Railway draft appliances – Couplings – Glass table
Patent
1987-02-09
1988-09-06
Reeves, Robert B.
Railway draft appliances
Couplings
Glass table
213211, 105 15, A63H 1918
Patent
active
047686634
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a coupling device on a model railway vehicle, which has a coupling element which is hook-shaped in plan, a shaft connected to the latter and having an axis which can be aligned in a normal position lengthwise of the vehicle, a crosspiece formed on the shaft and extending horizontally on both sides of the shaft, and spring means which, in cooperation with the rod and the crosspiece, seek to hold the coupling device resiliently in the normal position, but permit a pivoting of the coupling element about a vertical axis against the spring force, the crosspiece being urged by the spring means against an abutment surface facing the free end of the coupling element, so that, when the coupling element pivots, one of the end portions of the crosspiece forms on the abutment surface a pivot point situated on the pivot side.
In known coupling devices (DE Pat. No. 17 03 876) the crosspiece is biased by a compression spring against an abutment surface. In running curves the coupling device pivots laterally outward. The pivot point of the crosspiece is then on the side of the coupling device that is remote from the pivot side. The distance of the free coupling end from the car end, or buffer end as the case may be, is thereby shortened. In the case of two coupled vehicles, this shortening takes place at the ends of both vehicles. To prevent the buffer ends from coming in contact, the coupling must reach sufficiently far beyond the car end. The result is an excessively great distance between the buffers or cars and a recognizable departure from the real model.
In the publication, "Eisenbahn Magazin," of the Federal Republic of Germany, No. 10, 1976, pages 57-59, there is disclosed a short coupling similar to the kind described above, which permits minimizing the distance between buffers in straight running and increasing the coupling overhang with increasing deviation of the coupling from the center position. This known short coupling requires a complex and relatively large crosspiece design which, when negotiating curves, i.e., in the pivoted position, is strikingly and undesirably noticeable. A tension spring engaging the crosspiece biases the coupling device to the middle position.
It is the object of the invention to improve realism in the coupling of model railway vehicles while at the same time providing for reliable operation of the coupling device.
This object is achieved according to the invention by the fact that the abutment surface, the crosspiece and the spring are disposed in a chamber, that the chamber has a through-opening for the shaft permitting the swiveling movements of the shaft, and that the spring has at least one compression spring element coupled with the shaft and/or the crosspiece, which thrusts against an inner chamber wall opposite the abutment surface. This configuration enhances realism in the imitation of conditions in full-size railroads. When the distance of the free end of the coupling device from the end of the car increases, especially when the coupling swivels, only the length of the shaft projecting from the housing changes. This change of length is not noticeable. Also, operation more nearly approaching reality is achieved. Since the crosspieces are urged by spring forces against the abutment surfaces facing the free ends of the coupling, they can be lifted away against the spring bias by tensile forces. When a long train starts up, the vehicles coupled to one another are accelerated successively by the locomotive with action against the spring elements in the coupling devices. The starting force required is improved in comparison to the start-up performance of a train with known coupling devices, and the tendency of the wheels to spin on the tracks is reduced.
In another development of the invention, the shaft, the crosspiece and at least a part of the coupling device are made integrally of injection-molded plastic, while spring elements thrusting resiliently against at least one part of the chamber interior are integrally formed on the shaft and/or on the
REFERENCES:
patent: 2102649 (1937-12-01), Rydin
patent: 2149840 (1939-03-01), Christianson
patent: 2617541 (1952-11-01), Goode
patent: 2738080 (1956-03-01), Kastner et al.
patent: 3605332 (1971-09-01), Stepek
patent: 3662489 (1972-05-01), Terrier
Reeves Robert B.
Werny Scott H.
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