US3589530A

US3589530A - Trainline connector apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3589530A
Application number: US760912A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Metzger
Original assignee: Midland Ross Corp
Current assignee: Midland Ross Corp; National Casting Inc
Priority date: 1968-09-19
Filing date: 1968-09-19
Publication date: 1971-06-29
Anticipated expiration: 1988-06-29
Also published as: BE739024A; GB1223504A; JPS4940162B1; FR2018437A1; DE1947189A1

Abstract

A trainline connector adapted to be carried by a railway vehicle coupler, having an arm carrying a connector head that is capable of automatically connecting to a mating connector head of a connector on an opposing coupler. The arm can be moved and held in connecting position, can have substantially universal angling movements during travel of the vehicles when the connector is connected, and can be moved to and held in a nonconnecting storage position to permit coupling with a coupler that does not carry such a connector and to permit manual connection of the trainlines.

Description

United States Patent [72] In en r William J- Meilger .312.481 4/1967 Temple 285/12 East Cleveland,0hio 841,692 1/1907 Kanning 81/58 [Zl] Appl. Nov 760,912 l.797,167 3/1931 Baldwin 285/58 [22] F'led d g Primary ExaminerArthur L. La Point [45] i R c 5 Assistant ExaminerRobert Saifcr [73] sslgnce I n ("pom on Attorney-Bosworth, Sessions, Hcrrstrom and Cain Cleveland, Ohio [54] TRAINLINE CONNECTOR APPARATUS 17 Chi 12 D F "mug ABSTRACT: A trainline connector adapted to be carried by a [52] U.S.Ci 213/76, railway vehicle couple, having an arm carrying a connector 213/ I head that is capable of automatically connecting to a mating [5 onnector head of a connector on an opposing co pl The [50] Field of Search ..213/76, 1.3, arm can be movgd and held in connecting position can have I; 237/14; 305/ 12; 285/53 substantially universal angling movements during travel of the 56 R CM vehicles when the connector is connected, and can be moved 1 e i to and held in a nonconnecting storage position to permit UNITED STATES PATENTS coupling with a coupler that does not carry such a connector 2,242,265 5/1941 Robinson 285/58 and to permit manual connection of the trainlines.

T a a: l I .2 x fk 57 4 84 68 18 $3 Wm 77 as 73 74 71 Y i k N I f 5 6'4 2? Ql'y 9 PATENTEDJUNZSIHYI 3589.530

' SHEET 1 OF 6 FIG.|

WILLIAM J. METZGER Baum, SW Hm 4 ATTQRNEYS.

ATTORNEYS.

PATENTED JUN29 l97i SHEET 3 OF 6 IN Vlz'N'H m, WILLIAM J. METZGER NW4 CM ATTORNEYS.

ATENTEI] JUH29 I971 SHEET 0F 6 35 Qse Q2? I I ATTORNEYS.

PATENTEDJUN29I97I SHEET 5 BF 6 FIG. IO

' INVl-IN'R m. WILLIAM .J. METZGER ATTORNEYS. I

TRAINLINE CONNECTOR APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to connectors for connecting trainlines, such as air or steam hoses or electrical circuit wires between railway vehicles; and more particularly to a connector that makes possible automatic connection of a trainline when couplers of vehicles carrying mating connectors are automatically coupled, and that also has parts that can be moved to and stored in a nonconnecting noninterferring position to pennit the trainline to be manually connected if the coupler carrying the connector couples with a coupler that does not carry a like connector.

Connectors that automatically connect and disconnect trainlines on automatic coupling and uncoupling of railway vehicle couplers should satisfy several requirements.

Since the connector is preferably mounted below the coupler, the connector should not interfere with other parts of the railway vehicles or strike parts of the tracks as the vehicle travels. The connectors should automatically make the desired tight connections of trainlines when their couplers automatically couple, even though the couplers may move substantial lateral distances or may not be aligned during the final coupling movements. The connectors must maintain such tight connections between trainlines even though the couplers carrying the connectors have substantial relative movements during travel of the railway vehicles.

