Magnetic 3 link coupling system

[Ben Alder]

Came across this interesting innovation on the 3 link system tonight.

 

http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/episode-106-18-the-gormo-3-link-coupling-pt-ii.3057/

[ianLMS]

Thats an excellent concept, and one I might employ on my wagons. I have been working on a magnetic coupling system for the last few weeks, but Gormo's idea is so simple and still looks the part. With mine you dont need a tool to couple/uncouple, but not as protypical looking or easy to build. It retains the standard coupling hooks. Coupling is automatic as the magnets attract when the wagon gets close. Uncoupling is done by simply pulling the two items apart. 

 

 

 

 

[CloggyDog]

Thats an excellent concept, and one I might employ on my wagons. I have been working on a magnetic coupling system for the last few weeks, but Gormo's idea is so simple and still looks the part. With mine you dont need a tool to couple/uncouple, but not as protypical looking or easy to build. It retains the standard coupling hooks. Coupling is automatic as the magnets attract when the wagon gets close. Uncoupling is done by simply pulling the two items apart. 

 

A fellow Maidenhead club member has used something very similar (possibly bought, rather than DIY) to that on his O Gauge corridor coaches to negate the need to fish out and hook-up screw couplings under a gangway and they do work very nicely in that regard. My only caveat is the force required to pull them apart - certainly on my friend's coaches, it requires a firm tug to separate them, which might be an issue if trying to shunt wagons.

[ianLMS]

A fellow Maidenhead club member has used something very similar (possibly bought, rather than DIY) to that on his O Gauge corridor coaches to negate the need to fish out and hook-up screw couplings under a gangway and they do work very nicely in that regard. My only caveat is the force required to pull them apart - certainly on my friend's coaches, it requires a firm tug to separate them, which might be an issue if trying to shunt wagons.

Probably the Magclic (www.modelrailwaywagons.co.uk/) system which was developed for O gauge, however they did not downsize it for 4mm (otherwise I would have got them instead). The magnets I use dont require too much of a tug. I can hold the wagon still and draw the loco away under power and it will seperate. I would say if shunting is the main operational enjoyment, a different uncoupling with automatic coupling system (kadee's etc) would probably be better. 

I use a similar version for my coaches with corridors, but the first loop will be glued horizontally and the magnet on a smaller second loop will hang loose to allow side movement and enable pushing without buffer lock.

Edited June 5, 2018 by ianLMS

[The Bigbee Line]

I watched the video and was impressed with the way it allowed propelling without the buffer locking normally encountered. The links were super glued together, but soldering would be a useful means to make them rigid, especially the screw couplings if required.  I did not see what magnets were used or exactly where they were located. The action of the uncoupling was quite neat.

 

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[ianLMS]

I watched the video and was impressed with the way it allowed propelling without the buffer locking normally encountered. The links were super glued together, but soldering would be a useful means to make them rigid, especially the screw couplings if required.  I did not see what magnets were used or exactly where they were located. The action of the uncoupling was quite neat.

 

. 

I believe the magnet he used was a 3mm dia (possibly 2mm thick) neodymium magnet which is located behind the buffer beam in the floor. He drills the hole out in the chassis to locate it, then the staple hook is attached to the magnet by protruding through the buffer beam.

 

I have some 3mm x 2mm chain coming (£1.80 for a metre off ebay) to try his method out. Not sure if it will accept solder well though so will test it out.

Edited June 6, 2018 by ianLMS

[Knuckles]

Below is a modified post of mine pasted directly from Scalefour so some of it may be a wee out dated.

Also of note is that these pictures are the ones uploaded to Photobucket that then shafted us all so

you likely will need the Google Chrome extension to see them.

 

Anyway, point is I personal trialed Dinghams and like them a lot, yet I also found a way to bodge them into greater realism and still operate.

 

 

 

 

"Dingham Couplings - Now More Realistic!

 

 

I have a handful of wagons converted with Dingham's and so far am happy with the result, they operate well once you've got the hang of making them and compared to some other couplings they don't look too wrong in comparison, not to mention the fact that they are compatible with 3-link, Instanter and Screw scale couplings. I'm a little unhappy with the way the iron droppers look however, so what follows is an experiment to try to improve things visually.

 

 

So from the usual set up I swapped the iron wire for steel Slaters 3-links instead, bent the brass pivot dropper into a shape that would move the chain further forward and upwards. This looks a little more realistic than it dangling too far rear and under. I had to make sure that the dropper eye didn't foul the buffer-beam and that the curved 'elbow / apex' could move enough forward before it hit the lift restraint tab.

 

As in the picture, the new shape of the brass dropper looks a little like a 4th link, and in better lighting than the picture - more so. Upon testing it functioned fine. I thought I'd further experiment by shaping the brass dropper into a link, and then fix 2 links to that instead of 3, thus looking like 3 links and not 4. Result was visually perfect, but functionally naff. The brass dropper has to protrude back a small amount to give it the 'see-saw' effect we need for operation.

 

So before I tried the 2 link version, this is what the 3 linked version looked like.

 

After the 2 link failure I reverted to the 3 link version, only this time instead of putting the initial link back in the eye (that was abused out of shape!) I decided to actually bend the brass dropper into a slight curve to retain it. This also pushed the chain forward slightly visually improving things.

 

As described in the picture I didn't have a latched end without links but regardless... (Oh yeah, the solebar under number 54102 is the repair job with brass wire in my wagon thread - not too bad IMHO)

 

Tadah! Works as well as a standard one! I tried it on the move also, and fine. The instructions said you can't fit links to the looped end. Oh well, this is why I said before I rarely take peoples words as truth without investigating things first, obviously you can. (with a slight redesign) Maybe you see this result as a bit silly or pointless, but it's nice to know the option is workable.

 

In my view this has been a fun experiment and one that has worked. In doing so I (we?) can now have a magnetically operated, fully coupled train that finally looks almost as good as scale 3-links, and yet is still compatible with them.

 

A wagon sitting on a siding with a latch but no links might look a little lacking, but the instructions said the links were optional anyway. I'm repeating myself.

 

Well, please comment if you like this or have further ideas."

Edited June 19, 2018 by Knuckles

[ianLMS]

Looks very good knuckles. Is the space between the buffers variable or do they have to be as close as that?

[Knuckles]

With Dingham's their hook has to basically go to the end of the buffers and I think based on memory the buffer heads need to stick out a total of 6mms from the headstock/buffer-beam.

 

You can use sprung buffers but if the train is long especially then fixed are suggested to work better. My trains so far have been too short to fully experiment here to find what you can get away with yet when fixing to 3 Links/Instanter/Screw even though things are closer together as long as your curves are not overt you can usually get away with it.

 

Current favourite system for 3 links etc are the Smiths variety; I don't like the nail acting as the screw part but either way the hook and links being a tad over scale are much easier to work with and still to my eye look good. They don't look obese like the Romford/Markits ones but thinner and longer. The hook is a good size.

Edited June 21, 2018 by Knuckles