US2482005A - Coupler - Google Patents

Description

E. P. KINNE Sept. I3, 1949.

COUPLER 3 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1e, 194s www E. P. KINNE i Sept. 13, 1949.

COUPLER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 16, 1943 IN V EN TOR.

alienated Sept. 13, 1949 UNITED TATES QF FICE COUPLERl Edmund JP. nime, Alliance, ohio', assigne .to

American Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a cori poration of New Jersey implication July 16, 1943, seiialNaiseei 10 Claims. (Cl: 213159l` My invention relates to couplers and more particularly to an improvenent on the design of coupler illustrated Vin Patent No. 2,183,501, issued December `12, 1939, 'by the United States Patent Oiioe. While the invention as illustrated herein is applied to the type of Vcoupler shown and described said patent, it vvill be understood that the present'inventioninay with some modication be adaptedto other couplers such as, for example, the E coupler, adopted as' a 'standard by the Association of Anerican Railroads.

The principal object of this inventionis to provide means for holdingjtnelock in locked position, which means'wi'll ntfbie alected by the forces and the conditions v which cause the anticreep of present couplrsto release, thus failing to prevent the lock froniraising to' cause an' accidental uncoupling. My' novel anticreep means is supplemental to theJ anticrep presently utilized and the forces of gravity which' are 'depended upon to cause'the present` ariticreep to' function.

A specific object of ny invention is to provide means in the form of a spring which supplements the present ar'lticreeprnealis.v The spring is' effective to prevent creeping of the' lock in the event that the usual anticrep `rneans fails for so'rne reason; however, the customary anticreep means is provided and functions 'as usual in the event that the spring for son'e reason should become inoperative.

A different object oi myinvefl'tion is to provide a novel wedge engag'enelitbetween the knuckle tail and the lock, whereby asth'e latter is urged to locked position, it facilitates the closing of the knuckle.

In the drawings, Figure' 1 is a horizontal sectional view through a coupler embodying my invention substantially as' indicated by the line l-I of Figure 2, the parts operable Within the coupler being shown in plan View with a portion of the knuckle tail broken away to illustrate the knuckle thrower therebeneath.

Figure 2 is a sectionalV view through the coupler head taken in the vertical plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1 with the lool; and the parts associated therewith 'shown'V in elevation, a part ofthe lock being brokenA awa-y.

Figure 3 is a View comparable to that of Figure 2 with the look llustratdilr its highest position riding on the open knuckle tail.

Figure 4 is a' sectional viewcorr'lparable to those of Figures 2 and 3 but illustrating theV lock falling to locked position, and Figure 5J is a` sectional View taken in the verticl'fplane indicated by the line 5--5 of Figure 4.

DE uu in a coirr'plem ntary fa'l'n'iitarysectional View comparablet tlos Figures"f24 to' 4 inclusive but illustrating 'he "anin 4vv'hich' my novel anti- `creep vb 'ster Ais 'applied within the coupler he'ad;

Figures-Srartig illustrate iii-detail my novel antiee'il4 spring,- 13 being -al side elevation thereof and Figure 9 be atop-plan' View thereof.

Desori l'griy irve nin detail,y the coupler head-'g herally'de'sigiatedi, lis integrally formed withasliianl4;;ffragirientary portion of which is ill'ust-rate`v knuckle-6 is `pivoted at 8 (Fig- Y tic- "t'r'tion vvithjin the coupler n'the abo ""r'nentioned patent, anda leek generaliydesignated lo, is pivoted Within th'lr'ad'2 yth spacedl trunnions l2 and i4, the iur'ihiorl i2-B f i'reeei-vedwitnin a complementaly opening theadjacent coupler head Wall; andthe trun` on" f4 being received Within a trunioii pdeleet'nfitegrally refined within the coupler head1 The ldcfl gl il' cliiiri'se'sgthealtiereep lug I S for engagement Witlitli'aiiticrep-stop or lug I8 of the liftengenaly-dsigated 2'0, saidlifter being operable arotllrZZA received Within an opening 24 therethrough and keyed within ifjakeyl received Witht 2e partiallydeningsaid ivtedon the axis 3l) by trurinions' thereon at 'opposite 6,'jasdescibed `in detail in the above-identi cated;- It will be understood that therotor rota "don its 'airis 3!! by means al op 'rating rod, whereby the ted'to peraite'the lock and the rotation of the same to open position as the face 32 of the lifter engages the operating arm 40 of the knuckle thrower to rotate the same in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 1, about its trunnion 44.

