Alex Jackson couplings and Brassmasters CCUs

Jeremy Good
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Alex Jackson couplings and Brassmasters CCUs

Postby Jeremy Good » Tue Apr 11, 2017 7:26 pm

I am looking to fit auto-couplers to the outer-end of my rakes of Bachmann Mk 1 coaches.

I prefer the look of AJ's to the other options but having fitted Brassmasters CCUs to many of the coaches may have created an unforeseen issue! Unlike the MJT CCU's and most of the sprung coach bogies the Brassmasters CCUs do not have a rigid transverse ridge at the inner end of the bogie to use as an attachment point for the AJ.

Has anyone successfully and reliably fitted AJ's to these bogie CCUs and if so how?

Thanks for your help.

Jeremy

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Jol Wilkinson
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Re: Alex Jackson couplings and Brassmasters CCUs

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Wed Apr 12, 2017 7:55 am

Jeremy,

I have also become faced with this issue. I haven't finally worked out what to do but am thinking of soldering an L shape bracket to one of the side frames, as shown in the attached drawing.

The bracket could provide a mounting near the rear axle (upper drawing), but the AJ would pass near to the mounting screw head. If the mounting were ahead of the centre of the bogie (lower drawing) the AJ would clear the screw but not be sufficiently flexible unless a finer wire were used.

Jol

BM AJ mounting.pdf
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nigelcliffe
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Re: Alex Jackson couplings and Brassmasters CCUs

Postby nigelcliffe » Wed Apr 12, 2017 9:07 am

Jol, Jeremy,

an untested suggestion which goes onto Jol's proposed solution: If a fixed pin were added to the bracket Jol suggests, several mm towards the line of the axles, then the AJ wire could be the type with a coil wound along their length, thus having flexibility, with the pin going through the coil to hold the AJ's overall length (otherwise AJ's with coils in their length will just lengthen as the train gets longer).


- Nigel

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Jol Wilkinson
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Re: Alex Jackson couplings and Brassmasters CCUs

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Wed Apr 12, 2017 9:35 am

A good suggestion Nigel.

Taking that further it might be simplest, before assembling the bogie, to drill two holes in the area where I have shown the short bracket. One to take a pin as you suggest to mount a coiled AJ, the other to anchor the tail (bent through 90 deg.)

I'll take a look at an assembled bogie later to see if the height would be right for the AJ to clear the end cross wire(s). If that looks like the best answer, it'll be necessary to drill the holes before the bogie is assembled.

Jol

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Russ Elliott
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Re: Alex Jackson couplings and Brassmasters CCUs

Postby Russ Elliott » Wed Apr 12, 2017 10:10 am

You've probably considered it already, but a possibility is the 'washer clearing the screw mounting' method:

aj-bogie-washer.png
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Jeremy Good
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Re: Alex Jackson couplings and Brassmasters CCUs

Postby Jeremy Good » Wed Apr 12, 2017 1:35 pm

Thanks all. My initial idea was similar to Jol's first approach but soldering an L shaped bracket to the U shaped centre section having drilled it to clear the bogie pivot and with the L extending towards the inner wheel. The logic being that it would extend the coupling giving flexibility but that any "pulling" force would be through the pivot rather than risking a deflection of the bogie due to the load. I need to check clearances around the pivot bolt and the axle but I think that might work?

It may also be better to add a small washed through around the bolt so that the bogie isn't pivoting on the thread of the securing bolt.

Thanks for your suggestions so far...

Jeremy

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Jol Wilkinson
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Re: Alex Jackson couplings and Brassmasters CCUs

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Wed Apr 12, 2017 7:04 pm

Jeremy,

I considered that but the centre "U" bracket needs bushing to be a good fit on its retaining screw, particularly on the bogie with the "ears". Otherwise that bracket will itself be inlined to rotate, moving the AJ coupling up and down from its correct position. Transferring the pull from the coupling through the bogie frame works with the MJT design, so should be okay with the BM version. I am beginning to think that either Nigel's or Russ's options would be good, as you can get the AJ pull onto the bogie centre line.

Jol

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Russ Elliott
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Re: Alex Jackson couplings and Brassmasters CCUs

Postby Russ Elliott » Wed Apr 12, 2017 10:23 pm

I'm a big AJ fan, but one thing has always troubled me a bit - bogies on curves getting unwanted yaw moments. On wagons, with AJs at both ends, the turning moments tend to balance out, but observation of coaches, regardless of coupling type, has convinced me that bogie yaw freedom is crucial.

aj-turning-moment-bogies.png
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Brian Pearce
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Re: Alex Jackson couplings and Brassmasters CCUs

Postby Brian Pearce » Sun Oct 22, 2017 11:37 am

I have successfully fitted AJs to these bogies using a pivotted system. Two additional holes are drilled at the inboard end of the centre U piece to take a pivot wire on which a length of tube fits across the U. To this is soldered, bogie pivot side, a 12 mm length of fine tube ID to fit AJ wire, positioned centrally along the bogie with at least 2/3 rds of it towards the hook end. The formed AJ wire goes through this tube and is touch soldered in at the hook end only. A small piece of lead soldered to the AJ wire just clear of the inner axle and bogie cross wire keeps the hook raised. A loop or wire dropper is added near the coach end axle. I would add that for ease of adjustment and maintenance I use the press stud method of attaching the bogies to the coach.

Brian Pearce


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