SNOW PROTECTION ASSEMBLY FOR A COUPLING REGION OF A RAIL VEHICLE

Abstract

A snow protection assembly is provided for a coupling region of a rail vehicle. The rail vehicle has, on an end face, a recess which protects against snow, in which recess a coupling of the rail vehicle is arranged. A fixed housing partially extends around the recess. The housing has an opening in the direction of travel of the rail vehicle, from which opening the coupling partially protrudes to enable a process of coupling to an additional rail vehicle. The opening of the fixed housing is peripherally fixedly connected to a first sealing element. A second sealing element is rotatably connected to the coupling, and the second sealing element partially extends around the coupling. The two sealing elements partially overlap in the region of the opening. The two sealing elements are coupled to one another by pressure to protect the opening against the ingress of snow.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A snow protection configuration for a coupling region of a rail vehicle, the rail vehicle having at a front side a recess formed therein which is intended to be protected from the snow and in which a coupling of the rail vehicle is at least partially disposed, the snow protection configuration comprising: a fixed housing at least partially surrounding the recess, said fixed housing having in a travel direction of the rail vehicle an opening formed therein from which the coupling partially protrudes in a predetermined angular position in order to enable a coupling operation with an additional rail vehicle, a first sealing element, said opening of said fixed housing is peripherally defined by said first sealing element; a second sealing element being rotatably connected to the coupling and wherein the second sealing element at least partially surrounding the coupling; and said first and second sealing elements at least partially overlap each other in a region of the opening in different angular positions of the coupling, said first and second sealing elements are coupled to each other by means of pressure in order to protect said opening from penetration by the snow.

15. The configuration according to claim 14, wherein at least one of said first and second sealing elements is configured in a flexible manner.

16. The configuration according to claim 14, wherein said first sealing element is configured as a flexible hollow chamber profile and/or as a flexible bead.

17. The configuration according to claim 14, wherein said second sealing element is configured as a flexible hollow chamber profile and/or as a flexible bead.

18. The configuration according to claim 16, wherein at least one of said first sealing element or said second sealing element is produced from a flexible rubber.

19. The configuration according to claim 14, further comprising a swivel joint, said second sealing element is connected to the coupling by means of said swivel joint.

20. The configuration according to claim 14, wherein said second sealing element has flexible sleeves which are disposed in a region around the coupling and which additionally seal a transition to the coupling.

21. The configuration according to claim 20, wherein said flexible sleeves are produced from rubber.

22. The configuration according to claim 16, wherein said flexible hollow chamber profiles or said flexible beads are constructed in such a manner that translational movements of coupled rail vehicles are received in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the coupled rail vehicles by said flexible hollow chamber profiles or said flexible beads being pressed in with simultaneous sealing.

23. The configuration according to claim 16, wherein said flexible hollow chamber profiles or said flexible beads are constructed in such a manner that, during lateral movements of coupled rail vehicles transversely relative to a longitudinal axis, said flexible hollow chamber profiles or said flexible beads slide on each other and consequently absorb these movements with simultaneous sealing.

24. The configuration according to claim 16, wherein said flexible hollow chamber profiles or said flexible beads are constructed in such a manner that, during angular movements of coupled rail vehicles with respect to each other, said flexible hollow chamber profiles or said flexible beads are pressed in to differing degrees in order to absorb relative movements which occur with simultaneous sealing.

25. The configuration according to claim 14, wherein the coupling is constructed in such a manner that the rail vehicle can be connected via the coupling to a correspondingly configured coupling of the additional rail vehicle.

26. The configuration according to claim 14, wherein the coupling is movably supported inside said recess so that, for purposes of the coupling operation with the additional rail vehicle, the coupling can be horizontally and vertically pivoted in a predetermined angular range.

Description

[0051] In the drawings:

[0052] FIG. 1 is a first detailed view of the arrangement according to the invention,

[0053] FIG. 2 is a second detailed view of the arrangement according to the invention,

[0054] FIG. 3 is a complete view of the arrangement according to the invention, and

[0055] FIG. 4 is an advantageous development of the arrangement according to the invention,

[0056] FIGS. 5 to 11 show the embodiments of known snow protection arrangements already described in the introduction.

