US2421153A - Coupler - Google Patents

Description

May 27, 1947. E, P, KlNNE 2,421,153

K INVENTOIL May 27, 1947.. E, P, KlNNE 2,421,153

' copPLx-:Rv l l Filed June 25. 1943 6 sheets-sheet 2 1o .s z 6 76 gs l. H a 1 l f@ l I l 4V. :l2 I 1 l v1 29 l i 5f@ l I INVENIoR. 55 15| 1 I Q By 14 22 2O May 27,1947.r E, P. KlNNE 2,421,153

couPLEg Filed June 23, 1945 6 Shevets-Sheet 4 A A I May 27, 947. E, P, KINNE 2,421,153

COUPLER Filed June 23, 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 N VEN TOR.

E. P. KINNE May 27, 1947.

6 Sheets-Sheet 6 coUPLER Filed June 225, 1943 Patented 27, i947 COUPLER v Edmund l?. American porationof New Jersey Application .lune 23, 1943, Serial No. 491,864

34 Claims.

My invention relates to railway car couplers of the so-called automatic knuckle type and particularly to a relatively recent design designated tight lock, a form of which has been made a present standard by the Association of American Railroads.

The present invention is related to and is an improvement on the design illustrated in my copending application Serial No. 428,179, filed January 26, 1942, in the United States Patent Office and issued as United States Letters Patent No. 2,361,850, on October 21, 1944.

The general objects of this invention are those set forth in my said co-pending application; namely, the elimination of wedge engagement between the lock and the knuckle, the elimination of metal to metal contact in tight lock couplers, the increasing of manufacturing tolerances by eliminating the necessity for machining parts, the provision of clearances permitting a certain amount of horizontal and vertical angling between mating couplers during a coupling operation, and the provision of resilient means to restrain rotative movement of the knuckles of locked couplers as well as play therebetween.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means for tightening the contour of mated couplers after they have been coupled and for decreasing the amount of movement between said couplers from buffing to pulling position.

Another object of my invention is to increase clearances between various parts of the coupler so as to provide greater freedom for the lock in dropping to locked position and in raising to unlocked position.

Still another object of my invention is to provide means for guiding the lock in dropping, whereby the same is prevented from being dragged inwardly by the knucklewhen closing, thus reducing the clearance for the lock to drop freely.

A different object ol my invention is to provide a positive lock-to-the-lock or anticreep means by which accidental upward movement of the lock is prevented. My novel anticreep means comprises spaced abutments or ledges on the coupler head disposed respectively above and below the knuckle, said abutments cooperating with complementary portions of the lock to prevent upward movement thereof.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a novel toggle mechanism and air cylinder actuating means therefor, said mechanism being operable to move the lock laterally of the coupler whereby the contour between the mated Kinne, Alliance, Ohio, assigner to Steel Foundries, Chicago, El., a corcouplers yis tightened ad whereby said lock is maintained in engagementwith the associated anticreep means.

` tical planes indicated A showing the couplers Still another object of my invention is to provide a novel telltale means by which a trainman may readily determine whether or not the coupler knuckles are properly locked. My novel telltale means comprises a plunger rod or pin associated with the aforementioned toggle mechanism and projecting through an opening in an adjacent wall of the coupler to afford external, visual indication of the expanded condition of the toggle mechanism, said condition only being possible during locked position of the lock.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in a horizontal plane substantially bisecting a pair of mated couplers embodying my invention, with portions of the couplers shown in elevation, the couplers being shown under pulling conditions With the toggle mechanisms in expanded position.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken in the verby the line 2-42 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation taken from the guard arm side of one of the couplers shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4` is a side elevation of ythe coupler shown in Figure 3 taken from the knuckle side thereof, and Figure 5 is a front view of said coupler. f

Figure 6 is a view comparable to Figure 1 but under maximum buiilns conditions, and Figure 'l is a sectional view taken in the vertical planes indicated by the line 1 -'l of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a view comparable to Figure 1 but showing the couplers in the coupling stage with the toggle mechanism released and with the lock dropping to locked or raising to unlocked position, and Figure 9 is a sectional view taken in the vertical planes indicated by the line 9-9 of Figure 8 with the lock raised to unlockedposition.

