Coupler for a railway vehicle with a biasing device, and method for overhauling a coupler

Abstract

The present invention relates to a coupler for a railway vehicle, the coupler comprising a front portion ( 20 ) comprising a coupler head ( 21 ), a rear portion ( 30 ) comprising a mounting structure ( 31 ) for mounting on a railway vehicle, a coupler shank ( 26 ) comprising a through hole ( 27 ) having a first width (w 1 ), the coupler shank ( 26 ) being arranged on a pin ( 32 ) extending through the through hole ( 27 ) and the pin ( 32 ) having a second width (w 2 ) that is smaller than the first width (w 1 ) of the through hole ( 27 ), wherein one of the coupler shank ( 26 ) and the pin ( 32 ) is connected to the coupler head ( 21 ) of the front portion ( 20 ) and the other of the coupler shank ( 26 ) and the pin ( 32 ) is connected to the mounting structure ( 31 ) of the rear portion ( 30 ), and wherein the coupler ( 10 ) further comprises a biasing device ( 40 ) arranged in the through hole ( 27 ) of the coupler shank ( 26 ), the biasing device ( 40 ) being configured to bias the pin ( 32 ) to one side of the through hole ( 27 ).

1 . Coupler for a railway vehicle, comprising
 a front portion ( 20 ) comprising a coupler head ( 21 ),   a rear portion ( 30 ) comprising a mounting structure ( 31 ) for mounting on a railway vehicle, and   a coupler shank ( 26 ) comprising a through hole ( 27 ) having a first width (w 1 ),   the coupler shank ( 26 ) being pivotably arranged on a pin ( 32 ) extending through the through hole ( 27 ) and the pin ( 32 ) having a second width (w 2 ) smaller than the first width (w 1 ) of the through hole ( 27 ),   wherein one of the coupler shank ( 26 ) and the pin ( 32 ) is connected to the coupler head ( 21 ) of the front portion ( 20 ) and the other of the coupler shank ( 26 ) and the pin ( 32 ) is connected to the mounting structure ( 31 ) of the rear portion ( 30 ), and   the coupler ( 10 ) further comprises a biasing device ( 40 ) arranged in the through hole ( 27 ) of the coupler shank ( 26 ), the biasing device ( 40 ) being configured to bias the pin ( 32 ) to one side of the through hole ( 27 ).   
     
     
         2 . Coupler according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupler head ( 20 ) comprises a hook plate ( 22 ) biased towards an uncoupled state with a hook plate spring force (HF), and a biasing device force (BF) of the biasing device ( 40 ) on the pin ( 32 ) is larger than the hook plate spring force (HF) on the hook plate ( 22 ). 
     
     
         3 . Coupler according to  claim 1 , wherein the biasing device ( 40 ) comprises a mechanical spring ( 41 ) configured to act on the pin ( 32 ). 
     
     
         4 . Coupler according to  claim 3 , wherein the biasing device ( 40 ) comprises a device head ( 42 ),
 the mechanical spring ( 41 ) is configured to push the device head ( 42 ) towards the pin ( 32 ), and   the biasing device ( 40 ) further comprises a guide pin ( 43 ) for aligning the biasing device ( 40 ) with a guide opening ( 28 ) in the through hole ( 27 ) of the shank ( 26 ).   
     
     
         5 . Coupler according to  claim 4 , wherein the guide pin ( 43 ) comprises a threaded portion ( 47 ), and the biasing device ( 40 ) further comprises a nut ( 44 ) for cooperating with the threaded portion ( 47 ) of the guide pin ( 43 ) for pre-tensioning the mechanical spring ( 41 ) of the biasing device ( 40 ). 
     
     
         6 . Coupler according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one mounting portion ( 45 ) for mounting the biasing device ( 40 ) on the coupler shank ( 26 ). 
     
     
         7 . Method for overhauling a coupler for a railway vehicle, comprising
 providing ( 101 ) a coupler according to  claim 1 ,   removing ( 102 ) the biasing device ( 40 ) from the coupler, and   mounting ( 103 ) a replacement biasing device ( 40 ′) in the through hole ( 27 ) of the coupler ( 10 ).   
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 7 , further comprising removing ( 104 ) a mechanical spring ( 41 ) from the biasing device ( 40 ) and mounting a replacement mechanical spring ( 41 ′) in the biasing device ( 40 ) to create the replacement biasing device ( 40 ′). 
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claim 7 , further comprising pre-tensioning ( 105 ) the replacement biasing device ( 40 ′). 
     
     
         10 . Method according to  claim 8 , further comprising pre-tensioning ( 105 ) the replacement biasing device ( 40 ′). 
     
     
         11 . Coupler according to  claim 2 , wherein the biasing device ( 40 ) comprises a mechanical spring ( 41 ) configured to act on the pin ( 32 ). 
     
     
         12 . Coupler according to  claim 11 , wherein the biasing device ( 40 ) comprises a device head ( 42 ),
 the mechanical spring ( 41 ) is configured to push the device head ( 42 ) towards the pin ( 32 ), and   the biasing device ( 40 ) further comprises a guide pin ( 43 ) for aligning the biasing device ( 40 ) with a guide opening ( 28 ) in the through hole ( 27 ) of the shank ( 26 ).   
     
     
         13 . Coupler according to  claim 12 , wherein the guide pin ( 43 ) comprises a threaded portion ( 47 ), and the biasing device ( 40 ) further comprises a nut ( 44 ) for cooperating with the threaded portion ( 47 ) of the guide pin ( 43 ) for pre-tensioning the mechanical spring ( 41 ) of the biasing device ( 40 ). 
     
     
         14 . Coupler according to  claim 13 , further comprising at least one mounting portion ( 45 ) for mounting the biasing device ( 40 ) on the coupler shank ( 26 ). 
     
     
         15 . Coupler according to  claim 12 , further comprising at least one mounting portion ( 45 ) for mounting the biasing device ( 40 ) on the coupler shank ( 26 ). 
     
     
         16 . Coupler according to  claim 11 , further comprising at least one mounting portion ( 45 ) for mounting the biasing device ( 40 ) on the coupler shank ( 26 ). 
     
     
         17 . Coupler according to  claim 10 , further comprising at least one mounting portion ( 45 ) for mounting the biasing device ( 40 ) on the coupler shank ( 26 ). 
     
     
         18 . Coupler according to  claim 5 , further comprising at least one mounting portion ( 45 ) for mounting the biasing device ( 40 ) on the coupler shank ( 26 ). 
     
     
         19 . Coupler according to  claim 4 , further comprising at least one mounting portion ( 45 ) for mounting the biasing device ( 40 ) on the coupler shank ( 26 ). 
     
     
         20 . Coupler according to  claim 3 , further comprising at least one mounting portion ( 45 ) for mounting the biasing device ( 40 ) on the coupler shank ( 26 ).