Traction coupling

Abstract

The invention relates to a traction coupling with a coupling head which is mounted in a coupling head receptacle so as to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis, wherein the coupling head is pivotable about the horizontal pivot axis between an active position, in which it is aligned within a horizontal plane for coupling to a diametrically opposed coupling head, and an inactive position, in which it is pivoted out of the horizontal plane. The traction coupling according to the invention is characterized in that at least one sensor is arranged on the coupling head and / or on the coupling head receptacle and is designed to detect the active position and / or the inactive position of the coupling head.

Description

[0001] Train coupling

[0002] The present invention relates to a train coupling with a coupling head which is pivotably mounted about a horizontal pivot axis in a coupling head receptacle, for example at the end of a drawbar.

[0003] A generic train coupling is disclosed, for example, in WO 2021 / 185497 A1. This comprises a coupling head of an automatic coupling, which can be pivoted into a horizontal coupling plane as needed. Furthermore, a second coupling device in the form of a drawbar eye is provided, which can be pivoted into the coupling plane when the coupling head has been pivoted from an active position in the coupling plane to an inactive position outside the coupling plane. To pivot the coupling head, an actuating device is provided, which is attached to a drawbar, to the end of which the coupling head is pivotably connected, and comprises a drive device that engages an articulated arrangement eccentrically to a horizontal articulated axis about which the coupling head is pivotable. The articulated arrangement supports the coupling head pivotably about the horizontal articulated axis.The drive device is designed, for example, as a hydraulic or pneumatic linear motor and holds the coupling head in its active position in the coupling plane.

[0004] Another drawbar coupling with a drawbar eye and automatic drawbar coupling, which can be optionally pivoted into a horizontal plane to serve as a coupling, is disclosed in EP 3 590 784 A1. The automatic drawbar coupling has a coupling head that is detachably attached to a drawbar for easy replacement. The attachment can be achieved via a clamp sleeve arrangement or via locking pins.

[0005] A disadvantage of conventional couplings is that if the coupling head is misaligned in its active position in the horizontal plane or in its inactive position outside the horizontal plane, the coupling can be damaged when attempting to couple the coupling. There is also a risk of improper coupling, which poses a safety risk.

[0006] The present invention is based on the object of specifying a train coupling with a coupling head of the type shown, with which damage to the coupling head due to misalignment and the risk of improper coupling are largely avoided.

[0007] The object of the invention is achieved by a train coupling having the features of claim 1. The dependent claims describe advantageous and particularly useful embodiments of the invention.

[0008] A train coupling according to the invention has a coupling head that is pivotably mounted about a horizontal pivot axis in a coupling head receptacle, wherein the coupling head is pivotable about the horizontal pivot axis between an active position, in which it is aligned for coupling with an oppositely identical coupling head within a horizontal plane, and an inactive position, in which it is pivoted out of the horizontal plane. Preferably, a locking device is provided with which the coupling head can be locked in the horizontal plane. The locking device accordingly blocks pivoting of the coupling head about the horizontal pivot axis. When the locking device is released, it releases this pivoting of the coupling head from the active position within the horizontal plane to the inactive position outside the horizontal plane, for example pivoting downwards and / or preferably upwards.

[0009] According to the invention, at least one sensor is arranged on the coupling head and / or on the coupling head receptacle, which is configured to detect the active position and / or the inactive position of the coupling head. Detection can be direct or indirect, as will become apparent below.

[0010] By providing at least one sensor, an undesirable or incorrect alignment of the coupling head relative to the coupling head receptacle can be automatically detected, thus preventing resulting damage to the coupling head or a safety issue. For example, a detection signal from the at least one sensor can be used as an input variable for a coupling control system, which is particularly designed separately from a wagon control system or a train control system or integrated into at least one of these.

