Patent Application
20230391380
The present invention relates to an automatic train coupling, and, more particularly, to an automatic train coupling for a freight car of a rail vehicle.
Automatic train couplings of the generic type, which have a coupling head with a coupling housing and a coupling fastener having a locking mechanism, are known in practice. The coupling fastener is embodied as a rotary fastener having a coupling eyelet and a core, wherein the core is rotatable about a primary axis, between a coupled position and a decoupled position, and the coupling eyelet by way of a first end is connected to the core so as to be rotatable about a coupling eyelet axis and has a second free end. The core has a throat for receiving a corresponding second end of a coupling eyelet of a mating coupling head.
The core is assigned a spring accumulator. The core is rotatable counter to the force of the spring accumulator from the coupled position to the decoupled position and by the force of the spring accumulator is rotatable from the decoupled position to the coupled position.
The decoupled position is also referred to as the coupling-ready position because the train couplings of the two cars in this position can be moved toward one another and coupled. Optionally, the coupling fastener, or the core thereof, can also be rotated to a position which is overtorqued in relation to the coupling-ready position, i.e. be opened more than necessary. The spring accumulator is tensioned to the maximum extent in this overtorqued position. This overtorqued position is also a coupling-ready position or decoupled position in the context of the present invention. Furthermore, such a coupling-ready or decoupled position is also referred to as a standby position.
The locking mechanism, which holds the coupling fastener in the respectively suitable position or correspondingly releases said coupling fastener for transfer to another position by rotating the core, has a ram which counter to a spring force is displaceable in the coupling direction of the train coupling, and a catch bar which is displaceable transversely or obliquely to the coupling direction, for example. The catch bar is connected in an articulated manner to the core and by the core, during the rotation of the latter from the coupled position to the decoupled position, is displaceable to a latching position in which the catch bar blocks any reverse rotation of the core, i.e. in the direction from the decoupled position to the coupled position. The ram in turn is movable between a first position and a second position. In the first position in which the ram is displaced counter to the spring force, the ram blocks the catch bar in the latching position, and in the second position in which the ram by the spring force is displaced from the first position, the ram releases the catch bar from the latching position.
The function of the automatic train coupling of the generic type is as follows: Two mating coupling heads on two vehicles to be coupled to one another are locked to one another in that the second end of the respective coupling eyelet is in each case inserted into the throat of the core of the respectively other coupling head and is held in a form-fitting manner by rotating the respective core. In this way, the two vehicles are mechanically coupled to one another. The two coupling fasteners are stressed exclusively by tensile forces, which within the parallelogram formed by the coupling eyelets and the cores are uniformly distributed to both coupling eyelets. In contrast, compressive forces are transmitted by a special profile on the front side on the coupling head housing, wherein the profile, as is advantageously also the case in the present invention, typically includes a cone and a funnel which are enclosed by a wide, in particular flat, end face. The profile can be formed by a separate end plate which is fastened on the front on the coupling head housing. The profile by way of the cone and funnel can form sliding and centering faces and in particular determine the region of grip in terms of the lateral, vertical and angular offset. The coupling heads are centered and slide into one another when they meet.
When two rail vehicles are moved toward one another, the coupling fasteners thereof, or the cores thereof, respectively, are in the coupling-ready or decoupled position in which the cores are held in particular by the catch bars, the latter being in the latching position. The cones during coupling plunge into the funnels of the coupling head housing profiles in each case. The cones thereby press onto the rams and push the latter back such that the rams release the catch bars from the latching position of the latter. As a result, the coupling fasteners are released and rotated by the force of the respective spring accumulator until the core impacts a predefined detent, typically the coupling head housing. In the process, the coupling eyelets guided in the funnels latch to the core throats, the two coupling fasteners are interlocked, and the coupled position is reached. Any unintentional separation of the coupling fasteners is impossible. Normal wear does not compromise the reliability of the coupling fastener.
In order for the coupling heads to be decoupled, a decoupling installation rotates both coupling fasteners, i.e. the two cores, counter to the force of the spring accumulators until the coupling eyelets slide out of the throats of the cores. The rotating cores here are intended to displace the catch bars so far that a reverse rotation of the cores from the overtorqued position beyond the coupling-ready position during separation of the vehicles is prevented in that the catch bars are moved to the latching positions of the latter.
