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US 5,060,578 AGranted
Membrane system for connecting consecutive vehicles
AssigneeCaoutchouc Manufacture et Plastiques
InventorJean-Paul Carimentrand
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Elastically deformable self-supporting membrane making possible intercommunication between consecutive railway vehicles formed by corrugations of increasing depths and essentially constant thickness. The thickness of each end corrugation is increased and the outer peaks of the corrugations are reinforced by an extra thickness having a higher modulus than the rest of the coating.
Claims18
A system for connection of consecutive vehicles, providing for intercommunication between the consecutive vehicles, said system comprising:
- an elastically deformable membrane being substantially in one-piece, and self-supporting for providing substantially weatherproof protection of a passage way between consecutive vehicles;
- said membrane formed by a plurality of successive corrugations;
- said membrane having one end means for being connected to one end surface of a first vehicle;
- said membrane having an opposite end means opposite said one end means for being fastened to and unfastened from an end surface of a second vehicle consecutive to the first vehicle;
- said corrugations of said membrane being flexible for extension and compression within a range of distances between the consecutive vehicles;
- said corrugations of said membrane comprising successive peaks;
- said corrugations of said membrane having a plurality of depths of corrugations between said successive peaks;
- and
- the depth of said corrugations increasing from one of:
- said one end of said membrane and said opposite end of said membrane toward the other of said one end of said membrane and said opposite end of said membrane.
7 more elements
A system for connection of consecutive vehicles, providing for intercommunication between the consecutive vehicles, said system comprising:
- an elastically deformable membrane being substantially in one-piece, and self-supporting for providing substantially weatherproof protection of a passage way between successive vehicles;
- said membrane formed by a plurality of successive corrugations;
- said corrugations comprising substantially straight segments;
- said corrugations comprising elastomer means;
- said membrane having one end means for being connected to one end surface of a first vehicle;
- said membrane having an opposite end means opposite said one end means for being fastened to and unfastened from an end surface of a second vehicle consecutive to the first vehicle;
- said corrugations of said membrane being flexible for extension and compression within a range of distances between the consecutive vehicles;
- said corrugations of said membrane comprising successive peaks with intermediate portions disposed between said peaks;
- said peaks comprising an outer portion of peaks for being disposed away from the passage way and an inner portion of peaks for being disposed towards the passage way;
- said outer portion of peaks for being substantially aligned with an exterior surface of the successive vehicles;
- said corrugations having a depth between the successive peaks;
- said corrugations having a substantially constant thickness in the intermediate portions thereof disposed between successive peaks;
- said outer peaks having a thickness being substantially greater than the substantially constant thickness of the intermediate portions of the corrugations;
- said greater thickness being the result of the addition of an extra-thickness comprised of a profile of elastomer compound applied to the elastomer having a substantially constant thickness;
- and
- said peaks have a longitudinal direction and wherein the extra thickness comprises an anisotropic elastomer compound reinforced with short fibers, at least a substantial portion of said short fiber being orientated in a longitudinal direction of the profile of elastomer compound.
13 more elements
A system for connection of consecutive vehicles, providing for intercommunication between the consecutive vehicles, said system comprising:
- an elastically deformable membrane being substantially in one-piece, and self-supporting for providing substantially weatherproof protection of a passage way between consecutive vehicles;
- said membrane formed by a plurality of successive corrugations;
- said corrugations having a continuous corrugated cross section over the entire periphery of said membrane for covering the passage way to be protected;
- said membrane having one end means for being permanently connected to an end surface of a first vehicle;
- said one end means including a fastening flange for fastening said membrane to said end surface of said first vehicle;
- said membrane having an opposite end means opposite said one end means for being fastened to and unfastened from an end surface of a second vehicle consecutive to the first vehicle;
- said end surface of the second vehicle being equipped with a fastening flange;
- said corrugations of said membrane being flexible for extension and compression within a range of distances between consecutive vehicles;
- said corrugations of said membrane comprising a plurality of successive peaks;
- said plurality of successive peaks comprising outwardly disposed peaks disposed away from the passage way and inwardly disposed peaks disposed towards the passage way;
- said outwardly disposed peaks being substantially aligned with the exterior surface of the consecutive vehicles;
- and
- said corrugations having a depth between said plurality of successive peaks;
- said corrugations further comprising horizontal and vertical straight segments;
- and
- said horizontal and vertical straight segments being connected to each other with mitre connections.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.