[0011] For example, at least one sensor is arranged on the coupling head and / or on the coupling head receptacle and is configured to detect locking of the coupling head with the locking device. This ensures that the coupling head is properly locked.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, at least two sensors are arranged on the coupling head and / or on the coupling head receptacle, one of which is configured to detect the inactive position of the coupling head and the other of which is configured to detect the active position of the coupling head. This allows detection reliability to be further increased by actively detecting both positions of the coupling head.

[0013] According to an alternative embodiment, at least two sensors are arranged on the coupling head and / or on the coupling head receptacle, one of which is configured to detect the active position of the coupling head or the inactive position of the coupling head, and the other of which is configured to detect locking of the coupling head with the locking device. This also allows for greater detection reliability. The locking device preferably comprises a locking pin that can be inserted through a first guide in the coupling head and a second guide in the coupling head receptacle in order to positively secure the coupling head against rotation about the pivot axis.Thus, when the locking pin is inserted through the first guide and the second guide, it locks the coupling head against pivoting about the pivot axis, so that the coupling head remains precisely aligned in the desired active position in the horizontal plane. However, when the locking pin is removed from at least one of the two guides, in particular from both guides, it allows the coupling head to pivot about the pivot axis, so that the coupling head can be pivoted about the pivot axis from the active position to the inactive position.

[0014] Since the plug pin preferably locks the coupling head in its active position with a positive fit directly in the area of ​​the coupling head receptacle, it can be ensured that the coupling head is always precisely aligned within the horizontal plane when it has been pivoted into its active position. The monitoring of an inserted state of the plug pin by the first guide and the second guide and / or the monitoring of the position of the coupling head in the active position with one or more sensors, as provided according to one embodiment of the invention, can ensure that the train coupling is only released for coupling when the exact alignment is achieved.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the coupling head is permanently connected to the coupling head receptacle. According to an alternative embodiment, the entire coupling head or parts of the coupling head can be removed from the coupling head receptacle so that the coupling head or the coupling parts can be replaced. For example, the actual coupling device(s) can be removed from the remaining part of the coupling head to be replaced with similar or different coupling devices.

[0016] Preferably, the coupling head receptacle has a first stop against which the coupling head abuts when pivoting into the active position. The stop is arranged such that the first guide and the second guide are aligned with each other. This facilitates the insertion of the plug pin into the first guide and the second guide.

[0017] Preferably, the locking pin, when inserted into the first guide and the second guide, is rotatable about its longitudinal axis within the first and second guides and has at least one radial projection that can be rotated with the locking pin to form an undercut with a stop surface on the coupling head receptacle in order to block withdrawal of the locking pin from the first and second guides. This prevents accidental withdrawal of the locking pin from the first and second guides. According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one sensor detects a radial projection that has been rotated behind the stop surface.

[0018] Preferably, the radial projection is designed as a lever extending perpendicularly or at an angle to the longitudinal axis. This facilitates its rotation behind the stop surface.

[0019] Particularly preferably, the stop surface extends below the longitudinal axis in the active position of the coupling head. This means that the radial projection only needs to be rotated downwards, either actively or under its own weight, to form the undercut with the stop surface.

[0020] Particularly preferably, the locking pin is rotatable in the inserted state upon application of a torque, and the radial projection, which is designed, for example, as a cylindrical lever, has a length and a weight that, when the locking pin is inserted, exerts a drive torque on the locking pin about its longitudinal axis, wherein the drive torque is greater than the torque. Thus, when inserted, the locking pin automatically rotates with the radial projection behind the stop surface on the coupling head receptacle to form the undercut.

[0021] To facilitate easy rotation of the locking pin in the inserted state, the locking pin is preferably held at least substantially free from any clamping force in the inserted state, which could be generated, for example, by the weight of the coupling head. This can be achieved by appropriately positioning the first stop in the coupling head receptacle, via which, in particular, the entire weight force or the torque generated by the weight of the coupling head, which acts to rotate the coupling head downward about the pivot axis, is absorbed. Accordingly, several such first stops can also be provided.

