AUTOMATIC TRAIN COUPLING

Abstract

An automatic train coupling includes: a coupling head including a coupling head housing and a coupling fastener, the coupling fastener being a rotary fastener including a coupling eyelet and a core, the core being rotatable between coupled and decoupled positions, the coupling eyelet by way of its first end being connected to the core such that the coupling eyelet is rotatable, the core including a throat; and a decoupling installation which is configured for being electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically activated and which includes a motor that, by way of a drive connection of the automatic train coupling, is at least indirectly connected to the core so as to rotate the core from the coupled position to the decoupled position, the decoupling installation being disposed either completely within the coupling head housing or completely within the coupling head housing and a coupling bar adjoining the coupling head housing.

Claims

1. An automatic train coupling, comprising: a coupling head which includes a coupling head housing and a coupling fastener, the coupling fastener including a locking mechanism and being formed as a rotary fastener including a coupling eyelet and a core, the core being configured for rotating about a primary axis between a coupled position and a decoupled position, the coupling eyelet including a first end and a second end which is free, the coupling eyelet by way of the first end being connected to the core such that the coupling eyelet is configured for rotating about a coupling eyelet axis, the core including a throat which is disposed and thereby configured for receiving another second end of another coupling eyelet of a mating coupling head; and a decoupling installation which is configured for being electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically activated and which includes a motor—which is an electric motor, a hydraulic motor, or a pneumatic motor—that, by way of a drive connection of the automatic train coupling, is at least indirectly connected to the core so as to rotate the core from the coupled position to the decoupled position, the decoupling installation being disposed either completely within the coupling head housing or completely within the coupling head housing and a coupling bar—of the automatic train coupling—adjoining the coupling head housing.

2. The automatic train coupling according to claim 1, wherein the motor has an output rotation axis which is disposed so as to be at least substantially radial relative to the primary axis.

3. The automatic train coupling according to claim 2, wherein the automatic train coupling is configured for a freight car of a rail vehicle, the motor being an electric motor.

4. The automatic train coupling according to claim 2, further comprising a miter gear in the drive connection between the motor and the core.

5. The automatic train coupling according to claim 4, further comprising a face gear or a bevel gear, wherein the output rotation axis has a drive pinion or is disposed so as to be coaxial with and to drive the drive pinion, which meshes with the face gear or the bevel gear, a rotation axis of the face gear or the bevel gear being parallel to the primary axis such that the drive pinion and the face gear or the bevel gear form the miter gear.

6. The automatic train coupling according to claim 4, further comprising a reduction gear, wherein the reduction gear, which is disposed so as to be coaxial with the output rotation axis, is disposed between the motor and the miter gear.

7. The automatic train coupling according to claim 6, wherein the reduction gear is formed as an eccentric gear, which is a harmonic gear.

8. The automatic train coupling according to claim 4, further comprising an articulated lever, the miter gear including a miter gear output, wherein the miter gear, by way of the articulated lever, is connected to the core, wherein the articulated lever includes at least two parts, which include a first lever part and a second lever part, the first lever part being connected in an articulated manner to the core so as to form a first articulated connection defining a first articulated rotational axis, the second lever part being connected in an articulated manner to the first lever part and in an articulated manner to the miter gear output so as to form respectively a second articulated connection defining a second articulated rotational axis and a third articulated connection defining a third articulated rotational axis, wherein the first articulated rotational axis, the second articulated rotational axis, and the third articulated rotational axis are parallel to the primary axis.

9. The automatic train coupling according to claim 8, further comprising a rotary lever, wherein the miter gear output defines a miter gear output rotation axis, the miter gear output being formed by the rotary lever which extends radially to the miter gear output rotation axis.

10. The automatic train coupling according to claim 4, further comprising an articulated lever, the miter gear including a miter gear output, wherein the miter gear, by way of the articulated lever, is connected to the core, wherein the articulated lever is formed as one part or a plurality of parts, wherein the miter gear output includes a dog and a rotary lever, wherein the rotary lever is connected in an articulated manner to the articulated lever and is operatively connected to the dog so as to entrain the rotary lever for rotating the core from the coupled position to the decoupled position and for a rotation of the miter gear output in an opposite direction to release the rotary lever.