Figure 10 is a sectional view comparable to Figure 1 but showing the couplers under pulling conditions with the toggle mechanism released, and Figure 11 is a sectional view vertical planes indicated by the line ll-II of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary top plan view of two couplers embodying my invention with the toggle mechanism in released position and the couplers in normal' relationship under neither pulling nor bufling conditions, and Figure 13 is taken in the 3 a sectional view taken in the vertical planes indicated by the line i3-I3 of Figure 12.

Describing in detail my novel form of coupler structure and referring first to the showing thereof as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, it will be noted that each coupler comprises the usual coupler head, generally designated 2, integrally formed with the shank 4, a fragmentary portion only of which is shown. The coupler head comprises the usual guard arm portion 6 and the knuckle 8, which may be pivoted at I for automatic action in well known manner. My novel coupler comprises a cavity or recess formed on the coupler head at the knuckle side thereof, and I have designated this portion a, knuckle tail or guard arm pocket I2, said pocket serving to house resilient means, more particularly described hereafter.

Each coupler head is formed with the usual depending trunnion lug I4 affording pivotal connection as at I6 with the rotor I8, the opposite end of which may have pivotal connection as at 20 with the link or lifter 22 comprising an eye 24 (Figure 2) for the reception of the trunnion lug 26 on the lock 28, said lock being operatively associated in the usual manner with the knuckle thrower 30.

As may be clearly seen in Figure 3, the guard arm 6 has a maximum depth adjacent the nose 28 which tapers therefrom, and mounted on said guard arm above and below the nose thereof are top and bottom resilient means 32, 32 in the form of resilient pads for abutment as at 34, 34 (Figure 1) with vertical faces 35, 35 formed above and below the adjacent extremity of the knuckle tail pocket of the mating coupler, as more fully described in my aforesaid co-pending application. 'I'he form and disposition of the faces 35.

35 on each coupler may be best seen ln Figure 5.

The extremity of the guard arm nose 28 seats at 36 (Figure 1) against a resilient member 38 secured at 40 in the knuckle tail or guard arm pocket of the mating coupler, the opposite end of said member 38 projecting through an opening 42 in the knuckle tail builing wall 44 of said mating coupler for abutment with the tail 48 of the associated knuckle 8. Generous clearance is provided at 45 between the knuckle tail 46 and the wall 44 for a purpose hereinafter discussed. As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the resilient member 38 projects through the opening 42 as at 50 but the couplers are in pulling position, and the associated knuckle is therefore rotated away from the member 38 to tight abutment against the lock 28 as at 52. However, under buing conditions, as hereinafter more fully described, the knuckle tail is compressed against the member 38.

The knuckle 8 is provided with a resiliently mounted face plate 54, as described in detail in Kayler Patent 2,098,207, issued November 2, 1937, by the United States Patent Oiice, said face plate being adapted for abutment as at 51 with the throat of the opposed coupler.

Means in the form of a toggle mechanism, generally designated 55, is provided for tightening the contour of the mated couplers, said means comprising a pair of toggle members 56 and 58 housed in a portion of the coupler head which I shall designate a toggle chamber, indicated at 59, said members being pivotally interconnected at 60 and the member 56 having a convex extremity for complementary engagement at 62 with a concave recess in the lock 28, said member 56 also having pivotal connection at 64 (Figure .2)

with the piston rod 86 of an air cylinder device, generally designated 68, and pivotally mounted at 'l0 on spaced lugs '12, 12 formed on the coupler head.

