US3606032A - Railway car coupler - Google Patents

Railway car coupler Download PDF

Info

Publication number: US3606032A
Authority: US; United States
Prior art keywords: coupler; couplers; opposed; lug; interlocking
Prior art date: 1970-03-23
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.): Expired - Lifetime

Application number

US21831A

Other languages

English (en)

Inventor

Kenneth L De Penti

Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)

Midland Ross Corp

National Casting Inc

Original Assignee

Midland Ross Corp

Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)

1970-03-23

Filing date

1970-03-23

Publication date

1971-09-20

1970-03-23 Application filed by Midland Ross Corp filed Critical Midland Ross Corp

1971-09-20 Application granted granted Critical

1971-09-20 Publication of US3606032A publication Critical patent/US3606032A/en

1987-08-19 Assigned to NATIONAL CASTINGS INC., A CORP. OF DE reassignment NATIONAL CASTINGS INC., A CORP. OF DE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: NATIONAL CASTINGS INC., A CORP. OF IL

1987-08-19 Assigned to CONGRESS FINANCIAL CORPORATION reassignment CONGRESS FINANCIAL CORPORATION SECURITY INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: NATIONAL CASTINGS INC., A DE CORP.

1988-09-20 Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

1989-10-03 Assigned to NATIONAL CASTINGS INC. A CORP. OF DE reassignment NATIONAL CASTINGS INC. A CORP. OF DE RELEASED BY SECURED PARTY (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: CONGRESS FINANCIAL CORPORATION (CENTRAL)

Status Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61G—COUPLINGS; DRAUGHT AND BUFFING APPLIANCES
- B61G3/00—Couplings comprising mating parts of similar shape or form which can be coupled without the use of any additional element or elements
- B61G3/04—Couplings comprising mating parts of similar shape or form which can be coupled without the use of any additional element or elements with coupling head having a guard arm on one side and a knuckle with angularly-disposed nose and tail portions pivoted to the other side thereof, the nose of the knuckle being the coupling part, and means to lock the knuckle in coupling position, e.g. "A.A.R." or "Janney" type