[0057] FIG. 1 is a first detailed view of the arrangement according to the invention. A coupling region KUPB of a rail vehicle SFZ is illustrated.

[0058] The rail vehicle SFZ has at the front side thereof a recess EINB which is intended to be protected from snow and in which a coupling KUP of the rail vehicle SFZ is at least partially arranged.

[0059] A fixed housing EINH at least partially surrounds the recess EINB. The housing EINH has in the travel direction of the rail vehicle SFZ an opening OFF from which the coupling KUP partially protrudes in a predetermined angular position in order to enable a coupling operation with an additional rail vehicle.

[0060] The opening OFF of the fixed housing EINH is securely connected peripherally to a first sealing element DIE1.

[0061] In this example, the first sealing element DIE1 is configured as a flexible hollow chamber profile.

[0062] The size of the opening (DOFF is sized in such a manner that the coupling KUP can carry out all movements which result from operation.

[0063] The housing EINH is securely connected to the front of the rail vehicle SFZ and cannot move with respect to the rail vehicle.

[0064] The opening OFF together with the peripheral sealing element DIE1 is also sized in such a manner that the coupling KUP can carry out all necessary movements during operation.

[0065] FIG. 2 shows with partial reference to FIG. 1 a second detailed view of the arrangement according to the invention.

[0066] A second sealing element DIE2 is rotatably connected to the coupling KUP. The second sealing element DIE2 at least partially surrounds the coupling KUP.

[0067] In this example, the second sealing element DIE2 is configured as a flexible hollow chamber profile.

[0068] The second sealing element DIE2 is connected to the coupling KUP by means of a swivel joint DRG.

[0069] In addition, the second sealing element DIE2 has flexible sleeves FMS which are arranged in the region around the coupling KUP and which additionally seal the transition to the coupling KUP.

[0070] The flexible sleeves FMS have peripherally a frame FMSR via which they are connected to the hollow chamber profile.

[0071] It is also possible to see a coupling joint KUPG, via which the coupling KUP is secured in the recess EINB of the rail vehicle SFZ by means of a joint. Via this joint (cf. also in this regard the coupling joint KUPG11 of FIG. 10), it is possible for the coupling KUP to assume different angular positions in order to carry out the coupling operation and during the travel of connected rail vehicles.

[0072] The rotatably movable second sealing element DIE2 results in it repeatedly being orientated toward the first sealing element DIE1 when the coupling KUP is rotated about a vertical axis.

[0073] FIG. 3 shows with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 a complete view of the arrangement according to the invention.

[0074] The two sealing elements DIE1, DIE2 at least partially overlap each other in the region of the opening OFF at different angular positions of the coupling KUP. The two sealing elements DIE1, DIE2 are coupled to each other by means of pressure and thereby protect the opening OFF from penetration of snow.

[0075] The rotatably movable second sealing element DIE2 results in it always being orientated toward the first sealing element DIE1 when the coupling KUP is rotated about a vertical axis, wherein the capacity for sealing is maintained at the same time.

[0076] FIG. 4 shows with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 an advantageous development of the arrangement according to the invention.

[0077] This embodiment addresses the case that two rail vehicles which are located with respect to each other on a tight curved track are coupled to each other.

[0078] In order to carry out the coupling operation, operators would have to displace the two sealing elements DIE1, DIE2 by means of the application of force. If the two sealing elements DIE1, DIE2 are, for example, produced from rubber, it could be the case that the required force cannot be applied by the operators.

[0079] In order to solve this problem, the swivel joint DRG is displaceably supported along the longitudinal axis of the coupling KUP.

[0080] A pressure or tension spring FED fixes the swivel joint DRG in position and limits the pressure or pressing force of the two sealing elements DIE1, DIE2.

[0081] The two sealing elements DIE1, DIE2 are coupled to each other in particular in the deflected state of the second sealing element DIE2.