Coupling for a rail vehicle, and a control method for actuating the coupling

The central opening in the bearing shaft of the rail vehicle coupling, combined with actuating levers and cams, addresses the safety issue of unintended uncoupling by maintaining valve control, ensuring safe train operation even in malfunctions.

EP4707115A1Pending Publication Date: 2026-03-11FAIVELEY TRANSPORT SCHWAB AG
View PDF 5 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
EP · EP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-09-04
Publication Date
2026-03-11

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing rail vehicle couplings lack sufficient safety measures to prevent unintended uncoupling during travel, particularly when there are malfunctions or incorrect operations, leading to potential uncontrollable movement of coupled vehicles.

Method used

A central opening in the bearing shaft of the coupling allows for a control element with actuating levers and cams to manage the locking mechanism and air coupling valve, ensuring the valve remains open during unintended uncoupling and closed during intended decoupling, even in the event of malfunctions.

Benefits of technology

This design ensures safe operation by preventing unintended detachment of coupled vehicles, maintaining control over the air coupling even in the presence of malfunctions or incorrect manipulation, thereby ensuring safe train operation.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure IMGAF001_ABST
    Figure IMGAF001_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

A coupling for a rail vehicle is provided with a coupling and locking mechanism (30) arranged in a housing (11), which has a pivotable locking element (33) for locking and unlocking with a coupling of a rail vehicle to be coupled. The locking element (33) is pivotably held by a bearing shaft (32) arranged in the housing (11). An air coupling (20) with an air line (18) and a valve (25) for closing this line is arranged on or in the housing (11). In the bearing shaft (32) held in the housing (11) for supporting the locking element (33), a central opening (61), preferably through a connecting shaft (55), is formed.The coupling (10) is also associated with a control element (50) with a preferably manually operable adjusting element (35) by which the locking element (33) can be moved from a locked to an unlocked position and the valve (25) of the air coupling (20) can be moved from an open to a closed position.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Coupling head for a coupling of a rail vehicle.

    CH719144A2

  • Coupling head with a device for locking or unlocking a coupling of a rail vehicle.

    CH719152A2

  • Device for activating at least one functional component of an automatic intermediate clutch

    DE102016104188A1

  • Zugkupplung

    DE102019114237A1

  • Coupling head of an automatic train coupling

    DE102023114837A1