US2258584A

US2258584A - Journal box

Info

Publication number: US2258584A
Application number: US153996A
Authority: US
Inventors: Glenn F Couch
Original assignee: Symington Gould Co
Current assignee: Symington Gould Co
Priority date: 1937-07-16
Filing date: 1937-07-16
Publication date: 1941-10-14
Anticipated expiration: 1958-10-14

Description

0er. 14, 1941; '6. F. om

JOURNAL Box Filed'July 16, 193'? sheets-sheet 1 u.' dat Miu G. F. `COUCHA JOURNAL Box Filed July, 16, 1.937

These and other objects will tion, wherein: v

rPnt-.med oet. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcEw l .catarsi f' o JOURNAL BOX Glenn F. Couch, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to The Symington Gould Corporation,

Rochester,

v`2o claims.

This invention pertains to a journal box for railway vehicles and more particularly to a balljointed lid for closing the access opening to said box.

A principal object of the present-invention is the provision of a ball-jointed lid, the particular construction of which provides for an unrestricted vertical and horizontal equalization of the cover portion thereof intorder to insure a full bearing engagement between the cover and the juxtapositioned surface of an associated journal box, thereby excluding dust, water or any other foreign substance from the interior of the journal box. A

' tion requires a multiplicity of parts being heretofore combined in lids of this type.

A further object of the invention is the provision, in a ball-jointed lid, of a cover having a spherically disposed outwardly opening socket formed adjacent the central portion thereof and receiving a ball-shaped lower extremity of a hood in order to permit ,a universal movement between the cover and hood, and a plurality of recesses formed in the cover spaced laterally of and opening into' the socket for housing integrally formed trunnions extending laterallyvof said ball to retain the hood and cover in assembledrelation.

A still further object oi the invention is to provide a ball-jointed journal box'lid comprising a hood plvotally connected to a hinge lug llever, taken along thelines l-l of Figure 8, looking in the direction ot the arrows, the levery jointed journal box lid exemplifying a form of A the invention.h

vFigure 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the lines 2.--2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure' 3 is a transverse sectional'view, taken along the hues I-I of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional ,view ofl the cover, taken along the lines 2-2 ot Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, said cover being removed from the associated parts.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of the hood, taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows, the hood being removed from the associated parts.

Figure 6 is a front elevational view oi the lever removed from the assembled' lid. A.

Figure 'I is a vertical sectional view of the lever, taken' along the lines 1-1 ot Figure 6. looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a front elevational view of a balljointed journal box lid illustrating a modiiied form of the present invention;4

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the lines 8 9 of Figure 8, looking in the direction of the arrows. f

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view of the hood. removed from the asseinbled structure and taken along the lines 9-4 of Figure 8, lookingin the direction of the arrow.

Figure 1l is a vertical sectional view of the being removed from the associated parts.

ReferringV now in detail to the drawings,

wherein like reference characters designate corformed on the journal box and universally connected to a cover, a lever within said hood, the lowerl portion of which is pivotaily mounted on trunnions integrally formed on and extending inwardly of said hood andthe upper end of which is in bearing relation with said hinge lug, and a torsion spring having a plurality ofufr'g'in'gthe cover over the access opening when the `coveris in closed position. r become apparent vfrom 'an inspectionof the accompanying drawings fwhich illustratenovel constructions and arrangements of parts forming thepresent invenresponding parts, and considering initially the structure illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, inclusive.

there is indicated, diagrammatically, a portion oi a journal box I having an access opening 2 and a hinge lug 3 extending upwardly vfrom and adjacent the iront portion of the roof or top wall 4 of said box. The hinge vlug -3 is provided with an aperature #through which extends .a

rod orV pintle I pivotallyl connecting an articulated journalbox lid. generally designated as 6,

to the box. The'lug 3 has angularly disposed surfaces 1' and l formed thereon which are engaged by a portion of thevlid, whereby-.said lidy is retained in either open or closed position. Considered generally, the lid i comprises a lid proper or cover 8 adapted to close the access.

opening! of the journal box,.a hood Il con- Figurel is a lfront elevational view of a bailnected universally to the cover I and pivotally to the hinge lug 3, a lever II pivotally engaging the hood I and abutting the hinge lug 3,r and a resilient actuating means I2 which, in the present invention, is in the form of a torsion spring acting between the hood I0 and lever II.

