US3481491A - Automatic coupler centering device - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 2, 1969 v e. w. COPE AUTOMATIC COUPLER CENTERING DEVICE Filed Nov. 17, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 1

FIG. 5

FIG. 4

Inventor:

Geoffrey W. Cop e -'FIG. 6

his Attorney Dec. 2, 1969 w CQPE AUTOMATIC COUPLER CENTERING DEVICE Filed Nov. 17, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

FIG. 15

Inventor:

Geoffrey W. Cop e his Attorney Dec.-2, 1969 GJW. COPE 3,431,491

AUTOMATIC COUPLER CENTERING DEVICE Y Filed Nov. 17, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 7

79 FIG. 8 5a 57 m Geoffrey W. Cope -i!i v his Attorney Inventor:

United States Patent 3,481,491 AUTOMATIC COUPLER CENTERING DEVICE Geoffrey W. Cope, Williamsville, N.Y., assignor to Dresser Industries, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 595,188 Int. Cl. B61g 1/12, 7/06 US. Cl. 21320 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A centering device for a horizontal swingable coupler including centering means projectable into engagement with sides of the coupler and operating means for causing the centering means to project into and retract out of engagement with the coupler for centering the coupler when uncoupled on the related car, while releasing the coupler on coupling for swinging with a mated coupler.

This invention relates to centering devices for railway car couplers.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved device for centering an uncoupled coupler which will automatically engage and center a coupler as it is uncoupled in an uncoupling operation and disengage the coupler on coupling in a coupling operation, thereby positioning an uncoupled coupler for coupling without imposing any restraint on swinging thereof when coupled with a mating coupler.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupler centering device which will automatically center and hold an uncoupled horizontally swingable coupler on the car on which it is mounted and also can be disengaged at will from the coupler for enabling the latter to be swung to an off-center position to suit special coupling conditions.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a centering device for a horizontally and vertically swingable coupler which will automatically engage and center the coupler on uncoupling and disengage the coupler on coupling without affecting support of the coupler in either case.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coupler centering device which will automatically position and hold an uncoupled horizontally swingable coupler on the longitudinal centerline of the car on which the coupler is mounted but is manually actuatable to disengage the coupler to permit swinging thereof to an off-center position to suit special coupling conditions and, if not manually reset in the interim, will automatically be reset for centering the coupler when later uncoupled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coupler centering device for automatically engaging and centering an uncoupled coupler, which is manually operable to disengage the coupler and, if accidentally so operated, is operable from a remote control station to reengage and hold the coupler in centered position either for coupling or, if an end coupler of a train, against swinging.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the coupler centering device of the present invention installed in a center sill of a railway car, with the pushers of the device in their projected centering position and the head of the coupler broken away and its shank shown in section to more clearly illustrate certain of the details of construction;

FIGURE 2 is horizontal sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1, except showing the pushers retracted and the coupler at a limit of its horizontal swing;

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FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along lines 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the scale of FIGURE 3, taken along lines 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the scale of FIGURE 3, taken along lines 5-5 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the scale of FIGURE 3, taken along lines 66 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic view of an exemplary coupler assembly in which the improved centering device is gperated automatically on uncoupling and coupling; an

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of the assembly of FIGURE 7 showing an alternate form of automatic control valve for the centering device,

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts, the improved automatic centering device of the present invention, while usable with any horizontally swingable coupler, is particularly suited for use with a combined mechanical, electric and air coupler which combines automatic mechanical coupling with automatic coupling of air and electric train lines. As exemplary of the latter use, the improved device, designated as 1, has been applied to a horizontally and vertically swingable coupler 2 of the type proposed to be used in the so-ealled Northeast Corridon passenger cars.

As illustrated, the proposed coupler 2 has a head 3 of the automatic hook type, such as illustrated in Cope Patent No. 3,181,708, issued May 4, 1965, and the shank 4 of a standard Type H passenger car coupler and is connected at its butt 5 for relative universal or horizontal and vertical swinging to a center sill 6 by a Type H or other universal connector 7. The side walls or sides 8 of the center sill 6 flare forwardly to accommodate the range of horizontal swinging of the coupler 2 and the shank 4 of the coupler normally rides or slides on a carrier plate 9 of a resilient coupler carrier 10 mounted in the end of the sill below the shank. With the carrier plate 9 limited in upward movement by stops 11 fixed to the side walls 8, the carrier 10 normally supports the couplers head 3 at coupling height, while permitting the coupler in response to service forces to swing downwardly against yieldable resistance and upwardly against gravity.

