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Buffers and chain couplers (or couplings) – also known as "buffers and screw", "screw", and "screwlink" – are the de facto International Union of Railways (UIC) standard railway coupling used in the EU and UK, and on some railways in other parts of the world, such as in South America and India, on older rolling stock.
The basic type of coupling on railways following the British tradition is the buffer and chain coupling. A large chain of three links connects hooks on the adjoining wagons. These couplings followed earlier tramway practice but were made more regular. Buffers on the frame of the wagon absorbed impact loads, as the train overran a slowing ...
The Type 10 includes "horns" to aid coupling on curves and include a function to provide standardised automatic air-brake connections; the coupling horn is often visible poking out at the front of the nose of high-speed trains. For European freight, the TSIs mandate buffer and chain couplings at specified heights.
A pneumatic buffer with sections cut away. A buffer is a part of the buffers and chain coupler system used on the railway systems of many countries, among them most of those in Europe, for attaching railway vehicles together (in North America, rolling stock instead has draft gear built into the couplers).
The balance lever coupling has a movable balance lever mounted transversely behind the buffer, to which a draw hook is attached on the left side of the center buffer and an eye with a screw coupling on the right side. In the center of the screw coupling is a screw with a left-hand thread on one side and a right-hand thread on the other.
Unlike the Russian SA-3 coupler, however, connectors for brake air lines and – if required – electric conduits are integrated into the coupler, which are automatically connected while coupling up. Also, these pneumatic and electric connectors are compatible with the buffers and chain setup, as opposed to previous types.
Buffers and chain coupler from 1859 to 1873. [22]Johnston link-and-pin from 1873 to 1927 on Cape gauge, from 1906 on 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge in Natal. [23] [24]Bell-and-hook from 1902 on 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge in the Cape of Good Hope.
Inter-stock coupling was with the automatic coupler (with the buffers retracted), while connection to the locomotive was with the buffer-and-chain system with a screw coupler. Today this dual coupling system has been adopted for all loco-hauled passenger trains in Great Britain to allow faster shunting operations.