US2719634A

US2719634A - Vertical disengagement prevention car coupler

Info

Publication number: US2719634A
Application number: US311844A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Metzger
Original assignee: National Malleable and Steel Castings Co
Current assignee: National Malleable and Steel Castings Co
Priority date: 1952-09-27
Filing date: 1952-09-27
Publication date: 1955-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 1972-10-04
Also published as: NL87904C

Description

Oct. 4, 1955 w. J. METZ/GER 2,719,634

VERTICAL DISENGAGEMENT PREVENTION CAR COUPLER Filed Sept. 27, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. ML L /AM J M5 7265/? A TTORNEY Oct. 4, 1955 w. J. METZGER 2,719,634

VERTICAL DISENGAGEMENT PREVENTION CAR COUPLER Filed Sept. 27, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ITS-4 I7 ,37 3, 29 23 29 23 I F 1 l0 I 3! I 30c 3/ I 2% i'i' 31 W' e W. H as I MI I H 1 ii 1.1: s H u y I "m w 30c INVENTOR. 34 4 IH W/LL/AM J Msrzem BY 32 F 40 $7 30 30b ATTORNEY- Oct. 4, 1955 w. J. METZGER 2,719,634

VERTICAL DISENGAGEMENT PREVENTION CAR COUPLER Filed Sept. 27, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 27b 5- as as 3 h HIHH IN VEN TOR. W/LL/AM J METZGER ATTORNEY Oct. 4, 1955 w. J. METZGER 2,719,634

VERTICAL DISENGAGEMENT PREVENTION CAR COUPLER Filed Sept. 27, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. -W/LL/AM J METZGER A TTORNE Y United States Patent VERTICAL DISENGAGEMENT PREVENTION CAR COUPLER William J. Metzger, East Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to National Malleable and Steel Castings Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 27, 1952, Serial No. 311,844 18 Claims. (Cl. 213-153) This invention relates to railway car couplers and, more particularly, to the feature of an auxiliary support shelf having the functions of supporting a mating coupler against dropping onto the track in the event of a pullout and assisting in preventing telescoping of cars during collisions, derailments and other abnormal service conditions.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved coupler construction embodying such an auxiliary support shelf and which will permit the couplers to be produced by the use of the present manufacturing operations and equipment, and will permit the shelf means to be quickly and easily applied to the couplers.

Another object is to provide an improved coupler having a support shelf thereon of the attachment type and in which the shelf is of a relatively simple and lightweight construction adapted to be easily and directly applied to an existing coupler substantially without any alteration thereof and which, in its applied position, defines a concavity forming a substantially flush downward extension of the knuckle-receiving recess of the coupler head.

A further object is to provide a support shelf as an attachment adapted for application to a coupler head and which attachment, in its simplest form, comprises connected upright and lateral walls of which the upright wall is a continuous wall of a generally uniform height and having a curvature extent of approximately 90 defining a forwardly facing concavity and the lateral wall forms the bottom or floor of the concavity and whose connected rear edge is substantially coextensive in arcuate length with the curvature extent of the upright wall.

As another object, this invention provides an improved coupler in which a preformed support shelf attachment of the form just above mentioned is connected to the coupler head by weld means, and in which one or more locating projections of the shelf attachment assist in locating the same in proper position against the coupler head.

Still another object is to provide an improved coupler having thereon a support shelf of the attachment type comprising connected lateral and upright walls and in which the support shelf includes a mounting boss and is attached to the coupler by the entry of such boss in a recess in the underside of the knuckle support lug of the coupler.

Yet another object is to provide a novel support shelf attachment comprising connected lateral and upright walls and including angularly disposed upright wall portions adapted for two-plane locating engagement with a depending portion on the underside of the coupler head to which the attachment is applied.

As an additional object, this invention provides a novel.