The member 58 is pivotally mounted by means of a pin 14 within the chamber 59 and is pivotally interconnected at 16 with a plunger rod or pin 18 extending through an opening 80 in the top wall of the chamber 59, a release spring 82 being sleeved over the rod 18 in abutment at 84 with a shoulder thereon and in abutment at 86 with said top wall. It may be noted that the member 68 is aiforded bearing at 19 against the adjacent side Wall dening the chamber 59, and it will be understood that the connection between the member 58 and the pin 14 is sufficiently loose to avoid shearing stresses on said pin and to permit transmission of compressive forces from the toggle mechanism directly to the coupler wall at 19. An abutment is provided at 90 for the members 56 and 58 to limit upward movement of the piston rod 66 and to maintain said members in a substantially straight line in the expanded position of the toggle. Additional abutments 92 and 83 are provided for the member 56 to substantially prevent upward or downward movement of said member during the expanded position of the toggle, the member 58 being afforded va seat against the abutment 93 in the release position of the toggle mechanism as best seen at |08 in Figure 9. It will be understood from a comparison of Figures 2 and 9 that the plunger rod or pin 18 serves as a telltale means to afford external, visual indication of the locked or unlocked condition of the coupler inasmuch as the pin can only assume the substantially vertical position shown in Figure 2 when the toggle is fully expanded with the member 56 engaged with the complementary recess in the lock.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the coupler head is provided with spaced ledges or abutments 84 and 96 disposed respectively above and below the knuckle tail and affording a lock-to-the-lock or anticreep for the lock 28 when the toggle mechanism 55 is in expanded position as illustrated in this figure, and it will be understood from a comparison of Figure 13 with Figure 2 that the toggle mechanism 55 is operable to move the lock laterally of the coupler into engagement with the abutments 94 and 86 to afford an anticreep for the lock, as hereinafter more fully discussed. Above the respective abutments 94 and 96 are formed substantially vertical flat guide surfaces 98 and |00 respectively, said surfaces affording guide means for the lock as it drops to locked position, as will also be discussed more fully hereafter.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the couplers under maximum hurling conditions with the face plates 54, 54 of the knuckles 8, 8 compressed a maximum amount, each plate thus being ush with the face of the knuckle, the toggle mechanism 55 being in expanded position. It may be noted that the knuckle tail under these conditions is compressed at l02 against the resilient member 38, which is at the same time being compressed at 36 by the guard arm 6 of the mating coupler. The clearance at 45 between the knuckle tail 46 and the knuckle tail bufiing wall 44 is considerably diminished, and the knuckle tail is moved away from the lock as indicated at |04. It may also be noted that the pads 32, 32 are compressed to a maximum. As clearly illustrated in Figure 7, the lock 28 is maintained by the toggle mecha.- nism 55 in engagement with the abutments 94 ascissa and 9d to aord a positive lock-to-the-lock under the maximum builing conditions illustrated.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the couplers in normal coupled relationship with the face plates 5t, 54 in abutment with the opposed couplers but subject to no compression, the toggle mechanism 55 being in released position. Under these conditions the lock may be raised to unlocked position or dropped to locked position, clearance between the knuckle and the lock being afforded at, |88 to permit free dropping or raising of the lock. It will be understood that the clearance at |05 may be'increased to that indicated at Illd in Figure 6 by placing the couplers under bun, thus affording additional clearance for the lock. Figure 9 shows the lock in raised position preparatory to being dropped to locked position or to being placed in lockset pending a coupling operation, and in this view the clearance for the lock to drop is the same as that shown in Figure 8 and is illustrated at |86. The toggle member 56 is withdrawn from engagement with the lock and rests at |88 against the abutment 93 on the coupler head. The lock 28 is in engagement at |||l and ||2 with the guide surfaces 98 and |00 and it will be clearly apparent from a consideration of this figure that as the lock drops to locked position, the clearance at |06 will be maintained at all times by means of the engagement of the lock at ||0 and ||2 with the surfaces 98 and illu, ample clearance being provided for the right side of the lock as at llt, llt. After the lock is dropped to locked position, the toggle mechanism 55 is expanded to move the lock laterally of the coupler into engagement with the anticreep abutments 94 and 96, as illustrated in Figures 2 and '7. It may also be noted in Figure 9 that the rod 78 is in a re tracted position within the opening 88 in the top wall of the pocket 59, thus affording to a trainman externaly visual indication that the mechanism 55 is in released position. Also in Figure 9 may be seen the manner in which the release spring 82 functions to break the toggle and urge the members 56 and 58 to released position upon release of the actuating fluid from the air cylinder device 68. It will be understood that in the event that the spring 82 should fail for some reason to break the toggle, this may be accomplished by means of force applied to the pin 18, as for example, by striking said pin with a hammer.

Figures 10 and 11 show the conditions which prevail when the couplers are under pulling conditions with the toggle mechanisms in released position. It will be noted that the clearance at 45 between the knuckle tail buing wall 44 and the knuckle tail 46 is considerably increased with the knuckle tail inI tight abutment at ||6 with the lock, the right side of which is engaged at ||8 with the adjacent coupler wall. It may also be noted that slight clearance results at |20, |20 between the face plates 54, 54 and the opposed couplers and also slight clearance results at |22, |22 between each guard arm resilient means 32 and the adjacent face 35 of the opposed coupler; however, no free slack results inasmuch as each guard arm nose 30 is compressed against the resilient member 38 in the associated guard arm pocket I2 of the opposed coupler. It will thus be apparent that While under the conditions shown in Figures 10 and 11 the fore and aft movement between the couplers will be increased, nevertheless this condition will not be serious inasmuch as there is no free slack between the couplers. lt will be understood from a considn eration of Figure 1l that the anticreep abutments 8d and 95 are ineffective under these conditions to prevent accidental upward movement of the lock 25; however, the leg of said lock is provided with an anticreep lug i2@ which may cooperate in conventional manner with an ad- .l'acent shoulder on the coupler head to afford an anticreep for the lock.