Preferably, the connector should permit coupling of the coupler carrying the connector to a coupler that, while capable of coupling, has downwardly projecting portion that can interfere with the connector if it is in connecting position. Furthermore, it is very desirable that the connector permit coupling of its coupler to a coupler of another vehicle that does not have a mating automatic connector, and that it permit conventional manual connections of the trainlines in such case. This need is widespread because large numbers of railroad cars of different ownerships travel over tracks of different railroads, and hence many of them do not have mating connectors.

Prior attempts to solve these problems in general have involved the use of adapters to permit manual coupling of an airhose or other trainline with one mounted on an automatic connector; in general, however, adapters have been unsatisfactory because they often are not readily available at point of need, are relatively costly, are time consuming to install and remove and cannot be economically recovered by the installing railroad when the vehicle-carrying adapters travels to another railroad. Other expedients have been disadvantageous for other reasons.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is the provision of an automatic trainline connector that satisfies all of the above requirements. Another object is to provide an automatic trainline connector that permits unrestricted connection of trainlines of two railway vehicles whether or not one vehicle carries a mating automatic connector. A further object is the provision of an automatic connector that makes it possible to connect a trainline of a vehicle having an automatic connector to a trainline of a vehicle that does not have such a connector, without the use of adapter means. A further object is the provision of a connector that can be moved to and stored in a position where it will not interfere with parts of, or carried by, a coupler that couples with that carrying the connector, while permitting manual connection of the trainlines. A further object is the provision of such a connector that is simple and rugged in construction, requires little maintenance, and can be manufactured at reasonable cost.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of two embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side perspective elevation of two preferred connectors embodying the invention that are connected together, the connectors being mounted on couplers of which only portions are shown, the trainline hoses being shown in full lines as attached to the connectors, and one in broken lines as detached;

FIG. 2 is a plan to a larger scale of one of the connectors of FIG. I, unconnected, showing in full lines the connector in its connecting position and in broken lines the connector in its storage or nonconnecting position, the trainline hose being omitted for clearness;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the connector of FIG. 2 to the same scale;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation, to a larger scale, of the supporting gudgeon;

FIG. 5 is a section, to a still larger scale, along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a detail section along line 6-6 of FIG. 3, to the scale'of FIG. 4, showing the relationship of the supporting gudgeon to the yoke members of the connectors when in connecting position;

FIG. 7 is a detail to the same scale and along the same section as FIG. 6, showing the positions of the same parts of FIG. 6 when the connector is in its storage position;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation to a considerably smaller scale of two coupled couplers one of which carries the illustrated connector in its storage position and the other of which has no automatic connector, showing how airhoses can be conventionally manually coupled together;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation, along line 9-9 of FIG. III, of another connector embodying the invention;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation from line 10-10 of FIG. 9 and to the same scale;

FIG. III is a sectional elevation, along line 11-11 of FIG. 9 but to a larger scale, of the connector of FIGS. 9 and It), being shown in its connecting position in full lines and in its storage position in broken lines;

FIG. 12 is a section along line 12-12 of FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 8, each connector 1 comprises a supporting bracket 2 fixed to and depending below a conventional railroad car coupler 3 and carrying at its lower portion an arm 1 that at its front or operative end carries a connector head 5. Arm 4 is laterally swingable generally about a vertical axis A from a connecting position 4 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and in 3 in full lines, to a storage or nonconnecting position 4' shown in FIG. 2 in broken lines and in FIG. 8 in full lines.

After the illustrated connector is connected to a mating connector, its arm 4 is also movable relative to bracket 2 through a substantial range of positions relative to its supporting bracket permit its connector head to remain in tight engagement with the mating connector head even though the supporting couplers move substantial distances relative to each other during travel of the vehicles.

Bracket 2 comprises a depending angular member 6 that at its upper end is bolted to a lug 7 on the coupler, and its lower end rigidly carries a generally vertical gudgeon 8. Gudgeon 8, (FIGS. 4-7) has a generally vertical portion 9 that throughout its major portion has an asymmetrical cross section defined by

surfaces

10, 11, 12 and 13 (FIGS. 4 and 5) but has two vertically spaced sets of grooves 14a and 14b, each set having lower shoulders 15a and 15b. The lower end of gudgeon 8 carries forwardly projecting portion 16 having upwardly rearwardly inclined surface 17.