2,719,634 Patented Oct. 4, 1955 port lug of the coupler head and a second boss projecting laterally from one of the upright wall portions and received in a hole of the depending portion of the coupler head.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent in the following detailed description and in the accompaying sheets of drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing support shelf attachment devices of the present invention applied to a pair of mating couplers, the couplers being shown in outline only;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the lower portion only of one of the couplers of Fig. 1 with the shelf attachment in its applied position thereon;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of the lower portion of the coupler with the knuckle removed and showing the shelf attachment mounted thereon;

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing one of the two couplers of Fig. 1 with the support shelf attachment thereon and also showing, in outline only, a coupler of another type in mating position therewith;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section taken through the shelf and adjacent coupler portions, the view being taken on section line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a similar fragmentary transverse vertical section taken on section line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a top and front perspective view showing the support shelf in detached relation;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the support shelf in detached relation;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the support shelf;

Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the support shelf;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary front elevation showing a modified form of support shelf attachment and the lower portion of a coupler to which this modified shelf has been applied;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary side elevation of such shelf and coupler as seen from the guard arm side of the latter;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary bottom view of such shelf and coupler;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary vertical section taken through the shelf and adjacent portion of the coupler as indicated by section line 14-14 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is another fragmentary vertical section thereof,

taken on section line 15-15 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 16 is a top plan view showing the modified support shelf attachment of Fig. 11 in detached relation; and

Fig. 17 is a front elevation of such shelf.

Different specific forms of the novel support shelf attachment device of this invention are applicable to various different forms of couplers. By way of example,

Figs. 1 to 10 inclusive illustrate one form of this novel support shelf 10 and show the same applied to a coupler engagement with the coupler 11. In Fig. 4, an A. A..R.

standard E coupler 13 is shown in mating engagement with the Tightlock coupler 11 having the support shelf 10 thereon. Figs. 11 to 17 inclusive show a modified form of support shelf 14 applied to an A. A. R. standard E coupler 15.

The Tightlock couplers 11 and 12, and the support shelves 10 applied thereto, are of identical construction and, hence, one only of these couplers, namely the coupler 11, will be described in detail. The coupler 11 comprises a head 17 having laterally spaced forwardly extending projections comprising a gathering wing 18 and a guard arm 19 which are of a construction to provide for interlocking engagement with the guard arm and gathering wing of a mating coupler thereby preventing relative vertical displacement between two coupled couplers. The portion of the head 17 which is located intermediate the gathering wing 18 and the guard arm 19 is formed with a forwardly facing transversely curved knuckle-receiving recess 20 and a knuckle-supporting lug 21 which has on its underside a recessed pin-supporting portion 21 It will be understood that the knuckle 16 is pivotally connected to the coupler head by a vertical pivot pin 22 (shown in Fig. 3) in the usual manner. The pin is disposed in an upside down position with its head 16 received in the recess in portion 21. Pin 22 is normally held in position by means of a cotter extending through its upper end. An auxiliary support or retaining means for pin 22 is provided by a pin 38 which is inserted through portion 21 and underlies the head of pin 22.

The coupler head 17 also comprises a depending portion or projection 23 located on the underside thereof at a point immediately rearwardly of the knuckle-receiving recess 2th. The depending projection 23 includes angularly disposed upright longitudinal walls 24 and transverse wall 25 to which further reference will be made hereinafter. The upright front or transverse wall 25 is provided with a hole 26, to which further reference will also be made hereinafter. Hole 26 may be drilled into existing couplers but preferably will be cast into new couplers.

As best seen in Figs. 7 to the support shelf 10 is in the form of a unitary member and comprises, in general, a pair of connected upright and

lateral walls

29 and 30, respectively, of which the upright wall 29 is a continuous wall having, at one end thereof, a substantially straight end portion 2% pointing in a lateral direction, that is, in a direction substantially normal to the longitudinal center line of the coupler 11. The upright wall 29 is defined at its other end by a substantially straight end portion 29 pointing substantially in a forward direction, that is, in the direction of the longitudinal center line of the coupler ll. Intermediate the

ends

29 and 29, the upright wall 29 is a continuous curved wall having an arcuate extent of approximately 90 and defining a forwardly facing concavity 31.

The horizontally disposed lateral wall 30 is continuously connected along the rear edge 30 thereof with the lower portion of the upright wall 29 and such connection extends continuously through the 90 curvature extent of the upright wall. The lateral Wall 3% defines the bottom or floor of the forwardly facing concavity 31 and has its front edge 39' substantially laterally aligned with the end surface 29 at the forward end of portion 29 of the upright wall 29. Front edge 349 preferably is disposed slightly rearwardly of the coupling line of the coupler so as to avoid any interference with the corresponding edge of the shelf of an opposing coupler. The support shelf 1 also includes a laterally extending auxiliary attachment means 32 integrally connected with the upright wall 29 adjacent the front end 29* of the latter. Attachment means 32 carries an upright main mounting boss 33 which has a transverse opening 34 extending substantially diametrically therethroug'h. At the front of its upper end this boss is provided with a chamfer or bevel 35.