Figures 12 and 13 show the couplers under normal conditions, that is, under neither pulling nor bufilng conditions, and these figures also show the toggle mechanism 55 released. The lock 28 is illustrated as dropped to locked position but it will be clearly seen in Figure 13 that under the conditions illustrated, the lock may be raised to unlocked position without engaging the anticreep abutments 98 and 95. It will be understood that under normal conditions, as above dened and as illustrated in these ilgures, the resiliently mounted face plates 5d, 58 and the resilient members 88, 38, being under some precompression, are operable to urge the couplers apart, thus rotating the knuckles to maintain the locks out of cooperative relationship with the anticreep abutments as illustrated in Figure 13, and it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that if the couplers were buffed with the toggle mechanism released, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, the lock 28 could still be raised to unlocked position even though it happened to engage the anticreep abutments 98 and 98 in-.

asmuch as the lock would slide upwardly and to the right against said abutments, the movement to the right being unimpeded since the toggle mechanism is released. Although the anticreep abutments Si and 98 are herein illustrated as delned at their upper extremities by the diagonal surfaces merging with the guide surfaces 98 and |88, it will be apparent that said abutments may be of any desired contour, provided that when the toggle mechanism is expanded, the clearance between the lock and the abutments must be less than the depth of the concave recess in the lock which engages toggle rnern ber 56.

It will be understood that the air cylinders are connected to the angle cocks of the train lines, and in an uncoupling operation the angle cocks on both car ends are closed and the air hose connection isthen broken, thus automatically releasing the toggles of both couplers, which is, of course, absolutely necessary to affect either a coupling or an uncoupling operation, as will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiment of the device shown which is merely by way ofA illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a coupling, mating couplers each comprising a pivoted knuckle, a laterally spaced guard arm, and a lock-presenting substantially vertical walls for compression between said knuckle and means on the supporting coupler spaced from said knuckle, said knuckles being capable of limited rotation under locked conditions, a plurality of resilient means housed in said couplers, said resilient means comprising a plurality of resilient members in each coupler compressible between the knuckle thereof and the throat and guard arm respectively of the adjacent coupler, said rst-mentioned means within each coupler including means for moving the associated lock laterally therewithin and toward the knuckle side thereof for tightening the engagement between said couplers after the same have been coupled, said lastmentioned means comprising a toggle mechanism housed within each coupler for engagement wit the adjacent side of the associated lock.

2. In a coupler, a coupler head, a knuckle pivoted therein, an anticreep ledge within said head at one side only of the longitudinal axis thereof, a lock movable vertically into and out of locking engagement with said knuckle, said lock being movable horizontally into and out of engagement with said ledge, means engageable with the lock at one point thereon for moving said lock laterally of the coupler head into engagement with said ledge and for positively maintaining said lock in engagement therewith, and lifter means connected to the lock at another point thereon for lifting the same out of locking engagement with said knuckle.

3. In a coupler, a pivoted knuckle, a lock bearing thereagainst, and a toggle mechanism comprising a pair of pivotally interconnected members, one of said members being pivoted to the coupler and bearing thereagainst and the other of said members having a convex bearing surface engaged with a complementary surface on the lock to urge the same into engagement with the knuckle, a power cylinder device pivoted to the coupler and including a piston rod pivoted to the last-mentioned of said members, a telltale pin pivoted to the first-mentioned of said members and extending through an opening in an adjacent wall of said coupler, and a release spring sleeved oversaid pin and bearing against said wall and the firstementioned of said members,

4. In a coupling, mating couplers each compris` ing a pivoted knuckle, a laterally spaced guard arm, and a lock therefor, said knuckles being capable of limited rotation under locked conditions, and a plurality of resilient means housed in said couplers, said resilient means comprising a plu-- rality of resilient members in each coupler compressible between the knuckle thereof and the throat and guard arm respectively ofthe adjacent coupler, and means carried by each coupler including an air cylinder operatively connected to the associated lock for moving the same laterally and thereby tightening the engagement between said couplers after the same have been coupled.

