US1542303A - Car coupler - Google Patents

Description

June 16, 1925. 1,542,303

' W. KELSO CAR COUPLER Filed 'Jan. 31. 1923 l ation"?- Patented June 16, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM KELso, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE MGCONWAY & 'IORLEY COMPANY, orrrr'rssuaen, PENNSYLVANIA. A conroaacr'ron Or I PENNSYLVANIA.

can COUPLER.

" Application filed January a1, 1933. Serial No. 616,121.

'To' all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM KELso, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car Couplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to'which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to car couplers of the MasterCar'Builders type and particularly to the well known form called the standard D-coupler. The features of construction hereinafter described and claimed are, however, not limited in their application to that particular form of coupler.

The object of the inventionis to provide simple and easily applied means for limiting the extent to which the 'lock lifter of a top operating D-coupler may drop when the mechanism is in service, thus precluding the lifter. at any time or under any conditions from assuming a position in which it'isincapable of performing its intended function of moving the lock to unlocked position.

The'knuckle of the D-coup'leris normally retained in closed or coupled position by means of a vertically sliding and rearwardly swinging lock. As applied to freight cars this look is usually actuated by a lifter member which at its lower end is detachably and slidably connected tothe lock and extends upwardly therefrom through an opening in the upper wall of the coupler head. The lifter is operatively connected at its upper end to a suitable uncoupling rod or release mechanism by which the 'trainman while standing at the side of the car may operate the lifter to effect themovements of the lock necessary to unlock the knuckle and effect an outward rotation thereof. When in normal locked relation the lower end of the lifter member projects rearwardly beyond the lock and extends beneath a shoulder or lock down lug formed upon the interior of ,the coupler head. This relation of the lifter tothe lock down lug of the head is designed to prevent the coupler look from accidental- :ly moving upwardly to a position in which the lock no longer restrains uncoupling rot te-ti h j ve le e su f es of the lock.

lifter and lock the release rigging is ineffective to'accomplish an unlocking movedismantled.

however, the parts of the coupler are altered in size through wear and they thus become capable of assuming relations detrimental to efficient operation of the mechanism. As at present constructed the association in the D-coupler of a worn lock lifter with a coupler head in which the lock down lug is of reduced lengtl'l allows the lifter todrop below its normal position, thereby permitting the trunnions with which the lower end of the lifter member is provided to pass out of the lifter receiving slot at the upper end In this altered relation of the merit of the latter. Under such circumstances if the coupler is required to /be unlocked the trainman must 'go between the cars where he can reach the lifter and then coupler lockto be actuated by the operation of the coupler release rigging; but if the lifter cannot thus be returned to a position where its trunnions are within the slot of the lock and its lower end is withdrawn from beneath the lock down lug of the "coupler head, it becomes necessary to cut or otherwise destroy the knuckle or other parts of the mechanism before the coupler can be Moreover, f where the worn lifter is associated with a coupler head-having a short lock down lug the disconnection of the uncoupling rod or release rigging from the lifter may result, unless care 1s taken, in allowing the lifter to drop and pass entirely within the coupler head, re-

' quiring in that case also the destruction of parts in order to effect dismantling of the device. By my invention these undesirable effects are obviated and the lock lifter member is prevented from assuming an inoperative position with respect'to the lock whether parts of standard size or of wornsize are assembled in a coupler head wherein the lock down lug is of reduced length.

In the drawings illustrating my invention as app to a Master Gar Bui der tandard D-eoupler Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism involving the invention, the lock, knuckle openeig knuckle and lock lifter member being in elevation and the parts in locked relation.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view of a D coupler as at present constructed, show ing the manner in which a worn lifter when associated with a coupler head having a short lock down lug is permitted to drop below its normal position;

Figure 3 is a detail plan view of a lifter 'etaining device for limiting the extent to which the locking block lifter may descend.

Figure 4 is a detail side elevation of the lifter retainer;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5, Fig. 3. the relation of the locklifter to the litter retainer being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 6 is a detail rear elevation of the lifter retainer;

In the drawings 1 is the coupler head and 2 is the knuckle rotatably mounted thereon.

The knuckle is normally prevented from executing an uncoupling rotatlon by means of the well known form of locking block 8 having a depending leg 4 which extends downwardly through an opening 5 in the lower wall of the coupler head. The lock 3,

'which is capable of sliding vertically and swinging rearwardly in the coupler head, is seated when in. locked position upon the standard form of pivoted knuckle opening lever 6 with which the D-coupler is equipped. Upward vertical movement of the lock results in releasing the knuckle for outward rotation. and the rearward swinging move m'ent of the said lock causes its depending leg 4 to press rearwardly against the knuckle opening lever 6, thereby effecting an uncoupling rotation of the knuckle 2.

hen designed for top operation the lock of the llcoupler is actuated by a lifter member 7 which is assembled in the mechanism by inserting it through the mouth of the coupler head 1 and then passing its upper end through an opening 8 in the top wall of the said head. The lower end of the lifter member 7 ,is detach ably and slidably connected to the locking block 3, the said block be-ii' n' formed at its upper end with an upwardly and rearwardly opening slot 9 which receives the lower end of the lifter and being provided with rearwardly opening trunnion receiving recesses into which the oppositely projecting trunnions 11 formed on the lower end of the lifter extend when the parts are in opera- Mbeneath which the lower end of the lifter member 7 extends when the parts are in locked relation; Then the uncoupling lever or release rigging 13 is actuated to pull upwardly upon the litter the trunnions 11 of the latter slide in the recesses of the lock andtl'iusinducethe lower end of the lifter. to be withdrawn from beneath the lock down lug 14, thereby enabling a subsequent unlocking movementof the lock to be performed. As shown in Fig. 1, the lifter 7 is provided above its lower end with a rear face or shoulder 15 which by overlapping the lock down' lug 14 is designed toprevent the lifter 7 from dropping too low or from passing completely into the interior of the coupler head; but, as illustrated in Fig. 2,

this means of limiting the downward m'ovement of the lifter ceases to function where a lock lifter ,7 that is worn by serviceis associated with a coupler-having-a short lock down lug 14. In the latter case the distance to which the litter may descend into the coupler head is limited only by the engagement of the uncoupling rod 13 with the top of the coupler head 1.