[0022] It is advantageous if the locking pin can only be inserted into the first and second guides in one rotational position about the longitudinal axis, in which the radial projection is arranged with a rotation angle of less than 180°, in particular less than 135° or 90°, relative to the stop surface and is also arranged on the side of the stop surface relative to a vertical plane. This ensures that the desired drive torque acts on the locking pin due to the weight force to move the radial projection behind the stop surface.

[0023] Particularly preferably, the coupling head receptacle comprises a fork shape with two forks between which the coupling head is received. Each fork can then have a bore, with the two bores together forming the second guide. The first guide is preferably formed by a step in a radially outer surface of a housing of the coupling head.

[0024] For example, at least one pressure piece is provided in the step, which limits the contact surface of the socket pin in one or both directions of rotation of the coupling head around the pivot axis to less than two-thirds or less than half of the mutual distance between the forks in the area of ​​the socket pin. This limits the friction surface between the socket pin and the coupling head, which facilitates the rotation of the socket pin in the inserted state.

[0025] In order to be able to rotate the plug pin particularly easily, the at least one pressure piece preferably has a friction-reduced surface, at least in comparison to the surface of the coupling head arranged next to it.

[0026] Preferably, the at least one sensor or at least two sensors or all sensors are designed as proximity sensors.

[0027] The coupling head receptacle is preferably formed by an axial end of a pull rod.

[0028] The coupling head is in particular an automatic train coupling.

[0029] Particularly preferably, the coupling head comprises a first coupling device of a first type, in particular with a coupling projection and coupling opening, for example with a coupling cone and coupling funnel, and the traction coupling further comprises a second coupling device of a second type, different from the first type, in particular with a drawbar eye or drawbar hook. The second coupling device is then preferably alignable or aligned within the horizontal plane in the inactive position of the coupling head. The coupling head with the coupling projection and coupling opening is designed in particular as a coupling head of a Scharfenberg coupling, preferably with a frog.

[0030] In particular, the second coupling device can only be pivoted into the horizontal plane when the coupling head is in its inactive position.

[0031] The invention will be described below using an exemplary embodiment and the figures.

[0032] They show:

[0033] Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a train coupling according to the invention with the coupling head within the horizontal plane;

[0034] Figure 2 shows the train coupling from Figure 1 with the coupling head pivoted slightly upwards from the horizontal plane around the pivot axis;

[0035] Figure 3 shows the train coupling from Figures 1 and 2 with the coupling head in its inactive position and a second coupling device in an active position within the horizontal plane;

[0036] Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the locking device with plug pins;

[0037] Figure 5 is a schematic representation of a train coupling with plug pins and stops;

[0038] Figure 6 shows an exemplary representation of sensors arranged according to the invention; Figure 7 shows a further embodiment with a sensor arranged according to the invention;

[0039] Figure 8 shows an embodiment with three sensors.

[0040] Figure 1 shows a coupling head 1 of a train coupling, which is mounted in a coupling head receptacle 3 about a horizontal pivot axis 2. The coupling head receptacle 3 is provided at the axial end of a drawbar 16, which is connected with its other axial end in a horizontally pivotable manner, for example, to a car body 19.

[0041] The pull rod 16 has a longitudinal axis 20 which, together with the pivot axis 2, defines a horizontal plane in which the active position of the coupling head 1 shown in Figure 1 lies and which can also be referred to as the coupling plane.

[0042] In order to secure the coupling head 1 in the horizontal plane against pivoting about the pivot axis 2, a locking device 4 with plug pins 5 is provided, which is described as an example in Figures 4 and 5. As can be seen particularly from Figure 4, the coupling head receptacle 3 has a fork shape with two forks 11, 12, between which the coupling head

[0043] 1. Each fork 11, 12 comprises a bore 7.1, 7.2, which together form a second guide 7. The radially outer surface of a housing 14 of the coupling head 1 forms a first guide 6. The locking device 4 comprises a plug pin 5, which is inserted into the first guide 6 in the coupling head 1 and the second guide 7 in the coupling head receptacle 3, whereby the coupling head 1 in the horizontal plane, i.e. in its active position, is positively secured against rotation about the pivot axis

[0044] 2 is secured.