Arm 4 comprises a first yoke member 18 extending forwardly from gudgeon 8 and including two laterally extending

side members

19 and 20 rigidly fixed at their front ends to connector head and at their rear ends to a transverse bearing portion 22 having a generally central opening 23, so that yoke member 18 in effect has two vertically spaced yokes 18a and 18!; each looping around the rear of gudgeon 8.

Arm 4 includes a second yoke member 24 extending rearwardly from gudgeon 8. It comprises two vertically spaced yokes 24a and 24b rigidly fixed at their rear ends to a transverse portion 26, and looping around the front of gudgeon 8', each has an opening defined by two side posts 27 and a front portion 28 extending transversely of gudgeon 8 and having a rearwardly inwardly projecting protuberance 29 for a purpose to be described (FIGS. 6 and 7).

A bolt 31 projecting through portion 26 carries a spring seat 32 having spring guide 33, adjustably held on bolt 31 by nut 34. A strong compression spring 35 presses against seat 32 and the rear of portion 22 of the first yoke member, which has spring guides 36.

The inner or rear surfaces of portions 28 of yoke member 24 are therefore continuously urged against the gudgeon 8 in one of the sets of grooves 14a and 14b, while the inner or front surfaces of portion 22 of yoke member 18 are urged toward the opposite side of gudgeon 8.

A transverse member 37 is demountably fixed to the bottom of gudgeon 8 to prevent the yoke members from dropping off the gudgeon if spring 35 should break.

Connector head 5 may be of any suitable design. That shown is of a known type, and includes a hollow body 38 rigidly connected at its rear to the side members of first yoke member 18. This body rigidly carries at its front a generally vertical plate portion 39 that at its sides rigidly carries forwardly extending wing-

type gathering arms

41 and 42. These arms engage like oppositely disposed arms of a mating connector on an opposing coupler, during coupling, to guide the plate portions of both connectors into matching abutting engagement. A circular shouldered recess 43 in the plate portion opens into the interior of the body 38 and receives the end ofa conventional fitting 44 carrying a conventional sealing gasket 45 of rubber or other suitable material that can contact a like sealing gasket in the connector head of an opposing connector to form a fluidtight seal when plate portions 39 abut. Fitting 44 is removably fixed in body 38 by a pin 46 passing through lug 47 on the fitting and two spaced lugs 48 in body 38.

The other end of fitting 44 is connected to a conventional fitting 49 that can be quickly manually connected to a or disconnected from a conventional fitting 50 on the end of an airhose 52 conventionally (FIG. 1).

Fittings

49 and 50 are normally connected together while the automatic connector apparatus is being used to connect or disconnect automatically to or from a like connector.

As shown in FIG. 8, hose end fitting 50 can be readily manually disconnected from the fitting on the connector 49 and be readily manually conventionally connected fitting 50 of a hose 52' of a vehicle that does not have an automatic trainline connector.

In operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 8, the arm 4 can be manually turned to a position in which it extends generally longitudinally of the coupler, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and in full lines in FIG. 2, in which position it is maintained by engagement of protuberances 29 on the inner sides of yokes 24a and 24b of member 24 with corresponding depressions 53 in the grooves 14a and by contact of the front surfaces of rear end portion 22 of yoke member 18, with surface 12 of the gudgeon (FIG. 6) of gudgeon 8A and is biased to remain in this position by the force exerted by spring 35 on the

yoke members

18 and 24.

When the arm 4 is in this position, and while airhose 52 is connected to its connector head 5, the connector 1 can en gage a like connector on an opposing coupler to connect the airhoses automatically. In effecting such automatic connection, the

arms

41 and 42 of the opposing connectors first engage and guide the plate portions 39 of both connectors into abutting engagement so that gaskets 45 contact to form an airtight seal between the hoses. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. I, after completion of coupling of the couplers and connection of the connectors, on each connector the first yoke member 18 is located rearwardly with respect to its gudgeon 8 so its member 22 no longer contacts the gudgeon, while the bearing portions 28 of the second yoke member 24 remain in firm engagement with its gudgeon with its protuberances 29 in depressions 53. Therefore, the first yoke member can move relatively to the second yoke member and to the gudgeon to assume substantial but limited universal angling movements that may be necessary to maintain the trainline connection even though the vehicles and their couplers move relative to each other during travel.