5. In a coupler, a knuckle pivoted therein, a lock for said knuckle, and means for raising said lock out of engagement with said knuckle and dropping said lock into engagement therewith, said lock being afforded clearance from said knuckle in its closed position to accommodate said raising and dropping, spaced substantially vertical guide surfaces within said coupler and disposed respectively above and below said knuckle for engagement with surfaces on said lock to maintain said clearance while the lock is in raised position, anticreep abutments beneath said surfaces for engagement with said lock in its dropped position, and means for moving said locklaterally of the coupler into cooperative relationship with said abutments and for rigidly maintaining said lock in said relationship.

6. In a coupler, a pivoted knuckle, a lock bearing thereagainst, and a toggle mechanism comprising a pair of pivotally interconnected members, one of said members being pivoted to the coupler and bearing thereagainst and the other of said members having a convex bearing surface engaged with a complementary surface on the lock to urge the same .into engagement with the knuckle, a power cylinder device 'pivoted to the coupler and including a piston rod pivoted to the last-mentioned of said members, and a telltale pin pivoted to the first-mentioned of said members and extending through an opening in an adjacent wall of said coupler.

7. In a coupling, mating couplers each having a pivoted knuckle with a tail portion, and cushioning means compressed between said tail portion and a portion of the mating coupler, a lock for said knuckle, and means for moving said lock laterally within the coupler and toward the knuckle side thereof for tightening the engagement between said couplers after the same have been coupled, said means comprising a toggle mechanism housed within each coupler for engagement with the associated lock, and an air cylinder device operatively associated with said toggle mechanism.

8. In an automatic coupler, a knuckle pivoted therein, a lock bearing against said knuckle, said lock being movable laterally of said coupler, an anticreep abutment on said coupler for engagement with one side of said lock to prevent accidental upward movement thereof, means carried by said coupler for engaging the opposite side of said lock and moving the same laterally of said coupler into cooperative relationship with said abutment, said means comprising a toggle mechanism, and actuating means therefor.

9. In an automatic coupler, a knuckle pivoted therein, a lock bearing against said knuckle, said look being movable laterally of said coupler, an anticreep abutment on said coupler for engagement with one side of said lock to prevent accidental upward movement thereof, and means carried by said coupler for engaging the opposite side of said lock and moving the same laterally of said coupler into engagement with said abutment, said means comprising a toggle mechanism and an air cylinder operatively associated therewith.

l0. In an automatic coupler, a knuckle pivoted therein, a lock bearing against said knuckle, said lock being movable laterally of said coupler, spaced anticreep abutments on said coupler disposed respectively above and below said knuckle for engagement with one side of said lock to prevent accidental upward movement thereof, and means carried by said coupler for engaging th'e opposite side of said lock and moving the same laterally of said coupler and toward the knuckle side thereof into cooperative relationship with said abutments.

11. In a coupler, a knuckle pivoted therein, a lock for said knuckle, and means for raising said lock out of locking engagement with said knuckle and dropping said lock into locking engagement therewith, said lock being aiforded clearance from said knuckle in its closed position to accommodate said raising and dropping, spaced substantially vertical guide surfaces within said coupler and disposed respectively above and below said knuckle for engagement with surfaces on said lock to maintain said clearance While the lock is in raised position, said surfaces being disposed at one side of the longitudinal axis of said coupler.

12. In a coupler, a pivoted knuckle, a lock bearing thereagainst, and a toggle mechanism comprising a pair of pivotally interconnected members, one of said members being pivoted to the coupler and bearing thereagainst and the other of said members having a convex bearing surface engaged with a complementary surface on the lock to urge the same into engagement with the knuckle, and a iiuid pressure device pivoted to the coupler and including a piston rod pivoted to the last-mentionedof said members.

13. In a coupling, mating couplers each comprising apivoted knuckle and a lock bearing thereagainst, meansv for moving said locks laterally within said couplers, whereby said knuckles are pivoted to tighten the engagement between said couplers, said means comprising a toggle mechanism within each coupler for engagement with a wall thereof and with the associated lock. and an air cylinder carried by each coupler for actuation of the associated toggle mechanism.

14. In a coupler, a pivoted knuckle, a lock therefor, said lock being vertically movable into and out of locking engagement with said kncckle and said lock being movable laterally within said coupler during locking engagement with said knuckle to eiect a closing rotation thereof, and means for so moving said lock laterally within said coupler, said means including a fluid pressure power cylinder device operatively associated with said lock.

