US2202666A

US2202666A - Uncoupling mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2202666A
Application number: US252133A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Metzger
Original assignee: National Malleable and Steel Castings Co
Current assignee: National Malleable and Steel Castings Co
Priority date: 1939-01-21
Filing date: 1939-01-21
Publication date: 1940-05-28
Anticipated expiration: 1957-05-28

Description

M y 1940- w. J. METZGER UNCOUPLING MECHANiSM I I a Filed Jan. 21, 1939 w m-vENJToR illia eZz cwfi Q ATTORNEY Patented May 28, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNCOUPLING MECHANISM Application January 21, 1939, Serial No. 252,133

8 Claims.

This invention relates to uncoupling mechanism for car couplers.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved uncoupling mechanism which is simple in construction and the parts of which may not be accidentally disassociated when in service. Another object is to provide a novel bail mounting bracket whereby the bail may be readily disconnected from the car structure when the mechanism is to be disassembled. Other objects and advantages of my invention will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the uncoupling mechanism, the coupler shank being shown in vertical section.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of the uncoupling mechanism, taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the bail in position for removal from the mounting brackets.

Figure 3 is vertical sectional view of the uncoupling mechanism, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a side view of the bail mounting bracket.

Figure 5 is a partial front elevational view of a modification of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

Figure 6 is a side View of the bail mounting bracket shown in Fig. 5.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawing, there is shown a coupler head Ill and shank l I supported by the car structure l2. The coupler is provided with the usual rotor lock operating means l3 and pivotally attached thereto is link M. For actuating the link l4 and there-' by the lock operating means, there is provided a bail |5 having a horizontal or crank portion l6 which extends through a slot IT in said link. At opposite ends of said horizontal portion the bail comprises vertical arms l8 and extending from said vertical arms are the horizontal portions I9. At the ends of horizontal portions l9 are the vertical arms 20 from which extend inwardly the horizontal arms 2|. The latter form bearing members or trunnions by means of which the bail is pivotally connected to the bearing brackets 22.

Each of said brackets is comprised of an eye portion 23 having the trunnion receiving opening 24, said portion being notched along its outer end, as at 25, to permit removal of the bail from the brackets during disassembly of the mechanism. Extending upwardly from portion 23 is the portion 26 by means of which the bracket may be secured to the car structure.

An uncoupling rod 29 for actuating the bail is provided at each end of the bail so that the mechanism may be operated from either side of the car. One end of each rod has an eye 30 by means of which the rod is pivotally connected to trun- (Cl. 213) I The other end of the rod is pivotally nion 2|. supported on the car structure by a suitable bracket 3! and terminates in a handle portion 32. Below the eye 30 said rod is formed with an elbow portion 33 which overlaps the horizontal portion I!) of the bail, so that when handle 32 is swung upwardly, the bail is raised and unlocking of the coupler knuckle is effected through link l4 and the lock operating mechanism. It will be noted that eye 30 cannot move inwardly past the outer side 34 of bracket 22 either during stationary position of the uncoupling rod or during pivotal movement thereof, and thus the bail is precluded from shifting axially an amount sufficient to cause disengagement of a trunnion from its bracket.

To disassemble the mechanism the upper end of one uncoupling rod is first released from the car structure and then slid to a suitable position on the bail, as shown in Fig. 2. The bail is next manually raised to effect opening of the coupler knuckle, at which point the horizontal portion IE will have been swung to a position higher than trunnions 2|. The bail may now be moved lat-- erally of the car toward the other rod until it is in the position shown in Fig- 2, with one of the arms 29 occupying the notch 25 of the associated bracket. As trunnion 2| at the other end of the bail is no longer within portion 23 of the bracket, this end may now be swung outwardly from the car structure to clear said bracket sufiiciently as to permit disengagement of said trunnion from eye 30 of the associated uncoupling rod 29. This disengagement may be readily accomplished as sufficient lateral movement of rod 29 relative to the car has been provided. The bail may next be moved in the opposite direction laterally of the car to disengage the other trunnion from its bracket. As an alternative method the bail may be disconnected from the brackets when in the position shown in Fig. 2 by swinging the trunnion on the left side away from the car structure so that eye 38) clears the bracket and then moving the bail laterally of the car structure to release the other trunnion from its associated bracket. The entire disassembling operation in each case is performed without the necessity of disengaging the bail from link Hi. In assembling the mechanism the steps described in disassembling it are applied in reverse order.

Bracket 22 shown in Figs. 1 to 4, has been width of notch 25, it will be observed that the entire width of the bracket provides a bearing surface for the trunnion in its operating position, the portion 21 of the bracket partly underlying said trunnion. Sufiicient clearance for the trunnions is provided in brackets 22 and eyes of the uncoupling rods to facilitate assembly and disassembly of the mechanism.