In locked position, as illustrated in Figure 1, the lock I is engaged at, 50 with the locking face of the knuckle tail 52 and said lock is engaged at 54, 54 with the wall 56 of the coupler head, the lock being formed with a pulling lug 58 for engagement at 68 with the lug 62 formed on said wall 56, whereby the lock is prevented from creeping forwardly within thecoupler under pulling service conditions.

The above-described coupler parts are substantially identical with those shown and described in my above-mentioned patent, and it will be understood that these parts are assembled and are maintained in assembled relationship in substantially the manner set forth in said patent. It may be noted that substantially the entire mass of the lock Iii is disposed forwardly of its trunnions I2 and I4 in order to facilitate its movement in dropping to locked position, and the present invention consists in combining with the above-described structure a torsion or booster spring, generally designated 64 and shown in detail in Figures 8 and 9, this spring being operable to resist raising of the lock from its locked position, as hereinafter more fully described.

'Ihe spring, as illustrated in detail in Figures 8 and 9, consists of two coils 66 and 68 formed at their adjacent ends with a loop 'Ill for engagement at 'I2 (Figure 2) with the arcuate spring seat 'I4 formed on the upper surface of the lock. At their remote ends the coils 66 and E8 are formed with hooks I6 and 'IB for engagement at 8) and 82, respectively, within notches formed in the rib 84 integrally joined with the coupler head. The engagement of the hooks 'I6 and I8 with the rib 84 will be best understood by a comparison of Figure 6 with any of Figures 2 to 4 inclusive. The coils 66 and 68 are received beneath a bridgelike retaining member 86 integrally formed with the coupler head and slotted as at 81 (Figure 1) to accommodate movement of the spring 64 as the lock is raised and lowered within the coupler head.

In assembling the spring 64, as illustrated in Figure 7, the coils are slipped beneath the retaining member 86 and are moved toward the rib 84 with the loop Hl of the spring, inclined downwardly as illustrated in this figure. When the hooks are in proper position within the notches 38 and 82, the loop may be raised for engagement with the lock as it is inserted through the front opening 88 in the coupler head, as described in detail in my above-mentioned patent. The opening 88 is best seen in Figures 2 to 4 inelusive.

Figure 3 illustrates the lock I0 in its highest position, riding on the knuckle tail 52 after the knuckle has been thrown open preparatory to a coupling operation. The lifter is illustrated in released position, to which it normally rotates in a counterclockwise direction, as illustrated in this figure, this rotation being caused by the counterweight portion 89 of the lifter which, after actuation thereof in a clockwise direction by means of the rotor, is operable to return the lifter to its released position as illustrated in each of Figures 2 to 4 inclusive. As illustrated in Figure 3, it will be seen that the coils of the anticreep spring 64 are placed under considerable torsion, whereby as the lock commences to drop to locked position as illustrated in Figure 4, the spring 64 is exerting a considerable pressure to facilitate this action. Inasmuch as the knuckle tail, as clearly illustrated in Figure 5, is formed with a wedge surface for engagement with the lock, it will be understood that the spring is operable to assist in moving the knuckle to closed position, whereupon the lock drops to locked position, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, between the locking face of the knuckle tail and the locking surface of the wall 56 of the coupler head. I have actually ascertained by experiment that the spring 64 is of considerable assistance in thus completing the final closure of the knuckle.

Figure 2 illustrates the lock in locked position but slightly raised from the seat 92 which the lock normally engages in this position. This figure shows the action of the spring 64 in resisting movement of the lock upward from the seat 92, thus supplementing the anticreep obtained as a result of the engagement of the anticreep lug I6 on the lock with the anticreep lug I8 on the lifter. In this connection it will be understood, as more fully described in my above-mentioned patent, that movement of the lock from the position illustrated in Figure 4 to that illustrated in Figure 2 results in a clockwise rotation of the lifter 28 as the lug I6 rides over the lug I8 on the lifter. When the lug I6 has passed the lug I8, the lifter, because of the counterweight portion 89 thereof, rotates in a counterclockwise direction to its released position, whereby the lugs I6 and I8 engage each other, as illustrated in Figure 2, to aord an anticreep.