For limiting the downward movement of the lifter 7 with respect to the lock 3 so that these parts shall always maintain an operative relation permittingt'he lock to be released by'a'ctuation of the release rigging 13, the upper end of the lifter outside of the the litter the rear lug 18 ispreterably bent or closed inwardly, as shown; in Fig. 1, so as to prevent the lifter from being disengaged from the retainer member 16, thereby preventing the lifter' from passing downwardly into the interior of the coupler head 1 should the uncoupling lever 13 be disconnected from the lifter. This rear lug 18 should not be tightly closed' against the lifter '7 it being only necessary to close it sufficiently to prevent the retainer from passing the end of the lifter. V

The sides of the retainer 16 are formed with oppositely disposed eyes or apertures 19 for receiving the uncoupling rod 18. It will be understood that the uncoupling rod, so long. as it extends through the aperture 12 0f t e lifter and the apertures l9 of the retainer mem'ber, serves to' maintain the retainer 16 in such relation to the lifter 7 that the latter is supportedat its proper height when the parts are in locked position regardless'of the size or condition of wear of the lifter,th e lock, and lock down lug 14: of the coupler head. To accommodate the shape of the upper end of the lifter 7 employed in the D-coupler the lower part of the retainer 16 is undercut or formed with rearwardly flaring notches or recesses 20.

In addition to providing for retaining the or in which a coupler head or body is provided with a lock down lug of standard size or of reduced length.

I claim 1. Ina car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, of a knuckle pivotally mounted thereon, a lock for said knuckle, said lock being formed with an upwardly and rearwardly opening slot, a lock lifter for actuating said lock, said lock lifter being detachably connected to said lockby trunnions formed on said lifter and extending into said slot, means for actuating said lock lifter, and means engaging the upper end of said lifter for limiting downward and rearward movement of said trunnions with respect to said lock, said last named means operating independently of said means for actuating said lifter.

2. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, of a knuckle pivotally mounted thereon, a lock for said knuckle having an upwardly and rearwardly opening slot, a lock lifter foractuating said lock, the lower end of said lifter extending into said slot and being slidably connected to said lock and being adapted to engage a portion of said coupler head to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock, means for actuating said lifter, and means mounted on said lifter outside of said head for limiting downward movement of said lifter with respect to said lock, said last named means operating independently of said means for actuating the lifter.

3. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, of a knuckle pivotally mounted thereon, a lock for said knuckle, a lock lifter slidably and detachably connected to said lock and extending upwardly th an p ng n aid head s id litte being: provided with trunnions at its lower end, and said lock being formed with a rearwardly opening recess adapted to receive saidtrunnions, -means I for actuatingsaid lifter, and means operating independently ofsaid last named means and mounted on the upper end of said lifter forlimiting the downward movement of said lifter with re spect to said lock.

4. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, of a knuckle pivotally mounted thereon, a lock for said knuckle, a lock lifter slidably and detachably connected to said look within said head, said lifter having a portion adapted to engage said head to prevent accidental unlocking of said lock, and means mounted on said lifter for maintaining the latter in operative relation to said lock, said means being formed with an opening receiving the upper end of said lifter.

5. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, of a knuckle pivotally mounted thereon, a lock for said knuckle, a lock lifter slidably and detachably connected to said look within said head, and means mounted onsaid lifter and adapted to engage said head for maintaining said lifter I in operative relation to said lock, said means being formed with an opening receiving the upper end of said lifter and being provided with a plurality of lugs adapted to engage opposite sides of said lifter.

6. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, of a knuckle pivotally mounted thereon, a lock for said knuckle, a lock lifter slidably and detachably connected to said look within said coupler head, and means mounted on said lifter for maintaining the latter in operative relation to said lock, said means being formed with an opening receiving the upper end of said lifter and being provided with means for retaining the upper end of said lifter in said opening.

7. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, of a knuckle pivotally mounted thereon, a lock for said knuckle, a lock lifter slidably connected at its lower end to said look within said head and extending upwardly through an opening in said head, means for actuating said lock lifter, and means operating independently of said lifter actuating means for prevent-,

ing said look from being disassociated from 7 said lifter.

8.- In a coupler, the combination of a head, a lock mounted in said head, a lifter for said look, a collar mounted on said lifter and cooperating with said head to prevent movement of said lifter beyond a certain predetermined amount in a given direction for prgiwenting jamming of said lifter, and an uncoupling rod forming an operative coneest e bet een a 91; l t r and llar,-

9; Inla ou'pler, tjhe coinb ilfatidn of ahead having anti-ereep p'o'rtion, a 160k mounted in said head, a lifter for said lbck having an aiiti-creep' portion for cooperating with the 5 anti-creep" pqrtio'n of the head to prevent Creeping Of the loclg-gnd a collar opera'tively conne'cfied to the lifter and cooperating with the .head for limiting downward mqvement of the lock lifter to prevent jamming of said lifter between the anti-creep portion ofsai'd 10 head and Said lock. 7 Y e In testimony whereof I affix my signeture'; 1-; I

WVILLIAM KELSO.

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