End piece for a coupling rod, draft gear for a coupling rod, coupler for a multi-car vehicle and method for building a draft gear or coupler

Abstract

An end piece for part of a draft gear of a coupler for a multi-car vehicle, comprising a first joint section for mounting to a car and rotatable about a generally vertical axis, a rod having a longitudinal axis (B) which, in use, is substantially horizontal, an elastic connection connecting the rod to the first joint section, whose elasticity allows the rod to swivel about its longitudinal axis (B) relative to the first joint section, and a first spreading element suitable to create a spreading force (F) and comprising: a first end in contact with the rod, a second end in contact with the first joint section, and a spring element arranged between the first and second ends, the spring element generating a spreading force (F) directed to increasing the distance between the first end and second end when the first end is moved towards the second end.

1 .- 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . An end piece suitable to be used as part of a draft gear of a coupler for a multi-car vehicle, the end piece comprising:
 a first joint section configured to be mounted to a car of a multi-car vehicle such that it can rotate about a generally vertical axis;   a rod having a longitudinal axis (B) which, in use, is substantially horizontal;   an elastic connection that connects the rod to the first joint section, the elasticity of the elastic connection allowing the rod to swivel about its longitudinal axis (B) relative to the first joint section; and   at least one spreading element, including a first spreading element which is suitable to create a spreading force (F), the first spreading element comprising:   a first end which is in contact with a part of the rod;   a second end which is in contact with a part of the first joint section; and   a spring element arranged between the first end and second end, the spring element generating a spreading force (F) which is directed to increasing the distance between the first end and second end when the first end is moved towards the second end.   
     
     
         18 . The end piece according to  claim 17 , wherein the first spreading element comprises:
 a spreading element housing with a chamber, wherein the chamber comprises a chamber end wall; and   a spreading element rod which is at least partially arranged in the chamber and moveable relative to the chamber end wall;   wherein the spring element is arranged between the chamber end wall and a holding part of the spreading element rod.   
     
     
         19 . The end piece according to  claim 18 , wherein the spring element comprises at least one disc spring, wherein the at least one disc spring is arranged between the chamber end wall and the holding part, wherein the holding part radially extends from the spreading element rod. 
     
     
         20 . The end piece according to  claim 18 , further comprising a threading provided in the spreading element rod, the threading extending from an end of the spreading element rod along a longitudinal axis (C) of the spreading element rod, wherein the threading is an internal threading and wherein a screw is screwed into the internal threading, and wherein the second end of the first spreading element is provided by a surface of a head of the screw. 
     
     
         21 . The end piece according to  claim 17 , wherein the at least one spreading element comprises a second spreading element which is suitable to create a spreading force (F), the second spreading element comprising:
 a first end which is in contact with a part of the rod;   a second end which is in contact with a part of the first joint section;   a spring element arranged between the first end and second end of the second spreading element, the spring element generating a spreading force (F) which is directed to increasing the distance between the first end and second end of the second spreading element when the first end of the second spreading element is moved towards the second end of the second spreading element.   
     
     
         22 . The end piece according to  claim 21 , wherein
 the first end of the first spreading element is in contact with a first part of the rod and the first end of the second spreading element is in contact with a second part of the rod, the first part of the rod being arranged on a first side of the rod and the second part of the rod being arranged on a second side of the rod, the second side being opposite to the first side; and   the second end of the first spreading element is in contact with a first part of the joint section and the second end of the second spreading element is in contact with a second part of the joint section, the rod being arranged between the first part of the joint section and the second part of the joint section.   
     
     
         23 . The end piece according to  claim 17 , wherein the first joint section comprises a housing and the rod comprises a housing part arranged in the housing of the first joint section. 
     
     
         24 . The end piece according to  claim 23 , wherein
 the housing part of the rod comprises at least one circumferential groove;   the housing comprises an inward-facing surface with said at least one circumferential groove arranged on the inward-facing surface, and   the elastic connection comprises one or more ring-shaped elastic elements, each of said one or more ring-shaped elastic elements having an inner part being arranged in one of the at least one circumferential groove of the housing part and an outer part being arranged in one of the at least one circumferential groove on the inward-facing surface of the housing of the first joint section.   
     
     
         25 . The end piece according to  claim 17 , wherein the first joint section comprises a pin and the rod comprises an opening in which the pin of the first joint section is arranged. 
     
     
         26 . The end piece according to  claim 25 , wherein the elastic connection providing a connection between the pin of the first joint section and the opening of the rod is ring-shaped and comprises at least one of: a spherical outer surface facing the opening of the rod and a spherical inner surface facing the pin of the first joint section. 
     
     
         27 . The end piece according to  claim 17 , wherein the at least one spreading element is arranged separately to the elastic connection that connects the rod to the first joint section. 
     
     
         28 . The end piece according to  claim 17 , wherein the first end comprises two substantially perpendicular contact surfaces, where one of said contact surfaces is substantially parallel to a surface of the second end. 
     
     
         29 . A draft gear for a coupler of a multi-car vehicle, the draft gear comprising:
 a bearing bracket configured to be attached to a car of a multi-car vehicle and having a bearing joint section;   an end piece comprising:
 a first joint section configured to be mounted to a car of a multi-car vehicle such that it can rotate about a generally vertical axis; 
 a rod having a longitudinal axis (B) which, in use, is substantially horizontal; 
 an elastic connection that connects the rod to the first joint section, the elasticity of the elastic connection allowing the rod to swivel about its longitudinal axis (B) relative to the first joint section; and 
 at least one spreading element, including a first spreading element which is suitable to create a spreading force (F), the first spreading element comprising:
 a first end which is in contact with a part of the rod; 
 a second end which is in contact with a part of the first joint section; and 
 a spring element being arranged between the first end and second end, the spring element generating a spreading force (F) which is directed to increasing the distance between the first end and second end when the first end is moved towards the second end; and 
 
 a joint arranged between the rod of the end piece and bearing bracket and comprising the first joint section of the end piece, in the form of a joint pin, and the bearing joint section of the bearing bracket, in the form of an opening in which the joint pin is arranged, wherein the joint allows the joint section of the end piece to swivel relative to the bearing bracket. 
   
     
     
         30 . A coupler for a multi-car vehicle, the coupler comprising:
 a draft gear; and   a coupler head;   wherein the draft gear comprises
 a bearing bracket configured to be attached to a car of a multi-car vehicle and having a bearing joint section; 
    an end piece comprising:    a first joint section configured to be mounted to a car of a multi-car vehicle such that it can rotate about a generally vertical axis;    a rod having a longitudinal axis (B) which, in use, is substantially horizontal;    an elastic connection that connects the rod to the first joint section, the elasticity of the elastic connection allowing the rod to swivel about its longitudinal axis (B) relative to the first joint section; and    at least one spreading element, including a first spreading element which is suitable to create a spreading force (F), the first spreading element comprising:
 a first end which is in contact with a part of the rod; 
 a second end which is in contact with a part of the first joint section; and 
 a spring element being arranged between the first end and second end, the spring element generating a spreading force (F) which is directed to increasing the distance between the first end and second end when the first end is moved towards the second end; and 
    a joint arranged between the rod of the end piece and bearing bracket and comprising the first joint section of the end piece, in the form of a joint pin, and the bearing joint section of the bearing bracket, in the form of an opening in which the joint pin is arranged, wherein the joint allows the joint section of the end piece to swivel relative to the bearing bracket;    wherein the coupler head is attached to the rod.   
     
     
         31 . The coupler according to  claim 30 , wherein the rod comprises:
 a first rod part directly or indirectly connected to the joint section;   a second rod part;   a rod joint arranged between the first rod part and second rod part;   wherein the coupler head is attached to the second rod part; and   wherein the rod joint allows the second rod part to be folded backwards towards the first rod part.   
     
     
         32 . A method comprising providing a draft gear according to  claim 29 , and further comprising the steps of:
 removing at least one of the at least one spreading element from the draft gear;   providing a corresponding spreading element for replacing the at least one removed spreading element, and   attaching the corresponding spreading element to the draft gear.