[0045] The plug pin 5 has a longitudinal axis 8 around which it rotates in the inserted

[0046] State can be rotated into the first guide 6 and the second guide 7. The plug pin 5 further has a radial projection 9, here in the form of a lever, which, when the plug pin 5 is inserted into the first guide 6 and the second guide 7, can be rotated behind a stop surface 10 on the coupling head receptacle in order to positively block withdrawal of the plug pin 5 from the first guide 6 and the second guide 7.

[0047] The rotation of the locking pin 5 such that the radial projection 9 moves behind the stop surface 10 is preferably possible solely by the weight of the radial projection 9, so that an automatic blocking occurs after the locking pin 5 is inserted into the first guide 6 and the second guide 7. For this purpose, the first guide 6 in the coupling head 1 preferably has one or more pressure pieces 15, which comparatively reduce the contact area between the coupling head 1, here its housing 14, and the locking pin 5. The pressure piece(s) 15 can furthermore have a friction-reducing surface.

[0048] In the illustrated embodiment, the first guide 6 is formed by a step 13 in the radially outer surface of the housing 14, and thrust pieces 15 are inserted into this step 13, which ensure that the plug pin 5 bears against the pivot axis 2 in both directions of rotation of the coupling head 1. The contact surface is reduced to less than half the width of the housing 14 between the forks 11, 12, relative to each pivot direction.

[0049] In Figure 4, a sensor 25.3 is arranged in the region of the stop surface 10, behind which the radial projection 9 is rotated in order to block the plug pin 5 from being pulled out of the first guide 6 and the second guide 7. The sensor 25.3 detects when the radial projection 9 is positioned behind the stop surface 10. The sensor 25.3 can thus indirectly ensure that the coupling head 1 is in the horizontal plane, i.e. in its active position, and directly ensure that the coupling head 1 has been positively secured by the plug pin 5 against rotation about the pivot axis 2 and that the plug pin 5 has been secured against being pulled out at the stop surface 10.

[0050] In Figures 1 to 3 it is shown by way of example that the coupling head 1 has a first coupling device 17 in the form of a Scharfenberg coupling with coupling cone

[0051] 17.1 and coupling funnel 17.2. The coupling further comprises a second coupling device 18 with a towing eye 18.1. Such a towing eye

[0052] 18.1 can establish a towing connection using a towing hook.

[0053] The second coupling device 18 can, in particular, only be pivoted into the horizontal plane, i.e., the coupling plane, about the pivot axis 2 when the coupling head 1 is in its inactive position shown in Figure 3. According to one embodiment, the pivoting of the second coupling device 18 is positively coupled to the pivoting of the coupling head 1, so that the coupling head 1 and the second coupling device 18 are always pivoted together about the pivot axis 2. However, as shown in Figure 2, a separate pivoting of the coupling head 1 and the second coupling device 18 about the pivot axis 2 can also be provided.

[0054] For pivoting the coupling head 1 about the pivot axis 2, a drive 21 is provided, which according to the embodiment in Figures 1 to

[0055] 3 is designed as a hand crank and according to the embodiment in the figure

[0056] 4 as electric, pneumatic or hydraulic drive.

[0057] According to an embodiment not shown in detail, the coupling head 1 can also be pivoted without a separate gear, for example by hand, by applying a corresponding manual force to the coupling head 1.

[0058] Figure 5 shows, by way of example, that the coupling head receptacle 3 has a first stop 22, against which the coupling head 1, here with a coupling head stop 23, strikes when it is pivoted from its inactive position into its active position and has reached the active position. In this position, the first and second guides 6, 7 shown in Figure 4 are aligned with one another, and the plug pin 5 can be easily inserted into these guides 6, 7 with very little play. Accordingly, the coupling head 1 is held exactly in the horizontal plane when the plug pin 5 is inserted.

