TESTS ON AUTOMATIC COUPLERS, WORKS OF THE B 51 SPECIALISTS COMMITTEE FROM JANUARY TO DECEMBER 1965

Investigations for defining the synthesised coupler of the UIC occupied a great deal of the time from January to December 1965, of which this report gives an account. In collaboration with the OSJD, the conditions specified in UIC Leaflet No. 522 were adapted to the findings obtained from the work for developing the automatic coupler (displacement of the coupler suspension, field of action, possibility of coupling of curves, intermediate coupling device, running on ferry boat access ramps, and traction coupler). Modifications to the synthesised coupler of the UIC by the Joint Group UIC/OSJD ought to be emphasised here; these led to a reduction of the horizontal field of action from 250 mm to 220 mm, and of the vertical field of action from 150 mm to 140 mm. The designs for the mixed coupling and the corresponding air-line connectors and also the plans for testing them, were provisionally approved by the Committee. The Group "Operating Questions" presented its programme for introducing the automatic coupler and this was duly noted by the Committee. This programme should be kept constantly in mind. Tests were also conducted with freight trains equipped with traction couplers and with traction and shock couplers, and also with passenger coaches (reactions in train formation and performance under normal operating conditions). Field tests and tests in the Vienna Arsenal testing station served to study performance in winter conditions. The tests have re-confirmed that the greater the longitudinal play between the wagons of a train, the more adverse its effect on the riding stability during starting and braking. On the other hand, the tests have shown that couplers operating on the Willison principle have to be provided with a longitudinal clearance of several millimetres between the coupled heads to ensure reliable coupling in winter conditions. The object of other tests made by the Committee was the investigation of the effect of an extended brake cylinder filling-time with the brake in the "P" position (from 3-5 seconds to 10-15 seconds). This extended filling-time, which causes a reduction of 6.5 to 8% in the value of lambda, has shown that, in these conditions, the longitudinal forces produced during rapid brake applications at low speeds are substantially reduced. Moreover, other tests with reinforced elastic systems fitted for the purpose of reducing the longitudinal forces, were promising. The investigations are being continued.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Restrictions on the use of this document are contained in the explanatory material.
• Corporate Authors:

  International Union of Railways

  Office of Research and Experiments
  Utrecht,   Netherlands 
• Publication Date: 1966-10

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures;
• Pagination: 12 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Couplers; Tests
• Old TRIS Terms: Automatic couplers; Automatic coupling; Mixed coupling; Question b51
• Subject Areas: Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00053130
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: International Union of Railways
• Report/Paper Numbers: B51/RP 4/E Intrm Rpt.
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 22 1976 12:00AM