 20 comprises a thermoplastic elastomer compression spring pack 22 sandwiched and precompressed between two compression plates 23 and 24 by a shoulder 21 on a tailpin 25 extending through axial apertures in the spring pack 22 and the plates 23 and 24, and by a castle nut 26 provided on a screw-threaded end 27 of the tailpin 25 and held in position by a split pin 28.
  • the sub-assembly 20 may be based on the Tecspak ST-9-2 Traction Spring supplied by Miner Enterprises Inc. (Tecspak is a Registered Trade Mark).
  • the tailpin 25 comprises upper and lower forks 29 and 31 between which a bearing 32 is held by a pin 33 extending through apertures in the forks 29, 31 and the bearing 32, so as to permit relative pivotal movement between the bearing 32 and the tailpin 25 about a vertical axis.
  • the bearing 32 is integrally formed with a screw-threaded rod 34 which is received within a screwthreaded bore 35 in the drawbar 30 which is in the form of a rigid tube.
  • a nut 36 is threaded on the screwthreaded rod 34 and is tightened against the end of the drawbar 30 to prevent any relative rotary movement between the rod 34 and the drawbar 30.
  • the rod 34 should be securely locked within the drawbar 30 in order to prevent chattering between these two components which would otherwise lead to failure of the bearing 32 with time. Accordingly it is preferred to utilise a heat shrink treatment for connecting together the rod 34 and the drawbar 30, in which the drawbar 30 is first heated to an elevated temperature at which it expands to a sufficient extent to enable the rod 34 to be screwed into the screwthreaded bore 35. Thereafter, on cooling of the drawbar 30 to ambient temperature, the drawbar 30 will contract so as to draw the screw threads on the inside surface of the bore 35 into intimate pressure contact with the screw threads on the outside surface of the rod 34.
  • a heat shrink treatment for connecting together the rod 34 and the drawbar 30, in which the drawbar 30 is first heated to an elevated temperature at which it expands to a sufficient extent to enable the rod 34 to be screwed into the screwthreaded bore 35. Thereafter, on cooling of the drawbar 30 to ambient temperature, the drawbar 30 will contract so as to draw the screw threads on the inside surface of the bore 35 into intimate
  • such heat shrinking could be effected by cooling the rod 34 so as to shrink it to an extent to enable it to be screwed into the bore 35. On subsequent heating up of the rod 34 to ambient temperature, the rod 34 will expand so as to lock the rod 34 within the bore 35.
  • sub-assembly 20 is mounted on a sub-frame 40, and the spring pack 22 and plates 23, 24 are confined between front and rear stops 41 and 42, as shown in broken lines in Figures 3, 4 and 5.
  • the spring pack 22 biases the plates 23 and 24 into contact with the front and rear stops 41 and 42.
  • the buffing force causes axial displacement ofthe tailpin 25 to the right in the figure in order to push the plate 23 away from the front stops whilst biasing the plate 24 into contact with the rear stops 42, thus again compressing the spring pack 22 between the plates 23 and 24.
  • the spring pack 22 serves the dual function of taking up forces acting on the drawbar 30 in both the drawing direction 45 and the buffing direction 46.
  • Figure 6 shows an end view of the sub-assembly 20 taken in section along the line A-A in Figure 3 and illustrates the mounting of the sub-assembly 20 within the sub-frame 40 which is itself mounted on a cross-member 48 of the wagon.
  • the spring pack 22, the end plate 23 and front stops 41 are shown in broken lines in the figure, and in addition the bearing 32 with its associated pin 33 are shown between the forks of the tailpin 25 and positioned between an upper guide member 49 on the sub-frame 40 and a lower guide member 50 fixed to the compression plate 23.
  • the guide members 49 and 50 serve to retain the pin 33 in position, and in addition the guide member 50, which is generally U-shaped in section and has two side arms 52 and 53, acts to prevent substantial rotational movement ofthe bearing 32 about the axial direction (that is about the axis normal to the sheet on which the figure is drawn) whilst permitting the required limited pivotal movement about the pivot pin 33.
  • the guide member 50 serves to restrict any relative axial twisting of the drawbar 30 relative to the sub-assembly 20 and to limit the resulting wear of the bearing 32 and the pivot pin 33, with the result that the system is less prone to failure than known rigid drawbar coupling systems.
  • Figures 7 and 8 show the maximum vertical and lateral swings of the drawbar 30 relative to the sub-assembly 20 in operation of such a system. It will be appreciated from Figure 7 that there is sufficient play in the mounting of the bearing 32 between the forks 29 and 31 of the tailpin 25 by means of the pivot pin 33 to allow for the required vertical swing of the drawbar 30 to take up differences in height between the ends of the two wagons coupled together by the system.
  • Figure 8 shows that the guide 50 does not prevent the required lateral swing of the drawbar 30 about the pivot pin 33 of the bearing 32 relative to the sub-assembly 20 in order to allow for relative lateral movement between the ends of the two wagons coupled together by the system, as may be experienced when the wagons are negotiating bends, and particularly when the wagons are negotiating a S-bend.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Pivots And Pivotal Connections (AREA)
  • Vibration Dampers (AREA)

