US3157289A

US3157289A - Car coupler

Info

Publication number: US3157289A
Application number: US303366A
Authority: US
Inventors: Penti Kenneth L De
Original assignee: National Castings Co
Current assignee: National Castings Co
Priority date: 1963-08-20
Filing date: 1963-08-20
Publication date: 1964-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 1981-11-17
Also published as: GB1054860A; BE651979A

Description

Nov. 17, 1964 K. L. DE PENTI CAR COUPLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 20, 1963 Nov. 17, 1964 K. 1.. DE PENTI CAR COUPLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed. Aug. 20, 1963 INVENTOR.

K /1//V[ 7 L. DEF! /V7/ United States Patent Oflice 3,l?,289 Patented Nov. 17, 1984 3,157,289 QIAR (IGUPLER Kenneth L. De Penti, Mayfield Heights, Ghio, assignor to National Castings Company, (Ileveland, Ghio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Aug. 20, 1%3, Ser. No. 303,366 8 Qiaims. (Cl. 213-4 This invention relates to car couplers for railway vehicles and more particularly to anti-coupling abutment means afiixed to a coupler head to prevent the complete coupling of similar couplers carrying identical abutment means.

As is well known in the railway art, the modern rotary dump system employed in the mining industry eliminates the necessity of uncoupling and separating the loaded cars from an assembled ore train in order to unload the contents of the cars. Advances in this field permit the cradle of the rotary type dumper to rotate the car about its longitudinal coupler axes.

In such a rotary dump system, one end of the ore car is provided with a rotatable coupler; that is, a coupler having a shank and yoke connection which permits the coupler to rotate relative to the yoke. The other end of the car is provided with a coupler having a conventional or non-rotary type attachment. For proper operation of this system, a rotatable coupler is always coupled with a non-rotatable coupler. Such a coupling orientation maintains the rotatable coupler in the normal, upright position subsequent to the unloading operation.

In a rotary dump system when two adjacent ore cars in an ore train are incorrectly orientated, the yard personnel in checking the assembly of the train would normally notice the improper orientation. However, should such an improper orientation escape the attention of the yard personnel and a rotary dump operation attempted, the two non-rotary type coupled couplers would be the proximate cause of a derailment when the cradle of the rotary dumper attempted to rotate one of the cars.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a car coupler with anti-coupling abutment means which will positively prevent the coupling of two similarly opposing type couplers during an attempted coupling operation.

A correlative object to the preceding object is to provide an interlocking type F coupler with anti-coupling abutment means.

Still another object is to provide a rotary dump ore car with a rotary type coupler attached at one end and a non-rotary type coupler attached at the other end having anti-coupling abutment means afiixed thereto to prevent the coupling of two adjacent ore cars having similar opposing couplers at their ends.

The above objects and others apparent hereinbelow are fulfilled in a knuckle type car coupler having a head, a guard arm and an aligning Wing with the usual knuckle spaced intermediately thereof and a transverse coupling plane normal to its longitudinal central axis. The coupler differs from the prior art primarily in that the guard arm and aligning wing each carry an anti-coupling abutment projection which is substantially equidistant from the central axis in both lateral and vertical directions. Each projection extends forwardly beyond the coupling plane and terminates in a fiat front surface to provide an abutment for engaging a projection on another similar coupler thereby preventing the coupler mating relation during an attempted coupling operation.

lln the drawings, with respect to which the invention is described below:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top View of an interlocking type F car coupler made in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the coupler illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, opposite to that shown in FIG. 2 of the car coupler of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of two similarly opposed couplers of the invention in an abutting but uncoupled relation.

FIG. 5 illustrates a conventional interlocking type F coupler and a coupler in accordance with the invention in draft mating relation.

FIG. 6 illustrates the position of the two couplers of PEG. 5 in a buff condition.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of two rotary dump cars in coupled relation il ustrating the proper orientation of adjacent cars in an ore train.

