US2287954A

US2287954A - Locomotive pilot coupler structure

Info

Publication number: US2287954A
Application number: US324171A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry H Wolfe
Original assignee: Buckeye Steel Castings Co
Current assignee: Buckeye Steel Castings Co
Priority date: 1940-03-15
Filing date: 1940-03-15
Publication date: 1942-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 1959-06-30

Description

J1me 1942- H. H. WOLFE 2,2875954 LOCOMOTIVE PILOT COUPLER STRUCTURE Filed March 15, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l June 30, 1942. H. H. WOLFE LOCOMOTIVE PILOT COUPLER STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March l5, 1940 Jihfiwolfe,

June 30, 1942. H. H. WOLFE LQCOMOTIVE PILOT COUPLER STRUCTURE Filed March 15, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 JMW JaUfiT Voife,

Patented June 30, 1942 LOCOMOTIVE PILOT COUPLER STRUCTURE Harry H. Wolfe, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Buckeye Steel Castings Company, Columbus, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 15, 1940, Serial No. 324,171

17 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in pilot couplers and more particularly to pilot couplers of the type disclosed in U. S. Patents 2,104,846, 2,104,857 and 2,194,865. In those patents the pilot is provided with a pocket containing a retractable coupler, and a door is arranged to close the pocket when the coupler is in retracted position.

An object of the present invention is to supply a retractable coupler having a longer shank than heretofore used with couplers of this type; the construction being such as to permit the use of the longer shank without the necessity of providing an excessively large pocket and door in the pilot casting to accommodate the coupler. A longer shank coupler is particularly desirable on a locomotive when handling long cars where maximum lateral motion of the head of the coupler per degree of swivel is required.

As will be shown in detail later, I have accomplished this object mainly by making the long shank in two parts namely the shank proper and a yoke casting. These parts are so assembled that, in operating position, they are fixed with relation to each other, and the assembly swivels about a pin at a greater distance from the coupler head than heretofore; providing greater lateral movement of the head per degree of swivel, while allowing the coupler, when being retracted, to pivot about the yoke at a point near the head; thereby eliminating the necessity of forming an excessively large opening and door in the pilot casting.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with .other objects in View, which will appear as the,

description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a locomotive pilot coupler structure made in accordance with the invention and showing the coupler retracted or housed.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of the same.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the coupler in extended or coupling position.

Fig. 4. is a View like Fig. 2 but with the coupler in coupling position.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section view partly in elevation, the section being taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fi 3.

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of a detail.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of such detail.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a locomotive pilot or the like, having an opening I l in the rear of which there is a stationary casting l2 forming a pocket 13. The pocket is provided with a vertical wall [4 having two horizontally extended lug portions Ma in which a vertical pivot pin I5 is mounted, the pin being inserted from below and having a head It at its lower end which cooperates with a retaining pin I'i detachably secured in apertured ears I8 depending from the bottom i9 of the pocket casting. 7 A yoke 20 has its rear end pivotally mounted on the pin [5 for movement horizontally, and the pin [5 is preferably provided with hearing bushings 2|.

A coupler 22 has a shank 23 pivotally connected to the yoke by means of a vertical pin 24 which is preferably provided with bearing bushings 25 and is secured in place by a retaining pin 26.

For the purpose of fixedly securing the yoke and shank to one another, the yoke is provided intermediate its ends with upper and lower apertures 21 to accommodate a vertical, removable pin 28 which also passes through an aperture 29 in the rear end of the shank. A hole 30 in the roof of the pocket casting allows removal of the pin 28. Normally this pin is held in looking position by the fOllOWil'lg means. An L-shaped bracket 35 is arranged at the top of the yoke 20 uppermost position, the lug 34 maybeturned in a counterclockwise direction from beneath the bracket 3!, and then the pin can be removed.