Claims (8)

  1. Système d'attelage semi-permanent pour véhicules ferroviaires destiné à atteler deux véhicules ferroviaires, le système comprenant un sous-assemblage (20) destine à être accouplé à l'un des véhicules ferroviaires, et une barre de traction (30) pour accoupler le sous-assemblage à l'autre véhicule ferroviaire, le sous-assemblage comprenant un moyen de montage (40) destiné à être raccordé audit un véhicule ferroviaire, un moyen de compression (23, 24) pouvant être déplacé par rapport au moyen de montage dans une direction axiale, et un moyen de palier (32) permettant un déplacement par pivotement limité entre la barre de traction et le moyen de compression, et caractérisé par un moyen de ressort monté sur le moyen de montage, le moyen de compression pouvant être déplacé pour comprimer le moyen de ressort en réponse au déplacement commun des véhicules ferroviaires à partir d'une position moyenne relative et en réponse à un déplacement des véhicules ferroviaires à l'écart de la position moyenne relative, le moyen de palier (32) raccordant la barre de traction au moyen de compression (23, 24) pour assurer ledit déplacement axial du moyen de compression en réponse au déplacement relatif des véhicules ferroviaires, ledit moyen de palier comprenant un élément de palier annulaire (32) entourant un pivot (3) de sorte à pouvoir pivoter par rapport au pivot, et un moyen de guidage (49, 50) pour guider le moyen de palier (32) par rapport au moyen de compression, de sorte à empêcher pratiquement un déplacement par rotation relatif entre eux dans ladite direction axiale.
  2. Système d'attelage selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le moyen de guidage comprend deux surfaces de guidage parallèles opposées (49, 50) entre lesquelles l'élément de palier (32) peut pivoter.
  3. Système d'attelage selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le moyen de compression comprend deux éléments de compression (23, 24) entre lesquels est agencé le moyen de ressort (22), de sorte que le déplacement relatif des éléments de compression à partir de la position moyenne relative entraíne la compression du moyen de ressort.
  4. Système d'attelage selon la revendication 3, dans lequel les éléments de compression (23, 24) sont agencés entre des butées d'extrémité de limitation (41, 41), de sorte que le déplacement commun des véhicules ferroviaires à partir de la position moyenne relative pousse l'un des éléments de compression contre au moins une des butées d'extrémité et entraíne la compression du moyen de ressort (22) par l'autre élément de compression, le déplacement des véhicules ferroviaires à l'écart de la position moyenne relative poussant ledit autre moyen de compression contre au moins une autre butée d'extrémité et entraínant la compression du moyen de ressort par ledit un élément de compression.
  5. Système d'attelage selon les revendications 3 ou 4, dans lequel le moyen de compression englobe une goupille arrière (25) s'étendant à travers des ouvertures axiales dans les éléments de compression (23, 24) et pouvant être déplacée axialement par le moyen de palier (32) de sorte à entraíner le déplacement de l'un des éléments de compression par rapport à l'autre élément de compression par suite de l'engagement d'un premier épaulement (21) sur la goupille arrière dans un élément de compression lors du déplacement relatif dans une direction et de sorte à entraíner le déplacement dudit autre élément de compression par rapport audit un élément de compression par suite de l'engagement d'un deuxième épaulement (26) sur la goupille arrière dans ledit autre élément de compression lors du déplacement relatif dans la direction opposée.
  6. Système d'attelage selon la revendication 5, dans lequel le premier épaulement (21) est établi par l'intermédaire d'une bride sur la goupille arrière, le deuxième épaulement (26) étant établi par un écrou de retenue sur la goupille arrière.
  7. Système d'attelage selon les revendications 5 ou 6, dans lequel la goupille arrière comprend des fourches supérieure et inférieure (29, 31) entre lesquelles est retenu le moyen de palier (32), de sorte que le déplacement axial du moyen de palier entraíne un déplacement axial correspondant de la goupille arrière.
  8. Système d'attelage selon la revendication 1, comportant un sous-assemblage additionnel, similaire au dit premier sous-assemblage (20) en vue de l'accouplement audit autre véhicule ferroviaire, la barre de traction servant à accoupler les deux sous-assemblages.
EP97308101A 1996-10-16 1997-10-13 Systèmes d'attelages pour véhicules ferroviaires Expired - Lifetime EP0836977B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9621535.5A GB9621535D0 (en) 1996-10-16 1996-10-16 Railway vehicle coupling systems
GB9621535 1996-10-16