The cover 9 is preferably formed as a casting having a circumambient sinuous portion I3 projecting outwardly from the inner surface I4 thereof adapted to engage the lid-seating face or access defining surface 2 of the journal box 2 in order to effect a dust-proof and/or water` proof seal between the cover and box when the lid is in closed position. A protective rib or drip flange I5, formed as a U-shaped member extending inwardly of the cover to within the box and preferably along the sides and lower portion thereof in spaced relation to the sinuous portion i3, functions as a cover reinforcing means. The flange i5 also acts as an inner shield for the juncture formed by the lid and box to arrest the lubricating medium which is thrown against the sides of the box and inner surface of the lid by the bearing or end portion of an associated axle (not shown) housed within the journal box; the sinuous portion and drip flange being substantially as described and claimed in my copending application Serial Number 127,234, flied February 23, 1937. Peripheral flanges I6 extend along the sides and a portion of the top of the cover in spaced relation to the box in order to direct foreign substance away from the.

withrespect to the hood in order to permit a full bearing of the sinuous portion I3 with the access defining surfaces 2 ofthe b ox. lThe socket I1, having a centrally disposed relief I 8 primarily intended for thev accommodation of a lubricating medium. and ball I3 are formed large so as to provide an adequate bearing area therebetween to eliminate or overcome a vertical movement of the cover with respect to the hood which may be caused by vibratory forces transmitted thereto.

The cover is further provided with a plurality oi' outwardly facing recesses 20 spaced laterally of and opening into the socket I1, said recesses being preferably cylindrical inform and partially closed by overlying flanges 2| which are integral vwith the cover. 'A n unwarranted separation between the hood and cover is prevented byoppositely disposed ears 22, preferably cylindrical in form -and integral with the'ball I3, which extend into and are housed by the partially closed recesses 20. Sufllcient clearance is provided between the cover 3, anges 2i and ears 22 to permit an unrestricted universal or articulate movement of the cover with respect to the hood. In order to assemble the hood and cover, the ears, desirably crescent-shaped Vand coaxial with the recesses 23,'have the freel ends 22* thereof inserted into the recess openings 2l* and, by a clockwise rotation of the hood, the ears are thereby threaded into the recesses.

The ears 22 are connected to spaced side walls 23 of the' hood by reinforcing flanges 24 which extend along the side walls to merge into hinging hubs 25, the latter of which project laterally from the side walls adjacent the top extremity of the hood and are provided with elongated apertures 25* receiving the pintle 5. Reentrant flanges 23 partially restrict the outer portions of the apertures 2li*ai so as to overlie the extremities of the pintle 5 in order to retain the pintle in assembled relation with the hood and hinge lug.

The spring lever I`, preferably of cast form and positioned within the hood, is provided with laterally extending,v crescent-shaped or cylindrical bearings 2l adjacent the lower portion thereof which are pivotally mounted on 'spaced trunnions 2 8 formed integral with and extending inwardly of thehood from the side walls 23. The bearings 21 are prevented from becoming disengaged from the trunnions 28 by means of webs 29 projecting outwardly of the lever I! which are adapted to engage oppositely disposed pads 29* formed on the hood. 'I'he webs 29 extending longitudinally along the sides oi' the lever also lfunction as reinforcing means to rigidify the lever.

In order to limit the relative movement between the hood and cover during the opening movement of the lid. the cover is provided with an outwardly extending web 30 projecting through an opening 3l positioned in and intermediate the ends of the lever. An angularly disposed flange 32. formed on the outer end of the web, is positioned in overlying relation to the lever so that when a closed lid is moved to open position the cover portion thereof will pivot about the ball and socket connection with a slight pivotal movement of the entire lid taking place at the pintle 5 until the flange 32 reaches and bears against the lever, at which time the continued pivotal vmovement of the lid will be entirely about the tioned on either side of thelever, having -outer or end upstanding arms 34. bearing against the upper portion of the hood and an inner or intermediate connecting arm 35 upstandingfrom the coils and bearing against a centrally disposed web 36 on the upper portion of the lever. The arms 34 and 35, acting between the hood and lever, resiliently urge the shoulder 31 forming the outer top portion of the lever into engagement with the angularly disposed surfaces 1 or 3, thereby retaining the lid in either open or closed position, as well as resiliently urgethe oover into intimate contact with the access defining surfaces 2 over the access opening when the cover is in closed position.