The pin serves adual purpose, as it is also used (when detached from the yoke and shank) to secure the yoke to the pocket casting'IZ. For this purpose the yoke has a bearing shoe 35 provided with a hole 36 adapted to be brought into register with a hole 31 in the floor 19. -When the holes are in register, the pin 28 can be inserted and when the coupler is in retracted position, the shank 23 will bedirectly above the pin to prevent the latter from moving up high enough to be detached from land 35;

The shoe 35 acts as a sliding support for the coupler, and cooperates with wear plates 38 mounted on the floor I 9 and on the bottom of shoe 35. When in operating position, the coupler andyoke assembly can swivel about pin IS a predetermined amount either side of the longitudinal center line of the pilot. Swivel beyond the predetermined degree is prohibited by a lug 39 of the shoe contacting with lugs 40 fixed to the floor l9 at either side of the longitudinal center line.

A door 4| forclosing the opening II is fixed to the coupler and its shank by means of webs 42, and such door has the same contour as the pilot so as to eliminate any projecting parts while the coupler is in retracted position. It is held in such position by a lug 43 arranged at one end of the door, and a latch 44 provided at the opposite end of the door. Obviously, these elements are adapted to cooperate with the portions of the pilot positioned at the ends of the doorway or opening II. V

The coupler head, in accordance with the present invention, is provided with a short lock operating rod 45 which is operated from the guard arm 43 side of the head, and is adapted to be housed with the coupling.

In operation, assuming the coupler to be in extended position and it is desired to place it in retracted position, the coupler and yoke assembly are turned as far as possible toward the door side of the assembly until the lug 39 contacts lug 4!! at the left. With the parts in this position, hole 33 in the yoke will be directly over hole 37. At this time the pin 28 is removed from the

holes

21 and 29 and inserted in

holes

36 and 31. The yoke is now fixed with relation to the pilot casting and the coupler is free to rotate with respect to the yoke about pin 24. Now the coupler is rotated counter-clockwise about the latter and this will cause the door to close the opening in front of the pilot casting.

In changing the coupler from retracted position to operating position, the above described procedure is reversed. In this operation the coupler and door is turned from the fully retracted position about pin 24 in a clockwise direction until a lug 41 on one of the webs 42 contacts the vertical side of the yoke 23. This lug is so positioned that when it contacts the side of the yoke the holes 2'! and 29 register. At this time the pin 23 is removed from the holes 36 and 3'! and inserted in the holes in the coupler shank and yoke. The coupler is now in operating position.

The coupler and yoke assembly is turned to the door side position before changing pin 28 to holes3 and 3'3, so that

definite stops

33 and 40 may be provided to align

holes

35 and 31. This also shortens the length of the door onthe side having the inclined edge 48.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the details of the illustrated construction since these may be variously modified. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all features of the invention be used conjointly since various features may be used to advantage in different combinations and sub-combinations. 7

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a sectional coupler shank, the sections of the shank being pivotally connected together for horizontal movement with respect to each other, and one section being pivotally mounted in the pocket, and means for detachably and substantially rigidly securing said sections together and in substantial alignment with one another when in operative position,

2. In a pilot type coupler construction in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a sectional coupler shank, the sections of the shank being pivotally connected together for movement about an axis, one section being pivotally mounted in the pocket for movement about an axis parallel to the first-mentioned axis, and means for detachably and substantially rigidly securing said sections together and in substantial alignment with one another when in operative position.

3 In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a sectional coupler shank, one

section being pivotally mounted in the pocket for movement about an axis the other section being pivotally mounted on the first-mentioned section for movement about an axis parallel to the first-mentioned axis and provided with a coupler head, and means for detachably and substantially rigidly securing said sections together and in substantial alignment with one another when in operative position.

i. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a sectional coupler shank, one section being pivotally mounted in the pocket for horizontal movement about a vertical axis, the other section being provided with a head and pivotally mounted on the first-mentioned section for horizontal movement about a vertical axis arranged parallel to the first mentioned axis, and means for detachably and substantially rigidly securing said sections together and in alignment when in operativeposition.

5. ma pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a'sectionalcoupler shank, the sections of the shank being movably connected together for movement about an axis, one of the sections being movably mounted in the pocket for movement about an axis parallel to the first mentioned axis and supporting the other section, and means for detachably and substa'ntially'rigidly securing said sections together and in substantial alignment with one another when in operative position.

6. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a sectional coupler shank,the

sections of the shank being pivotally connected together and one section being pivotally mounted in the pocket, means detachably and substantially rigidly connectii'ig saidsectio'ns together and in substantial alignment with one another when in operative position and releasable means for fixedly securing said pivotally mounted section in the pocket.

7. In a pilot typecoup'ler' construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a-pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a sectional coupler' shank, the sections of the shank being 'movably connected together for movement about an axis, releasable means fixedly securing 'thesectionstogether and in substantial alignment with one another when in operative position, one section being pivotally mounted in the pocket for movement about an axis parallel to the first-mentioned axis.

8. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a sectional coupler shank, the sections of the shank being movably connected together for movement about a vertical axis, releasable means fixedly securing the sections together and in substantial alignment with one another when in operative position, one section being pivotally mounted in the pocket for movement about a vertical axis spaced from the firstmentioned axis.

9. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a coupler having a head section and a yoke section, the yoke section being pivotally mounted in the pocket for movement about a vertial axis, the head section being connected to the yoke section for horizontal movement with respect to said yoke section, and releasable means for fixedly securing the sections to one another when in operative position.

10. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a coupler having a head section and a yoke section, the yoke section being pivotally mounted in the pocket for movement about a vertical axis, the head section being movably connected to the yoke section, and releasable means for fixedly securing the sections to one another when in operative position, the pocket being provided with a track, and the yoke section having a portion movably supported by said track.

11. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a coupler having a head section and a yoke section, the yoke section being pivotally mounted in the pocket for movement about a vertical axis, the head section being movably connected to the yoke section, releasable means for fixedly securing the sections to one another and in substantial alignment with one another when in operative position, and releasable means for fixedly securing the yoke section in the pocket,

12. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a coupler having a head section and a yoke section, the rear end portion of the yoke section being pivotally mounted in the pocket for movement about an axis, means pivotally connecting the front end portion of the yoke section to the medial portion of the head section to permit the head section to move horizontally relatively to the yoke section, and releasable means for fixedly securing the sections together and in substantial alignment when in operative position.

13. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a sectional coupler shank, one

of the sections of the shank being pivotally mounted in the pocket, a second one of the sections of the shank being pivotally connected to the first mentioned section for movement in a horizontal plane, said sections being provided with apertures adapted to register with one another when said sections are in substantial alignment with one another and the coupler is in operative position, said pocket being provided with a pin receiving aperture, and a pin adapted to pass through the last-mentioned aperture and into the registering apertures of said sections for substantially rigidly connecting said sections to one another.

14. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a sectional coupler shank, the sections of the shank being movably connected together, said sections being provided with apertures, a pin extending through said apertures for fixedly securing the sections together, a lug projecting from the pin, a bracket fixed to one of the sections and adapted to receive said lug, and a latch for securing the lug in the bracket.

15. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a coupler having a head section and a yoke section, the yoke section being pivotally mounted in the pocket for movement about a vertical axis, the head section being pivotally mounted in the yoke section for movement about an axis arranged parallel to said vertical axis, means for detachably and rigidly securing said sections together and in substantial alignment with one another when the coupler is in operative position and a door for the pocket carried by the head section.

16. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, the improvement which comprises a coupler having a head section and a yoke section, the yoke section being pivotally mounted in the pocket for movement about a vertical axis, the head section being pivotally mounted in the yoke section for movement about an axis arranged parallel to said vertical axis, means for detachably and rigidly securing said sections together and in substantial alignment with one another when the coupler is in operative position, a door for the pocket carried by the head section, a supporting track in the pocket,

and a shoe connected to the yoke section and supported by said track.

17. In a pilot type coupler construction of the kind in which the coupler is housed in a pocket when in retracted position, a yoke, means pivotally supporting the yoke for movement about a vertical axis, a coupler having a shank member extending into the yoke, means pivotally connecting the shank and yoke and permitting the coupler head and shank to turn about a vertical axis relatively to the yoke, and releasable means for fixedly securing the shank and yoke to one another when the coupler is in operative position.

HARRY H. WOLFE.