11. The automatic train coupling according to claim 10, wherein the miter gear output defines a miter gear output rotation axis and is configured for rotating about the miter gear output rotation axis between a zero position and a trigger position, and a length of the articulated lever is such that the core is configured for rotating from the decoupled position to the coupled position and the miter gear output thereby remains in the zero position.

12. The automatic train coupling according to claim 11, wherein the articulated lever includes a first lever part and a second lever part, the length of the articulated lever including a length of the first lever part and a length of the second lever part.

13. The automatic train coupling according to claim 11, wherein the decoupling installation is configured for being activated independently of a position of the core.

14. The automatic train coupling according to claim 13, wherein the miter gear output defines a miter gear output rotation axis, wherein the miter gear output is configured for rotating about the miter gear output rotation axis in the coupled position and in the decoupled position of the core to the motor.

15. The automatic train coupling according to claim 13, further comprising at least one sensor, which is configured for detecting a position of the decoupling installation.

16. The automatic train coupling according to claim 15, wherein the at least one sensor is configured for detecting a position of at least one of the miter gear output and the articulated lever.

17. The automatic train coupling according to claim 15, further comprising a manual activation device, by way of which at least one of (a) the core is configured for being moved manually to the decoupled position, and (b) the miter gear output is configured for being moved to the zero position.

18. A rail vehicle, comprising: an automatic train coupling, including: a coupling head which includes a coupling head housing and a coupling fastener, the coupling fastener including a locking mechanism and being formed as a rotary fastener including a coupling eyelet and a core, the core being configured for rotating about a primary axis between a coupled position and a decoupled position, the coupling eyelet including a first end and a second end which is free, the coupling eyelet by way of the first end being connected to the core such that the coupling eyelet is configured for rotating about a coupling eyelet axis, the core including a throat which is disposed and thereby configured for receiving another second end of another coupling eyelet of a mating coupling head; and a decoupling installation which is configured for being electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically activated and which includes a motor—which is an electric motor, a hydraulic motor, or a pneumatic motor—that, by way of a drive connection of the automatic train coupling, is at least indirectly connected to the core so as to rotate the core from the coupled position to the decoupled position, the decoupling installation being disposed either completely within the coupling head housing or completely within the coupling head housing and a coupling bar—of the automatic train coupling—adjoining the coupling head housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] 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:

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a sectional illustration of an advantageous embodiment of an automatic train coupling according to the invention;

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a view of an advantageous embodiment of an automatic train coupling according to the invention from below;

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a partially sectional view of an advantageous embodiment of an automatic train coupling according to the invention in a plan view obliquely from above;

[0049] FIG. 4 shows a vertical section through an automatic train coupling according to the invention;

[0050] FIG. 5 shows an automatic train coupling according to the invention without the coupling head housing in a view obliquely from above;

[0051] FIG. 6 shows the automatic train coupling from FIG. 5 with the core in the decoupled or coupling-ready position;

[0052] FIG. 7 shows the automatic train coupling from FIG. 6 with the core in the coupled position;

[0053] FIG. 8 shows the automatic train coupling from FIGS. 6 and 7 in the decoupled position and the miter gear output in the trigger position;

[0054] FIGS. 9a, 9b, and 9c show an alternative design of the miter gear output and of the articulated lever with the core in the coupled position and the decoupled position, and the miter gear output in the trigger position and the zero position;

[0055] FIG. 10 by way of a fragment from the decoupling installation shows an alternative embodiment of a solution for a dog.

[0056] 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.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0057] Shown schematically in FIG. 1 is an exemplary embodiment of an automatic train coupling according to the present invention in a decoupled position of the coupling fastener 3, or of the core 6 of the latter, respectively. The associated decoupling installation, here in a particularly advantageous configuration in the form of an electrically activated decoupling installation 11, can be derived from FIGS. 3 to 8. In detail, the automatic train coupling has a coupling head 1 which includes a coupling head housing 2 and the coupling fastener 3.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] As is illustrated in FIG. 1, a manual activation device 20 for manually decoupling the coupling fastener 3 can engage on the main pin 19, on the one hand. On the other hand, an actuator of a valve, not illustrated in more detail here, of a compressed air line, in particular a brake air line HL, can be actuated by way of the main pin 19 such that the valve is opened when rotating the coupling fastener 3 to the coupled position, and the valve is closed when rotating the coupling fastener 3 to the decoupled position.