Spaced spring abutting ilns or webs 33, extendving inwardly and longitudinally of the hood, are

engaged by the c'oils 33 in. order to prevent a distortion of the spring. It will be observed that the present construction is such that the intermediate spring arm 35 engages the lever I I in a plane below the shoulder 31 so as to urge the lever bearings 21 inwardly against the hood trunnions 2lv and thereby resiliently force the ball I3 into the socket I1.

' The spring is retainedin operable position by means of the inner intermediate arm 3l being seated in a notch 33'formed inthe web 33 while the upper free extremities 3 4* of the outer end arms 34 are curved radially toward the lever and interposed between correspondingly curved retaining flanges 39`and 39 extending inwardly of the hood.

In order to provide means forl retaining the associated parts of the lid in assembled relation, during the shipment of a lid, separated from a journal box, the top portion of the lever is urged toward the outer part of the hood until the concave surface 40 of the hook 4D, which is formed on the inner upper portion of the leverl and disposed' oppositely from the web 36 and -shoulder 31, is aligned with apertures 23 provided in the side walls 23. A rod or nail 4I, indicated diagrammatically, is then inserted into or threaded through the apertures, whereupon, by a release of the lever, the surface 40 ofthe hook 40 will engage the nail and arrest the spreading action of the arms 34 and 35, thereby preventing an unwarranted disassembly of the lid structure. Downwardly projecting lugs 42, extending inwardly of the hood from the top portion thereof and spaced laterally of the .lever I I, are provided with notches 42 preferably aligned with the apertures 23a for supporting the nail 4I intermediate the` ends thereof.

The articulated lidmay be assembled with a journal box by aligning the -apertures 2 5 in the hubs with the aperture 3 in the hinge lug 3 and then inserting the pintle 5into said aper-r tures. The lid is then rotated until the top or and the access defining surface 2'b of the journal box I.

Cylindrical recesses 20, partiallyr closed by overlying flanges 2lh and spaced laterally of and opening into the socket I1, are partially occupied by crescent-shaped ears 22b extending outwardly from and for-med integrally with the ball i8 so as to prevent an unwarranted separation between the hood and cover. The ears 22b are desirably made coaxial with the recesses 20 so that the cover may be free to move about the ball Ill,A and adequate clearance is provided between the ears and cover in order that the ears may' engage the cover only upon an abnormal movement of the cover. The upper portion of the hood I Il is preferably formed by spaced side walls g 23b connected together by a front wall 43, the

shoulder portion 31 of the lever` engages the apex of the hinge lug which is formed by the juncture of the angularly disposed surfaces 1 `and 8, thereby moving the hook 409' away from the nail 4I. By a removal of the nail thelid will then be operatively connected vto the hinge lug, the pintle being retained iny operable position within the apertures by means of the overlying flanges 26'. Referring now lto Figures 8 to 11, inclusive, which illustratel a modif-led form of the invention, there is disclosed' a ball-jointed lid, designated generally as 6, pivotallyl connected to the hinge lug 3b, extending upwardly from the roof or top wall portion 4 of a journal box I by means of `a pintle 5 which extends through an laperture 3 provided in the lug 3b.

The lid of the present illustration comprises generally a cover 9b substantially similar` in construction to the cover 9 of the previously described structure `and likewise employed for the purpose of being positioned into intimate contact with journal box surfaces v2b lwhich define an access opening 2 of the journal box so as to exclude effectively water, dustor any foreign substance from the interior of the box, a hood` I0 connected pivotally tov the hingevlug 3b and universally to the cover, a lever IIa housed within the hood, pivotally mounted on the hood and lbearing'ag'ainst the hinge lug, and an actuating spring I 2 also housed within the hood and having portions thereof acting between the hood and lever so as to retain the lid in open or .closed position.