Decoupling installations in various embodiments are known. For example, manually activatable, mechanical decoupling installations have levers, cables and/or chain pulls that act on various types of latches and when activated cancel the locking position. Automated decoupling installations, as a drive, include a pneumatic cylinder or an electric motor, in particular a linear actuator which decouples the train coupling. For example, DE 29 23 195 C2 discloses a remotely activatable decoupling installation for a central buffer coupling of a rail vehicle, in which an electric motor by way of a cam disk activates a lever so as to rotate the core from the coupled position to the decoupled position, the lever being co-rotationally connected to the main pin. EP 3 470 295 A1 discloses an electric linear actuator which by way of a lever engages on the main pin.
The known automated decoupling installations require a relatively large installation space and are disposed externally on the automatic train coupling outside the coupling head housing. In order to protect the decoupling installations in relation to environmental influences, encapsulations which shield the decoupling installations in relation to the environment can be provided. In the known embodiments, the complexity in terms of construction associated with these encapsulations and the thus required comparatively large installation space are disadvantageous.
DE 660 833 for releasing the coupling discloses an activation by compressed air. To this end, a cylinder/piston unit is disposed so as to be integrated in the coupling head, wherein the piston rod engages directly on the coupling hook. The entire compressed air supply is disposed outside the coupling head. In order to transmit high forces, the cylinder/piston unit has to be correspondingly designed, this manifesting itself in a corresponding design embodiment of the head.
What is needed in the art is to improve an automatic train coupling, in particular for a freight car of a rail vehicle, for example of the embodiment illustrated above, in such a manner that the complexity in terms of construction and the production costs are reduced, and the required installation space is minimized at the same time, with reliable protection of the decoupling installation in relation to environmental influences. In particular, what is needed in the art is that the decoupling installation is characterized by a compact embodiment while at the same time being suitable for transmitting high forces.
The present invention provides an automatic train coupling, in particular for a freight car of a rail vehicle, having a coupling head which includes a coupling head housing and a coupling fastener having a locking mechanism, wherein the coupling fastener is embodied as a rotary fastener having a coupling eyelet and a core, wherein the core is rotatable about a primary axis between a coupled position and a decoupled position, the coupling eyelet by way of a first end is connected to the core so as to be rotatable about a coupling eyelet axis and has a second free end; and the core has a throat which is disposed for receiving a second end of a coupling eyelet of a mating coupling head; having an electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically activated decoupling installation which includes an electric motor, a hydraulic motor, or a pneumatic motor that by way of a drive connection is at least indirectly connected to the core so as to rotate the core from the coupled position to the decoupled position, characterized in that the decoupling installation is disposed either completely within the coupling head housing, or completely within the coupling head housing and a coupling bar adjoining the coupling head housing.
The automatic train coupling according to the present invention, which is in particular embodied as an automatic train coupling of a freight car of a rail vehicle, has a coupling head which includes a coupling head housing and a coupling fastener having a locking mechanism. Locking mechanism means that the coupling fastener at least in one position is able to be locked in a rotationally fixed manner, as derived from the following.
The coupling fastener is embodied as a rotary fastener having a coupling eyelet and a core, wherein the core is rotatable about a primary axis of rotation between a coupled position and a decoupled position. The coupling eyelet by way of a first end is connected to the core so as to be rotatable about a coupling eyelet axis and has a second free end.
The core has a throat which is disposed for receiving a second end of a coupling eyelet of a mating coupling head.
Furthermore, provided is an electrically or hydraulically or pneumatically activated decoupling installation which includes an electric motor, a hydraulic motor, or a pneumatic motor, that by way of a drive connection is at least indirectly connected to the core so as to rotate the core from the coupled position to the decoupled position.
The core, in particular in the decoupled position, the so-called coupling-ready position, can be held in a rotationally fixed manner by the locking mechanism.