Referring to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, an interlocking type F coupler It is shown having a shank ii and a head 12 integrally united therewith. A longitudinal central axis LL is indicated as extending through the coupler head 12 and shank 11.

in regions horizontally offset from the central axis L-L, the head has a forwardly extending guard arm 13 on one side of the central axis and an aligning wing 1 on the opposite side of the axis. The Wing has a pair of vertically spaced interlocking

lugs

15 and 15a equidistantly spaced laterally and above and below the axis. Disposed intermediately of the axis LL and the

lugs

15 and 15a, the head has a bearing portion or pivot lug 16 which receives a pin 21. The pivot lug and the pin pivotally support a knuckle 117 having a bufiing face 18, a nose 1'9, and a pulling face 20. Between the pivot lug 1d and the guard arm 13, the head 12 has a contour vertically extending surface 22 forming a Wide, forwardly opening knuckle receiving recess 23. Rearward of the Wall defining the surface 22, the head is provided with a hollow chamber 24 having a top Wall 25, a rear Wall 26, generally referred to as the horn, and side walls 27 and 23, respectively, for housing the associated component parts of the coupler.

A coupling plane CC normal to the central axis LL in a vertical direction traverses the axis forward of the contour surface 22 to define, when two similar opposing couplers are in mating engagement, the amount of longitudinal slack between the coupled couplers when the couplers are in a buff condition. As the knuckle 17 of each coupler enters the knuckle receiving recess 23 of the opposing coupler and engages the opposing knuckle in a knuckle lock relation, the coupling planes of both couplers, concurrently with the locking of the knuckles, coincide or merge into a single plane. A condition of coincidence of the coupling planes occurs, e.g., when new couplers are coupled and subjected to a draft load. That is to sa the coupling planes coincide at the greatest separation attainable lengthwise of their pulling axis while in coupled relationship. Expressed in still another mode, coincidence of the coupling planes represents the maxi- 2D mum separation of the couplers at which they may be coupled.

Further movement of each coupler towards one another causes the planes to pass out of coincidence into a separated, but generally parallel relationship. The extent of overrunning of the two planes out of coincidence corresponds to the amount of longitudinal slack between the coupled couplers. The maximum amount of slack is equal to the longitudinal distance, as illustrated in FIG. 6, between the coupling planes C-C and C -C when the buffing face 18 of each knuckle T7 is in an abutt ng relation with a portion of the contour surface 22 of the opposing coupler.

The coupler has a forwardly tapering projection which cooperates with a complementary socket of another coupler to maintain good a.ignment of the two couplers. The projection 39 extends longitudinally outward from the forward end of the guard arm 13 in vertical symmetry with the central axis LL. The projection 3-3 has rearwardly extending, top and bottom sloping surfaces 31 and 32. Surfaces 31 and 32 each intersect an upper and a lower horizontal

flat surface

33 and 34 respectively. Surfaces 33 and 5-:- of the projecting member 39 terminate equidistantly rearward of the coupling plane C-C in a substantially vertical top and bottom planar surface 35 an 36 of an upper front wall 37 and a bottom front wall (not shown) respectively. Upwardly extending reinforcement ribs 3i and 49, forming a portion of the outer peripheral wall of the guard arm 13 and a portion of the knuckle receiving recess 23, respectively, structurally join the upper wall 37 to thus strengthen and integrate the head structure. Similar reinforcement ribs join the bottom wall.

The vertically spaced lugs 15 and 1511 on the knuckle side of the coupler form a wedge shaped socket or recess adapted to complementally receive the projecting member 36 as hereinbefore mentioned. The lug 15 comprises a bottom wall 46 having a fiat, horizontal, downwardly facing surface 47, a vertical wall 48 having a substantially vertical abutment surface 4-9 and upwardly extending reinforcement ribs 5% and 51 which structurally unite the wall 4-3 to the coupler head 12. Lug 15a is similarly structurally united to the head.

Lugs

15 and 15a terminate forwardly of the coupling plane C-C and are designed to abut against the vertical planar surfaces 35 and 36 of an opposing coupler when coupled therewith.

In accordance with the present invention, to prohibit the coupling of two similar non-rotary type opposing couplers in a rotary dump system, anti-coupling abutment means are provided to prevent the occurrence of the coincidental relation hereinabove referred to with respect to the coupling planes. That is, the anti-coupling abutment means limits the extent to which a knuckle 17 of one coupler may enter the knuckle receiving recess 23 of an opposing coupler subsequent to th alignment of the couplers in both the vertical and horizontal direction.