The improved centering device 1 is comprised of a pair of pushers or centering arms 12 mounted in the center sill 6 at opposite sides of the shank 4 of the coupler 2 for horizontal movement or projection and retraction into and out of engagement with the shanks confronting sides 13. Preferably duplicate for interchangeability and laterally and horizontally aligned, the pushers or pusher members 12 conveniently are mounted on the forwardly flared end portions 14 of the side walls 8 and are oppositely movable horizontally over a range having as its limits for each, an inner, projected or extended position in which it engages the confronting side of the shank and the latter is substantially centered laterally on or on the longitudinal centerline of the car (not shown) on which the coupler is mounted and an outer, retracted or withdrawn position in which it is either entirely disengaged from the coupler or engaged thereby only at the corresponding limit of the couplers lateral or horizontal swing.

While each of the pushers 12 may be powered for projection and retraction by any means suitable for the intended automatic operation, fluid pressure from compressed reservoir air is readily available and controllable for powering the movement in one or either direction. Conveniently, each of the pushers 12 is moved in one direction by fluid pressure and in the opposite direction by a spring force, preferably with the fluid pressure resible for projection and the spring force for retraction, to ensure against restraint by the centering device on swinging of the coupler when coupled in the event of a failure in the compressed air system.

In the preferred arrangement, each of the pushers or centering arms 12 is directly powered or actuated by a fluid cylinder unit 15 and forms therewith one of the pair of preferably duplicate centering units or assemblies 16 of the centering device which coact or cooperate in centering the coupler. Each cylinder unit 15 is a single acting unit of the rolling diaphragm or other suitable type and has a plunger or piston 17 which is projected or advanced by fiuid pressure, suitably compressed air, and retracted or withdrawn on release of the fluid pressure by a return spring 18 in its clylinder 19. Disposed and acting horizontally, each cylinder unit 15 conveniently is mounted on the outside of the adjoining or related side wall 8 of the center sill 6 and has its plunger 17 projecting or extending through that wall into the sill.

Acting laterally on the opposite sides 13 of the shank 4, forwardly of the vertical pivot 20 about which the coupler 2 swings horizontally, the pushers 12 may be suitably capped or terminated inner ends of the plungers 17 but preferably are levers or lever arms hinged or pivoted to the insides of their respective side walls 8, for pivoting, swinging or hinging horizontally about a fixed pivot 21 which is positioned longitudinally intermediate or between the couplers swinging axis or pivot 20 and the cylinder units 15. Each of the preferred pushers 12 is pivotally connected forwardly of its fixed pivot 21 and toward its front or free end 22 to the inner end of the adjoining or related plunger 17 and desirably acts not only to center the coupler 2 but also as a stop to limit the horizontal swinging of the coupler in its direction. For this purpose, each pusher in retracted position lies along and at its outer end bears outwardly against the inside of the adjoining side wall 8 of the center sill 6 and presents to the confronting side 13 of the coupler an inner intermediate or stop face 23, which, for full bearing or surface contact, preferably is fiat and parallel to that side when contacted thereby.

So minimizing wear when acting as a stop, the preferred pusher also minimizes wear when holding the coupler in centered position by having its inner surface 24 of which the stop face 23 is a part, bevelled forwardly of that face to present for engagement by the confronting shank side 13 in the pushers centered or projected position, a flat inner centering face 25 angularly related to the stop face 23 and disposed parallel to and having surface contact with the related side of the shank in the couplers centered position. An arcuately convex shoulder 26, on the inner surface 24 between the faces 23 and 25, assures smooth contact between each pusher and its side 13 of the shank 4 as one or the other pusher pushes or moves the coupler to centered position. To enable its plunger 17 to follow the arcuate movement of the related pusher 12, each cylinder unit 15 is pivotally mounted for horizontal pivoting or swinging on a mounting bracket 27 fixed to and outstanding from the adjoining side wall 8.

In holding a coupler in centered position, both of the centering units will be powered by compressed air or other fluid pressure and it is contemplated that both also be so powered when the coupler is swung to centered position. However, in such swinging only the pusher 12 of the unit toward which the coupler is initially offset will engage and act on the coupler until it has substantially reached centered position. In that interval the other or opposite pusher will be extended or projected to its centered position but prevented, suitably by the limit imposed on the advance stroke of the plunger 17, from projecting further into engagement with coupler where it would apply a force opposing the centering action of the first pusher.