15. In a, coupler, a pivoted knuckle, a lock therefor, said lock being vertically movable into and out of locking engagement with said knuckle in its closed position and said lock being movable laterally within said coupler during locking engagement with said knuckle to effect rotation thereof in orderto further close said knuckle, and means for so moving said lock laterally within said coupler, said means including a toggle mechanism.

16. In a coupler, a pivoted knuckle, a lock in abutment with said knuckle, a toggle mechanism bearing against a wall of said coupler and against said lock to urge the latter into said abutment, an air cylinder device mounted on said coupler for actuation of said mechanism, said toggle mechanism including a telltale pin extending through an opening in a, wall of said coupler, and resilient release means bearing against said coupler and a portion of said mechanism.

17. In an automatic coupler, a knuckle pivoted therein, a lock vertically movable into and out of locking engagement with said knuckle, said lock also being horizontally movable laterally of said coupler, an anticreep abutment on said coupler disposed laterally at one side of the longitudinal axis thereof and adapted for engagement with one side of said lock to prevent accidental upward movement thereof from its locked position, and means carried by said coupler for engaging the opposite side of said lock and positively moving the same laterally of said coupler into engagement with said abutment.

18. In a coupling, mating couplers each' having a pivoted knuckle with a tail portion, and

cushioning means compressed between said tail portion and a portion of the mating coupler, a lock for said knuckle, and means for moving each lock laterally within the associated coupler and toward the knuckle side thereof for tightening the engagement between said couplers after the same have been coupled, said means comprising a toggle mechanism housed within each coupler for engagement with the associated lock.

19. In a coupling, mating couplers each comprising a pivoted Aknuckle and a lock bearing thereagainst, and means for moving said locks laterally within said couplers, whereby said knuckles are pivoted to tighten the engagement between said couplers, said means comprising a toggle mechanism'within each coupler for engagment with a wall thereof and with the associated lock.-

20. In a coupler, a pivoted knuckle, a lock in abutment with said knuckle, a toggle mechanism bearing against a wall of said coupler and against said lock to urge the latter into said abutment,"

and an air cylinder device mounted on said coupier for actuation of said mechanism, said toggle mechanism including a telltale pin extending through an opening in a wall of said coupler.

21. In a coupler, a pivoted knuckle, a lock in abutment with said knuckle, a toggle mechanism bearing against a wall of said coupler and against said lock to urge the latter into said abutment, and an air cylinder device mounted on said coupler for actuation of said mechanism.

22. In a lock for a coupler, a substantially solid member having on one side thereof spaced upper and lower surfaces/for engagement with anticreep means on an associated coupler, and said member having on the opposite side thereof a concave recess for the reception of complementary anticreep means.

23. In a coupler, a coupler head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, a lock member movable in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said coupler into and out of locking engagement with said knuckle, an anticreep abutment on said head, said lock in its locked position being movable in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first-mentioned plane into engagement with said abutment, and means for affecting said second-mentioned movement of said lock and for positively lmaintaining said lock in engagement with said abutment, said means comprising a fluid pressure device, and meansoperatively connecting said device to said lock.

24. In a coupler, a coupler head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, a lock member movable ina plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said coupler into and out of locking engagement with said knuckle, an anticreep abutment on said head, said lock in its locked posid5 tion being movable in a plane substantially perpendicular to the first-mentioned plane into engagement with said abutment, and means for affecting said second-mentioned movement of said lock and for positively maintaining said lock 50 in engagement with said abutment, said means comprising a fluid pressure device, and means operatively connecting said device to said lock, said last-mentioned means including a toggle mechanism housed within said head.

25. In a coupler, a coupler head, a knuckle pivoted therein, a lock movable into and out of locking engagement with said knuckle, said lock being movable in its locked position transversely of said head to affect rotation of said knuckle n for moving the latter to its extreme closed position, said second-mentioned movement of said lock being in a plane substantially perpendicular to the mst-mentioned movement thereof, and means for positively effecting said second-men- 65 tioned movement of the lock, said means including a fluid pressure device operatively connected to said lock.

26. In a coupler, a coupler head, a knuckle piv- I oted therein, a lock movable into and out of locking engagement with said knuckle, said lock being movable in its locked position transversely of said head to affect rotation of said knuckle for moving the latter to its extreme closed position, said second-mentioned movement of said lock being in a plane substantially perpendicular tioned movement of the lock, said means including a iiuid pressure device operatively connected to said lock, said operative connection comprising toggle means.

