DESIGN AND FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF UNDER FRAME ARRANGEMENT (UNIVERSAL HEADSTOCK) OF DUAL COUPLER FOR RAILWAY COACHES

Abstract

Designing a new component or modifying the existing component of any system should lead to better result. In this project the modifications in the design of under frame arrangement of Centre buffer coupler is done such that it is capable of dual coupling (It can be used for screw coupling and centre buffer coupling). At present Indian Railway coaches are provided with two types of couplers: 1.Screw coupling with side buffers and 2. Centre Buffer coupling. It is not possible to couple one design coach with other in train formation. Hence, under frame (Universal Headstock) will be designed to fix both couplers as and when necessary so that coach can be coupled to any formation. The necessary modifications are done in the design of under frame arrangement of centre buffer coupler which include fixing of Draft yoke holders to centre sill, provision for introducing side buffers, modeling the front stoppers and draft yoke holders. Thus the design has been proposed for under frame arrangement (Universal Headstock) of Dual coupler. Then finite element analysis is done on that model to get the stress and deformations across the model and to know whether the design is safe or not.