Device for locking / unlocking of a coupling of a rail vehicle

Abstract

A device for locking and unlocking a coupling of a rail vehicle is arranged in a housing (11, 21) of a coupling head (10, 20). This device (30) comprises a locking element (33) rotatable therein about a pivot axis (A), a coupling rod (31, 32) movable by the locking element in or out of the housing (11, 21) for coupling with a coupling head to be coupled, a control lever (35) articulated to the locking element (33), and a guide element (38) cooperating with it. This control lever (35) and the guide element (38) form a locking means which is designed such that, except in the coupled position, it causes the control lever (35) to lock onto the guide element (38) and thus the device (30) of the respective coupling head in every uncoupled position. This ensures safe coupling and uncoupling in all operating scenarios.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for locking and unlocking a coupling of a rail vehicle, which is arranged in a housing of a coupling head and has a locking element pivotable about an axis therein and a coupling rod movable by said locking element into or out of the housing. A control lever articulated on the locking element and a guide part cooperating therewith are provided, wherein said control lever and the guide part form a locking means that can be locked except in the coupled position, according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] A known standardized center buffer coupling for rail vehicles features a coupling head with a locking and unlocking mechanism. In the coupled position, the coupling head is mechanically coupled to a coupling head that is normally identical but offset by 180°. During the uncoupling process, the locking mechanism is rotated manually or by an automatic drive to the unlocked position, locked with a lever, and the coupling heads are then extended from each other. During this process, the lever is released again and automatically rotated back to the ready-to-couple position to couple with the next coupling head. These three positions—coupled, uncoupled, and ready-to-couple—allow safe uncoupling under compressive force or when there is no tractive force.When there is a slight pulling force acting on one coupling head, uncoupling is possible by operating the locking mechanism, but the other of the non-operated coupling heads is not blocked by the lever in the unlocked position and therefore turns back to the coupled position.

[0003] According to the document DE 10 2019 102455 A1, an automatic train coupling is disclosed with a coupling head comprising a coupling head housing and a coupling lock with a locking mechanism, which is designed as a rotary lock with a coupling eye and a frog. The frog is rotatable about a main axis, with the coupling eye being connected to the frog at a first end rotatable about an axis and having a second free end.The locking mechanism comprises a plunger that can be moved counter to the spring force in the coupling direction of the train coupling, and a ratchet bar that can be moved transversely to the coupling direction. The ratchet bar is pivotally mounted on the frog and locks the frog from the uncoupled position to the coupled position. The plunger, in a first position moved counter to the spring force, locks the ratchet bar in the locked position. In a second position moved by the spring force, the ratchet bar releases the ratchet bar from the locked position. The locking position of the ratchet bar is positioned such that the ratchet bar is moved into the locked position before the frog reaches its uncoupled position.

[0004] Based on this generic device, the present invention is based on the object of improving a device according to the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that both locking mechanisms remain in a blocked, ready-to-couple position even when a slight tensile force is present between the two coupled coupling heads.

[0005] This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1.

[0006] The solution according to the invention, which involves designing the locking means formed by the control lever and the guide part in such a way that, in addition to the coupled position, it locks the control lever to the guide part and thus the device of the respective coupling head in every released position, enables secure coupling.

[0007] The control lever of the device is blocked during the unlocking priority when moving apart after initiating the uncoupling as soon as the coupling rod can escape from the locking element. This locks the locking mechanism of the device in a detachable coupling position under all uncoupling conditions.

[0008] With this inventive design of the device, safe operation of this coupling head can be guaranteed in all operating scenarios.

[0009] The control lever is very advantageously hinged to one end of the locking element at the rear of the housing and, when decoupled, is operatively connected to the guide part on the outside of the housing through an opening in the housing wall. The control lever preferably has a lug at the contact surface with the guide part, which can be latched into a respective shoulder on the contact surface of the guide part, forming the first or second locking position.

[0010] The invention and further advantages thereof are explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing. It shows: Fig. 1 is a plan view of devices according to the invention in two coupled coupling heads, shown in section; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the devices in the two uncoupled coupling heads according to Fig. 1, which are shown in section; Fig. 3 is a view of the partially shown control lever and the guide part of the device in a first locking position; and Fig. 4 is a view of the partially shown control lever and the guide part in a second locking position.

[0011] Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show two coupling heads 10, 20 in the coupled and uncoupled states, respectively, which are particularly suitable for use in rail vehicles, such as freight or passenger cars, locomotives, or other vehicles. Not all details of these coupling heads 10, 20 are explained below, but only those related to the invention.

[0012] These coupling heads 10, 20 each have a single- or multi-part housing 11, 21 with a front wall 14, 24 forming a butt surface 15, 25 for providing flat support for the butt surfaces 15, 25 that touch each other when coupled. These identically designed, but horizontally rotated 180°, coupling heads 10, 20 are attached to a respective coupling device of the vehicles to be coupled. In addition, protruding guide elements 17 are provided for pre-centering the coupling heads 10, 20 during coupling.

[0013] A device 30 is integrated into each housing 11, 21 as a locking and unlocking mechanism. Only one of these is explained below, as both are identical in design, but are also arranged horizontally rotated by 180°. The front wall 14 of the housing 10 with the abutting surface 15 has two adjacent recesses. A coupling rod 31 of the device 30, which can be moved into or out of the housing 11, extends through one of the recesses 12. A corresponding coupling rod 32 and an angled front part 26 of the other coupling head 20 engage in the other recess 13.