[0059] In the illustrated embodiment, the coupling head receptacle 3 has a second stop 24, against which the coupling head 1, here with its coupling head stop 23, strikes when the coupling head 1 is rotated into its inactive position. A corresponding locking device, for example, with a locking pin, could be provided here to positively hold the coupling head 1 in the inactive position.

[0060] The first stop 22 could also additionally or alternatively be provided at the rear, that is to say on the rear side of the coupling head 1 facing the coupling head receptacle 3 or the pull rod 16, and / or at the bottom of the coupling head receptacle 3 or the pull rod 16, in particular as a counter surface to a coupling head stop 23 in the form of a nose or projection on the coupling head 1 protruding from the radially outer surface of the housing 14, wherein the coupling head stop 23 on the coupling head 1 then strikes the first stop 22 from below and / or from the front when the coupling head 1 is in its active position.In this case, the first stop 22 and the coupling head stop 23 can preferably be provided at least substantially centrally between the forks 11, 12, whereas in the illustrated embodiment, both forks 11, 12 are preferably each provided with a first stop 22, against which a coupling head stop 23 abuts in order to evenly absorb the weight of the coupling head 1. By means of one or more such first stops 22, jamming forces between the plug pin 5 and the first and second guides 6, 7 can be avoided. Figure 6 schematically shows that in a traction coupling with a coupling head 1 pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis 2 and mounted in a coupling head receptacle 3, both the active position of the coupling head 1 in the horizontal plane is directly detected by a first sensor 25.1, and the inactive position of the coupling head 1 in a vertical plane is directly detected by a second sensor 25.2 is directly detected. The position of the coupling head 1 in the vertical plane is shown in dashed lines.

[0061] Figure 7 shows, by way of example, that a sensor 25.3 is provided which detects whether the plug pin 5 is inserted into the first guide 6 in the coupling head 1 and the second guide 7 in the coupling head receptacle 3. Furthermore, by way of example, it is shown that the coupling head 1 has two coupling head stops 23 on its lower side in the active position, wherein the two coupling head stops 23 are directed rearward in the active position of the coupling head 1 and abut against lower, forward-facing first stops 22 on the coupling head receptacle 3.

[0062] The embodiment according to Figure 7 could also be combined with the embodiment according to Figure 6, so that in this case three sensors 25.1, 25.2, 25.3 are provided.

[0063] Figure 8 shows an embodiment with three sensors 25.1, 25.2, 25.3. A first sensor 25.1 detects when the coupling head 1 is in its active horizontal position. A second sensor 25.2 detects when the coupling head 1 is in a substantially vertical orientation. For this purpose, as indicated by way of example in Figure 5, a coupling head stop 23 is provided on the coupling head 1, wherein the coupling head stop 23 strikes the second stop 24 in the coupling head receptacle 3 when the coupling head 1 is in the vertically oriented inactive position. In this position, the second sensor 25.2 detects the coupling head stop 23. The third sensor 25.3 in turn detects when the plug pin 5 is inserted into the second guide 7 in the coupling head receptacle 3, whereby for this to happen the plug pin 5 must also be inserted through the first guide 6 on the coupling head 1.