However, when the opposing coupler does not carry a like connector, either because it carries no connector at all or a connector of a different type, the airhose 52 is readily manually disconnected from the fitting 49 of the illustrated connector, the arm 4 carrying the connector head 5 is then swung to one side about the generally vertical axis of the gudgeon 7 as shown in FIG. 2 in broken lines 4' and in full lines in FIG. 8, and the airhose is manually connected in the conventional manner to the hose carried by the other coupler, as shown in 6 FIG. 8. The arm 4 is stored and locked in such retracted position because each protuberance 29 of each yoke of second yoke member engages another depression 54 in the corresponding groove 14b of the gudgeon while the bearing portion 22 of the first yoke member contacts the side surface 13 of the gudgeon (FIG. 7). The force exerted by the compression spring 35 on both yoke members biases arm 4 to remain in this storage position until it is manually moved out of position. The parts are so designed that the forces holding the arm in the initial connecting position and the storage position are sufficient to maintain the arm in such position despite shocks that may be encountered in normal rail service.

When desired, arm 4 and its connector head can be readily moved back to the connecting position and the hose connected to the connecting head for automatic operation.

In the connector 55 of FIGS. 912, the structure and principle of operation are generally similar. This connector 55 is supported by bracket 56 from a conventional coupler 57. It comprises an arm 58 carrying a connector head 59. The arm 58 comprises two

yoke members

61 and 62 that are supported for swingable movement in a generally lateral plane from generally vertical gudgeon 63 fixed to bracket 56.

The first yoke member 61 comprises laterally extending side members 64 and 65 terminating in a rear transverse bearing portion 66 having an aperture 67, to form two vertically spaced yokes 61a and 61b that loop around the gudgeon 63. Yoke member 62 has spaced upper and lower yokes 62a and 62b, each defined by side members 68 and a front transverse bearing portion 69 with an inner protuberance 70. The front of yoke member 62 extends through aperture 67 of yoke member 61, so yokes 62a and 62b loop around the gudgeon. The rear ends of these yokes are rigidly fixed to a transverse spring seat 71. A compression spring 72 operates between the rear of portion 66 of yoke member 61 and the spring seat 71 of yoke member 62 to urge the yokes of the yoke member 62 against the gudgeon 63 at all times and to urge the transverse portion 66 of member 61 against the gudgeon when the arm 58 is not connected to a like connector and yoke member 61 is not forced rearwardly.

In this embodiment there is no adjustable spring seat, since the rear spring seat forms part of the second yoke member. The bolt and nut structure 73 is provided to compress the spring during only assembly and disassembly, but otherwise exerts no force on the yoke members.

Gudgeon 63 is similar to the gudgeon of the preceding embodiment in that it has an asymmetrical cross section including surfaces 74 and 75 and two sets of grooves 76a and 76b each having two depressions 77 and 78 adapted to be sequentially engaged by a protuberance 70 on a yoke of the second yoke member, and shoulders 79 at the bottoms of the grooves.

As in the preceding embodiment, the arm 58 can be moved to and held in its initial connecting position (full lines in FIGS, 9 and 110) longitudinally of its coupler in which bearing portions 69 engage prooves 76a and shoulders 79 and protuberances 70 engage depressions 77. When the connector is un connected this locating action is reinforced by engagement of the front surfaces of the rear bearing portion so of first yoke member with rear surface 74 of the gudgeon, the parts being biased into these engagements by spring 72. When the connector is connected with a like connector on an opposing coupler, bearing portion 66 of the first yoke member moves rearwardly away from the gudgeon to permit substantially universal angling movements of yoke member bl and its connector head 59 relative to the gudgeon and yoke member s2, to accommodate relative movements of the two couplers or the vehicle supporting them during travel.