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 of 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 car coupler, the combination of a coupler head, a knuckle, a lock, a lifter, a rotor, and a knuckle thrower operable in said head, said knuckle thrower having an operating arm, said lifter having cam means adjacent its forward end and being rotatable to raise said lock by engagement of said means with the forward end of said lock and said lifter being further rotatable to engage said arm and operate said knuckle thrower for movement of said knuckle, said lock having trunnion means at its rear end substantially the entire mass of said lock being disposed upwardly of said trunnion means in lockset position, whereby the impact of coupling imparts a maximum falling impulse to rotate said lock from lockset position to normal locked position, the tail of said knuckle having a wedge surface for engagement with the adjacent portion of said lock as the latter moves to locked position, and resilient means bearing against a portion of said coupler head and against said lock to facilitate the movement thereof to locked position, said resilient means being in the form of a torsion spring having a coil intermediate its ends, said spring being interlocked at one end thereof with means on said coupler head and said spring being in abutmentat its opposite end with said lock, a retaining member formed within said coupler head and overlying said coil, and a rib within said coupler head and engaged with one end of said spring, the opposite end of said spring bearing against said lock.

2. In a car coupler, the combination of a couplerhead, a knuckle, a loch-fainter, a rotor, and a knuckle throweroperable 'in said head, said knuckle thrower having -an operating Aarm, Ysaid lifter havingV cam'rneans adjacent its forward end and being rotatabl'e-toraise-said lock-by engagement of said'mean-s-with-'the forward-end of said lock and said lifter bcing'furtherrotatable to engage said arm and operate -said knuckle and thrower for movement of saidknuckle, said lock having trunnion means at'- itsrear end, substantially the en'tiremass 4of said lock being disposed upwardly of said .trunnion means in lockset position, whereby the impact 'of `coupling imparts a maximum falling A,impulse to :rotate said lock from lockset position to normal locked position, the tail of said knucklehaving a wedge surface for engagement with the adjacent Vportion of said lock as the latter moves to locked position, and resilient means bearing against.aportion oi said coupler head and Vagainst ,said lock to vfacilitate the movement thereof to locked position, said resilient means being in the vform of a torsion spring having a coilintermediate its ends, said spring being interlocked at one end thereof with means on said .coupler head and said spring being in abutment at its opposite end with said lock.

3. In a car coupler, the combination of a coupler head, a knuckle pivoted therein, a lock operable therein, a lifter, a rotor, and a knuckle thrower having a knuckle engaging arm and an operating arm, a lockset shoulder and an anticreep lug on said lock, said lifter being operable to raise said lock to lockset position by cam engagement therewith wherein said lock is supported by abutment of said lifter against said shoulder, and said lifter being further operable to rotate said knuckle thrower to open said knuckle by engagement with said operating arm, said lifter having an anticreep stop integral therewith, said lug and said stop having abutment against each other when said parts are in locked position to prevent a creeping action of said lock, said lifter and said rotor being keyed together for rotary movement when assembled in operative position, a bridgelike retaining member and a rib adjacent thereto within said coupler head, and a torsion spring comprising a coil received beneath said retaining member, one end of said spring being nterlocked with said rib and the opposite end of said spring bearing against an adjacent surface on said lock for resisting movement thereof from its locked position.

4. In a car coupler, the combination of a coupler head, a knuckle, a lock, a lifter, a rotor, and a knuckle thrower operable in said head, said knuckle thrower having an operating arm, said lifter having cam means adjacent its forward end and being rotatable to raise said lock by engagement of said means with the forward end of said lock and said lifter being further rotatable to engage said arm and operate said knuckle thrower for movement of said knuckle, said lock having trunnion means at its rear end, substantially the entire mass of said lock being disposed upwardly of said trunnion means in lockset position, Whereby the impact of coupling imparts a maximum falling impulse to rotate said lock from lockset position to normal locked position, movement of said lock from lockset to normal locked position being effective to rotate said lifter and establish an anticreep between said lock and said lifter, and resilient means for resiliently maintaining said lock and said lifter in anticreep relationship, said resilient means being in the form of a torsion spring bearing at opposite ends thereof against 6 said head and said lock, said `spring comprising a coil intermediate its ends', and fulcrummeans for said spring in the form ofa bridge-likemember integrally formed with said head and overlying said coil.