In addition to its centering units 16, the improved centering device 1 includes an automatic control valve 28 in a supply line 29 from a compressed air reservoir or other suitable fluid pressure source 30 for supplying air through branch lines 31 to the cylinders 19 of the cylinder units 15 and also preferably has in the supply line beyond the automatic valve a manual control valve 32 to which the branch lines may be directly connected. In the intended automatic operation, the automatic control valve 28 opens automatically when the couple 2 is uncoupled to power the pushes 12 to center the coupler and closes automatically when the coupler is coupled for enabling the pushers to be disengaged therefrom and retracted to their stop or inoperative positions. The intended operation is readily obtainable at appropriate stages of uncoupling and coupling operations, when, as in the illustrated embodiment, the coupler is equipped with electric and air couplers 33 and 34, respectively, for combining automatic mechanical coupling of a pair of cars with automatic coupling of their electric and air train service lines. The uncoupling and coupling of such a coupler requires a suitable, usually electric or electro-pneumatic, switching unit or system and it is such a system that is availed of to produce the desired automatic centering and disengaging actions of the pushers 12.

An exemplary coupler assembly 35 including the centering device 1, the coupler 2 with electric and air couplers 33 and 34 mounted on its head 3, and an electropneumatic switching unit 36 and, except for the centering device, generally similar to the assembly disclosed in Gobrecht Patent No. 3,263,823, issued Aug. 2, 1966, is illustrated diagramatically in FIGURE 7. The electropneumatic switching unit 36 of the assembly 35 has a check valve 37 connected on its inlet side to a train air line 38 from the reservoir 30 to one of the air couplers 34 and on its outlet side to a normally open, manually operated cut-off valve 39, through which and the check valve 37, air at reservoir pressure is constantly supplied to a double solenoid-actuated pilot valve 40. In addition to an inlet 41 and atmospheric bleeds 42, the pilot valve 40 has two outlets which are simultaneously opened or closed, one, an operating air outlet 43 and the other, an actuating air outlet 44 for supplying respectively operating and actuating air to a normally closed control valve 45 of the differential piston type.

When open, the control valve 45 supplies air through outlet piping 46 to operate a bellows 47 of the or each electric coupler 33 for projecting its spring-retractable contacts 48 to contact position and actuate two normally closed, air-actuated cut-off valves, one 49 in the train air line 38 between the reservoir 30 and one of the air couplers 34 and the other 50 in the companion train air line 51 connecting to the other air coupler, the latter cutoff valve, when not supplied actuating air by the control valve 45, connecting a conventional train control trip 52 to its air line. The fluid portion of the switching unit 36 is completed by a normally closed, air-balanced valve 53 connected to the outlet side of the manual cut-off valve 39 and actuated by a solenoid 54 for supplying operating air to an unlocking device 55 by which the hook 56 of the coupler 2 is unlocked in an uncoupling operation.

Electrically, the exemplary assembly 35 includes normally open uncoupling and coupling spring switches 57 and 58, respectively, each preferably having an associated adjustable or variable time delay device 59 for delaying opening and connected in series with one of the fixed contacts 60 of the electric coupler 33. The uncoupling switch 57 also is connected to the solenoid' 54 of the valve 53 by which the unlocking device 55 is operated and to a closing solenoid 61 of the pilot valve 40 by which the piston 62 of that valve is shifted to the position shown in solid line, in which the control valve 45 of the switching unit 36 is disconnected from reservoir air. The coupling switch 58 in turn is connected to the other or opening solenoid 63 of the pilot valve for shifting the piston 62 to the position shown in dotted line in which the control valve 44 is connected to and the automatic control valve 28 disconnected from reservoir air. Another electric component of the preferred assembly 36 is a microswitch 64 conveniently mounted on the electric coupled 33 and engaged and closed by a part of a carriage =65 mounting the retractable contacts 48 on retraction of the latter, for switching suitable in-car electric lines 66 connected to the electric coupler and light or other circuits 67 connected across those lines, to the cars battery or other individual electric power source 68, so that the cars lights or other electric accessories can be operated when it is standing alone. I

The preferred air-actuated form of the automatic control valve 28 of the centering device 1 is a normally open valve having a differential piston 69 which is advanced to closed position on application of actuating air and returned to and normally held in open position by a return spring 70. Constantly supplied air at reservoir pressure by connecting its supply line 29 to the reservoir 30 either directly or through the train air line 38 in advance of the cut-off valve 49, the control valve 28 is adapted to connect the fluid cylinder units 15 of the'ipushers 12 alternately to reservoir air and exhaust, the former in its open position and the latter in its closed position through an inbuilt exhaust port 71. Automatic response of the control valve 28 to the condition of the pilot valve 40 con veniently is obtained by connecting a pilot line 72, through which it receives actuating air, to the outlet piping 46 from the control valve 45. Thus the automatic valve 28 will be open under force of its return spring 71 when the piston 62 of the pilot valve is in the uncoupling or centering position shown in solid line and closed when the piston is in the coupling position shown in dotted line. In turn, the control valve 28 will automatically control the condition of the pushers 12 by the position of its piston 69, supplying air to project and hold the pushers in centered position when open and, when closed, enabling the return springs 18 in the fluid cylinder units 15 to retract and hold the pushers in retracted or stop position.

The position of the pilot valve piston 62 being determined by which of its solenoids 61 and '63 was last energized and the solenoid 63 responsible for shifting it to uncoupling position being in the circuit of the uncoupling switch 57, closing of that switch in an uncoupling operation not only will operate the uncoupling device 55 and mechanically unlock the coupler 2 but, by shifting the piston 62 to uncoupling position also will retract the retractable contacts 48, close the air lines 38 and 51 to the air couplers 34 and open the control valve 28 so that the pushers 12 will be projected to center the coupler. These several actions should be produced in a particular sequence for proper uncoupling, first the retraction of the retractable contacts 48 and shutting off of the train air lines 38 and 51, then, the mechanical unlocking of the coupler by operation of the unlocking device 55 and finally, the projection of the pushers 12 to center the coupler. This or any other desired sequence is readily obtained by using suitable variable or adjustable timers or time delay devices, electrically or pneumatically responsive, as appropriate, by presetting of which the application of the actuating electricity or air to the associated valve can be delayed for the desired predetermined interval after closing of the uncoupling switch. These timers are designated as 73 for the control valve 28, 74 for the valve 53, and 75 for the pilot valve 40, the last valve having two, one for each solenoid, for delaying both opening and closing, as desired.

In a coupling operation, the coupling switch 58 is closed after the coupler 2 is mechanically coupled to a mating coupler. As preferred, the coupling switch can be closed manually or automatically or both, manually by an operator by locating it at a convenient station and automatically by mounting the same or a duplicate, parallelconnected switch on the head 3 of the coupler 2 for closing by its own or the mating coupler. In either case, closing of the switch, by energizing the solenoid 61 and shifting the pilot valve piston 62 to coupling position, will apply both operating and actuating air to the control valve 45 of the switching unit 36 causing that valve to open and supply air to close the valve 28 for retracting the pushers 12 out of engagement with the coupler, open the valves 49 and 50 for opening the train air lines 38 and 51, and expand the bellows 47 for advancing the retractable contacts 48 to contact position.

In the alternate form shown in FIGURE 8, the control valve 28 for the centering device 1 is a double solenoidactuated valve. In this form, the differential piston 69 and pilot line 72 of the air-actuated form is replaced by a valve member 76 having a solenoid at each end, one, 77 for opening and the other, 78 for closing the valve, thus avoiding the need, if only a single solenoid were used, of holding the solenoid energized over the considerable interval in which a particular car may be coupled or uncoupled. In applying this form to the electro-pneumatic switching unit 36, the opening solenoid 73 and closing solenoid 74 are connected in the circuits of the uncoupling switch 57 and coupling switch 58, respectively. As in the air-actuated form, opening of the valve 28 preferably is delayed relative to mechanical unlocking of the coupler, conveniently by connecting a suitable time delay 79 to the opening solenoid 77.

While centering of the coupler 2 on the car under control of the automatic valve 28 ordinarily will position the coupler for coupling, there will be times when it will not do so, as when attempting to perform a coupling operation on a reverse curve or tangent to a curve. In such case it is necessary that the coupler be swung off-center and it is then that the manual control valve 32 in the supply line 29 beween the control valve 28 and the branch lines 31 comes into play. Its purpose is to enable the operating air charging the fluid cylinder units 15 to be exhausted therefrom without disturbing the setting of the automatic valve. This purpose it serves by having a two-position slide or piston 80 which connects the branch lines 31 in one position to the supply line 29 from the automatic control valve 28 and in the other position to an exhaust port 81.

