Rail Coupling Lock and Air Valve Linkage Against Unintended Uncoupling
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Solution Overview
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.
Innovation Solution
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.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a coupling mechanism is designed to allow manual or automatic unlocking, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of unintended uncoupling during travel increases
Solution Approach 1:
An air line is introduced as an intermediary control mechanism between the operator and the locking element. The air line transmits pneumatic pressure to actuate the locking element, providing a controlled and reliable method for uncoupling that reduces the risk of unintended operation while maintaining ease of use.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling mechanism incorporates an automatic locking feature where the locking element is automatically locked when the coupling is assembled. This self-locking mechanism ensures that the coupling remains securely connected during travel without requiring continuous manual intervention, thereby improving safety against unintended uncoupling.
2Speed
If the valve is automatically closed when locking element moves to unlocked position, then the response time is improved, but the risk of unintended brake application increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary verification by checking the position of the locking element and the state of the air line before actuating the valve. This preliminary action ensures that the valve is only closed when the uncoupling process is intentionally initiated, preventing unintended brake application while maintaining rapid response time when proper uncoupling conditions are met.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling mechanism incorporates feedback through the air line system that monitors the position of the locking element and communicates this information to the valve control. This feedback mechanism ensures that the valve responds only to legitimate uncoupling commands, reducing the risk of unintended brake application while maintaining fast response when uncoupling is properly initiated.
3Ease of operation
If the coupling allows automatic locking when assembled, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is merged with the coupling assembly process itself. The structural components of the coupling are designed such that the act of assembling the coupling automatically triggers the locking action through integrated mechanical features. This merging reduces the need for separate locking components and simplifies the overall device complexity while maintaining automatic locking functionality.
Data Source
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AI summary
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.