5. In a car coupler, the combination of acoupler head, a knuckle pivoted therein,.a.lock operable therein, a lifter, a rotor, and .a knuckle thrower having a knuckle engagingarm and an operating arm, a lockset shoulder and an anticreep lug on said lock, said lifter'beingoperable to raise said lock to lockset positionby camengagement therewith wherein said lock- .is-supported by abutment of said vlifter against said shoulder, and said lifter being further operable to rotate said knuckle thrower' to operi said knuckle by engagement with said 'operating' arm, said lifter having an anticreep stop `integral therewith, said lug and said stop'having abutment against each other when saidiparts are in locked position to prevent a creepingaction ofs'aidlo'ck, said lifter and said rotor being keyed together for rotary movement when assembled in. operative position, and resilient means engaging saidcoupler `head and said lock for resiliently maintaining said lug in abutment with said stop, said riesilient means being in the form of an elongated member bearing at its opposite ends against abutment means on said lock and said head respectively, and an integral bridge member Within said head bearing against said elongated member intermediate its ends to afford a fulcrum therefor.

6. In a car coupler, a coupler head, parts operable in said head comprising a lock having lockset means, a knuckle thrower, a rotor, a lifter mounted on said rotor, cooperating anticreep means on said lifter and said lock adjacent their rear ends, and cam means on the forward end of said lifter cooperable with the forward end of said lock to rotate said lock from locked to lockset position, wherein the forward end of said lifter is in abutment with said lockset means, resilient means bearing against said coupler and a portion of said lock to resist said rotation from locked position, said resilient means being in the form of a torsion spring intel-locked at one end thereof with means in the coupler head, said spring slidably bearing at its opposite end against an arcuate seat on said lock, said spring comprising an intermediate coil, and an integral bridge member within said head overlying said coil and bearing thereagainst.

7. In a car coupler, a coupler head, a lock, a lifter, a rotor and a knuckle thrower operable therein, said lock having trunnions at its rear end and lockset means at an intermediate point, said lifter having cam means adjacent its forward end engageable with said lock remote from said trunnions and forwardly of said lockset means upon rotation of said lifter, said lock being operable on release from said lockset position to impart rotative movement to said lifter and establish an anticreep therewith, a torsion spring with an intermediate coil and spaced end portions engaging said coupler head and said lock respectively for yieldingly maintaining the latter in its anticreep relationship with respect to said lifter, and a retaining member within said head in fixed relation with respect thereto, said member being spaced from said trunnions and bearing against said coil to afford a fulcrum for said spring.

8. In a car coupler, a coupler head, a lock, a lifter, a rotor and a knuckle thrower operable therein, said lock having trunnions at its rear end and lockset means at an intermediate point, said lifter having cam means adjacent its forward end engageable with said lock remote from said trunnions and forwardly of said lockset means upon rotation of said lifter, said lock being operable on release from said lockset position to impart rotative movement to said lifter and establish an anticreep therewith, resilient means having its opposite ends respectively engaging said coupler head and said lock for yieldingly maintaining the latter in its anticreep relationship with respect to said lifter, and a bridge-like retaining member formed within said head and spaced from said trunnions, said member bearing against said resilient means intermediate its ends to aiord a fulcrum therefor.

9. In a coupler, a coupler head, a knuckle pivoted therein, a lock pivoted at the rear extremity thereof Within said head and movable into and out of locking engagement with said knuckle, a torsion spring bearing at opposite ends thereof respectively against a rib on said head and an upwardly facing surface on said lock, said spring comprising a coil intermediate its ends, and an integral bridge-like retaining member formed within said head and overlying said coil, said member being spaced rearwardly of said lock.

10. In a coupler, a coupler head, a knuckle pivoted therein, a lock movable into and out of locking engagement with said knuckle, an elongated resilient member bearing at opposite ends thereof respectively against said head and said lock, and an integral bridge-like retaining member formed within said head and bearing against said elongated member intermediate its ends to afford a fulcrum therefor.

EDMUND P. KINNE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 589,140 Regan Aug. 31, 1897 612,396 Brown Oct. 18, 1898 658,073 Richards Sept. 18, 1900 798,322 Carter Aug. 29, 1905 1,083,121 McKeIahan Dec. 30, 1913 1,479,100 Kelso Jan. 1, 1924 2,183,501 Kinne Dec. 12, 1939

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