[0061] 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.

[0062] 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.

[0063] Shown in FIG. 1 is a decoupled position of the coupling head 1, or of the coupling fastener 3, respectively. Such a decoupled position, which is also referred to as the coupling-ready position, can also be the overtorqued position mentioned at the outset.

[0064] 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 FIG. 1, the cones 21 plunge into the funnels 22 and unlock the locking mechanism of the coupling fastener 3, for example in that the cones 21 press onto the rams 26 of the locking mechanism, thereby releasing a latching connection of the catch bars 27, for example, such that the cores 6 are no longer blocked in relation to a rotation to the coupled position and are rotated to the coupled position by the force for example of the spring accumulator 4. In the process, the coupling eyelets 5 guided in the funnels 22 latch into the core throats 9, and the two coupling fasteners 3 are interlocked.

[0065] 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.

[0066] It can be seen in the illustration in FIG. 2 that all components of the coupling fastener 3 are received within the coupling head housing 2, and the coupling bar 10 adjoins the coupling head housing 2 in the longitudinal direction of the train coupling, said coupling bar 10 in addition to the coupling head housing 2 receiving part of the decoupling installation 11 in the form of an electrically activated decoupling installation 11, here the electric motor 12.

[0067] 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 FIG. 3 which shows a horizontal section through the coupling head housing 2 and the adjoining region of the coupling bar 10. In the position in FIG. 3, the core 6 is here in the coupled position in which the throat 9 is disposed comparatively far within the coupling head housing 2.

[0068] FIG. 4 shows the assembly from FIG. 3 again in a vertical section, here however without the coupling bar 10 which adjoins the coupling head housing 2 in the axial direction. It can be seen in particular from FIG. 4 that the electric motor 12 in the drive connection to the core 6 is first adjoined by a harmonic gear (or generally a reduction gear, in particular an eccentric gear or planetary gear) 25, the latter on the output side, in a manner coaxial with the output rotation axis 12.1 of the electric motor, supporting a drive pinion 13 which meshes with a face gear 14 that revolves about a vertical rotation axis 14.1 so as to drive the face gear 14. The rotation axis 14.1 is parallel to the primary axis 7 about which the main pin 19 is rotatable conjointly with the core 6. The output rotation axis 12.1 is disposed radially to the primary axis 7. For example, two bevel gears may also be provided instead of the drive pinion 13 and the face gear 14.

[0069] 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.

[0070] Harmonic gears are in particular gears with an elastic transmission element.

[0071] The disposal of the electric motor 12, of the harmonic gear 25 and of the miter gear 15 can again also be derived from FIG. 5. It can be seen from the latter that the output rotation axis 12.1 of the electric motor 12 and the harmonic gear 25, and also the input of the miter gear 15, are disposed so as to be mutually coaxial. These are optionally disposed in a horizontal plane and free of any offset in the vertical direction. When viewed in the axial direction, i.e. in the direction of the coupling longitudinal axis, they are disposed sequentially. This results in a decoupling installation 11 which is of a particularly compact construction in the vertical direction and optimally utilizes the installation space within the coupling head housing 2 and the coupling bar that is anyway available in the direction of the coupling longitudinal axis.

[0072] 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.

[0073] 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.

[0074] The position of the rotary lever 17 can be detected by a sensor 18, for example.

[0075] The function of the electrically activated decoupling installation 11 is to be explained hereunder by way of FIGS. 6 to 8. In FIG. 6, the core 6 is shown in the decoupled position, the miter gear output 15.1 which is formed by the rotary lever 17 is in the so-called zero position thereof in which said rotary lever 17 does not impede any rotation of the core 6 about the primary axis 7. The first lever part 16.1 and the second lever part 16.2 are folded toward one another or converged, meaning that said lever parts 16.1, 16.2 mutually enclose a comparatively acute angle.