Definitions

the auxiliary lug has a ramp portion adapted to slidably engage the bottom forward edge of a shelf carried by an opposed mating coupler to permit alignment of the couplers for coupling when two opposed couplers are angularly and/or vertically misaligned a predetermined amount and when the knuckles of the opposed couplers are each in an open position during the coupling operation.
the interlocking coupler has an aligning wing pocket at the knuckle side of the coupler carrying vertically spaced upper and lower interlocking lugs adapted to cooperate with an aligning nose on the guard arm of a similar coupler.
the lower interlocking lug and guard arm aligning nose are modified to improve the horizontal and vertical gathering characteristics between their cooperating surfaces during the coupling operation of two opposed couplers when the couplers are vertically and angularly misaligned.
an attempted coupling operation may still be successful if the opposed coupler heads are vertically displaced relative to each other an amount less than three inches and the shank centerlines of the opposed couplers are in longitudinal alignment. If, however, the opposed coupler heads of two A.A.R. alternate standard type F interlocking couplers are vertically displaced relative to each other an amount in excess of approximately two inches and the shank centerlines of the opposed couplers are angularly misaligned sufficiently to bring the open knuckle noses into contact with each other during the coupling operation, the opposed couplers will not couple because of mating surface interferences between the couplers.
a corollary object is to modify the lower interlocking lug structure that is provided on the aligning wing pocket at the knuckle side of the coupler sufliciently so as to avoid mating surface interference with the aligning nose on the guard arm of the opposed coupler with which it cooperates during closure movements of the couplers when the couplers are vertically and angularly misaligned during a coupling operation.
a further object of the invention is to modify the aligning nose structure on the guard arm so as to improve the horizontal and vertical gathering characteristics between the cooperating surfaces of the lower interlocking lug and guard arm nose during closure movements of the opposed similar couplers as mentioned in the preceding object.
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of two opposed A.A.R. alternate standard type F interlocking railway car couplers shown approaching each other with their knuckles in the open position during an attempted coupling operation when the couplers are vertically misaligned to the extent illustrated in FIG. 3 and when their respective shank centerlines are angularly misaligned sufficiently to bring the knuckle noses of the open knuckles into contact with each other;
FIG. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the couplers in FIG. 1 showing the surface interferences between the opposed couplers that prevent coupler realignment during final closure movements of the couplers;
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2 showing the extent of overlap between the guard arm nose on one coupler and the lower interlocking lug of the other coupler after the attempted coupling operation;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the lefthand coupler shown in FIG. 3 and illustrating the improved auxiliary interlocking lug of the invention and the lower interlocking lug structure modified in accordance with the invention, with the knuckle being illustrated in phantom and in its closed position and with the prior art auxiliary interlocking lug shown in FIG. 3 being illustrated in phantom and in overlying relation with the improved lug;
FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4 showing both interlocking lugs, with the prior art auxiliary interlocking lug and the knuckle being shown in phantom;
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front view of the interlocking lugs shown in FIG. 5 taken along line 6-6, with the prior art auxiliary interlocking lug being shown in phantom;
FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are enlarged fragmentary side, top and front views, respectively, of the prior art lower interlocking lug shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and illustrating the structural shape of the lug in considerable detail prior to being modified in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the guard arm nose modified in accordance with the invention, as viewed from the knuckle side of an A.A.R. alternate standard type F car coupler;
FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view taken along line 1111 in FIG. 10 of the guard arm nose;
FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the guard arm nose taken along line 1212 in FIG. 10;
FIG. 13 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 3, showing the improved mating surface engagement achieved between the modified nose on the guard arm on one coupler with the modified lower interlocking lug on the other coupler and the engagement between the improved auxiliary intrelocking lug of the invention on one coupler and the bottom forward edge of the shelf on the opposed mating coupler.
F designates a railway car coupler known as the A.A.R. alternate standard type F interlocking car coupler.
Coupler F comprises a head having a shank 16 intogrally united therewith and is shown in both FIGS. 1 and 2 in two different stages of an attempted coupling operation with an opposed similar coupler F when the respective longitudinal central axes LL and LL of the couplers are angularly and vertically misaligned as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.
Head 15 has on one side of its longitudinal axis a guard arm 17 having a forwardly projecting nose 18 and at the other side of the axis spaced upper and lower bearing lugs 19, 20.
a vertically extending contour surface 21 having a forwardly facing bufiing surface 22 connects the rearward ends of the bearing lugs and guard arm to form a knuckle receiving recess 23.
Head 15 carries a knuckle 24 that is journalled to the bearing lugs for pivotal movement from the open posi-' tion as shown in FIG. 1 to a closed position.
a rearwardly extending aligning wing pocket 25 having a laterally outwardly facing outer wall 25a is horizontally offset from the central axis LL on the knuckle side of the coupler head an is adapted to receive the guard arm nose of another coupler having a nose similar to that shown at 18 during an attempted coupling operation.
the aligning wing pocket 25 has a pair of vertically spaced interlocking lugs 26, 27 equidistantly spaced above and below the central axis LL.
interlocking lugs in combination with lateral wall 25a, form a wedge shaped recess 28 adapted to cooperate with the nose 18 of an opposed similar coupler to align the couplers vertically and to afford vertical interlock between the two opposed couplers when the couplers are brought together during a coupling operation.