Itself enclosed, the slide 80 has a knob or handle 82 projecting from one end for enabling it to be shifted manually to either position. Moved to exhaust position when the knob 82 is pulled, the slide 80 of the illustrated manual operating or exhaust valve is shiftable back to air supplying or centering position either manually or by energizing of a solenoid 83, mechanically connected to the slides other end. The solenoid 83 is connected in the circuit of the coupling switch 58 and energized when that switch is closed in a coupling operation. Thus, if not previously manually reset, the manual valve 32 will be auto-' matically reset in the succeeding coupling operation for enabling the pushers 12 to perform their centering function under control of the automatic valve 28 when the coupler is later uncoupled. The solenoid 83 also is connected in parallel to the coupling switch 58, in a loop circuit 84 in the car connecting to the lines 66. Normally open, the loop circuit 84 is closable by a spring switch 85 which may be either discreet to the solenoid or that of a momentarily operated accessory, such as a buzzer. This switch will find use when the coupler is at the end of a train and the manual valve 32 has somehow been shifted to exhaust position, for resetting the manual valve to restore pressure to the fluid cylinder units 15 and enable the centering device to hold the coupler in centered position against swinging in transit.

From the above detailed description it will be apparcut that there has been provided an improved device for centering an uncoupled coupler which not only releases the coupler when coupled but also can be made to release an uncoupled coupler for coupling under special track conditions without adverse effect upon its centering action when the coupler is either next uncoupled or an end coupler of a train. It should be understood that the described and disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to be included that do not depart from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A centering device for a horizontally swingable rail- Way car coupler comprising centering means mounted against vertical movement at opposite sides of said coupler and alternately horizontally projectable into and retractable out of engagement with said sides for respectively centering said coupler on a car and freeing said coupler for horizontal swinging, and operating means operatively connected to said coupler and centering means for causing said centering means automatically to project into and retract out of engagement with said sides of said coupler respectively on uncoupling and coupling thereof.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the centering means include lever arms hinged to opposite sides of a center sill of the car and fluid cylinder means for projecting and retracting said arms, and said arms in retracted position are backed by said sill sides and present inner stop faces to the sides of the coupler for limiting the horizontal swinging thereof.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein the lever arms have inner centering faces angularly related to the stop faces for surface contact with the sides of the coupler in the centered position thereof.

4. A centering device for a horizontally swingable combined mechanical, electrical and air coupler for a railway car, comprising centering means alternately projectable into and retractable out of engagement with opposite sides of said coupler for respectively centering said coupler on said car and freeing said coupler for horizontal swinging, and operating means operatively connected to said coupler and centering means for causing said centering means automatically to project into and retract out of engagement with said coupler respectively on uncoupling and coupling thereof.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein the coupler is controlled in uncoupling and coupling by switching means, and the operating means includes means automatically responsive to said switching means for controlling operation of said centering means.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein the centering means are powered to engage and center the coupler by fluid pressure.

7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the automatic means are actuated by fluid pressure.

8. A device according to claim 6 wherein the automatic means are electrically actuated.

9. A device according to claim 6 wherein the automatic means is an automatic valve in a line for supplying fluid pressure to the centering means, and the operating means includes a manually operable valve in said linebetween said automatic valve and centering means for alternately connecting said centering means to said automatic valve and exhaust.

10. A device according to claim 9 including electrically actuated means connected to said manual valve and a coupling circuit of said switching means and operable in a coupling operation for automatically setting said manual valve to connect said centering means to said automatic valve whenever said manual valve at the start of said operation is set to connect said centering means to exhaust.

11. A device according to claim 10 wherein the electrically actuated means is electrically connected in parallel to the coupling cicuit to a normally open loop circuit for enabling closing of said circuit, when the coupler is an end coupler of a train and the manual valve has been manually set to connect the centering means to exhaust, to set the manual valve to connect the centering means to the automatic valve and thereby cause the centering means to center and hold the coupler against horizontal swinging in centered position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,585,948 5/1926 Tomlinson 213--2l 1,609,445 12/1926 Tomlinson 21321 3,100,050 8/1963 De Penti et a1 213 21 3,108,697 10/1963 Metzger 213-21 3,189,190 6/1965 Herbert 213-21 3,258,131 6/1966 Manyek 213-19 3,371,802 3/1968 Dungan 213-2O DRAYTON E. HOFFMAN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 2l319

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