The cover 9b, desirably of cast form, is provided with a spherical recess or concave socket I1 desirably positioned substantially centrally thereof which forms a receptacle for a preferably coaxial ball I forming the lower extremity of the hood. The ball I8 and socket I1 provide a ball joint between the hood and cover, thereby allowing a universal movement or an unrestrictlower portion of which merges into the ball i8, and av top wall 43 overlying the hinge lug 3b in spaced relation thereto.

Reinforcing flanges 24 extend longitudinally of the hood from the side walls 23b to merge into the ears 212b and hinging hubs 25b outstanding from the side walls adjacent the. top extremity thereof. The hubs 25D are provided with elongated apertures25c which receive the` pintle 5,

thereby forming a pivotal connectionbetween the lid E and the journal box I. Reentrant flanges 26 onthe hubs 25b extend into and partially restrict the 'apertures 2lic to overlie the ends of the pintle 5a andprevent an unwarranted transverse movement of the pintle and a consequent separation of the lid from th journal box.

The lever I I, desirably made as a casting and housed within the hood I0, is formed with outstanding cylindrical trunnions 28 positioned adjacent the lower portion thereof and adapted to engage as well as pivot on correspondingly formed concave bearing surfaces 21 formed on laterally spaced convolutions 44 extending inwardly of the hood from the side walls 23b and front walls 43. Integrally formed webs 291, extending outwardly and longitudinally of the lever to form lever rigidi-fying means, are positioned intermediate the convolutions to prevent a lateral shifting of the lower portion of the lever.

The upper portion of the lever is preferably U-shapedv in cross section, the outer leg 31 of which forms an abutting shoulder adapted to bear against the hinge lug surface 8 to retain the lid in access coveringposit-ion or the angularly disposed hinge lugl surface 1 to retain the lid in open position. An outstanding web 30 extends outwardly of the cover adjacent the top portion thereof and through an accommodating aperture3l formed in the 'lever to terminate in an angularly disposed flange 32 which over..

' lies the lever in spaced relation-and is adapted to engage the lever in order to limit the rotative movement ofthe cover when the lid is moved to open position.

The -torsion spring I2, employed to act between the hood and lever so-as to retain'resilarm 34b terminating in r'eentrant or arcuate poredrtativeladjugsting action of the cover `to per- I ,mita full bearing relation between the cover 9b -tions 34c which are retained in operable position by interlocking with correspondingly concentric spaced tianges 39 and 39 extending inwardly of the front wall 43 of the'hood.

The coils 33 are connected together by an upstanding intermediate arm 34,` which acts against a 'centrally disposed web 36h extending toward Web 36h.

the front wall of the hood from the lever shoulder 3la and is retained in operable position by means of nesting in a notch 36 formed in the In the present described structure the intermediate arm bears against the lever in a plane spaced above the journal box lug contacting portion of the shoulder 31, thereby urging the lever trunnions 28B outwardly of the journal box and into beari g engagement with the surface 21 of the convo utions 44. Spring abutting fins or webs 38, extending inwardly of the hood from the front wall 43, are engaged by the spring coils 33B in order to obviate a distortion of the spring.

The lid of the instantstxucture is retained in assembled relation during shipment thereof separated from a journal box in a lsimilar manner to that `of the previously described structure, that is the top portion of the lever iln is urged toward the vfront wall 43 until the concave surface Iilb of the hook 40, forming the inner leg of the U -shaped lever top, is substantially aligned with the aperture 23 provided in desirably onl one of the hood sides 23h.

Downwardly projecting legs `or lugs 42h, spaced on either side of the lever Il and extending inwardly of the hood from the top wall d3, are

closed and describedl constructions merely exvan outwardly opening socket adjacent the central portion thereof, ahood with a ball-shaped lower portion extending into said socket to permit an articulated movement therebetween, rel cesses formed'in the cover opening into said socket, integrally formed means projecting outwardly ,of said'ball and housed by said recesses for preventing separation between the cover and hood, a lever pivotally mounted on said hood, and resilient means acting between said lever and hood.

2. A journal box lid comprising a cover with an outwardly opening socket adjacent the vcentral portion thereof, a hood with .a ball-shaped lower portion extending into said socket to permit an articulated movement therebetween, laterally spaced recesses formed in the cover opening into said socket. integrally/formed ears projecting laterally of said ball into said recesses for preventing separation between the cover and hood, a lever pivotally connected to said hood, a web extending outwardly oi the -cover through an' opening provided in said lever, said web having an angularly disposed flange overlying said lever in spaced relation' thereto, and a torsion spring having upstanding arms engaging said lever and hood.