a depending extension 30 projects from the bottom of the coupler head and has a horizontal shelf 31 which is spaced directly under the knuckle receiving recess 23 and in forward spaced relation to buffing surface 22.
the forward portion of shelf 31 terminates with a vertical forward edge 32 at the knuckle side of head 15 and a concave contour edge 33 on the guard arm side as shaped and as shown in FIG. 1.
an auxiliary interlocking lug is mounted on the bottom portion of shelf 31 and is positioned on the knuckle side of the longitudinal central axis LL.
Lug 40 projects forwardly from the shelf and terminates with a forward end portion 41 spaced forwardly of buffing face 42 of knuckle 24 when the knuckle is in its closed position as in FIG. 4.
Lug 40 has an upwardly and rearwardly inclined ramp portion 43 adapted to cooperate with the bottom portion of forward edge 32 of an opposed similar coupler during a coupling operation as mentioned hereinafter.
end portion 41 terminates approximately 14 inches below the horizontal plane containing the longitudinal axis of the coupler head, and ramp portion 43 has an angle of inclination of approximately 65 degrees.
auxiliary interlocking lug of current de sign as indicated by numeral 45 in FIGS. 1 and 3
auxiliary lug 45 is shown in heavy dot-dash lines in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 and in overlying relation to lug 40.
end portion 41 of lug 40 is orientated further forwardly and downwardly from shelf 31 than the extreme forward end of lug 45, (2) ramp portion 43 has a greater angle of inclination than the inclined portion of lug 45, and (3) end portion 41 of lug 40 terminates forwardly of bufiing face 42 on knuckle 24 when the knuckle is in its closed position; whereas the extreme forward end of lug 45 terminates rearwardly of buffing face 42 when the knuckle is in a corresponding like position.
Lower interlocking lug 27 projects forwardly of the aligning wing pocket 25 and terminates with a tapered portion 49 having a fiat vertical front surface 50. Both upper and lower forward corners, and inboard and outboard forward corners of the tapered portion are cut away to form bevelled surfaces 51, 52, 53 and 54. These four bevelled surfaces interconnect the front surface with top and bottom surfaces 55, 56 and laterally spaced inboard and outboard side surfaces 57, 58. The upper inner and outer corners of the lug are also bevelled as shown at 59, 60.
FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are fragmentary views of the lower interlocking lug of current service design and as incorporated on presently approved A.A.R. alternate standard type F car couplers.
the area of modification to lug 27 pertains to the inclusion of bevelled surfaces 52, 54 and 60.
Bevelled surfaces 52, 54 and 60 are provided to improve the horizontal and vertical gathering characteristic of interlocking lug 27 with the lower inboard portion of guard arm nose 18 on an opposed interlocking coupler and as mentioned hereinbelow.
FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 fragmentary side, bottom and front views of the improved guard arm nose 18 are shown.
Nose 18 is tapered both vertically and horizontally to provide inboard and outboard curved side surfaces 65, 66 and top and bottom sloping surfaces 67, 68.
Surfaces 67 and 68 each intersect an upper and lower horizontal flat surface 69 and 70.
Surfaces 69, 70 cooperate with the upper and lower interlocking lugs 26, 27 to afford vertical interlock between two opposed coupled couplers.
the upper and lower forward corners of inboard side surface 65, at its juncture with the horizontal and flat surfaces, are each cut away to form top and bottom inclined surfaces 71, 72.
Surfaces 71, 72 are provided to improve the horizontal and vertical gathering characteristics between the interlocking lugs 26, 27 of one coupler and the guard arm nose 18 of the opposed mating coupler during coupler alignment.
Nose 18 is symmetrical about a plane A-A that contains the longi tudinal central axis LL, with the exception of an additional charnfered surface 73.
Surface 73 interconnects inboard side surface 65 with bottom inclined surface 72 and is provided to improve the gathering characteristics between the nose 18 of one coupler and bevelled surfaces 52, 54 and 60 on the lower interlocking lug 27 of an opposed interlocking coupler.
Such lifting action forces the inside surface 65' of nose 18' on one coupler to slide upwardly over outboard side surface 58 on interlocking lug 27 on the other coupler until the chamfered surface 73' on nose 18' engages bevelled surfaces 54 and 60 on tapered portion 49 of interlocking lug 27.
Complementary surfaces 60 and 73' function to guide nose 18' in the upward direction and onto bevelled surface 52 of interlocking lug 27 as the auxiliary interlocking lug 40 continues to raise the lower coupler until the opposed couplers become substantially aligned during the final closure movements of the couplers. Thereafter the knuckles of the two opposed couplers are 'brought into their clasping knuckle closed position to complete the coupling operation.
An interlocking knuckle type car coupler comprising:
a head having a guard arm at one side of its longitudinal central axis and spaced upper and lower hearing lugs arranged at the other side thereof, a knuckle journaled to said bearing lugs for pivotal movement from an open position to a closed position, said guard arm having a forwardly extending aligning nose, said head having an aligning wing pocket at the knuckle side of the coupler adapted to receive the nose of an opposed similar coupler during a coupling operation to laterally align the couplers, and said wing pocket having vertically spaced upper and lower interlocking lugs projecting forwardly therefrom adapted to cooperate with the nose of an opposed similar coupler to align the couplers vertically during coupling;
said lower interlocking lug has a front surface and laterally spaced inboard and outboard side surfaces joined by vertically spaced top and bottom surfaces, and said surface means comprises at least two interconnecting bevelled surfaces connecting said top, front and outboard side surfaces.
said aligning nose is tapered both vertically and horizontally and comprises inboard and outboard side surfaces and top and bottom inclined surfaces, and a chamfered surface interconnecting said inboard surface with said bottom inclined surface.
said ramp portion has an angle of inclination of approximately 65 degrees.
said end portion of said auxiliary lug is spaced approximately 14 inches below the horizontal plane containing the longitudinal axis of said coupler.
An interlocking knuckle type car coupler compris- (A) a head having a forwardly projecting guard arm nose at one side of its longitudinal central axis and an aligning wing pocket at the other side thereof adapted to receive the guard arm nose of an opposed similar coupler during a coupling operation;
An interlocking knuckle type car coupler compris- (A) a head having a for-wardly projecting guard arm nose at one side of its longitudinal central axis and an aligning wing pocket at the other side thereof adapted to receive the guard arm nose of an opposed similar coupler during a coupling operation;