Preferably the anti-coupling abutment means are dis posed substantially equidistantly from both sides of the longitudinal central axis LL in a horizontal plane. In the embodiment illustrated, the anti-coupling means comprise a guard arm anti-coupling projection 60 and an aligning wing anti-coupling projection 61 disposed in a superjacent spaced relation relative to the projection member 30 and wedge-shaped recess 45, respectively, and equidistantly spaced from the longitudinal central axis L-L in a vertical direction.

The guard arm anti-coupling projection 66 is an integral part of the coupler head 12 and comprises an extension of the reinforcement ribs 39 and 4G upwardly beyond the top wall 25 of the lock chamber 24 and forwardly, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 in hatched lines to provide a forward abutment wall 62. This wall has a substantial vertical flat surface 63 in vertical and longitudinal offset relation to the vertical planar surface 35. The projection has side walls 64 and 65, and a bottom wall 66 in cantilever relation to the front upper wall 37. As a result, a cavity 67 occurs intermediately of the projecting member 30 and anti-coupling projection 60. As shown in PEG. 3, dot-dash line A indicates the upper external boundary of the guard arm without the addition of the invention as disclosed herein.

The aligning wing projection 61 comprises an extension of the reinforcement ribs 50 and 51, similar to the construction of the guard arm anti-coupling projection 69, and is arranged structurally to provide a substantially vertical wall 58 having a front fiat surface 69 in vertical and longitudinal offset relation to vertical abutment surface 49. The projection 61 also has side walls 70 and '71, and a bottom wall 72 in overhanging relation to vertical wall 43. FIGS. 1 and 2 each illustrate, in hatched line, the addition of the projection 61 to the coupler it) v ierein dot-dash line B in FIG. 2 indicates the upper limiting line of aligning wing 14 without the projection 51.

As two similarly opposing couplers approach each other in an attempted coupling operation, the projecting members 3d engage the wedge shaped recesses 45 to attain vertical and horizontal alignment of the couplers. Accordingly, general common alignment of the longitudinal central axes of the couplers is attained. The projections 6i and 61 have their termini equidistantly beyond the transverse coupling plane CC and rearward of the junctures of sloping surfaces 31 and 32 and horizontal flat su faces 33 and 34 respectively. Thus, the projections and 61 are also in general common alignment during the attempted coupling operation. Hence, as the anti-coupling abutment means of the opposing couplers abut in complementary relation, the condition of coincidence of the opposing coupling planes is prevented, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 4.

As mentioned hereinabove, both anti-coupling projections 6% and 61 protrude forwardly beyond the respective adjacent vertical surfaces 35 and 49. Thus, when two opposing couplers approach each other in an attempted coupling operation, one coupler being of the conventional interlocking type and the other being of the type disclosed herein, the knuckle of each coupler will enter the opposing knuckle-receiving recess and engage in a knuckle locked relationship. The anti-coupling means of the one coupler, in absence of anti-coupling means on the other, is ineffective in prohibiting the mating relation of the two couplers.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the coupler 10 in accordance with the invention and a conventional interlocking type F rotatable coupler in a knuckle-lock relation. In FIG. 5 the couplers are in a draft condition with the pulling faces 29 of the knuckles in mating engagement. It will be noted that the lug 15 of the conventional coupler enters the cavity 6'7 on the guard arm side of the opposing coupler lit and the aligning wing projection 61 of the opposing coupler 10 overhangs the guard arm on the conventional coupler 39.

Thus, what has been described hereinabove is a car coupler adapted for coupling engagement with a conventional interlocking type F coupler and non-coupling engagement with a similar coupler having anti-coupling abutment means comprising coextending projections equidistantly spaced above the longitudinal central axis. As schematically represented in FIG. 7, the invention is preferably applied to the non-rotatable coupler 10 which is attached to one end of a rotary dump vehicle 85. Accordingly, the other end of the vehicle has attached thereto the rotatable coupler 80. Thus, when the rotary dump vehicle is properly orientated with another rotary vehicle 35, the rotatable coupler 80 is always coupled with a non-rotatable coupler 10.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation and there is no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention described or of the portions thereof as fall within the purview of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic car coupler comprising:

a head facing in a forward direction for coupling with another coupler and having a longitudinal central axis adapted for making generally common alignment with the longitudinal central axis of said other coupler when in a coupled relation therewith, said head having a transverse coupling plane normal to said longitudinal central axis; and

anti-coupling abutment means fixed to the coupler extending beyond said coupling plane, said abutment means being disposed substantially equidistant from both sides of said axis in a horizontal plane for engaging abutment means of another similar coupler thereby preventing a fully coupled condition during at attempted coupling operation.