According to the present invention, the decoupling installation is disposed either completely within the coupling head housing, or the decoupling installation is disposed completely within the coupling head housing and a coupling bar adjoining the coupling head housing, thus in a space which is enclosed either solely by the coupling head housing or which is enclosed by the coupling head housing conjointly with a corresponding region of the coupling bar.
As a result of the design embodiment according to the present invention, additional encapsulations for the electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically activated decoupling installation can be dispensed with, and good protection of the electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically activated decoupling installation in relation to environmental influences can be guaranteed at the same time. No installation space for the electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically activated decoupling installation, i.e. in particular for the electric motor, the hydraulic motor or the pneumatic motor and the drive connection, has to be reserved outside the coupling head housing and optionally outside the corresponding part of the coupling bar.
There are a plurality of possibilities in terms of the specific disposal of the drive motor and the configuration of the drive connection. Drive motors with a rotary output, as well as drive motors with a translatory output, can be used here. However, drive motors with a rotary output are optionally used.
The electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically activated decoupling installation can be embodied in a particularly compact manner when the motor has an output rotation axis which is disposed so as to be at least substantially radial to the primary axis. Accordingly, the output rotation axis advantageously points in the direction of the primary axis, or intersects the primary axis or at least a main pin which is rotatable about the primary axis and is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the core. In comparison to a motor output rotation axis which is disposed so as to be skewed or tangential to such a main pin or to the primary axis, the electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically activated decoupling installation requires a substantially smaller installation space that by way of the longitudinal extent thereof extends in the direction of the coupling bar longitudinal axis, or the coupling head housing longitudinal axis, and in this way can easily be accommodated within the coupling head housing and optionally the adjacent region of the coupling bar.
However, if the drive connection is correspondingly configured, it is also conceivable that the motor output rotation axis is disposed so as to be skewed and/or tangential to the main pin.
It is favorable for the compact embodiment for a miter gear to be provided in the drive connection between the motor and the core. Such a miter gear can be formed, for example, by a drive pinion and a face gear or bevel gear (if the drive pinion is also beveled) which meshes with the latter, the rotation axis of said drive pinion being parallel to the primary axis. The drive pinion can be provided on the output rotation axis, or on an output shaft of the motor that revolves about the output rotation axis, or be disposed so as to be coaxial with the latter and be connected in a driven manner to the output shaft of the motor.
According to one advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the miter gear by way of an articulated lever in one part or in multiple parts is connected to the core. In particular when the articulated lever is in one part, a dog, for example in the form of a stud on a disk, can be provided on the miter gear output, said dog entraining the articulated lever from the coupled position to the decoupled position when the core is rotated, and enabling the miter gear output to be rotated in the opposite direction without entrainment of the articulated lever.
According to another embodiment, the miter gear by way of an articulated lever is connected to the core, said articulated lever being at least in two parts, including a first lever part which is connected in an articulated manner to the core, and a second lever part which is connected in an articulated manner to the first lever part and in an articulated manner to a miter gear output, wherein the rotation axes of said articulated connections are parallel to the primary axis. In this way, a compact installation space can be achieved on the one hand, and the required freedom of movement in the rotation of the core can be achieved on the other hand, without the risk of any undesirable blockage or restriction by the miter gear.
The miter gear output can be formed, for example, by a rotary lever which extends radially to a miter gear output rotation axis. According to one embodiment, such a miter gear output is substantially spoke-shaped. However, a disk-shaped or circular miter gear output, or other shapes, are also considered.
According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention, a reduction gear, advantageously having a coaxial disposal of the drive and output thereof, can be provided between the miter gear and the motor. The miter gear can be embodied, for example, as a planetary gear or eccentric gear, in particular in the form of a harmonic gear or a strain wave gear. A differential gear is also considered, for example. The output of this reduction gear is then formed in particular by said drive pinion which represents the input to the miter gear.
