Railway draft appliances – Combined coupler and electric connector
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-27
2001-07-24
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Railway draft appliances
Combined coupler and electric connector
C213S0750GT
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264048
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to an electric cable coupling for rail-borne vehicles, which is held longitudinally displaceably on a mechanical central buffer coupling.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Such a cable coupling has been known from, e.g., DE 29 22 439 A1. The cable coupling is arranged and guided on a support under the tight coupling. The mechanical central buffer coupling is designed as a tight coupling to be connected manually, the two coupling halves of which are connected by a coupling sleeve. On the support, which comprises two support plates, which are arranged at right angles to the coupling axis and are arranged to the left and right of the coupling rod and are connected by two tie rods, mounting holes are provided in the support plates for the longitudinally displaceable mounting of guide bars. Furthermore, centering members are provided on the support places for the accurate flush alignment of the ends of the two coupling rods. The ends of the coupling rods have beads, which are surrounded by the coupling sleeve in a nonpositive and positive-locking manner. The half of the cable coupling that is assigned to each coupling rod is held by springs in its uncoupled position located behind the front surface of the mechanical coupling half and can be pushed forward into the coupled position for coupling.
It should be borne in mind in connection with the coupling of the electrical cable coupling that only the contacts on the vertical central longitudinal plane are always coupled in a correctly functioning manner and in a correct left-right configuration without additional measures. Contacts of the cable coupling of a vehicle end that are arranged to the left and right of this plane are usually on the opposite side at the end of the adjacent vehicle to be coupled. This problem was solved, e.g., by making the contacts redundant, i.e., contacts configured for the same functions are arranged mirror symmetrically on both sides to the left and right of the ventral central longitudinal plane. Small, lightweight couplings, which can be connected and uncoupled rapidly and simply, are desirable for cable couplings that are used for tight couplings to be connected manually. However, the reduction of the weight and the overall size strongly depends on the number of contacts to be accommodated in the contact support. The current expense for two complete, longitudinally displaceable cable coupling halves does not seem to be justified, either, if the advantage in terms of saving manpower and time is not given here compared with the actuation of fully automatic central buffer couplings in the case of tight couplings that can be operated only manually.
A similar cable coupling is also known from DE 41 34 327 A1, which has the same drawbacks.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to improve a cable coupling of this class for rail-borne vehicles such that the redundant contact arrangement arranged symmetrically to the vertical central longitudinal plane of the coupling rod is avoidable and the cable coupling as a whole can be made simpler and lighter.
According to the invention, an electric cable coupling for rail-borne vehicles is provided, which is held longitudinally displaceably on a mechanical central buffer coupling. The cable coupling has a compact, longitudinally displaceable adapter box. The adapter box contains the necessary electric connection lines for connecting the connection lines of the rail-borne vehicles to be coupled. These connection lines are for connecting the connection lines with the rail-borne vehicles in a functionally correct manner and in a correct left-right configuration and are arranged crossed within the adapter box such that the connection line, which is arranged to the left of the vertical central longitudinal plane of the central buffer coupling and is associated with one end of the said adapter box is arranged mirror symmetrically to the right of the vertical central longitudinal plane at the opposite end of the adapter box. The connection line arranged to the right of the vertical central longitudinal plane is arranged correspondingly on the left at the other end of the adapter box. The connection of the connection lines from the adapter box to the two rail-borne vehicles to be coupled is performed by means of confusion-proof plug-and-socket connections or fixed cables with at least one such plug-and-socket connection each.
The advantage of the cable coupling according to the present invention over the state of the art lies, in particular, in that only one, compact adapter box is sufficient for electrically coupling two vehicles instead of two, longitudinally displaceable cable coupling halves. Due to the adapter box containing components, especially connection lines, which are arranged and associated within the adapter box such that the connection lines are connected to the two rail-borne vehicles to be coupled in the correct left-right configuration and in a correctly functioning manner, the double arrangement of the contact arrangement that is otherwise necessary is avoidable.
Due to the two-part design of the longitudinal guide on both sides of the point of separation of the coupling, both an optional, axial longitudinal displacement of the adapter box on both sides of the point of separation of the coupling and a central arrangement under, above or optionally in the plane of the point of separation of the central buffer coupling is possible.
By providing a locking means in the area of the point of separation of the coupling, reliable positioning of the adapter box during operation is ensured, while the locking means for securing the displaced position makes possible the shunting of the vehicle without the adapter box being able to accidentally slide off from the longitudinal guide and be possibly damaged while being dragged along. Due to the provision of a gap between the two parts of the linear guide in the coupling plane, damage to the longitudinal guide during the bringing together of the coupling halves of the mechanical coupling is avoided with certainty.
For repair purposes, and especially when an adapter box is arranged on the two coupling halves of the mechanical coupling that are to be coupled, it is advantageous for one of the two being able to be completely removed from the longitudinal guide.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3842987 (1974-10-01), Prada
patent: 4284311 (1981-08-01), Forster et al.
patent: 4403705 (1983-09-01), Ernst et al.
patent: 5139158 (1992-08-01), Lindner et al.
Ehmke Robert
Ramnialis Christos
McCarry, Jr. Robert J.
McGlew and Tuttle , P.C.
Morano S. Joseph
Scharfenbergkupplung GmbH & Co. KG
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