The bail normally is not engaged by elbow portion 33 of the uncoupling rod and is in a sloped position, thereby exerting a downward force on link I4 which acts to prevent upward creep of the coupler lock during travel of the car.

In Figs. 5 and 6 there is shown a modification of my invention wherein the bail mounting bracket is cast integral with the car structure. The bail M is provided at each end with a trunnion 42 adapted to be pivotally received by bracket 40. As in the preceding embodiment, the uncoupling rod 43 is pivotally connected to the trunnion i2 by means of eye 44 and is provided with an elbow portion 45 which overlaps the horizontal portion 46 of the bail.

Bracket 40 is comprised of the cylindrical portion M having a trunnion receiving opening :33. The outer end of portion 47 is provided with a horizontal slot 49 extending to opening 43. This slot is adapted to permit removal of the bail from brackets EB during disassembly of the mechanism in like manner as the notch 25 in bracket 22 of the preceding embodiment.

The terms and expressions which I have enrployed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In an uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, a bail having a pair of vertical arms, and trunnions integral with said bail extending in- -wardly from said arms towards each other,

bracket means adapted to receive said trunnions for pivotally supporting said bail, and uncoupling means pivotally mounted on said trunnions and adapted to operate said bail, said bracket and uncoupling means being constructed and arranged to normally retain said trunnions in said first named means.

2. In an uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, a bail having a pair of vertical arms, and trunnions extending inwardly from said arms, bracket means adapted to receive said trunnions for pivotally supporting said bail, and uncoupling means pivotally mounted on said trunnions and adapted to operate said bail, each of said bracket means being notched at one end so that during disassembly of said mechanism said bail may be moved laterally of said bracket means to a position in which one of said vertical arms will occupy the notch of its associated bracket.

3. In an uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, a bail having a pair of vertical arms, and trunnions extending inwardly from said arms, bracket means adapted to receive said trunnions for pivotally supporting said bail, and uncoupling means pivotally mounted on said trunnions and adapted to operate said bail, each of said bracket means being notched at one end so that during disassembly of said mechanism said bail may be moved laterally of said bracket means to a position such that one end of said bail may be swung outwardly of said bracket means.

4. In an uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, a bail having a pair of inwardly extending trunnions, bracket means adapted to receive said trunnions for pivotally supporting said bail, each of said bracket means comprising a portion forming a closed loop and being constructed and arranged so that said bail may be removed therefrom in one position of said bail and prevented from removal therefrom in another position of said bail.

5. In an uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, a bail having a pair of inwardly extending trunnions, bracket means adapted to receive said trunnions for pivotally supporting said bail, each of said bracket means comprising a portion forming a closed loop and being constructed and arranged so that said bail may be removed therefrom in one position of said bail, and means on said bracket means preventing removal of said bail from said bracket means when said bail is in another position.

6. In an uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, a bail having a pair of vertically extending arms, trunnions extending inwardly of said arms, bracket means each having a closed loop portion adapted to receive said trunnions for pivotally supporting said bail, and uncoupling means pivotally mounted on said trunnions adapted to operate said bail, each of said uncoupling means comprising an eye portion received by a trunnion and interposed between the side of said bracket means and one of said arms and normally main taining said trunnions in said bracket means, either of said eye portions being adapted to be moved to another position on said bail to permit movement thereof to a position in which one of said trunnions is withdrawn from the loop portion of its associated bracket means. i

7. In an uncoupling mechanism of car couplers, a bail having a pair of vertical arms, sum nions extending inwardly from said arms, bracket means adapted to receive said trunnions for pivotally supporting said bail, and uncoupling means pivotally mounted on said trunnions and adapted to operate said bail, each of said uncoupling means comprising an eye portion received by one of said trunnions and interposed. between the side of said bracket means and one of said arms, said eye portions normally preventing lateral movement of said trunnions topositions in which either of said trunnions would be disengaged from said bracket means, each of said bracket means having a closed loop portion notched at one end so that in one position of the bail said bail maybe shifted laterally so that one of said arms occu- Y pies the notch of its associated bracket and the end of said other trunnion is withdrawn from the loop portion of its associated bracket.

8. In an uncoupling mechanism for car coupler, a bail having a pair of inwardly extending trunnions, brackets each having a closed loop portion receiving said trunnions for pivotally mounting said bail, means on one of said brackets limiting movement of said bail transversely of 1 the car to an amount less than the length of said closed loop portion in another of said brackets when said bail is in one position, said bracket being constructed and arranged to permit trans verse movement of said bail an amount such that the trunnion in said other bracket is Withdrawn from the loop portion of its associated bracket when said bail is in another position.

WILLIAM J. METZGER