27. In an automatic coupler, a knuckle pivoted therein, a lock bearing against said knuckle, said lock being movable laterally of said coupler, an anticreep abutment on said coupler at one side of the longitudinal axis thereof, said abutment being formed and arranged for engagement with one side of the lock to prevent accidental upward movement thereof, and means carried by said coupler for engaging the opposite side of said lock and moving the same laterally of'said coupler and toward the knuckle side thereof into co-operative relationship with said abutment.

28. In a coupler, a coupler head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, lock means for said knuckle, anticreep means for said lock means, and actuating means for said anticreep means including a uid .pressure device operatively connected thereto,

said anticreep means including toggle means.

29. In a lock for a coupler, a member having a head with a leg depending therefrom for connection to actuating means, spaced substantially vertical guide surfaces on one side of said lock, the upper extremity of each surface merging with an angularly disposed anticreep surface, and a recess in the opposite side of said member formed and arranged for the reception of complementary anticreep means.

30. In a coupler head, a hollow member with a guard arm at one side thereof, and a guard arm pocket at the opposite side thereof, said member having a central cavity for the reception of associated operating means including a knuckleand a lock therefor, and vertically spaced anticreep ledges on said head within said cavity at one side of the longitudinal axis of said head, said anticreep means being formed and arranged for engagement with the said lock to prevent accidental upward movement thereof.

31. In a coupler head, a hollow member with a guard arm at one side thereof and a guard arm pocket at the opposite side thereof, said member having a central cavity for the reception of associated operating means including a knuckle and a lock therefor, and spaced substantially vertical lock guide surfaces on said head within said cavity, said surfaces being disposed at one side of the longitudinal axis of said head and lying in planes. substantially parallel to said axis, each of said surfaces defining an anticreep ledge therebeneath.

32. In a lock for a coupler, a member having a head with a leg depending therefrom for connection to associated actuating means, at least one substantially vertical guide surface on one side of said lock, the upper extremity of said surface merging with an angularly disposed anticreep surface, and a substantially vertical surface on the opposite side of said lock disposed substantially parallel with said first-mentioned surface,

said third-mentioned surface being interrupted' by an anticreep abutment.

V33. In a. coupler head, a hollow member with a guard arm at one side thereofand a guard arm pocket at the opposite side thereof. said member having a central cavity for thereception of associated operating means including a knuckle and a lock therefor,at least one anticreep ledge on said head within said cavity disposed at one side only of the longitudinal axis of said head, said anticreep means being formed and arranged for engagement with said lock to prevent accidental upward movement thereof, means engageable with one side of the lock for moving the same laterally of the coupler head into engagement with said anticreep ledge, and lifter means connected to the bottom of said lock for lifting the same out of. engagement with said knuckle under conditions When said lock is out of engagement with said ledge.

34. In a coupler head, a, hollow member with a guard arm at one side thereof and a guard arm pocket at the opposite side thereof, said member having a central cavity for the reception of associated operating means including a knuckle and a lock therefor, a, substantially vertical lock guide surface on said head within said cavity, said surface being disposed at one side only of the longitudinal axis of said head and lying in a plane substantially parallel to said axis, and said surface defining an anticreep ledge therebeneath disposed at said one side only of said head, means engageable with one side of the lock for moving the same laterally of the coupler head into anticreep engagement with said ledge, and means connected to the bottom of said lock for moving the same into and out of locking association with said knuckle when said second-mentioned means is not acting on said lock.

- EDMUND P. IQNNE.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 599,899 Hamfeldt Mar. 1, 1898 974,154 Janney Nov. 1, 1910 530,697 Latham Dec. 11, 1894 941,965 Tomlinson Nov. 30, 1909 848,763 McCarthy Apr. 2, 1907 628,329 Janney July 4, 1399 613,314 Richards Nov. 1, 1898 700,441 Richards May 20, 1902 518,754 Hall Apr. 24, 1894 2,098,207 Kayler Nov. 2, 1937 619,881 Fildes Feb. 21, 1889 2,116,459 Wolfe May 3, 1938 1,316,415 Brown Sept. 16, 1919 1,952,347 Woernley Mar. 27, 1934 757,366 Tower Apr. 12, 1904 1,204,119 Bazely Nov. 7, 1916

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