Coupler arrangement for rail vehicle

Abstract

A coupler arrangement for a rail vehicle comprises a coupler head and an uncoupling device having at least one handle which is manually swivelable about an axis of rotation (A) in a swivel direction (S) from a first position, in which the coupler head is in a state in which it is coupled to or ready to couple with the coupler head of another coupler arrangement, into a second position, in which the coupler head is in an uncoupled state. In one embodiment the handle comprises a handle arm which is oriented horizontally when the handle is either in the first or in the second position. In another embodiment the handle is mechanically lockable by moving, preferably shifting or tilting, at least a portion of the handle in a locking direction from the second position into a third position, wherein the locking direction differs from the swivel direction (S). In an even further embodiment, two of those handles are provided, preferably on opposite sides relative to the coupler head, wherein preferably swivelling of one of the two handles causes a corresponding swivelling of the respective other handle.

1 . A coupler arrangement for a rail vehicle, comprising:
 a coupler head; and   an uncoupling device comprising at least one handle which is manually swivelable about an axis of rotation in a swivel direction from a first position, in which the coupler head is in a state in which it is coupled to or ready to couple with a coupler head of another coupler arrangement, into a second position, in which the coupler head is in an uncoupled state.   
     
     
         2 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the axis of rotation is horizontal and wherein one end of the at least one handle forms a handle arm which extends in a vertical swivel plane and which has a free end that can be gripped by a person so that the at least one handle arm provides a leverage for the person;
 wherein the handle arm is oriented horizontally when the at least one handle is either in the first or in the second position.   
     
     
         3 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 2 , wherein an angle of rotation of the at least one handle about the axis of rotation between the first position and second position of the at least one handle is less than 45°. 
     
     
         4 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one handle is mounted on a front side, lateral side or rear side of a wagon or car of a rail vehicle and said axis of rotation extends perpendicular relative to said side of the wagon or car so that swivel of the at least one handle about the axis of rotation results in a movement of the at least one handle in a plane that is parallel to the respective front, lateral or rear side of the wagon or car. 
     
     
         5 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one handle is mounted in front of a front side or rear side of a wagon or car of a rail vehicle with the free end of the at least one handle pointing towards a lateral side of the wagon so as to be manually accessible and movable from the first into the second position by a person standing laterally relative to the wagon. 
     
     
         6 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one handle is mechanically lockable by moving at least a portion of the at least one handle in a locking direction from the second position into a third position;
 wherein the locking direction differs from the swivel direction.   
     
     
         7 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein in the third position the at least one handle abuts against a holder to thereby prevent rotation of the at least one handle about the axis of rotation towards the first position.  8 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 6 , further comprising a joint which permits, when the at least one handle is in said second position, sideways tilting of the at least one handle about a tilting axis which is perpendicular relative to said axis of rotation, wherein the tilting axis is perpendicular relative to the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         9 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 1 , further comprising one of said at least one handle as a first handle and another one of said at least one handle as a second handle, wherein both the first handle and the second handle are manually swivelable about a respective axis of rotation in a corresponding swivel direction from a respective first position, in which the coupler head is in the state in which it is coupled to or couplable with a coupler head of another coupler arrangement, into a respective second position, in which the coupler head is in the uncoupled state. 
     
     
         10 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein the coupler arrangement is configured such that swivelling of one of the first and second handles from its respective first to its respective second position causes swivelling of the respective other one of the first and second handles from said other one's respective first to said other one's respective second position. 
     
     
         11 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second handles are interconnected by a rod which is configured to translate swivelling of one of the first and second handles about its respective axis of rotation to a swivelling of the respective other one of the first and second handles about the respective other one's axis of rotation. 
     
     
         12 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 10 , wherein, in a case where each of the first and second handles is configured such that each is mechanically lockable by moving at least a portion thereof in a respective locking direction from its respective second position into a respective third position, with the handles' locking directions differing from their respective swivel direction, movement of one of the first and second handles in its respective locking direction causes movement of the respective other one of the first and second handles in the locking direction of the respective other one of the first and second handles. 
     
     
         13 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 12 , wherein said movement of one of the first and second handles in its respective locking direction and said movement of the respective other one of the first and second handles in the locking direction of the respective other one of the first and second handles includes both a sideways shifting of at least the portion of the first handle and a sideways shifting of at least the portion of the second handle. 
     
     
         14 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 12 , wherein said movement of one of the first and second handles in its respective locking direction and said movement of the respective other one of the first and second handles in the locking direction of the respective other one of the first and second handles includes both a sideways tilting of at least the portion of the first handle and a sideways tilting of at least the portion of the second handle. 
     
     
         15 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 9 , further comprising a key-and-lock arrangement acting directly on the rod and having a key-and-lock mechanism at both ends of the rod, the key-and-lock arrangement being configured to prevent the rod from rotating about said axis of rotation when one of the key-and-lock mechanisms is in its locked condition. 
     
     
         16 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 15 , wherein the key-and-lock mechanism at one end of the rod cooperates with the key-and-lock mechanism at the other end of the rod through a hollow interior of the rod so that unlocking the key-and-lock mechanism at the one end of the rod causes unlocking of the respective other key-and-lock mechanism at the other end of the rod. 
     
     
         17 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 16 , wherein the key-and-lock arrangement comprises a pulley system that interconnects the two key-and-lock mechanisms. 
     
     
         18 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 2 , wherein swivel of the at least one handle between the first position and second position includes a starting position, intermediate position or end position in which the free end of the at least one handle and the axis of rotation are on a same vertical level. 
     
     
         19 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein movement of the at least one handle in the locking direction includes a sideways shifting or sideways tilting of at least the portion of the at least one handle. 
     
     
         20 . The coupler arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein the first and second handles are arranged on opposite sides relative to the coupler head.