The upright wall 2') of the support shelf 10 is of a generally uniform height for substantially its full length and, at an intermediate point thereof, is provided with a re'a'rwardly projecting upright rib 36. The rib 36 and the end portion 29 of the upright wall 29 constitute angularly disposed upright wall portions located in two intersecting vertical planes and adapted for positioning or locating cooperation with the depending projection 23 of the coupler head 17, as will be further described here'- inafter. At a point between the rib 36 and the end 29 the upright wall 29 is provided with a second boss 37 which extends rearwardly therefrom and -is of a size and shape for positioning engagement in the hole 26 of the depending projection 23.

The concavity 31 of the support shelf 10 has substantially the same contour as that portion of the knucklereceiving recess 20 which is located immediately adjacent to the knuckle-supporting lug 21 of the coupler head 17. When the support shelf 10 is mounted on the coupler 11, it is located against the underside of the coupler head 17 in a position such that the concavity 31 forms a sub stantially flush downward continuation of the knucklereceiving recess 20 with the lateral wall 30 forming the bottom or floor of such extension recess. When the support shelf 10 is attached to the coupler head 17 in this position, the lateral wall 30 will form a support or floor for the knuckle of the mating coupler of the non-interlocking type such as the standard E coupler shown at 13 in Fig. 4, in the event of excessive downward displacement of the non-interlocking coupler relative to the Tightlock coupler. Thus within the limit of its strength shelf 10 will preclude disengagement of these couplers in a vertical direction and prevent telescoping of the cars. Also shelf 10 will support the mating coupler against dropping down onto the track in the event such mating coupler is accidentally pulled out of its associated car.

The above-mentioned upright boss 33 and the rearwardly extending second boss 37 of the support shelf 10 represent one form of connecting means by which this novel support shelf can be connected with the coupler head 17. The

bosses

33 and 37 are located on the support shelf 10 in such positions that when the shelf is applied to the underside of the coupler head 17 with the concavity 31 forming a downward extension of the knuckle-receiving recess 20, as just explained above, the boss 33 will be received in the recess in pin-supporting portion 21* and the second boss 37 will be received in the hole 26 of the depending projection 23.

Upon movement of the second boss 37 into the hole 26, the locating

wall portions

36 and 29* come into a two-plane positioning engagement with the side and front faces of

walls

24 and 25 of the depending projection 23. In applying shelf 10 to the coupler the boss 37 is first entered into hole 26, with boss 33 at this point being disposed just below and substantially aligned with the recess in pin-supporting portion 21. Next the boss 33 is raised into the recess in portion 21 to complete the movement of the shelf into position. Movement of the boss 33 into the hole 27 is facilitated by the chamfer 35 While an annular bevel or chamfer 37 provided on the second boss 37, facilitates the assembly movement thereof into the hole 26.

When the support shelf 10 has been thus applied to the underside of the coupler head 17, the aforementioned pin 38 is inserted through the existing transverse opening 39 in portion 21a and through the transverse open ing 34 of the main boss 33 to secure the shelf in place.

Although the support shelf 10 has been described above as including the main and

second bosses

33 and 37, it should be understood that, if desired, these can be omitted and such omission will result in a more simplified form of the support shelf which, in all other respects, is identical with the support shelf 10 and which simplified support shelf can be connected with the coupler 11 by weld means extending along portions of the upright Wall 29 which are in contact with the underside of the coupler head when the shelf is in place. The proper positioning of this simplified form of support shelf against the underside of the coupler head 17, is facilitated by the above-mentioned twoplane locating engagement of the

upright wall portions

36 and 29* with the side and

front walls

24 and 25 of the depending projection 23.

As shown in the drawings, the side edge 30 of the lateral Wall 30 of the support shelf 10 is provided with an undercut or bevel 40 for clearance purposes and for guiding engagement with another support shelf which may be encountered on certain other forms of couplers which may come into mating engagement with the coupier 1,1.