[0014] The respective device 30 integrated in the housing 11 for locking or unlocking the coupled coupling heads 10, 20 is composed of a locking element 33 pivotable in the housing 11 about a pivot axis A, a coupling rod 31 movable by said locking element into or out of the housing 11, a control lever 35 hinged to the locking element 33, and a guide part 38 corresponding thereto. This locking element 33 is formed on the side opposite the axis 31' of the coupling rod 31 with a recess 36 in which a slider 32" of the coupling rod 32 of the other coupling head 20 is correspondingly received, while a slider 31" of the coupling rod 31 engages in a corresponding recess 36 of the locking element 33 in the other coupling head.

[0015] This axis 31' of the coupling rod 31 and the opposite recess 36 are arranged relative to the pivot axis A of the locking element 33 such that the latter remains clamped in the locked position by the toggle lever principle as long as it is not opened and unlocked by a drive. Each locking element 33 is provided externally with a protruding cam 43, which, when coupled, rests against stops 44 in the housing 11. For this purpose, a lateral cam 39 is attached to the coupling rod 31, which is operatively connected to a spring element 41 (only indicated), which is supported in the housing 11 and exerts a constant compressive force on the coupling rod 31 and ensures the clamped state of the device when the coupling heads are coupled or uncoupled.

[0016] During coupling, these devices 30 are automatically brought into the clamped state. Furthermore, a movable release element 40 is placed in the housing wall 11' such that it protrudes from the housing 11 at one end and rests against the locked control lever 35 in the uncoupled state. During coupling, this release element 40 is pushed forward by the front part 26 of the other coupling head 20, immediately before the respective locking element 33 must be rotated, and thereby causes the locked control lever 35 to be released, which moves into the position shown in Fig. 1 shown, is moved back.

[0017] This control lever 35 is hinged at one end to the locking element 33 at the rear of the housing 11 and guided outward through an opening 18 in the housing wall 11'. It is pressed against the guide part 38 by a pressing means 37, preferably a compression spring, located in the housing wall 11'. This could also be done by a tension spring or the like. The control lever 35 and the guide part 38 form a locking means at the contact surfaces to each other, which, except in the coupled position, as shown in Fig. 1 shown, is locked.

[0018] According to the invention, the locking means formed by the control lever 35 and the guide part 38 is designed in such a way that, in addition to the coupled position, it can be locked in any released position, as is the case, for example, in Fig. 2 in a released position, causes the control lever 35 to be locked to the guide part 38 and thus to the device 30 of the respective coupling head.

[0019] Whether a tensile or compressive force, or no force at all, is present between the coupled coupling heads 10, 20, it is guaranteed that the devices 30 are blocked by these locking means after uncoupling and the sliders 31", 32" of the coupling rods 31, 32 leave the recesses 36 of the locking element 33. In contrast to the known solutions, this is ensured both for the device 30 that is pivoted open by the drive and for the device of the other coupling head that is not actuated. If both devices of one and the other coupling head 10, 20 were opened simultaneously by the drive, these locking mechanisms would of course also be effected.

[0020] Fig. 3 and Fig. 4illustrate the control lever 35 in this first locking position P1 or in the second locking position P2 in the guide part 38. Expediently, the control lever 35 is assigned a nose 35' at the contact surface with the guide part 38, which can be latched into a respective shoulder 38', 38" forming the first or second locking position P1, P2 at the contact surface on the guide part 38.

[0021] When one locking element 33 of the device at the coupling head 10 is pivoted from the drive during uncoupling and moved to the end position of the drive, the control lever 35 is moved with it through the opening 18 to the locking position P2 and latched there by the spring force. The other locking element 33 of the non-actuated coupling head 20, however, is moved with its nose 35' only to the locking position P1 and latched there, particularly when a tensile force is present.

[0022] Furthermore, a guide 42 is provided on the control lever 35. This guide 42 is in contact with the unlocking element 40 on the front side when the control lever is released and returned, causing the control lever to lift off. Instead of these lugs 35' on the control lever 35 or the shoulder 38', other locking means could of course be used, such as fir-tree-shaped locking devices or cams and grooves on the contact surfaces.

Claims

1. Device for locking and unlocking a coupling of a rail vehicle, which is arranged in a housing (11, 21) of a coupling head (10, 20), wherein the device comprises a locking element (33) which can rotate about a pivot axis (A) in the housing, a coupling rod (31, 32), which can be moved by this locking element into or out of the housing (11, 21) for coupling to a coupling head which is to be coupled, a control lever (35), connected by a joint to the locking element (33), and a guide piece (38) interacting with this, wherein this control lever (35) and the guide piece (38) form a locking means, which can be locked except in the coupled position, characterized in that the locking means formed by the control lever (35) and the guide piece (38) is configured in such a way that, apart from in the coupled position, in any released position setting of the coupling it causes a locking effect of the control lever (35) at the guide piece (38), and therefore of the device (30) of the respective coupling head, wherein the coupling rod (31, 32), in the uncoupling state, pivots out of the cut-out aperture (36) of the locking element (33), and the control lever (35) pivots from the rotated locking element (33) into a first and second locking position (P1, P2) respectively, and is latched in position at the interacting guide piece (38).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control lever (35) can be latched in the second locking position (P2) by the locking element (33), which is rotated by a drive unit.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control lever (35) is joint-connected at the one end of the locking element (33) on the rear side in the housing (11, 21), and in the uncoupled state is in operational connection with the guide piece (38) through an opening (18) in the housing wall (11'), wherein, at the contact surface with the guide part (38), the control lever (35) comprises a nose (35'), which can be latched at the guide piece (38) into a shoulder piece (38', 38") forming the first and second locking positions (P1, P2) respectively.

4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the control lever (35) is pressed by a pressing means (37) located at the housing wall (11'), preferably a pressure spring, to the contact surfaces at the guide piece (38).

5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that an unlocking element (40) for the control lever (35) is arranged in such a way that, immediately before locking during coupling, a front piece (26) at the coupling head (20) presses against the movable unlocking element (40), which then releases the control lever (35) from locking.

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