US3842987A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical connector portion for automatic railway couplers
Assignee: Italiana Westinghouse Freni e Segnali SpA
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Filing: 1973-03-29
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Granted: 1974-10-22
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Expires: 1993-03-29
Abstract
Abstract Electrical connector portion of an automatic railway coupler including a multiple-contact unit arranged in a support casing carried on one mating head of the coupler for engaging and making electrical connection with a counter-part electrical connector portion carried in similar manner on a counterpart mating head of the coupler, said connector portion being characterized in that said multiple-contact unit is axially slidably mounted in said support casing and in that resilient means are interposed between the multiple-contact unit and the support casing for absorbing impact forces during coupling operations.
Inventors
- 👤 C Prada
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 09:06
CPC Classifications
B; B61; B61G; B61G5/00; B61G5/06; B61G5/10; H; H01; H01R; H01R43/00; H01R43/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
An electrical connector device for an automatic coupler mating head for railway vehicles, said connector device comprising a cylindrical support casing fixedly mounted on the mating head and having a longitudinal groove formed internally and parallel to the axis thereof, a multiple contact unit including a cylindrical housing coaxially slidably mounted in said support casing and connected to an axially aligned bush having a radial projection formed thereon for riding in said groove for accommodating sliding movement of said contact unit within said support casing, said contact unit having a plurality of electrical contact elements arranged thereon to make respective electrical connections with coRrespondingly arranged electrical contact elements of a counterpart electrical connector device carried on a counterpart mating head when the latter head is thrust against the former, and a spring interposed between said support casing and said contact unit for resiliently cushioning thrust impact between the two contact units during coupling action of the mating heads.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
158 words
An electrical connector device for an automatic coupler mating head for railway vehicles, said connector device comprising a cylindrical support casing fixedly mounted on the mating head and having a longitudinal groove formed internally and parallel to the axis thereof, a multiple contact unit including a cylindrical housing coaxially slidably mounted in said support casing and connected to an axially aligned bush having a radial projection formed thereon for riding in said groove for accommodating sliding movement of said contact unit within said support casing, said contact unit having a plurality of electrical contact elements arranged thereon to make respective electrical connections with coRrespondingly arranged electrical contact elements of a counterpart electrical connector device carried on a counterpart mating head when the latter head is thrust against the former, and a spring interposed between said support casing and said contact unit for resiliently cushioning thrust impact between the two contact units during coupling action of the mating heads.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
85 words
An electrical connector device, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said support casing is provided at one end thereof with stop means for limiting axial sliding movement, in one direction, of said contact unit to a predetermined position in said slide groove when the coupler mating heads are in an uncoupled relation, in which predetermined position the external extremity of said contact unit projects outwardly from and beyond the corresponding extremity of the support casing by a predetermined amount relative to each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
131 words
An electrical connector device, as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said spring is of such a compression rating as to provide a resisting force of a certain value in opposition to axial sliding movement of said contact unit in a direction opposite to said one direction when said electrical connector devices are thrust against each other during coupling operation in order to make said electrical connections, said spring being effective for absorbing a part of the opposing forces which the contact units transmit to each other during said coupling operation and being yieldable to a coupling force acting oppositely to and exceeding said resisting force for effecting retraction of the contact unit within said support casing until the respective corresponding extremities of said contact unit assume relative coplanar positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
An electrical connector device, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the connection between said housing and said bush is made by a plurality of radially disposed, angularly spaced pins inserted therebetween.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
116 words
An electrical connector device, as claimed in claim 4, in which said electrical contact elements of said contact unit are connected by corresponding electrical conductors disposed in a tubular sheath, characterized in that within said bush there is coaxially disposed an annular resilient gland coaxially surrounding and supporting said sheath, said gland being coaxially interposed between and making abutting contact on opposite sides with an annular spacer in contact with said contact unit, and one end of said bush, said bush and said spacer being provided with respective teeth for engaging respective recesses formed in said spacer and the contact unit for angularly positioning the several parts relative to each other and within the connector device.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
81 words
An electrical connector device, as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said bush is provided with an internally threaded bore into which a screw-threaded end of a tubular element coaxially surrounding said sheath is screwed and arranged for exerting an axial force on said gland in a direction corresponding to said one direction and acting through the front end of said housing, said gland and said spacer for biasing said contact unit toward said stop means and said predetermined position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
An electrical connector device, as claimed in claim 6, in which said spring is a helical spring coaxially externally encircling said tubular element and is compressed, said spring is disposed between the screw-threaded end thereof and a radial shoulder of a second bush coaxially slidably disposed within said support casing at the end opposite said contact unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
88 words
An electrical connector device, as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that said second bush is also provided with at least one radial projection arranged for insertion into said axial slide groove in the support casing, with each of said axial grooves there being associated a second groove formed in said support casing perpendicularly to and connecting with the axial groove and being arranged to receive saiD radial projection formed on said second bush in such a manner as to constitute an axial stop for said second bush.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
65 words
An electrical connector device, as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said second groove comprises a first straight section of a certain width substantially orthogonal to the axis of and connecting with the axial groove and a second section of greater width than and connecting with the first section, said second section constituting said axial stop for said radial projection of the second bush.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
An electrical connector device, as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that each pair of surfaces which laterally bound said first and second sections of said second groove form respective offset surfaces arranged for locking said second bush against rotation when said radial projection of said second bush is disposed within said second section of said second groove.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
An electrical connector device, as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that one of said offset surfaces is substantially orthogonal to the axis of said second groove, and the other offset surface is disposed at an angle less than 90* relative to said axis of said second groove.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
61 words
An electrical connector device, as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that said one of said offset surfaces is formed on that side of said second groove against which said radial projection of the second bush is biased by rests under the axial force exerted by said spring acting in a direction corresponding to said direction opposite to said one direction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-21 | 1978-04-22 | 1978-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-21 | 1982-04-22 | 1982-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-21 | 1986-04-22 | 1986-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |