DE29907604U1 - Articulated coupling for vehicle units of rail vehicles - Google Patents

Description

2680/2718GM

Articulated coupling for vehicle units of rail vehicles

The invention relates to an articulated coupling for vehicle units of rail vehicles according to the preamble of claim 1.

Articulated connections between multiple units are often based on the principle of fork-link constructions. In these, a bolt is usually inserted as a connecting element through holes in the fork cheeks and the link. When coupling rail vehicles, this type of assembly is generally not possible because the required alignment of the holes in the link and fork cheeks cannot be achieved. For this reason, the fork cheeks are not drilled, but are provided with horizontal half-shells in which the bolt inserted in the link hole can be placed. As with the split bearing, it is held down and fastened by a counterpart, a screwed-on second half-shell.

A known solution of this type is shown in DE 41 21 080 A1. This coupling device for the ends of two vehicle units that are connected to one another by an articulated joint and are supported on a common bogie consists of a fork head that is attached to one vehicle unit and has two lateral fork cheeks, a connecting plate that is attached to the other vehicle unit and inserted between the two fork cheeks, and a coupling bolt with a spherical bearing arranged in the connecting plate. The spherical bearing is firmly arranged in the connecting plate with the coupling bolt. Both fork cheeks have horizontally divided,

a lower, fixed bearing shell and an upper, removable bearing shell, over which the coupling bolt can be clamped in the fork cheeks. DE 44 04 878 CI shows another fork-bracket design. Here the coupling bolt is also fixed from above in the fork cheeks or in two prismatic supports formed in them by means of bearing covers.

The solutions mentioned have the disadvantage that the coupling bolt does not assume a defined position due to the clamp connection used. In addition, when using conventional screw connections, it is not possible to guarantee the permanent security of the screw connections against loosening with sufficient certainty.

The invention is therefore based on the object of designing the known articulated couplings, which are based on the fork-link principle, in such a way that the bolt can be mounted in a defined position while avoiding a clamping connection.

According to the invention, this is achieved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in subclaims 2 to 7.

One advantage of the invention is that it is easy to couple and uncouple the vehicles, whereby the most favorable direction of the coupling process can be implemented depending on the type of vehicle. The invention also allows for a play-free, clear bolt fastening in the fork. The spherical joint bolt is placed in fixed coupling fork half shells either from above or inserted horizontally-lengthwise or from below and is thereby initially centered. The actual mounting of the bolt is, however, carried out by pins in holes in the fork cheeks of the coupling fork, not in screwed clamps.

connections. A kind of extension of the bolt is achieved with the help of a conical seat, which, as with conventional fork-link connections, passes through all holes in alignment. The cones center and clamp the spherical joint bolt and hold it in a specific position. The bolt is held in a similar way to a workpiece that is to be rotated "between centers".

By designing the fastening of the pins according to claim 4 with detachable fastening means, in particular screws, which are held free of transverse forces by clamping sleeves, the permanent security against the detachable fastening means becoming loose by themselves is significantly improved.

The invention will be explained below using two exemplary embodiments. The accompanying drawing shows:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section through an articulated coupling for coupling in a vertical direction according to the invention along the line A-A in Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the articulated coupling according to Fig. 1 for coupling in vertical direction;
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Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through a second embodiment of an articulated coupling for coupling in the horizontal longitudinal direction according to the invention along the line A-A in Fig. 4 and

Fig. 4 is a side view of the articulated coupling according to Fig. 3 for coupling in horizontal longitudinal direction.

The figures show a coupling fork 1 arranged on one vehicle unit with the two lateral fork cheeks 1 α and a coupling fork 1 arranged on the other vehicle unit.

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g unit and a spherical joint bolt 3 arranged between them. A spherical bearing of the coupling plate 2 receives the part of the spherical joint bolt 3 which is spherical in its middle area. The fork cheeks la of the coupling fork 1 have, in addition to half shells 4 for the spherical joint bolt 3, aligned, outer bores 5.

The bolt ends are fastened by pins 7 inserted into the holes 5, which engage with their conical, front part 8 in the conical holes 6 in the bolt end. The pins 7 are connected to a flange 9, which is fixed to the fork cheeks 1α by screws 11 and clamping sleeves 10, the number of which is variable depending on the requirements. The clamping sleeves 10 hold the screws 11 free of transverse forces.

After the spherical joint bolt 3 has been laid down as shown in Figures 1 and 2 by inserting it into the half-shells 4 from above or as shown in Figures 3 and 4 (second example of the invention) by horizontally inserting it lengthwise into the half-shells 4, the spherical joint bolt 3 is initially centered. Lifting it into half-shells 4 that open downwards would also be conceivable as a solution (not shown).
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The conical parts 8 of the pins 7 finally center the spherical joint bolt 3 and hold it in a specific position.

List of reference symbols

1 Clutch fork &Igr;&agr; Fork cheek 2 Coupling plate 3 Spherical joint bolt 4 Half shell 5 drilling 6 Conical bore 7 cone 8th conical part of the tenon 7 9 flange 10 Clamping sleeve &eegr; screw

Claims (7)

1. Articulated coupling for vehicle units of rail vehicles, comprising a coupling fork attached to one vehicle unit and a coupling bracket attached to the other vehicle unit, a spherical bearing in the coupling bracket, a fixed half-shell for the spherical joint bolt in each of the two fork cheeks of the coupling fork and a spherical joint bolt that can be inserted in the direction of the aligned holes of the coupling fork and coupling bracket, characterized in that the spherical joint bolt ( 3 ) is mounted in undivided bearings, the fork cheeks ( 1 a) of the coupling fork ( 1 ) having aligned outer holes ( 5 ) next to the half-shells ( 4 ) for pre-centering the spherical joint bolt ( 3 ), and that the spherical joint bolt ( 3) is secured to the coupling fork (1 ) by means of pins ( 7 ) inserted through the holes ( 5 ) of the fork cheeks ( 1 a), which are provided with a conical part ( 8 ) engages in corresponding conical bores ( 6 ) of the spherical joint bolt ( 3 ), is held and fastened in a centered position on the coupling fork ( 1 ). 2. Articulated coupling according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer end of the pin ( 7 ) is connected to a flange ( 9 ) which is fastened from the outside to the fork cheek ( 1a ). 3. Articulated coupling according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pin ( 7 ) is fixed to the associated fork cheek ( 1a ) by means of detachable fastening elements, in particular screws ( 10 ). 4. Articulated coupling according to claim 3, characterized in that the detachable fastening elements, in particular screws ( 11 ), are held free of transverse forces by clamping sleeves ( 10 ). 5. Articulated coupling according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the half-shells ( 4 ) open upwards and the spherical joint bolt ( 3 ) can be inserted into the half-shells ( 4 ) from above. 6. Articulated coupling according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 or 4, characterized in that the half-shells ( 4 ) open in the longitudinal direction and the spherical joint bolt ( 3 ) can be inserted essentially horizontally from the side into the half-shells ( 4 ). 7. Articulated coupling according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 or 4, characterized in that the half-shells ( 4 ) open downwards and the spherical joint bolt ( 3 ) can be inserted into the half-shells ( 4 ) from below.