[0064] List of reference symbols

[0065] 1 coupling head

[0066] 2 swivel axis

[0067] 3 Coupling head holder

[0068] 4 locking device

[0069] 5 socket pins

[0070] 6 first lead

[0071] 7 second lead

[0072] 7.1 Drilling

[0073] 7.2 Drilling

[0074] 8 Longitudinal axis

[0075] 9 Radial projection

[0076] 10 Stop surface

[0077] 11 Fork

[0078] 12 forks

[0079] 13th level

[0080] 14 housings

[0081] 15 Pressure piece

[0082] 16 Drawbar

[0083] 17 first coupling device

[0084] 17.1 Clutch cone

[0085] 17.2 Clutch funnel

[0086] 18 second coupling device

[0087] 18.1 Towing eye

[0088] 19 Car body

[0089] 20 Longitudinal axis

[0090] 21 Drive

[0091] 22 first attack

[0092] 23 Coupling head stop

[0093] 24 second attack

[0094] 25.1 Sensor 25.2 Sensor

[0095] 25.3 Sensor

Claims

Patent claims 1. A train coupling with a coupling head (1) which is mounted in a coupling head receptacle (3) so as to be pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis (2), the coupling head (1) being pivotable about the horizontal pivot axis (2) between an active position in which it is aligned within a horizontal plane for coupling with an oppositely arranged coupling head, and an inactive position in which it is pivoted out of the horizontal plane, characterized in that at least one sensor (25.1, 25.2, 25.3) is arranged on the coupling head (1) and / or on the coupling head receptacle (3), which sensor is designed to detect the active position and / or the inactive position of the coupling head (1).

2. Train coupling according to claim 1, characterized in that a locking device (4) is provided with which the coupling head (1) can be locked in the horizontal plane and / or in the inactive position.

3. Train coupling according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one sensor (25.3) is arranged on the coupling head (1) and / or on the coupling head receptacle (3), which is designed to detect a locking of the coupling head (1) with the locking device (4).

4. Train coupling according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least two sensors (25.1, 25.2) are arranged on the coupling head (1) and / or on the coupling head receptacle (3), one of which is designed to detect the inactive position of the coupling head (1) and the other is designed to detect the active position of the coupling head (1).

5. Train coupling according to claim 3, characterized in that at least two sensors (25.1, 25.2, 25.3) are arranged on the coupling head (1) and / or on the coupling head receptacle (3), one of which is designed to detect the active position of the coupling head (1) or is designed to detect the inactive position of the coupling head (1) and the other is designed to detect the locking of the coupling head (1) with the locking device (4).

6. Train coupling according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the locking device (4) comprises a plug pin (5) which can be inserted through a first guide (6) in the coupling head (1) and a second guide (7) in the coupling head receptacle (3) in order to secure the coupling head (1) in a form-fitting manner against rotation about the pivot axis (2).

7. Train coupling according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one sensor (25.3) detects a plug pin (5) inserted into the first guide (6) and the second guide (7).

8. Train coupling according to claim 7, characterized in that the coupling head receptacle (3) has a first stop (22) against which the coupling head (1) strikes when pivoting into the active position, so that the first guide (6) and the second guide (7) are aligned with one another.

9. Train coupling according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the plug pin (5) in the state inserted into the first guide (6) and the second guide (7) is rotatable within the first guide (6) and the second guide (7) about its longitudinal axis (8) and has at least one radial projection (9) which is rotatable with the plug pin (5) to form an undercut with a stop surface (10) on the coupling head receptacle (3) in order to To block the pulling out of the plug pin (5) from the first and second guide (6, 7).

10. Train coupling according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one sensor (25.3) detects a radial projection (9) rotated behind the stop surface (10).

11. Train coupling according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that at least one sensor (25.1, 25.2, 25.3), at least two sensors (25.1, 25.2, 25.3) or all sensors (25.1, 25.2, 25.3) is / are designed as a proximity sensor.

12. A traction coupling according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the coupling head receptacle (3) is formed by an axial end of a pull rod (16).

13. Train coupling according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the coupling head (1) comprises an automatic coupling device.

14. A train coupling according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the coupling head (1) has a first coupling device (17) of a first type, in particular with a coupling projection and coupling opening, such as a coupling cone (17.1) and coupling funnel (17.2), and the train coupling further has a second coupling device (18) of a second type different from the first type, in particular with a towing eye (18.1) or towing hook, wherein the second coupling device (18) is preferably alignable or aligned within the horizontal plane in the inactive position of the coupling head (1).

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