When the coupler-carrying connector 55 is to be coupled to a coupler that does not carry any connector or that carries a different connector, the arm 53 of the connector can be manually moved to and stored in the inoperative storage position shown in broken lines in FIG. lit. In this position each protuberance 69 on the second yoke member engages its as sociated depression 7% on the gudgeon and the front surfaces of the rear bearing portion 616 of the first yoke member coritacts surface 75 of the gudgeon, the compression spring serving to bias and maintain the parts in such engagement and the arm 58 in storage position. Furthermore, the arm 52% is positively locked in the storage position by a vertical manually movable pin d9 slidably carried by bracket 56 so its lower end can engage an opening 31 in a lug $2 fixed on first yoke member 6 11 (FIG. llll).

In this embodiment the connector head 59 embodies conventional pin and funnel gathering means 83 and $4 and atthe sides of a generally vertical plate portion 85 that rigidly carries

fittings

86 and 87 respectively for airhoses 38 and 89 (FIG. that act as signal and brake lines, and a fitting 90 for a steam hose 91. Each of these fittings carries at its free end suitable conventional fittings 93, M and 95 that permit rapid manual connection and disconnection of the various hoses, which themselves have end fittings that permit rapid manual connection of the hoses to the fittings 9395 and also directly to corresponding airhoses and steam lines of another vehicle that does not have a like automatic connector apparatus.

The fittings as, 87 and 90 of course carry

conventional sealing gaskets

96, 97 and 9% that cause tight fluid seals to be made with corresponding gaskets of corresponding trainline lines carried by the portion 85 of a mating connector.

In this embodiment, the plate portion 85 carries known electrical contact means 9% that cooperates with like contact means on a matching connector to effect automatic electrical contact.

Except for the differences noted, the construction and' operationof the connector of FIGS. 9-l2 is essentially similar to those of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-8.

It is thus apparent that the present invention provides apparatus that makes possible automatic connection of train service lines with all of the above indicated features desired in such automatic connectors, and also makes possible ready manual positioning of the connector head and associated portions of 'the connector in either connecting position or a nonconnecting storage position where they cannot interfere with other parts of the vehicles or the track while making possible conventional connection of each trainline. and which also causes the parts to remain in either of such positions during use of the vehicle carrying the connector until manually moved back into the other position.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications other than those indicated above can be made to the invention without departing from the Spirit and scope thereof. The essential features of the invention are I defined in the appended claims.

lclaim: ll. Trainline connector apparatus comprising an elongated supporting gudgeon, a first yoke member that projects laterally of the gudgeon and has a bearing portion extending transversely of and adapted to bear against the side of the gudgeon opposite the side thereof from which the yoke member projects, a second yoke member that extends laterally of the gudgeon and has a bearing portion extending transversely of and contacting the side of the gudgeon op positc that at which the bearing portion of said first yoke member is located so said gudgeon is disposed between said bearing portions of said first and second yoke members, a trainline connector head mounted on one of said yoke members and adapted to engage a mating connector head of an opposing connector apparatus to connect trainlines terminating in said connector heads, resilient means operating between said first and second yoke members to urge said bearing portions of said yoke members towards said gudgeon and to hold said bearing portion of said second yoke member in contact with said gudgeon, said gudgeon and the bearing portion of said second yoke member having interengaging protuberances and depressions shaped in a plane transverse of the gudgeon which cooperate to bias and maintain said second yoke member and said first yoke member in either a connecting position in which said connector head can engage a mating connector head of an opposing connector apparatus, or a storage position when said yoke members are turned laterally relative to said gudgeon.

Z. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said connector head comprises means permitting quick connection and disconnection ofa trainline thereto,

3. The apparatus of claim l in which said connector head is mounted on said first yoke member.

4'). The apparatus of claim l in which the connector head is mounted on said first yoke member and comprises means permitting quick connection and disconnection of a trainline.

