Coupling for miniature model railway lines

Abstract

 The coupling for miniature model railways comprises connecting elements constituted by a piece of thin metal sheet (4) so shaped as to envelope the end portions of the rails (2) which are inserted into them. The piece of thin metal sheet (4) is furthermore associated with guide and spring-locking means which are constituted by a contoured template having an "U"-shaped cross section (8). At both ends of the contoured template (8), two spring-like connections (13, 14) are provided, which operate relatively to the sleepers (6). The two spring-­like connections are, respectively, a non-disengageable connection (13) and a disengageable connection (14).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a coupling for miniature model railway lines.

[0002] The miniature model railway lines are obtained at present by connecting elementary lengths of track formed by combining two lengths of rail of metal material with a plurality of sleepers made from moulded plastic material. Both ends of each rail length are connected with the ends of the rails of the adjacent elementary track lenghts with the interposition of coupling means, operating by friction on the two rail ends facing each other.

[0003] Each coupling element is obtained from a piece of thin metal sheet, so bent as to tightly adhere to the two ends of the rails to be connected with each other.

[0004] However, such coupling elements do not make it possible a stable and reliable connection to be obtained between said elementary track lenghts in that it is enough that, due to a whatever reason, the friction exerted by each coupling element decreases, for the connection to be endangered.

[0005] The causes for such an occurrence are many; the most common are:
- wear due to repeated assembling and disassembling operations;
- opening out of the elements, due to excessive bendings of the miniature model railway line, deriving from wrong procedures of assembling of said line;
- accidental presence of lubricants.

[0006] Furthermore, when the individual track lengths are connected with each other, a force has to be applied, which overcomes the friction generated by the coupling; this increases the probability of the user getting injured, owing to an accidental contact with the point of the thin blade-like structure of the coupling elements.

[0007] The purpose of the present invention is of obviating the above listed drawbacks.

[0008] Such a purpose is achieved by a coupling for miniature model railways constituted by a plurality of elementary track lengths, each of which comprises a set of sleepers and two rail lengths, with each one of said rails being constituted by three parts: a railhead, a rail web and a rail flange, with this latter resting on the sleepers, the ends of said rail lengths being butt-­connected with the ends of the rail lengths which constitute the adjacent track lengths by means of coupling elements obtained from a piece of thin metal sheet or from a similar material, so shaped as to tightly adhere to the rail flange and to the rail web of said rail lengths in correspondence of their ends, providing a connection by friction, said coupling being characterized in that it also comprises guide and spring-locking means cooperating with said coupling elements.

[0009] In that way, said guide and spring-locking means make it possible a more stable connection of the track lengths with each other to be obtained in an easier way, thanks to the guide and elastic-spring locking action they perform.

[0010] Furthermore, as said means protrude outwards beyond the thin protruding portions of the metal connection element, prevent these latter from accidentally injuring the fingers of the user of the miniature model railway line while said user is applying the necessary force for the coupling to be accomplished, thus enabling the coupling to fully meet the in force accident prevention regulations.

[0011] The present invention is illustrated for merely exemplifying, non-limitative purposes, in the hereto attached drawing tables, wherein:

Figure 1 shows an exploded plan view of the coupling according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the coupling in the "open" position;

Figure 3 shows a view according to arrow III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 shows a sectional view according to arrows IV-IV of Figure 2;

Figure 5 shows a plan view of the coupling in "closed" position.

[0012] The coupling according to the present invention, generally indicated by the reference numeral 1 (Figure 6), is applied to miniature model railway lines and generally comprises coupling elements cooperating with guide and spring-locking means.

[0013] The miniature model railway lines are formed by a plurality of elementary track lengths. Each elementary track lenght 7 comprises a plurality of sleepers 6 and two rail lengths 2. Each rail 2 is constituted by three parts which, listed from top downwards are: a railhead 9, a rail web 10 and a rail flange 11. The rail flange 11 rests on the sleepers 6 and is constrained to them by mutually opposite "L"-shaped prominences¹² which are partially overlapped to the rail flange 11. The two adjacent rail lengths 2 are butt-connected by the coupling elements. The coupling elements are formed by a piece of thin metal sheet 4, so shaped as to adhere to the rail flanges 11 and to the rail web 10 of the rail lengths 2 in correpsondence of their coupled ends 3, 3a. The strength of the so accomplished connection varies as a function of the pressure and of the friction exerted by the thin metal sheet element 4 on said rail ends 3 and 3A.

[0014] The guide and spring-locking means are formed by a contoured template 8 having an "U"-shaped cross section, made from an elastic material.

[0015] The contoured template 8 comprises a first end and a second end, respectively connected with the sleepers by means of a spring-like, non-disengageable connection (13) and a spring-like, disengageable connection (14).

