Coupler comprising a blocking mechanism for preventing coupling of the mechanical coupler, and method to operate a coupler

Abstract

The present invention relates to a coupler comprising a coupler head ( 11 ) that houses a mechanical coupler ( 18 ) comprising a hook plate ( 14 ) With a recess ( 16 ) and a shaft ( 15 ) mounted on a first end of the hook plate, a blocking mechanism ( 20 ) for preventing coupling of the mechanical coupler. The invention also relates to a method to operate a coupler to engage the blocking mechanism.

1 . Coupler for coupling a rail vehicle to a similar coupler of another rail vehicle, comprising
 a coupler head ( 11 ) that houses a mechanical coupler ( 18 ) comprising a hook plate ( 14 ) pivotably mounted in the coupler head ( 11 ),   the mechanical coupler ( 18 ) comprising a shaft ( 15 ) mounted on a first end ( 141 ) of the hook plate ( 14 ) and a recess ( 16 ) arranged on a second end ( 142 ) of the hook plate ( 14 ) for receiving a shaft from a second coupler so that a rotation of the hook plate ( 14 ) causes a mechanical coupling, and   a blocking mechanism ( 20 ) for preventing coupling of the mechanical coupler.   
     
     
         2 . Coupler according to  claim 1 , wherein the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) comprises a first member ( 21 ) with a first contact portion ( 23 ),
 the first member ( 21 ) being connected to the hook plate ( 14 ),   the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) comprising a second member ( 22 ) with a second contact portion ( 24 ),   the second member ( 22 ) being connected to the coupler head ( 11 ), and   the first contact portion ( 23 ) and the second contact portion ( 24 ) are configured to contact each other in a blocking position so that movement of the first member ( 21 ) in relation to the second member ( 22 ) is prevented, thereby blocking rotation of the hook plate ( 14 ) of the mechanical coupler ( 18 ).   
     
     
         3 . Coupler according to  claim 1 , wherein the first member ( 21 ) is pivotably connected to the hook plate ( 14 ) in an attachment point (A) arranged between the first end ( 141 ) and the second end ( 142 ) of the hook plate ( 14 ) in a circumferential direction, so that a rotation of the hook plate ( 14 ) causes movement of the first member ( 21 ) in a transversal direction that is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction along the coupler ( 10 ), and a movement of the first member ( 21 ) in the transversal direction causes rotation of the hook plate ( 14 ). 
     
     
         4 . Coupler according to  claim 3 , wherein the first contact portion ( 23 ) comprises a notch with a first blocking surface ( 23 ′), and
 the second contact ( 24 ) portion is arranged on an engagement member ( 25 ) of the second member ( 22 ), and 
 the engagement member ( 25 ) being configured to enter the notch so that the second contact portion ( 24 ) contacts the first blocking surface ( 23 ′) for preventing movement of the first member ( 21 ) in relation to the engagement member ( 25 ) of the second member ( 22 ). 
 
     
     
         5 . Coupler according to  claim 4 , wherein the engagement member ( 25 ) is a hook that is pivotably arranged on the second member ( 22 ) and
 said hook is configured to pivot into the notch and contact the first blocking surface ( 23 ′) in the blocking position.   
     
     
         6 . Coupler according to  claim 4 , wherein the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) further comprises a control member ( 40 ) configured to move the engagement member ( 25 ) into the blocking position. 
     
     
         7 . Coupler according to  claim 1 , wherein the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) comprises a biasing device ( 26 ) configured to bias the engagement member towards the first member in the blocking position, said biasing device ( 26 ) comprising a spring. 
     
     
         8 . Coupler according to  claim 6 , wherein the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) further comprises a handle ( 41 ) for operating the control member ( 40 ),
 said handle ( 41 ) being accessible from one side of the coupler head ( 11 ) and configured to move along a path at least partly in the transversal direction for moving the second member ( 22 ) into the blocking position.   
     
     
         9 . Coupler according to  claim 8 , wherein the blocking mechanism comprises a second handle ( 42 ) accessible from a second side of the coupler head ( 11 ), and the second handle ( 42 ) is connected to the control member ( 40 ) for operating the second member ( 22 ). 
     
     
         10 . Coupler according to  claim 1 , further comprising a trigger ( 30 ) for triggering a movement of the first member ( 21 ) when the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) is not in the blocking position. 
     
     
         11 . Coupler according to  claim 10 , wherein the second contact portion ( 24 ) of the second member ( 22 ) is configured to interact with the first contact portion ( 23 ) of the first member ( 21 ) to form the blocking position so that triggering of the first member ( 21 ) is prevented. 
     
     
         12 . Coupler according to  claim 11 , wherein the trigger ( 30 ) is configured to cause movement of the first member ( 21 ) in a trigger direction, and the second contact portion ( 24 ) is configured to push against the first contact portion ( 23 ) in the blocking position to prevent movement of the first member ( 21 ) in the trigger direction. 
     
     
         13 . Coupler according to  claim 2 , further comprising a trigger ( 30 ) having a trigger member ( 36 ) and a connecting member ( 32 ) configured to slidably connect the trigger member ( 36 ) to the coupler head ( 11 ) such that the trigger member ( 36 ) is slidable in a trigger direction (D) between a non-activated position and an activated position, wherein
 the second member ( 22 ) of the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) is connected to the trigger ( 30 ) such that a movement of the trigger member ( 36 ) causes a corresponding movement of the second member ( 22 ), and   the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) further comprises an engagement member ( 25 B) configured to hold the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) in the blocking position by preventing the trigger member ( 36 ) from moving from the activated position.   
     
     
         14 . Coupler according to  claim 13 , wherein the trigger ( 30 ) comprises a stop ( 34 ) on the connecting member ( 32 ), the connecting member ( 32 ) is arranged in a through-hole ( 35 ) in the coupler head ( 11 ), and
 further the engagement member ( 25 B) is configured to prevent the trigger member ( 36 ) from moving by holding the stop ( 34 ) at a distance from the through-hole ( 35 ).   
     
     
         15 . Coupler according to  claim 13 , wherein the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) comprises a control member ( 40 B) configured to move the engagement member ( 25 B) to and/or from the blocking position, and the control member ( 40 B) is operated mechanically by a mechanical member contacting the engagement member ( 25 B) or by an actuator controlling the engagement member ( 25 B). 
     
     
         16 . Coupler according to  claim 1 , wherein the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) comprises a first member ( 21 A) with a first contact portion ( 23 A),
 the first member ( 21 A) being integrated with the hook plate ( 14 ),   the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) also comprising a second member ( 22 A) with a second contact portion ( 24 A),   the second member ( 22 A) being connected to the coupler head ( 11 ), and   the first contact portion ( 23 A) and the second contact portion ( 24 A) are configured to contact each other in a blocking position so that movement of the first member ( 21 A) in relation to the second member ( 22 A) is prevented, thereby blocking rotation of the hook plate ( 14 ) of the mechanical coupler ( 18 ).   
     
     
         17 . Coupler according to  claim 16 , wherein the first member ( 21 A) is a knuckle on the hook plate ( 14 ) and the first contact portion ( 23 A) is a surface of the knuckle, and
 the second contact portion ( 24 A) is arranged on an engagement member ( 25 A) of the second member ( 22 A), the engagement member ( 25 A) being configured to push the second contact portion ( 24 A) towards the first contact portion ( 23 A) such that the second contact portion ( 24 A) prevents rotation of the hook plate ( 14 ).   
     
     
         18 . Coupler according to  claim 17 , wherein the engagement member is configured to push the second contact portion ( 24 A) towards the first contact portion ( 23 A) by a biasing device ( 26 A) acting on the engagement member ( 25 A) to provide a bias towards the blocking position. 
     
     
         19 . Coupler according to  claim 17 , wherein the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) comprises a control member ( 40 A) for moving the engagement member ( 25 A) away from the blocking position, and the control member ( 40 A) is controlled by an actuator. 
     
     
         20 . Coupler according to  claim 1 , further comprising an uncoupling mechanism for uncoupling the coupler from a similar coupler, wherein the uncoupling mechanism is separate from the blocking mechanism. 
     
     
         21 . Coupler according to  claim 1 , wherein the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) is automatically operable by the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) being configured to engage or disengage when a criterion is fulfilled. 
     
     
         22 . Coupler according to  claim 1 , wherein the blocking mechanism ( 20 ) is remotely operable, preferably remotely operable from inside a train on which the coupler is mounted. 
     
     
         23 . Coupler according to  claim 1 , wherein the hook plate ( 14 ) is pivotably mounted in the coupler head ( 11 ) on a hook plate pivot ( 12 ) that comprises a pin ( 12 A) fixed in relation to the coupler head ( 11 ), and the coupler further comprises a spring ( 13 ) arranged to bias the hook plate ( 14 ) in a rotational direction so that the hook plate ( 14 ) is urged towards a position where the shaft ( 15 ) is extended from the coupler head ( 11 ). 
     
     
         24 - 25 . (canceled)