3. A journal box lid comprising a cover with an outwardly opening socket adjacent the central portion thereoff a hood with a ball-shaped lower portion extending into said socket to provide for annessa an articulated movement therebetween, laterally spaced cylindrical recesses formed in the cover opening into said socket, integrally formed ears projecting outwardly of said ball and into said recesses for preventing separation between the cover and hood, vsaid ears being normally spaced Y from said cover, a lever pivotally engaging said hood, and resilient means acting between said for preventing separationbetween the cover and hood, integral trunnions formed on said hood, lever means pivotally engaging said trunnions,

and torsion spring means acting between saidI lever and hood.

5. In combination with a journal box having a hinge lug and an access opening, an articulated lid comprising a hood pivotally connected to the hinge lug, a cover normally closing said access opening having an outwardly opening socket therein, a ball formed on the lower part of said hood extending into said socket for universal movement therebetween, laterally spaced recesses formed in said cover and opening into said socket, ears projecting outwardly of the ball and extending into the recesses for preventing separation between the hood and cover,'integral trunnions formed on and extending within the hood,

a lever pivotally mounted on said trunnions and bearing against said hinge lug, and spring means acting between said lever and hood for urging.

said cover into intimate contact with said journal box over said access opening.

6. A journal box-lid comprising a cover with an outwardly opening socket adjacent the central portion thereof. a hood with a ball-shaped lower portion extending into said socket to permit an articulated movement therebetween, recesses formed in the cover and opening into said socket, integrally formed ears projecting outwardly oi' said ball housed by said recesses for preventing separation between the cover and hood, a lever pivotally connected to said hood, a web extending outwardly of the cover and through an open.. ing formed in said lever, said web having an angularly disposed ange overlying said lever in spaced relation thereto, and a torsion spring havins a portion thereof positioned on each side of 'said lever and upstanding arms acting between correspondingly formed means in said cover forv preventing separation between said hood and cover, integral trunnions formed on and extending within said hood, a lever pivotally mounted .on said trunnions, and a torsion spring having portions thereof spaced on each side of said lever; said spring-having its end portions engaging the hood and an intermediate portion engaging the lever. t

8. In combination witha journal box having a hinge lug and an access opening, an articulated lid comprising a hood pivotally connected to the hinge lug, a cover normally closing said access opening having an outwardly opening socket pivotally mounted on said trunnions and bearing against said hinge lug, and a torsion spring having upstanding arms acting between'said lever and hood for urging said cover over said access opening.

9. In combination with a journal box having a hinge lug and an access opening, an articulated lid comprising a hood pivotally connected to the hinge lug, a cover normallyclosing said access opening having an outwardly opening socket, a ball formed onlthe lower portion of said hood extending into said socket for universal movement therebetween, laterally spaced v recesses formed in the cover. yand opening into said socket,

ears projecting outwardly of the ball extending into the recesses for preventing separation between the hood and cover, integral' trunnions formed on and extending within the hood, a lever pivotally mounted on said trunnions and bearing against said hinge lug. a web extending outwardly ofthe cover through an opening provided in said lever, said web having an angularly disposed iiang'e overlying a portion of the lever in spaced relation thereto, land spring means acting between said lever and hood for urging the cover over said access opening.

10. A journal box lid comprising a cover with an outwardly opening socket adjacent the central portion thereof, a hood with av bali-shaped lower portion extending into said socket to per` mit an articulated movement therebetween, recesses formed in the cover and opening into said socket, integrally formed` ears projecting outwardly of 'said ball into said recesses for preventing separation 4between the cover and hood, a lever` pivotally connected to said hood, and a torsion spring having 'end arms engaging said hood l and an intermediate arm engaging said lever.

v11. A journal box lid comprising a cover having an-outwardly opening'socket, a hood with a vball-shaped lower .portion extending into said socketto permit -an articulated movement therebetween, integral means formed on said hood and cover adjacent said ball and socket for prevent- -ing separation therebetween, integral trunnions formed on and extending within said hood, a lever pivotally mounted on said trunnions, a torsion spring within said hood having coil portions cent the central portion thereof being adapted to receive a correspondingly. formed portion of an associated hood, recesses formed in said cover and opening into said socket, and flanges formed on said cover partially overlying said recesses to form restricted openings on each side of 'said socket and adapted to engage elementsof said hood in order to prevent .the separation between said lcover and associated hood.