[0016] The spring-like, non-disengageable connection 13 comprises two sharp-edge recesses 15 provided on the "U"-­shaped-cross-section, contoured template (8), suitable for getting engaged with two triangular latches 16 and relevant stop means 17 provided on the sleepers 6 in correspondence of the end 3 of the rail 2.

[0017] The spring-like, disengageable connection 14 comprises two rounded-edge recesses 18 provided on the "U"-shaped-cross-section, contoured template, suitable for getting engaged with two hemispherical prominences 19 protruding from the sleepers in correspondence of the end 3A of the rail 2.

[0018] In order to favour the functionality of the disengageable coupling 14 and, in particular, the elastic characteristics thereof, the contoured template 8 is provided with a "V"-shaped notch 20 in correspondence of said disengageable coupling.

[0019] The assemblage is as follows.

[0020] The ends 3 of the rails 2 are already provided with the coupling elements constituted by the bent piece of thin metal sheet 4.

[0021] The contoured template 8 is slit onto the element 4 unit the spring-like, non-releasable connection is accomplshed.

[0022] The triangular latches 16 engage the sharp-edge recesses 15.

[0023] The stops 17 stop the sliding of the contoured template 8.

[0024] Each end of an adjacent elementary track unit bears hence a coupling element constituted by bent piece of metal sheet 4 associated with a contoured template 8, installed at the end 3 of the rails 2.

[0025] The ends 3A of the rails 2 are forced inside the bent piece of thin metal sheet 4 until they come into the butt-connection with the opposite rails 2. Simultaneously, the disengageable spring-like connection 14 is formed thanks to the engagement of the hemispherical prominences 19 with the rounde-edge recesses 18.

[0026] Any future separations of two adjacent rail elements will take place always in correspondence of the disengageable spring-like connections 14, in that their strength, when submitted to a traction stress, is lower thah the traction strength offered by the non-­disengageable spring-like connections 13.

[0027] As it protrudes beyond the piece of thin metal sheet both laterally and frontally, the "U"-shaped-cross-­ section contoured template 4 prevents anybody from accidentally coming into contact with said piece of thin metal sheet, performing an accident-preventing function, as well as a guide function during the initial steps of the connecting procedure.

[0028] The spring-like coupling elements give the coupling, taken as a whole, a better functionality and reliability of connection.

Claims

1. Coupling (1) for miniature model railways constituted by a plurality of elementary track lengths, each of which comprises a set of sleepers (6) and two rail lengths (2), with each one of said rails being constituted by three parts: a railhead (9), a rail web (10) and a rail flange (11), with this latter resting on the sleepers (6), the ends (3, 3A) of said rail lengths (2) being butt-connected with the ends of the rail lengths (2) which constitute the adjacent track lengths by means of coupling elements obtained from a piece of thin metal sheet (4) or from a similar material, so shaped as to tightly adhere to the rail flange (11) and to the rail web (10) of said rail lengths (2) in correspondence of their end (3, 3A), providing a connection by friction, characterized said coupling that it also comprises guide and spring-locking means (8) cooperating with said coupling elements (4).

2. Coupling according to claim 1, wherein said guide and spring-like locking means comprise at least one contoured template having an "U"-shaped cross section (8) and made from an elastic material, having a first end and a second end and receiving the coupling elements (4) inside its interior, with said first end and second end being connected in a spring-like fashion with the sleepers (6) of two adjacent elementary track units (7).

3. Coupling according to claim 2, wherein the first end and the second end of the "U"-shaped-cross-section, contoured template are connected with the sleepers⁶ by means of two spring-like, respectively non-disengageable (13) and disengageable (14) connections.

4. Coupling according to claim 3, wherein the non-­disengageable connection (13) comprises at least one sharp-edge recess (15) provided on the "U"-shaped contoured template (8) and suitable for getting engaged with at least one triangular latch (16) and relevant stop means (17), provided on the sleepers (6).

5. Coupling according to claim 3, wherein the disengageable connection (14) comprises at least one rounded-edge recess (18) provided on the "U"-shaped-­cross-section contoured template (8), suitable for getting engagde with at least one hemispherical prominence (19) protruding from the sleepers (6).

6. Coupling according to claim 5, wherein the "U"-­shaped-cross-section contoured template (8) comprises a "V"-shaped notch (20) in correspondence of the disengageable connection (14).

7. Coupling according to claims 2 and 3, wherein in correspondence of the two ends of two adjacent elementary track lengths to be connected with each other, two spring-like, non-disengageable connections (13) and two spring-like, disengageable connections (14) are provided and are so oriented that the two "U"-shaped-cross-section contoured templates (8) are oriented in opposite directions relatively to each other, with each contoured template (8) being connected, with no possibility of disengagement, with one of the two ends (3) of the elementary track lengths (7) to be connected to each other.

Drawing