AUTOMATIC UNLOCKING DEVICE FOR ROLLING STOCK COUPLERS

• US 3,854,598 A
• Filed: 01/28/1974
• Issued: 12/17/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kenichi Inami, Mitsuru Wakao, Shigezo Yamazaki
• Original Assignee: Kenichi Inami, Mitsuru Wakao, Shigezo Yamazaki
• Inventors: Wakao, Mitsuru, Yamazaki, Shigezo, Inami, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Jr., M. Henson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Church, Gene A.
• Application Number:
  US05/437,001
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 213/75R,211-219
• US Class Current: 213/211
• CPC Class Codes: B61G 7/04 Coupling or uncoupling by means of trackside apparatus

Abstract

An automatic unlocking device for rolling stock couplers to make the couplers of travelling trains separable by lifting the fastening cotters from them, which consists of a base stand installed at the side of the railway track, a boom mechanism composed of parallel links movable along the railway track and arranged on the said base stand tilting freely towards the railway track, and a robot which is hung from the boom mechanism and is provided with devices for unlocking couplers automatically, so that the robot may be inserted towards any desired couplers of a travelling train and unlock them successively by lifting up the fastening cotters from them by means of its unlocking devices.

Claims

1. An automatic unlocking device for rolling stock couplers, comprising a railway track which carries any rolling stock to be separated, a base stand which is installed on the ground at the railway track side, a boom mechanism which is supported by said base stand tilting freely toward the railway track and incorporating parallel shift links movable along the said railway track, a robot which is hung from said boom mechanism, and lock release devices which are arranged on the robot for unlocking couplers of any rolling stock to be separated when they are travelling on said track.

2. Device as stated in claim 1, where the boom mechanism comprises a pillar for hanging robot, parallel-shift links for supporting the said pillar and a return member for bringing the pillar back to the starting position through the medium of the parallel-shift links.

3. Device as stated in claim 2, wherein the parallel-shift links for supporting the pillar comprise two links which are supported, sliding freely, by shafts oscillating freely, crank mechanisms which are connected at the lower ends of both links so as to produce crank motion thereat, enabling the pillar supported by the upper ends of both links to move horizontally while being kept upright when they travel along the railway track, and a timing gear which connects both crank mechanisms to synchronize them.

4. Device as stated in claim 3, wherein the return member for bringing the pillar back to the starting position through the medium of the parallel shift links is a rotary actuator whose output shaft is connected to a part of said timing gear.

5. Device as stated in claim 4, wherein the robot hung from the pillar is provided with a levelling mechanism so that it may always be kept upright.

6. Device as stated in claim 5, wherein the levelling mechanism comprises two fluid-operated cylinders which are arranged between the base stand and the boom mechanism and between the boom mechanism and the robot, respectively. working reciprocally while exchanging their fluid.

7. An automatic unlocking device for rolling-stock couplers, comprising a railway track for the rolling stock to be separated;

support means installed laterally outwardly of said railway track;

boom means mounted on said support means and having a free end portion tilting towards said railway track, said boom means being freely pivotable so that said free end portion can move longitudinally of said railway track;

a robot device suspended from said boom means; and

lock release means arranged on said robot device and operable for unlocking the couplers of rolling stock to be separated while the rolling stock is travelling on said railway track.

8. A method of automatically unlocking the couplers of rolling stock which is travelling on a railway track, with unlocking devices mounted on a robot which is suspended from a boom that is mounted laterally adjacent the track and is pivotable on this support, comprising the steps of inserting the boom transversely of the railway track into a gap between travelling rolling stock having connected couplers, so that said robot becomes located in said gap;

pivoting said boom from a starting position in the direction of travel of said rolling stock so that said robot advances in said gap together with the rolling stock;

unlocking the couplers of the travelling rolling stock with said unlocking devices; and

withdrawing the boom and robot from said gap between the now uncOupled rolling stock.

9. A method as defined in claim 8;

and further comprising the step of returning the boom to said starting position after the step of withdrawing is completed.

10. A method is defined in claim 8;

and further comprising maintaining said robot substantially centered in said gap during the advancement of the robot with said rolling stock.