non working easi shunt couplings

[bluedepot]

hi everyone

i have quite a lot of easi shunts that just don't work properly (or at all!).

a few never worked properly out of the packet!

the ones with missing springs are obvious.

most have springs situated but still don't work properly.

any ideas?

or does anyone want to refurbish or repair them and in return they can keep half of them?

i decided to just use easi shunts on selected engineers and departmental wagons and a few domestic coal or scrap wagons, because these are the only ones I realistically ever shunt with anyway. everything else can be uncoupled with the hand of god as it's only a rare event!


cheers


tim

[PLD]

In what way "don't work" - coupling up or uncoupling?

The latter (assuming you have the magnets correctly orientated) is generally cured by adjusting the angle of the tail.

[GrahamB]

Compare the "tail" as stated - the actuating arm below the coupling against one that does work. They're just a friction fit and can move.

[GScaleBruce]

As above, check the angle of the "tail", but also the height/depth of the "tail". If it isn't just perfect, it'll be too tight/stiff for the magnet to operate it and for the spring to close it. The jaw should move freely (bearing in mind how small the spring is).

[bluedepot]

thanks everyone!

sorry should explain,

when i push open the jaws with my fingers it doesn't spring back to closed again.  even when i can see the spring is insitu.

the knuckles don't spring back closed, so remain uncoupled. sometimes they dont spring back at all, other times only v partial.

i have 25 easi shunts in my rejected couplings box!!

any suggestions?


cheers


tim

[Hightower]

I've had quite a few do the same. There definitely seems to have been some poor batches.

I've had some success swapping for a new spring (there's spares in each pack). Also a few times I've intertwined two springs together to make them stronger.

Bit of a fiddly job with a cocktail stick, but not too bad once you're used to it.

[Jim Easterbrook]

Better to find out where the problem is though. Dismantling the coupling by removing the spring, then pulling out the trip pin, should reveal if it's the jaw or the trip pin that is binding in the body.