5. The apparatus of claim I in which said bearing portion of said first yoke member contacts said gudgeon when said connecting head is unconnected and is held in contact with said gudgeon by said resilient means, and in which said gudgeon and the bearing portion of said first yoke member are shaped to engage and cooperate to bias and maintain said yoke members in the position in which they are located when said first yoke member contacts said gudgeon, thereby to aid in maintaining said yoke members in both the connecting position and storage position when said connector head is unconnected.

a. The apparatus of claim l in which said bearing portion of said first yoke member is forced away from said gudgeon against force exerted by resilient means when said connector head is engaged with a like connector head of an opposing connector apparatus, thereby permitting limited universal movement of said first yoke member relative to said gudgeon and said second yoke member.

7. The apparatus of claim l in which said first and second yoke members are elongated and extend in opposite directions from said gudgeon.

8. The apparatus of claim l in which said first yoke member comprises a loop portion that extends around said gudgeon and includes said bearing portion of said first yoke member, and said second yoke member comprises a loop portion that extends around said gudgeon and includes said bearing portion of said second yoke member. r

9. The apparatus of claim l in which said gudgeon carries at least one transversely extending groove adapted to be engaged by the bearing portion of one of said yoke members to locate said yoke member on said gudgeon.

lit). The apparatus of claim 1 in which said gudgeon is shaped in cross section to be engaged by the bearing portion of said second yoke member to bias said second yoke member in each of the connected and storage positions when said yoke members are moved to such position.

11. The apparatus of claim l in which one of said yoke members has spaced yoke portions each of which has a bearing portion that extends around said gudgeon and the other of said yoke members has a yoke portion that fits between said spaced yoke portions and has a bearing portion that extends around said gudgeon.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising means adapted to support said gudgeon from a railway coupler, and locking means operating between said supporting means and one of said yoke members for locking said yoke members in said storage position.

137 Trainline connector apparatus comprising a generally vertically extending supporting gudgeon, a first yoke member that projects laterally of the gudgeon and has a yoke portion having a bearing portion extending transversely of and adapted to bear against the side of the gudgeon opposite the side thereof from which said yoke member projects, a second yoke member that projects laterally of the gudgeon in a direction opposite to that of said first yoke member and has a yoke portion having a bearing portion extending transversely of and bearing at all times against the side of the gudgeon opposite that at which the bearing portion of said first yoke member is located so said gudgeon is disposed between said bearing portions of both said yoke members, a trainline connector head mounted on one of said yoke members and adapted to engage a mating connector head of an opposing connector apparatus to connect trainlines terminating in said connector heads, spring means operating between the rear portion of said second yoke member and the rear of said first yoke member to urge said bearing portions of said yoke members toward said gudgeon and to hold said bearing portion of said second yoke member in contact with said gudgeon, said gudgeon having laterally extending shoulder means that upwardly supports the bearing portion of said second yoke member and thereby supports said first and second yoke members on said gudgeon, said gudgeon and the bearing portion of said second yoke member interengaging protuberances and depressions shaped in a plane transverse of the gudgeon which permit said second yoke member and said first yoke member to be moved laterally about said gudgeon to a connecting position in which said connector head can engage a mating connector head of an opposing connector apparatus and to be biased and maintained in said position and also to permit said yoke members to be moved laterally about said gudgeon to a storage position out of connecting position and to be biased and maintained in said storage position.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said first yoke member has two spaced yoke portions each of which has a bearing portion extending transversely of and adapted to bear against the side of the gudgeon opposite the side thereof from which said yoke member projects, and said second yoke member has a yoke portion that extends between the yoke portions of said first yoke member and has a bearing portion extending transversely of and contacting the side of the gudgeon opposite that in which the bearing portions of said first yoke member are located.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said second yoke member has two spaced yoke portions each of which has a bearing portion extending transversely of and adapted to bear at all times on said gudgeon, and in which said gudgeon has two laterally extending shoulder means that upwardly support said bearing portions of said second yoke member and thereby support said second yoke member and said first yoke member on said gudgeon.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said first yoke member has two spaced yoke portions each of which has a bearing portion extending transversely of and adapted to bear against the side of the gudgeon opposite the side thereof from which said yoke member projects, in which said second yoke member has two spaced yoke portions disposed between said spaced yoke portions of said first yoke member each of said bearing portions of said second yoke member extending transversely and adapted to bear at all times against the side of the gudgeon opposite that in which the bearing portions of said first yoke member are located, and in which said gudgeon has two spaced laterally extending shoulder means that upwardly support said bearing portions of said second yoke member and thereby support said second yoke member and said first yoke member on said gudgeon.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 comprising means adapted to support said gudgeon from a railway coupler, and means operating between said supporting means and said first yoke member for locking said first and second yoke members in said storage position.