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Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
Mechanical Operated Clutches (AREA)
Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
Buckles (AREA)

US21831A 1970-03-23 1970-03-23 Railway car coupler Expired - Lifetime US3606032A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number	Priority Date	Filing Date	Title
US2183170A	1970-03-23	1970-03-23

Publications (1)

Publication Number	Publication Date
US3606032A true US3606032A (en)	1971-09-20

Family

ID=21806397

Family Applications (1)

Application Number	Title	Priority Date	Filing Date
US21831A Expired - Lifetime US3606032A (en)	1970-03-23	1970-03-23	Railway car coupler

Country Status (7)

Country	Link
US (1)	US3606032A (fr)
JP (1)	JPS5329883B1 (fr)
BE (1)	BE764667A (fr)
CA (1)	CA929897A (fr)
DE (1)	DE2113340A1 (fr)
GB (1)	GB1277555A (fr)
ZA (1)	ZA711860B (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number	Priority date	Publication date	Assignee	Title
US3854599A (en) *	1973-12-10	1974-12-17	Amsted Ind Inc	Railway coupler
US4129219A (en) *	1975-06-09	1978-12-12	Amsted Industries Incorporated	Railway car coupler
US4438855A (en) *	1982-01-21	1984-03-27	Amsted Industries Incorporated	Railway coupler shelf chamfer
US20070084818A1 (en) *	2005-10-18	2007-04-19	Brabb David C	Apparatus for railway freight car coupler knuckle

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number	Priority date	Publication date	Assignee	Title
DE2854881A1 (de) *	1978-12-19	1980-06-26	Hermann Schoof	Vorrichtung zur nutzung von erdwaerme fuer heizungszwecke

1970
- 1970-03-23 US US21831A patent/US3606032A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1970-11-10 CA CA097821A patent/CA929897A/en not_active Expired
1971
- 1971-03-19 DE DE19712113340 patent/DE2113340A1/de active Pending
- 1971-03-23 BE BE764667A patent/BE764667A/fr unknown
- 1971-03-23 ZA ZA711860A patent/ZA711860B/xx unknown
- 1971-03-23 JP JP1678571A patent/JPS5329883B1/ja active Pending
- 1971-04-19 GB GB25053/71A patent/GB1277555A/en not_active Expired

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number	Priority date	Publication date	Assignee	Title
US3854599A (en) *	1973-12-10	1974-12-17	Amsted Ind Inc	Railway coupler
US4129219A (en) *	1975-06-09	1978-12-12	Amsted Industries Incorporated	Railway car coupler
US4438855A (en) *	1982-01-21	1984-03-27	Amsted Industries Incorporated	Railway coupler shelf chamfer
US20070084818A1 (en) *	2005-10-18	2007-04-19	Brabb David C	Apparatus for railway freight car coupler knuckle
US7497345B2 (en) *	2005-10-18	2009-03-03	Sharma & Associates, Inc.	Apparatus for railway freight car coupler knuckle

Also Published As

Publication number	Publication date
JPS5329883B1 (fr)	1978-08-23
CA929897A (en)	1973-07-10
DE2113340A1 (de)	1971-10-14
BE764667A (fr)	1971-08-16
GB1277555A (en)	1972-06-14
ZA711860B (en)	1971-12-29

Legal Events

Date

Code

Title

Description

1987-08-19

AS

Assignment

Owner name: CONGRESS FINANCIAL CORPORATION

Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:NATIONAL CASTINGS INC., A DE CORP.;REEL/FRAME:004810/0513

Effective date: 19870807

Owner name: NATIONAL CASTINGS INC., A CORP. OF DE

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:NATIONAL CASTINGS INC., A CORP. OF IL;REEL/FRAME:004761/0913

Effective date: 19870818

1989-10-03

AS