As mentioned above, Fig. 4 of the drawings shows an E coupler 13 in mating engagement with a Type H Tightlock coupler 11 equipped with this novel support shelf 10. As is shown in this view, the shelf of the coupler 11 will provide a support for the knuckle 41 of the coupler 13 when these couplers are in this mating engagement. The shelf 10 will effectively support the coupler 13 in the event the latter is pulled out of its car and will also prevent excessive relative vertical displacements between these two mating couplers during abnormal service conditions.

From the foregoing description of the support shelf 10, and the attachment thereof to the coupler head 17 by means of the main and

second bosses

33 and 37, it will be seen that this support shelf is of a very simple construction and can be quickly and easily applied to the coupler 11. It will, likewise, be seen that when the support shelf 10 is connected with the coupler 11 by means of the

bosses

33 and 37, it can be quickly and easily detached from the coupler whenever desired. When the support shelf does not include the

bosses

33 and 37 but is of the form intended to be welded to the coupler head 17, it is quickly and easily located in correct position against the coupler head by the two-plane locating cooperation of the

upright wall portions

36 and 29 with the side and front walls of the depending projection 23 and is readily secured in place by means of welding.

As already indicated above, Figs. 11 to 17 inclusive show a modified attachment shelf 14 intended for application to an E coupler 15. The coupler includes a coupler head 42 having a guard arm 43 and a lug 44 for pivotally supporting a knuckle. Intermediate the guard arm 43 and the lug 44, the coupler head 42 is provided with a forwardly facing transversely concave knucklereceiving recess 45 adapted to receive the knuckle of an adjacent mating coupler. The recess 45 corresponds substantially in location, shape and curvature extent with the above-mentioned knuckle-receiving recess of the coupler 11.

The modified support shelf 14 is generally similar to the support shelf 10 in that it comprises connected upright and

lateral walls

46 and 47, respectively, of which the upright wall 46 is curved and defines a forwardly facing concavity 48 having a curvature extent of approximately 90 and the horizontal lateral wall 47 is connected with the upright wall along the lower edge of the latter and forms the floor of the concavity. The support shelf 14 is provided with indexing lugs or locating projections for cooperation with the coupler head 42, in this instance, two

such locating projections

49 and 50.

The locating projection 49 comprises a laterally and rearwardly extending arm projection of the upright wall 46 and is provided, adjacent its extreme end, with an offset upstanding locating finger 51. The locating projection 50 extends substantially radially rearwardly from the upright wall 46 adjacent the midpoint thereof and is provided with an upstanding locating finger 52. The upright wall 46 of the support shelf 14 has an upwardlysloping incline 53 thereon, as shown in Figs. 11 and 17, to follow the contour of the underside of the coupler head 42.

When the support shelf 14 is applied to the coupler 15, it is placed against the underside of the coupler head 42 with the locating

fingers

51 and 52 extending into a substantially hooked engagement with shoulder portions of the coupler head (as particularly seen in Figs. 14 and 15) and with the top edge of the upright wall 46 engaging the lower surface of the coupler head immediately rearwardly of the knuckle-receiving recess 45. The support shelf 14 is secured to the coupler head 42 in this position by weld means 54 extending along the upper edge of the upright wall 46 and along portions of the locating

projections

49 and 50.

When the support shelf 14 has been applied to the coupler 15 in the location and manner just described above, the concavity 48 will form a substantially flush downward continuation of the knuckle-receiving recess 45, with the lateral wall 47 forming the floor of such extension recess and providing a support for the knuckle of a mating coupler. The side edge 47 of the lateral wall 47 may be provided with an undercut or bevel 47 which will afford clearance for, and produce guiding cooperation with, another support shelf of a coupler which may come into mating engagement with the coupler 15.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, it will now be readily understood that this invention provides a support shelf device of a novel form which can be readily applied to various standard forms of couplers and which will serve the purpose of preventing excessive vertical displacements between such couplers during abnormal service conditions and will effectively support a pulled-out coupler against dropping down onto the track. Additionally, it will be seen that the standard couplers for which this novel support shelf has been devised, can be produced by the operations and equipment which are now being used by the manufacturer and that the attachment of the support shelves thereto can be quickly and easily accomplished.

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

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a car coupler having a head including a forwardly facing knuckle-receiving recess adapted to receive the knuckle of a mating coupler, a preformed attachment shelf device comprising connected walls including an upright wall defining a concavity and a laterally extending bottom wall, a plurality of locating means extending rearwardly from said upright wall and engaging portions of said head, and means connecting said shelf device with said head, said concavity forming a downward extension of said knuckle-receiving recess and said bottom wall forming the floor of the extension recess.

