System for automatic coupling and release of vehicles travelling on the rail network

Abstract

System for automatic coupling and release of at least a first vehicle and of a second vehicle travelling on the railway network comprising at least a first hooking group of the first vehicle and at least a second hooking group of the second vehicle, comprising at least one vertical alignment apparatus for vertical alignment of the at least one first and at least a second hooking group, the first and at least the second hooking group being configured to be coupled and released each other by means of complementary interlocking coupling means under the control of an informatic system present on each vehicle.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system for automatic coupling and release of at least a first vehicle and of a second vehicle travelling on the railway network comprising:
 at least a first hooking group of the first vehicle and at least a second hooking group of the second vehicle; and   at least one vertical alignment apparatus for vertical alignment of said at least one first and at least a second hooking group; wherein the first and at least a second hooking group comprises:   male-female interlocking coupling means for coupling and releasing each other;   at least two sensors coupled logically two by two and positioned at  45 ° each other configured to detect the positions of the coupling means during the coupling of the vehicles, their horizontal and vertical distances and the range of variation of these distances in real time, and to communicate them to an informatic system present on each vehicle configured to control the coupling means; and   at least one pair of cameras configured to send images of the occurred coupling to the informatic system present in the station or on the locomotive and to determine the certification of the occurred coupling.   
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the vertical alignment apparatus comprises a pair of parallel vertical guides fixed to the first hooking group between which at least a support element is configured to slide in vertical direction respectively between each pair of parallel vertical guides under the control of at least one actuator. 
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 22 , wherein said support element is a sliding plate having a surface facing the vehicle and a facing the inside of the hooking group and provided with at least one trough hole and with a pair of parallel horizontal wings connected together respectively by at least one pin. 
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the vertical alignment apparatus comprises a first flat element configured to be hooked to the hooking group and a second flat element plane configured to be attached to the elastic cushioning device, each or the flat elements being internally provided of at least four upper coupling elements, between which rotatably upper rods are connected, and of at least four of the lower coupling elements, between which lower rods are connected in rotary manner, the upper and lower rods moving through rotation around the upper and lower coupling elements from a horizontal position to an inclined position by means of counterclockwise rotation, and again from to the horizontal position to an oblique position by means of clockwise rotation. 
     
     
         25 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the elastic cushioning apparatus connected to the vertical alignment apparatus. 
     
     
         26 . The system according to  claim 25 , wherein the elastic cushioning apparatus comprises at least a first body of elastomeric material interposed between the wings, at least a metal base for supporting and containment of the pin coupled to the first body, and at least a third hollow metallic body solidly joined to the metal base. 
     
     
         27 . The system according to  claim 25 , wherein the elastic cushioning apparatus is an elastomeric box comprising at least two blocks of elastomeric material separated by a metal plate connected to a metal axis kept in a vertical position with respect to it in absence of stresses, so that to bind it to the vertical alignment apparatus. 
     
     
         28 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein it comprises a horizontal alignment apparatus of the hooking group connected to the vertical alignment apparatus and a piston connected to an elastic cushioning apparatus of the vehicle and equipped with a plunger to which the vertical alignment apparatus is fixed. 
     
     
         29 . The system according to  claim 28 , wherein the horizontal alignment apparatus comprises a system of springs operated by at least one actuator. 
     
     
         30 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the first hooking group and the second hooking group comprise a first and a second terminal element configured to be complementary locking coupled comprising a rigid body provided with a first protrusion, projecting horizontally towards the outside of the first or second hooking, and a second protrusion projecting horizontally towards the inside of the first or second hooking group, the first protrusions having sections complementary said second protrusion. 
     
     
         31 . The system according to  claim 30 , wherein the first and second protrusions have the form of a truncated cone. 
     
     
         32 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the first hooking group and the second hooking group comprise at least a first mechanical device and a second mechanical device having jaws, configured to close/open in the configuration in which the protrusions are coupled/decoupled in a complementary manner depending on an actuating device control. 
     
     
         33 . The system according to  claim 30 , wherein the protrusions accommodate internally a mobile actuator and a fixed device, receiving at least one second pneumatic connector for compressed air, electrical and data transmission connectors. 
     
     
         34 . The system according to  claim 33 , wherein the mobile actuator ends on at least a first terminal provided with sockets and the fixed device ends on a second terminal provided with plugs configured to couple with the sockets so as to realize the electrical, pneumatic and data connections, the terminals being able to slide forward depending on the movement of the actuator when the hooking groups are perfectly aligned. 
     
     
         35 . The system according to  claim 30 , wherein the terminal elements comprise a screw coupling for the compatibility between the hooking groups and the wagons of the traditional type with traditional hooks. 
     
     
         36 . The system according to  claim 30 , wherein the terminal element comprises at least two twist locking/unlocking lances positioned in two opposite corners along a diagonal of the front of the terminal element), and two oval holes at the other two opposite corners along the other diagonal of the front surface in complementary positions with respect to the lances. 
     
     
         37 . The system according to  claim 36 , wherein the lances are connected to rods internally to the terminal element and connected by metal bars, being configured to rotate independently from each other of 90° by means of actuators during the coupling of complementary protrusions of the terminal elements. 
     
     
         38 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein said at least two sensors are positioned along one of the diagonals of the rigid body of the terminal elements.