14. As an article of manufacture, a hood for use with a journal box lid comprising a ballshaped bearing portion formed adjacent one end thereof, laterally projecting cylindrical means formed integrally with said bearing portion', and apertured hinging hubs formed on said hood adjacent, the other end thereof.

15. In a journal box lid connection compris-V ing a cover having an outwardly opening socket adjacent the central portion thereof, a hood having a portionadjacent the lower extremity thereof extending into said socket to effect an' articulated movement between said hood and cover, recesses formed infsaid cover and associated with said socket, transversely spaced integral cylindrical means formed on said hood and positioned in said recesses, and means formed on said cover overlying said integral means in spaced relation thereto for preventing separation between said hood and cover.

164A journal box lid comprising a cover with an'outwardly .opening socket adjacent the central thereof spaced lon each side oi said lever, webs g extending inwardly of said hood abutting said coils. said spring having end arms upstanding from said coil portions engaging the hood and an intermediate Varm opstanding from said coil portions engaging said lever.

12. A journal bo'x lid comprising a cover, a hood connected to said cover, a lever positioned within and having one end thereof engaging said hood intermediate the ends thereof, spring means acting between the hood and the other end of said lever for urging them apart, lugs within the hood and spaced laterally of said lever, and removable means extending between andbearing against said lugs and engaged by a hook formed on the other end of said lever for retaining the lid in assembled relation.

13,'An article of manufacture,v a journal box u cover having an outwardly opening socket adiaj portion thereof, a hood with a correspondingly formed lower portion extending into said socket to allow an articulated movement between said hood and cover, recesses-formed in said cover associated with said socket, integral means projecting outwardly from adjacent the lower portion of said hood and housed by said recesses for preventingl separation between the cover and hood, a lever pivotally mounted on said` hood, and resilient `means acting against said lever for urging one end thereof away from said hood. A

1'7. A journal box lid comprising acover with an outwardly opening socket adjacent the central portion thereof, a hood with a ball-shaped lower portion extending into said socket to per-v mit an articulated movement4 therebetween, cylindrically formed recesses in said cover com-V municating with` said socket, cylindrically formed means integral with said ball andhoused in saidl recesses for preventing separation between the cover and hood, a lever pivotallymounted on said` hood, and resilient means acting between said lever and hood.

18. A journal box lid comprising a cover having an outwardly opening socket adjacent the' central portion thereof, a hood having a ballshaped lower portion extending into said socket to permit an articulated movement therebetween,

cylindrically formed recesses in said cover opening into said socket, 'means integral with said lid partially overlying said recesses, cylindrically formed means integral with said ball and housed v in said recesses for preventing separation between the cover andl hood, said cyiindrically formedV means being normally spaced'from said cover and overlying means, a lever pivotally mounted on said hood, and resilient-means acting between said lever and hood. v .d 19. A journal box lid comprising a cover with an outwardly opening socket adjacent the centrai portionthereof, a hood with a ball-shaped lower portion extending intov said socket-toY permit an articulated' movement therebetween,

-recesses inl said coverV communicating with said socket, means formed integral with said cover partially overlying said recesses, outstanding means formed integral with said ball-shaped lower portion extending into said recesses and underlying said integral means for retaining said hood and cover in assembled relation, said outstanding means being normally out o! contact with'said cover to permit movement of said cover relatively to said hood, bearing means extending inwardly oi' said hood above said ball-shaped lower portion, a lever within said hood having one end thereof in intimate contact with said bearing means. and a spring means acting between said hood and another end of said lever.

20. Aiournai box lid comprising a cover having an outwardly opening socket adjacent the cenescasas terminating in curved portions, curved retaining v flanges formed integrally on said hood and associated with said curved portions, and an intermediate arm connecting said coil portions and seated in a notch in said lever.

, G F. COUCH.