Assembly with a bearing bracket and a coupler rod or a connection rod; car of a multi-car vehicle and method for transmitting pushing forces applied to a coupler rod or connection rod to a bearing bracket

A method for vehicle coupling comprising:

• providing a vehicle coupling assembly comprising:
• a bearing bracket including a first bracket comprising:
• a connection portion having a connection portion hole formed therethrough, a first side of the connection portion comprising a first connection portion support surface, and a second side of the connection portion comprising a second connection portion support surface, wherein the first connection portion support surface and the second connection portion support surface face in opposite directions;
• a rear portion comprising a rear plate, said rear portion configured to be rearward of the connection portion;
• and
• at least one support element that connects the connection portion with the rear portion;
• a rod comprising an end portion having an end portion wall forming an end portion hole therethrough, where a first side of the end portion wall comprises an end portion support surface that faces the first connection portion support surface of the first bracket;
• and
• a pin configured to pass through the connection portion hole of the first bracket and the end portion hole of the rod, the pin including:
• a pin end plate which provides a pin support surface at a first pin end, the pin support surface facing the second connection portion support surface of the first bracket;
• an abutment element on a second pin end, the abutment element abutting against a second side of the end portion wall of the rod;
• a first compressible element between the first connection portion support surface of the first bracket and the end portion support surface of the rod;
• and
• a second compressible element between the second connection portion support surface of the first bracket and the pin support surface;
• connecting the rear plate of the first bracket to a first car;
• and
• connecting the rod to a second car;
• wherein, absent a pushing force urging the rod towards the connection portion of the first bracket, the pin end plate is arranged apart from the rear plate;
• and
• wherein, responsive to a pushing force of a first predetermined magnitude urging the rod towards the connection portion of the first bracket, the pin end plate contacts the rear plate;
• and
• wherein, responsive to a pushing force of a second predetermined magnitude that is larger than the first predetermined magnitude urging the rod towards the connection portion of the first bracket:
• (i) the pin end plate contacts the rear plate;
• and (ii) the abutment element comes out of contact with the second side of the end portion wall.

A car of a multi-car vehicle having at least one vehicle coupling assembly for providing a connection to a further car of the multi-car vehicle, the at least one vehicle coupling assembly comprising:

• a bearing bracket including a first bracket comprising:
• a connection portion having a connection portion hole formed therethrough, a first side of the connection portion comprising a first connection portion support surface, and a second side of the connection portion comprising a second connection portion support surface, wherein the first connection portion support surface and the second connection portion support surface face in opposite directions;
• a rear portion comprising a rear plate, said rear portion configured to be rearward of the connection portion;
• and
• at least one support element that connects the connection portion with the rear portion;
• a rod comprising an end portion having an end portion wall forming an end portion hole therethrough, where a first side of the end portion wall comprises an end portion support surface that faces the first connection portion support surface of the first bracket;
• a pin configured to pass through the connection portion hole of the first bracket and the end portion hole of the rod, the pin including:
• a pin support surface at a first pin end that faces the second connection portion support surface of the first bracket;
• and
• an abutment element on a second pin end, the abutment element abutting against a second side of the end portion wall of the rod;
• a first compressible element between the first connection portion support surface of the first bracket and the end portion support surface of the rod;
• and
• a second compressible element between the second connection portion support surface of the first bracket and the pin support surface;
• wherein the size of the at least one support element in a direction of its extension between the connection portion and the rear portion creates sufficient space for the pin to move in and out of contact with the rear plate;
• and
• wherein the pin includes a pin end plate at the first pin end of the pin, and wherein the pin end plate is configured to contact the rear plate when a pushing force of a predetermined magnitude is applied to the rod to push the rod towards the connection portion of the first bracket;
• and wherein the support element is configured such that a pushing force applied to the rod, in the absence of contact between the pin end plate and the rear plate, is transferred to the support element only via the connection portion.

A vehicle coupling assembly comprising:

• a bearing bracket including:
• a first compressible element;
• a second compressible element;
• a connection member having a connection member hole therethrough, a first side of the connection member adjacent to a first side of the first compressible element, and a second side of the connection member adjacent to a first side of the second compressible element;
• a rear plate, said rear plate configured to be rearward of the connection member;
• and
• at least one support element that connects the connection member with the rear plate;
• a rod including an end wall having an end wall hole therethrough, wherein a first side of the end wall is adjacent to a second side of the first compressible element and wherein the first compressible element is between the first side of the end wall and the first side of the connection member;
• and
• a pin extending through the second compressible element, the connection member hole of the bearing bracket, the first compressible element, and the end wall hole of the rod, the pin movably connecting the bearing bracket and the rod and including:
• a pin support surface at a first pin end that faces the second side of the connection member, wherein the second compressible element is between the pin support surface and the second side of the connection member;
• and
• an abutment element at a second pin end, the abutment element capable of abutting against a second side of the end wall of the rod;
• wherein the size of the at least one support element in a direction of its extension between the connection portion and the rear portion creates sufficient space for the pin to move in and out of contact with the rear plate;
• and
• wherein the pin includes a pin end plate at the first pin end of the pin, and wherein the pin end plate is configured to contact the rear plate when a pushing force of a first predetermined magnitude is applied to the rod to push the rod towards the connection portion of the first bracket;
• and wherein the support element is configured such that a pushing force applied to the rod, in the absence of contact between the pin end plate and the rear plate, is transferred to the support element only via the connection portion.