[0076] When the core 6 is now rotated from the decoupled position shown in FIG. 6 to the coupled position shown in FIG. 7, the miter gear output 15.1 can remain in the zero position thereof, and the increasing distance between the connecting joint of the articulated lever 16 on the core 6 and the connecting joint of the articulated lever 16 on the miter gear output 15.1 is reached by unfolding the first lever part 16.1 and the second lever part 16.2. Accordingly, the first lever part 16.1 and the second lever part 16.2 in the coupled position of the core 6 mutually extend in a comparatively linear manner.

[0077] 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 FIG. 8 by being driven by the electric motor 12. During this rotation, the rotary lever 17 by way of the articulated lever 16 pulls on the core 6 such that the latter is rotated to the decoupled position.

[0078] 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 FIGS. 6 and 7, optionally before the core 6 starts to rotate to the coupled position.

[0079] FIG. 9a shows the core 6 in the coupled position and the miter gear output 15.1 in the zero position of the latter. Here, the articulated lever 16 and the miter gear output 15.1 are designed so as to deviate from the embodiment shown in the preceding figures. In this way, the articulated lever 16 is in one part and on one side connected in an articulated manner to the core 6 and on the other side in an articulated manner to the rotary lever 17. For rotating the core 6 from the coupled position shown in FIG. 9a to the decoupled position shown in FIG. 9b, the rotary lever 17 on the miter gear output 15.1 is rotated by a dog 34 in such a manner that said rotary lever 17 by way of the articulated lever 16 pulls on the core 6 so as to move the latter to the decoupled position. When the miter gear output 15.1 now is rotated back to the zero position thereof, which is shown in FIGS. 9a and 9c, this takes place by reversing the dog 34, which is disposed so as to be rotationally fixed on the miter gear output 15.1, such that said dog 34 moves away from the rotary lever 17, which is disposed so as to be rotatable on the miter gear output 15.1, and does not block a reverse rotation of the core 6 to the coupled position, as shown in FIG. 9c, in which reverse rotation the rotary lever 17 must also be reversed by way of the articulated lever 16. The decoupling installation can optionally lack a freewheeling mechanism or a corresponding clutch.

[0080] FIG. 10, by way of a fragment of the drive connection, in particular the miter gear 15, in a view according to FIG. 9 (that is, FIGS. 9a, 9b, and/or 9c), shows in an exemplary manner an alternative disposal and configuration of the dog 34. In the case illustrated, the latter is configured on an annular element which is linked in a rotationally fixed and form-fitting manner to the output shaft of the miter gear 15, said element being in the form of at least one, optionally two, cams 35.1, 35.2. In the case illustrated, the form-fit is performed by way of a region which has an internal toothing and an external toothing on the output shaft of the miter gear 15. The cams 35.1, 35.2 forming dogs 34 interact with the input of the rotary lever 17. To this end, the latter has an annularly configured input part for linking to the output of the miter gear 15, the linking taking place by way of the cams 35.1, 35.2 forming dogs on the internal circumference of the annular input part of the rotary lever 17. The latter, on the internal circumference, is adapted to the external contour of the cams and configures in each case detent faces for the cams forming dogs, said detent faces being aligned in the circumferential direction about the rotation axis 14.1.

[0081] 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.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0082] 1 Coupling head [0083] 2 Coupling head housing [0084] 3 Coupling fastener [0085] 4 Spring accumulator [0086] 5 Coupling eyelet [0087] 5.1 First end [0088] 5.2 Second end [0089] 6 Core [0090] 7 Primary axis [0091] 8 Coupling eyelet axis [0092] 9 Throat [0093] 10 Coupling bar [0094] 11 Electrically activated decoupling installation [0095] 12 Electric motor [0096] 12.1 Output rotation axis [0097] 13 Drive pinion [0098] 14 Face gear [0099] 14.1 Rotation axis [0100] 15 Miter gear [0101] 15.1 Miter gear output [0102] 15.2 Miter gear output rotation axis [0103] 16 Articulated lever [0104] 16.1 First lever part [0105] 16.2 Second lever part [0106] 17 Rotary lever [0107] 18 Sensor [0108] 19 Main pin [0109] 20 Manual activation device [0110] 21 Cone [0111] 22 Funnel [0112] 23 End face [0113] 24 End plate [0114] 25 Harmonic gear [0115] 26 Ram [0116] 27 Catch bar [0117] 34 Dog [0118] 35.1; 35.2 Cams

[0119] 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.