2. In a car coupler, a head having a forwardly facing transversely concave knuckle-receiving recess and a depending projection on the underside of said head, a preformed coupler supporting shelf comprising connected walls defining a concavity and including a transverse bottom wall and a pair of angularly disposed upright wall portions, and means connecting said shelf with said head, said upright wall portions having two-plane locating engagement with said depending projection such that said concavity forms a downward extension of said knucklereceiving recess and said bottom wall forms a floor for the extension recess.

3. In a car coupler, a head having a forwardly facing transversely concave knuckle-receiving recess and a de pending projection on the underside of said head pro vided with a horizontally extending hole, a preformed coupler supporting shelf comprising connected walls defining a concavity and including a transverse bottom wall and a pair of angularly disposed laterally and rearwardly extending upright wall portions, said shelf being disposed with said upright wall portions in two-plane locating engagement with said depending projection and said concavity forming a continuation of said knuckle-receiving recess extending downwardly to said bottom wall, and means connecting said shelf with said head including a boss carried by the laterally extending upright wall portion and engaging in said hole.

4. In a car coupler having a head including a forwardly facing knuckle-receiving recess adapted to receive the knuckle of a mating coupler, a preformed attachment shelf device comprising connected walls including an upright wall defining a concavity and a laterally extending bottom wall, said shelf device being disposed against said head at the underside thereof such that said concavity forms a continuation of said knuckle-receiving recess extending downwardly to said bottom wall, and weld means along said upright wall and connecting said shelf device with said head.

5. In a car coupler, a head, a knuckle, means pivotally mounting said knuckle on said head including a recessed lug on said head, said lug being disposed beneath the knuckle pivot means, said head having a knuckle-receiving recess therein adapted to receive the knuckle of a mating coupler, a preformed attachment shelf device comprising connected walls including a curved upright wall defining a concavity and a laterally extending bottom wall, said shelf being disposed against said head at the underside thereof such that said concavity forms a continuation of said knuckle-receiving recess extending downwardly to said bottom wall, and means attaching said shelf to said head comprising a boss connected with said shelf and received in said recessed lug.

6. In a car coupler, a head, a knuckle, means pivotally mounting said knuckle on said head including a recessed lug on said head, said lug being disposed beneath the knuckle pivot means, said head having a knucklereceiving recess therein adapted to receive the knuckle of a mating coupler, a preformed attachment shelf device comprising connected walls including a curved upright wall defining a concavity and a laterally extending bottom wall, said shelf being disposed against said head at the underside thereof such that said concavity forms a continuation of said knuckle-receiving recess extending downwardly to said bottom wall, and means attaching said shelf to said head comprising a boss connected with said shelf and engaging in said recessed lug and a retaining pin extending transversely through said lug and said boss.

7. In a car coupler, a head, a knuckle, means pivotally mounting said knuckle on said head including a recessed lug on said head, said head having a knuckle-receiving recess therein adapted to receive the knuckle of a mating coupler, said head also having a depending projection on the underside thereof, a preformed coupler supporting shelf comprising connected Walls defining a concavity and including a transverse bottom wall and a pair of angularly disposed laterally and rearwardly extending upright wall portions, said shelf being disposed with said upright wall portions in two-plane locating engagement with said depending projection and said concavity forming a continuation of said knuckle-receiving recess extending downwardly to said bottom wall, and means attaching said shelf to said head comprising a boss connected with the shelf and received in said recessed lug.

8. In a car coupler, a head, a knuckle, means pivotally mounting said knuckle on said head including a recessed lug on said head, said head having a knucklereceiving recess therein adapted to receive the knuckle of a mating coupler and said head also having a depending projection located on the underside thereof and provided with a hole, a preformed coupler supporting shelf comprising connected walls defining a concavity and including a transverse bottom wall and a pair of angularly disposed laterally and rearwardly extending upright wall portions, said shelf being disposed with said upright wall portions in two-plane locating engagement with said depending projection and said concavity forming a continuation of said knuckle'receiving recess extending downwardly to said bottom wall, and means attaching said shelf to said head comprising a boss connected with the shelf and engaging in said recessed lug and a second boss carried by one of said upright wall portions and engaging in said hole.