2. The car coupler of claim 1 wherein:

said abutment means is disposed equidistantly from said axis in a vertical plane.

3. The car coupler of claim 1 wherein:

said head has a guard arm and an aligning wing spaced from said axis in opposite lateral directions and said abutment means comprises:

an anti-coupling projection afiixed to said guard arm,

and

an anti-coupling projection afiixed to said aligning wing,

and

each of said projections having a fiat front surface terminating beyond said coupling plane.

4. The car coupler of claim 3 wherein:

said projections terminate equidistantly beyond said coupling plane.

5. The car coupler of claim 3 wherein:

said abutment means is disposed equidistantly from said axis in a vertical plane. 6. A car coupler comprising:

a head facing in a forward direction for coupling with another coupler and having a longitudinal central axis adapted for making generally common alignment with the longitudinal central axis of said other coupler when in a coupled relation therewith, said head having a transverse coupling plane normal to said longitudinal central axis in a vertical direction; complementary tapered projecting and recessed coupler aligning members fixed to the head substantially equidistant from said axis on opposite sides thereof for mating with recessed and projecting members, respectively, of said other coupler; said members being tapered both vertically and horizontally to effect vertical and horizontal alignment of said couplers; and

anti-coupling abutment 1-21i'lS fixed to the coupler extending beyond said coupling plane, said abutment means being disposed substantially equidistant from both sides of said axis in a horizontal plane for engaging abutment means of another similar coupler thereby preventing a fully coupled condition during an attempted coupling operation.

7. The car coupler of claim 6 wherein:

said abutment means is disposed equidistantly from said axis in a vertical plane and comprisesa guard arm anti-coupling projection inspaced superjacent relation with said tapered projecting member, and

an aligning wing anti-coupling projection in spaced superjacent relation with said recessed member, and

said projections terminate equidistantly beyond said coupling plane and rearward of the forward end of said tapered projecting member.

8. A rotary dump railway car for use in a train of rotary dump cars comprising:

a rotary type coupler attached at one end and a nonrotary type coupler attached at the other end, said non-rotary type coupler having a head facing in a direction for coupling with another rotary type coupler attached at one end to another railway car and having a longitudinal central axis adapted for making generally common alignment with the longitudinal central axis of said other rotary type coupler when in a coupled relation therewith, said head having a transverse coupling plane normal to said longitudinal central axis; and

anti-coupling abutment means fixed to the non-rotary type coupler extending beyond said coupling plane, said abutment means being disposed substantially equidistant from both sides of said axis in a horizontal plane for engaging abutment means of another similar non-rotary type coupler of said other railway car thereby preventing a fully coupled condition during an attempted coupling operation of the two railway cars when said similar couplers are in opposed relation to maintain the proper orientation of said cars in said train.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,433,924 Averill Oct. 31, 1922

Claims

1. AN AUTOMATIC CAR COUPLER COMPRISING: A HEAD FACING IN A FORWARD DIRECTION FOR COUPLING WITH ANOTHER COUPLER AND HAVING A LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL AXIS ADAPTED FOR MAKING GENERALLY COMMON ALIGNMENT WITH THE LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL AXIS OF SAID OTHER COUPLER WHEN IN A COUPLED RELATION THEREWITH, SAID HEAD HAVING A TRANSVERSE COUPLING PLANE NORMAL TO SAID LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL AXIS; AND ANTI-COUPLING ABUTMENT MEANS FIXED TO THE COUPLER EXTENDING BEYOND SAID COUPLING PLANE, SAID ABUTMENT MEANS BEING DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIDISTANT FROM BOTH SIDES OF SAID AXIS IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE FOR ENGAGING ABUTMENT MEANS OF ANOTHER SIMILAR COUPLER THEREBY PREVENTING A FULLY COUPLED CONDITION DURING AN ATTEMPTED COUPLING OPERATION.