The reduction gear, in particular in the form of the harmonic gear, can then be disposed so as to be coaxial with the motor, or with the output rotation axis of the latter, respectively. This means that the motor output rotation axis, the harmonic gear and optionally the input of the miter gear are disposed so as to be mutually coaxial. This embodiment is characterized by a minor installation height and a compact design. The configuration and the disposal of the links between the miter gear and the core, in particular the articulated lever, particularly optionally takes place in a horizontal plane, and the disposal of the rotation axes of the motor output shaft, the harmonic gear and the input to the miter gear in a further horizontal plane, wherein the two horizontal planes have only a minor mutual offset when viewed in the vertical direction.
The miter gear can optionally have a further reduction gearing so as to once again reduce the rotating speed downstream of the miter gear in the direction of the drive power flux, and optionally increase the transmitted torque at the same time. In this way, a particularly high torque acting on the core can be achieved for rotating the core from the coupled position thereof to the decoupled position.
The harmonic gear and/or the miter gear can be supported, in particular exclusively, by the motor or by a mounting bracket that supports the motor and is in particular plate-shaped.
The miter gear output is optionally rotatable about a miter gear output rotation axis, between a zero position and a trigger position. In the zero position, the miter gear output enables the core to be rotated between the coupled position and the decoupled position without being impeded by the miter gear output. When the miter gear output is rotated from the zero position to the trigger position, the miter gear output drives the core such that the latter is rotated from the coupled position to the decoupled position.
The length of the articulated lever, in particular the lengths of the first lever part and of the second lever part, are therefore optionally chosen in such a manner that the core is rotatable from the decoupled position to the coupled position and the miter gear output thereby remains in the zero position. In this way, the arc that is swept by the rotation axis of the articulated connection of the second lever part on the miter gear output during the rotation of the miter gear output from the zero position to the trigger position can be smaller than or equal to the combined lengths of the first lever part and of the second lever part.
The decoupling installation is optionally activatable independently of the position of the core, and in particular the miter gear output is rotatable with the motor about the miter gear output rotation axis in the coupled position as well as in the decoupled position of the core.
The position of the decoupling installation, in particular of the miter gear output and/or of the articulated lever, can optionally be detected by a sensor so as to be able to monitor and/or be able to better actuate in a targeted manner specific positions of the decoupling installation.
A manual activation device is particularly optionally provided, with which the core can be manually moved to the decoupled position and/or the miter gear output can be manually moved to the zero position. Blocking the rotation of the core from the coupled position to the decoupled position is avoided by moving the miter gear output to the zero position. Decoupling of the automatic train coupling is possible by rotating the core to the decoupled position.
As has been explained at the outset, the automatic train coupling can be provided with a locking mechanism which includes in particular the catch bar illustrated and the ram and operates as has been described at the outset.
Alternative embodiments of the decoupling installations, including a drive motor which by way of a drive connection is coupled to the core are conceivable in the following combinations:
(a) A sequential disposal of the drive motor, the miter gear and the strain wave gear in the force flux, and linking the output of the strain wave gear to the core by way of a rotary lever connection. The input of the strain wave gear in this case is in particular aligned at an angle, optionally perpendicular, to the output rotation axis of the drive machine; and
(b) A sequential disposal of the drive motor, a worm gear and a spur gear in the force flux, and linking the output to the core.
Both embodiments are characterized by a very compact axial construction mode, when viewed in the installed state in the longitudinal direction of the coupling, but require somewhat more installation space in the vertical direction.
A rail vehicle according to the present invention has a corresponding automatic train coupling of the type illustrated.
The coupling head housing of the automatic train coupling possesses a particular profile in particular on the front. The profile is formed by a cone and a funnel. The cone and funnel are enclosed by a wide, flat end face, or else by an end face which is provided with peripherally open clearances which are provided on the end face while forming recessed surface areas. In the latter case, one or a plurality of surface areas which interact with an end face of a mating coupling so as to introduce forces are provided on the end face.
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
Shown schematically in
The coupling head housing 2 on the front side possesses a profile. The profile is formed by a cone 21 and a funnel 22. The cone 21 and the funnel 22 are enclosed by a wide, flat end face 23 for interacting with the end face of a mating coupling, or else, not illustrated in detail here, with an end face which is provided with peripherally open clearances which are provided on the end face 23 while forming recessed surface areas. In the latter case, one or a plurality of surface areas which interact with an end face of a mating coupling so as to introduce forces are provided on the end face. The end face 23 can be formed by an end plate 24 which is releasably connected to the coupling head housing 2, or else by an end plate 24 configured so as to be integral to said coupling head housing 2.
The coupling fastener 3 is embodied as a rotary fastener, having the core 6 to which a coupling eyelet 5 is connected so as to be rotatable about a coupling eyelet axis 8. The core 6 in turn is rotatable about the primary axis 7. To this end, the core 6 is mounted on a main pin 19 and is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the latter.
As is illustrated in
The coupling eyelet 5 has a first end 5.1 to which the former is rotatably connected to the core 6, and an opposite second end 5.2 which can be clamped in a throat 9 of the core 6 of a mating coupling head 1 so as to mechanically lock the two coupling heads 1 to one another. Accordingly, the coupling eyelet 5 on the second end 5.2 thereof has a transverse locking bar not illustrated in more detail here.
The core 6 of each coupling head 1, counter to the force of a spring accumulator 4, which is formed by one or a plurality of tension springs, for example, is rotatable from the decoupled position to the coupled position.
Shown in
When two coupling heads 1 are moved toward one another in the decoupled position of the coupling fastener, or of the core 6, respectively, shown in
The coupling fasteners 3 are stressed exclusively by tensile forces, whereas the compressive forces are transmitted by way of the end faces 23 of the end plate 24.
It can be seen in the illustration in
The receptacle of the complete, electrically activated decoupling installation 11 within the coupling head housing 2 and the adjoining region of the coupling bar 10 is also derived from
The drive pinion 13 and the face gear 14 (or the bevel gears) conjointly form a miter gear 15 which, like the harmonic gear 25, optionally has a reduction gearing.
Harmonic gears are in particular gears with an elastic transmission element.
The disposal of the electric motor 12, of the harmonic gear 25 and of the miter gear 15 can again also be derived from
The miter gear output 15.1 is formed by a rotary lever 17 which is rotatable about the miter gear output rotation axis 15.2. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the miter gear output rotation axis 15.2 and the rotation axis 14.1 of the face gear 14 coincide.
As the face gear 14 rotates, the rotary lever 17 is also rotated about the miter gear output rotation axis 15.2. The rotary lever 17 by way of an articulated lever 16, including a first lever part 16.1 and a second lever part 16.2, is connected to the core 6. The first lever part 16.1 is connected in an articulated manner to the core 6, and the second lever part 16.2 is connected in an articulated manner to the first lever part 16.1 and in an articulated manner to the rotary lever 17.
The position of the rotary lever 17 can be detected by a sensor 18, for example.
The function of the electrically activated decoupling installation 11 is to be explained hereunder by way of
When the core 6 is now rotated from the decoupled position shown in
In order for the core now to be rotated from the coupled position to the decoupled position about the primary axis 7 by way of the electrically activated decoupling installation 11 and in order to thus decouple the coupling fastener 3, the miter gear output 15.1, or the rotary lever 17, respectively, is rotated to the trigger position shown in
In order to now enable the coupling fastener 3 to be coupled again, to which end the core 6 has to be rotated to the coupled position, the miter gear output 15.1, or the rotary lever 17, respectively, is again rotated to the zero position thereof which is shown in the
Although the invention has been explained by way of an exemplary embodiment with an electric motor 12, other construction types of motors instead of the electric motor 12 are also considered, for example a hydraulic motor or a pneumatic motor.
While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2020 133 495.8 | Dec 2020 | DE | national |
| 10 2021 105 367.6 | Mar 2021 | DE | national |
This is a continuation of PCT application No. PCT/EP2021/085870, entitled “AUTOMATIC TRAIN COUPLING”, filed Dec. 15, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference. PCT application No. PCT/EP2021/085870 claims priority to: (a) German patent application no. 10 2020 133 495.8, filed Dec. 15, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference; and (b) German patent application no. 10 2021 105 367.6, filed Mar. 5, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/EP2021/085870 | Dec 2021 | US |
| Child | 18335595 | US |