9. In a car coupler, a head, a knuckle, means pivotally mounting said knuckle on said head including a recessed lug on said head, said head having a forwardly facing transversely concave knuckle-receiving recess therein adapted to receive the knuckle of a mating coupler,

ell)

till

said head also having a depending projection on the underside thereof located adjacent to but rearwardly of.

with said concavity forming a substantially flush continuation of said knuckle-receiving recess extending downwardly to said bottom wall, and means attaching said shelf to said head comprising a boss connected with the shelf and engaging in said recessed lug and a projection carried by said laterally extending locating portion and engaging in said hole.

10. In a car coupler having a head including a forwardly facing knuckle-receiving recess adapted to receive the knuckle of a mating coupler, a preformed attachment shelf device comprising connected walls including an upright wall defining a concavity and a laterally extending bottom wall, said shelf device being disposed against said head at the underside thereof such that said concavity forms a continuation of said knuckle-receiving recess extending downwardly to said bottom wall, indexing lugs connected with said upright wall at spaced points thereof and projecting therefrom in angular relation thereto and having locating engagement with portions of the underside of said head, and weld means along said upright wall and lugs connecting said shelf device with said head, said indexing lugs having upstanding fingers thereon extending into overlapping relation to the lug-engaged portions of said head.

11. A support shelf for attachment to a coupler head, comprising a unitary member having a curved continuous upright wall defining a horizontally curved concavity on one side of the member and a laterally extending wall connected to the upright wall at the lower edge thereof and forming a floor for said concavity, the surface of said upright wall on the concave side thereof being a substantially unbroken smooth flat surface, said upright wall on the convex side thereof having a plurality of rearwardly extending projections for locating said shelf relative to a coupler head.

12. A support shelf for attachment to a coupler head, comprising a curved continuous upright wall defining a concavity, a laterally extending wall connected to the upright wall at the lower edge thereof and forming a floor for said concavity, and an upright mounting boss connected with said shelf and spaced laterally of said upright wall.

13. A support shelf for-attachment to a coupler head, comprising a curved continuous upright wall defining a concavity, a laterally extending wall connected to the upright wall at the lower edge thereof and forming a floor for said concavity, attachment means extending laterally from said upright wall adjacent one end thereof, and an integral upstanding boss on said means.

14. A support shelf for attachment to a coupler head, comprising a curved continuous upright wall defining a concavity, a laterally extending wall connected to the upright wall at the lower edge thereof and forming a floor for said concavity, an upright mounting boss connected with said shelf at a point intermediate the upper and lower ends of said upright Wall, said boss being spaced laterally of one end of said upright wall, and a second boss carried by said upright wall and projecting rearwardly therefrom adjacent its other end.

15. A support shelf for attachment to a coupler head, comprising a curved continuous upright wall defining a concavity, a laterally extending wall connected to the upright wall at the lower edge thereof and forming a floor for said concavity, an upright mounting boss connected with said shelf and located in adjacent laterally spaced relation to one end of said upright wall, a second boss carried by said upright wall and projecting rearwardly therefrom adjacent its other end, and an upright locating rib projecting rearwardly from said upright wall at a point intermediate the ends of the latter.

16. A support shelf for attachment to a coupler head, comprising a curved continuous upright wall defining a concavity, a laterally extending wall connected to the upright wall at the lower edge thereof and forming a floor for said concavity, an upright lug projecting substantially radially rearwardly from said upright wall at a point intermediate the ends thereof, and an angular arm formed as an extension of said upright wall at one end thereof.

17. A support shelf for attachment to a coupler head, comprising a curved continuous upright wall defining a concavity, a laterally extending wall connected to the upright wall at the lower edge thereof and forming a floor for said concavity, an upright lug projecting substantially radially rearwardly from said upright wall at a point intermediate the ends thereof, and an angular arm formed as an extension of said upright wall at one end thereof, said lug and angular arm each having an upstanding finger at the top thereof.

18. A support shelf for attachment to a coupler head, comprising a horizontally curved continuous upright wall defining a concavity, a laterally extending wall connected to the upright wall at the lower edge thereof and forming a floor for said concavity, and means extending rearwardly from said upright wall for positioning said shelf relative to a coupler head, the upper end of said upright wall being inclined complementally to the underside of a coupler head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS