A safety device to prevent the toppling and/or crashing of railroad cars in train collisions and derailments

摘要

442,861. Preventing derailing of railway vehicles ;fluid - pressure brakes. WITTICH, P., 25, Kottbuser Ufer, Berlin. July 17, 1934, No. 20872. [Classes 103 (v) and 103 (vi)] [See also Group XXXIV] In order to prevent overturning of railway vehicles, in the case of collision or derailment, catches b, Fig. 1, with hook-shaped ends e pivoted under the vehicle body, are adapted to be released, when the vehicle tilts or leaves the rails, and to fall with their free ends on to the rails so that, on any additional tilt or lift, the hooks e engage behind the rail flanges. Automatic actuation of the pneumatic brakes may occur simultaneously. Preferably the pivotal axes of the catches are associated, as shown, with pawl-andratchet devices x to prevent free upward movement of the catches b, the pawls being released preliminary to resetting the catches. In case of shocks sufficiently violent to derail the vehicle instantaneously, the catches are provided on the inside with additional hook surfaces f also designed to engage the rails. The actuation of the catches when the vehicle tilts is effected by means of pivoted contact levers l, Fig. 4, which strike the ground and, through the medium of cables o attached to their inner ends, displace a longitudinal rod p, which in turn, through operating levers i, Fig. 5, causes the withdrawal of a second rod h fitted with supports g for the catches b. A strong spring k retains the rod h in its normal position. Movement of the rods p and h may also control the vehicle brakes. Each vehicle may be provided with several sets of catches, and the actuating mechanisms on all the vehicles of a train may be interconnected for simultaneous operation. In another construction the operating levers i are controlled by electromagnets adapted to be energized when the vehicle tilts or is raised at one end by the displacement of mercury in V-shaped tubes fitted with suitable circuit contacts. According to another arrangement, (Fig. 7, not shown) the rod p is actuated, when one end of the vehicle rises, by a spring-controlled pivoted lever having at its lower end a roller normally in contact with the rail. In a still further modification, the buffers on the locomotives may befitted with two relatively slidable sleeves which, in the event of a collision, are pressed towards each other against the action of a spring and close an electric circuit for operating all the automatic catches on the train.