Spring Elements for Draw and Gear units
In railway vehicle draw and gear units or shock and vibration absorption systems, rubber-metal elements - which serve as combined spring and damping elements made of elastomeric materials (natural or synthetic rubber) and metal components - are used to elastically absorb forces, dampen vibrations and dissipate energy in a controlled manner.
Area of application
Rubber buffers (also known as elastomer buffers) for train and shock-absorbing systems consist of solid or partially metal-reinforced rubber elements and are used wherever shocks must be absorbed and movements must be limited. Typical applications include locomotives, passenger cars and switching and freight cars. Depending on their Shore hardness and material composition, they are designed to produce a progressive force curve as the load increases. Thanks to their high inherent damping, they efficiently absorb energy, operate maintenance-free and provide good protection against impact loads. High-damping compounds are used for the shock-absorbing assemblies, while the tensioning assemblies are equipped with a highly elastic compound. As a rule, the modules consist of a defined number of rubber-metal washers and steel washers.
Technical details
Rubber-metal spring elements for draw and gear units or tension and shock absorption devices consist of rubber bodies connected to metal parts; they can absorb high compressive, tensile and shear forces. Various types of rubber with different degrees of hardness are used in these applications. Many elements feature a multilayer construction. The element in draw units can achieve a long stroke and a high spring force. This design enables reliable energy absorption during impacts while simultaneously providing the necessary restoring force. In shock-absorbing gear units the rubber-metal elements dampen impacts through the nonlinear spring behavior of the rubber, thereby protecting the car body and coupling components from load spikes.
Characteristics
Rubber-metal spring elements in draw and gear units or tension and shock-absorbing devices offer high load-bearing capacity and safety, as they are designed to withstand very high compressive and impact forces while also exhibiting high fatigue strength under cyclic loading. This makes them particularly well-suited for the demanding conditions of railway operations. At the same time, they ensure effective energy absorption by protecting couplers, buffers and vehicle frames from material fatigue and significantly reducing impact forces. The elements are weather- and temperature-resistant; thanks to their compact design, they are easy to integrate and install. They are maintenance-free which reduces both life-cycle costs and the effort required for installation and replacement.