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0836977A1 EP0836977A1 (fr) 1998-04-22
EP0836977B1 true EP0836977B1 (fr) 2003-05-02

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ID=10801490

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97308101A Expired - Lifetime EP0836977B1 (fr) 1996-10-16 1997-10-13 Systèmes d'attelages pour véhicules ferroviaires

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EP (1) EP0836977B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69721434T2 (fr)
GB (1) GB9621535D0 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
RU2494900C1 (ru) * 2012-05-03 2013-10-10 Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение высшего профессионального образования "Санкт-Петербургский государственный горный университет" Рудничный локомотив

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2792595A1 (fr) * 1999-04-21 2000-10-27 Maintenance C I M Comp Int De Dispositif d'accouplement pour wagons de chemins de fer
DE10101470B4 (de) * 2001-01-12 2009-02-26 Faiveley Transport Remscheid Gmbh Zug- und Stossvorrichtung mit Kupplungsarm von Mittelpufferkupplungen
EP1247715B1 (fr) * 2001-04-03 2010-10-27 Schwab Verkehrstechnik AG Dispositif de tamponnement et de traction pour véhicules ferroviaires

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3910418A (en) * 1974-04-30 1975-10-07 Keystone Ind Inc Railway car cushioning apparatus
DE3248289A1 (de) * 1982-12-28 1984-07-05 Ringfeder Gmbh, 4150 Krefeld Zug- und stossvorrichtung, insbesondere fuer mittelpufferkupplungen von schienenfahrzeugen
EP0547887A1 (fr) * 1991-12-16 1993-06-23 AMSTED Industries Incorporated Dispositif de barre de traction pour wagon ferroviaire

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DD233978A1 (de) * 1985-01-24 1986-03-19 Niesky Waggonbau Veb Zugeinrichtung fuer kurzgekuppelte fahrzeugeinheiten
DE4201122A1 (de) * 1992-01-17 1993-07-22 Duewag Ag Wageneinheit, insbesondere fuer den guetertransport
FR2691693B1 (fr) * 1992-06-02 1994-07-22 Sogea Procede d'entrainement d'un train suiveur de chantier et attelage entre wagonnets pour sa mise en óoeuvre.

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3910418A (en) * 1974-04-30 1975-10-07 Keystone Ind Inc Railway car cushioning apparatus
DE3248289A1 (de) * 1982-12-28 1984-07-05 Ringfeder Gmbh, 4150 Krefeld Zug- und stossvorrichtung, insbesondere fuer mittelpufferkupplungen von schienenfahrzeugen
EP0547887A1 (fr) * 1991-12-16 1993-06-23 AMSTED Industries Incorporated Dispositif de barre de traction pour wagon ferroviaire

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
RU2494900C1 (ru) * 2012-05-03 2013-10-10 Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение высшего профессионального образования "Санкт-Петербургский государственный горный университет" Рудничный локомотив

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69721434D1 (de) 2003-06-05
EP0836977A1 (fr) 1998-04-22
DE69721434T2 (de) 2004-04-08
GB9621535D0 (en) 1996-12-04

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