UNETED STATES PATENT OFFI CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 589, 530 Dated J 29 1 1 Inventor g William J. Metzger It is certified that error appears in the above--identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 25, remove "6" before "Fig. 8".

Column 7, line 31, after "Inember" insert having Signed and sealed this 18th day of January 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLE'ICHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents

Claims

1. Trainline connector apparatus comprising an elongated supporting gudgeon, a first yoke member that projects laterally of the gudgeon and has a bearing portion extending transversely of and adapted to bear against the side of the gudgeon opposite the side thereof from which the yoke member projects, a second yoke member that extends laterally of the gudgeon and has a bearing portion extending transversely of and contacting the side of the gudgeon opposite that at which the bearing portion of said first yoke member is located so said gudgeon is disposed between said bearing portions of said first and second yoke members, a trainline connector head mounted on one of said yoke members and adapted to engage a mating connector head of an opposing connector apparatus to connect trainlines terminating in said connector heads, resilient means operating between said first and second yoke members to urge said bearing portions of said yoke members towards said gudgeon and to hold said bearing portion of said second yoke member in contact with said gudgeon, said gudgeon and the bearing portion of said second yoke member having interengaging protuberances and depressions shaped in a plane transverse of the gudgeon which cooperate to bias and maintain said second yoke member and said first yoke member in either a connecting position in which said connector head can engage a mating connector head of an opposing connector apparatus, or a storage position when said yoke members are turned laterally relative to said gudgeon.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, in which said connector head comprises means permitting quick connection and disconnection of a trainline thereto.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said connector head is mounted on said first yoke member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the connector head is mounted on said first yoke member and comprises means permitting quick connection and disconnection of a trainline.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said bearing portion of said first yoke member contacts said gudgeon when said connecting head is unconnected and is held in contact with said gudgeon by said resilient means, and in which said gudgeon and the bearing portion of said first yoke member are shaped to engage and cooperate to bias and maintain said yoke members in the position in which they are located when said first yoke member contacts said gudgeon, thereby to aid in maintaining said yoke members in both the connecting position and storage position when said connector head is unconnected.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said bearing portion of said first yoke member is forced away from said gudgeon against force exerted by resilient means when said connEctor head is engaged with a like connector head of an opposing connector apparatus, thereby permitting limited universal movement of said first yoke member relative to said gudgeon and said second yoke member.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said first and second yoke members are elongated and extend in opposite directions from said gudgeon.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said first yoke member comprises a loop portion that extends around said gudgeon and includes said bearing portion of said first yoke member, and said second yoke member comprises a loop portion that extends around said gudgeon and includes said bearing portion of said second yoke member.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said gudgeon carries at least one transversely extending groove adapted to be engaged by the bearing portion of one of said yoke members to locate said yoke member on said gudgeon.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said gudgeon is shaped in cross section to be engaged by the bearing portion of said second yoke member to bias said second yoke member in each of the connected and storage positions when said yoke members are moved to such position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 in which one of said yoke members has spaced yoke portions each of which has a bearing portion that extends around said gudgeon and the other of said yoke members has a yoke portion that fits between said spaced yoke portions and has a bearing portion that extends around said gudgeon.

13. Trainline connector apparatus comprising a generally vertically extending supporting gudgeon, a first yoke member that projects laterally of the gudgeon and has a yoke portion having a bearing portion extending transversely of and adapted to bear against the side of the gudgeon opposite the side thereof from which said yoke member projects, a second yoke member that projects laterally of the gudgeon in a direction opposite to that of said first yoke member and has a yoke portion having a bearing portion extending transversely of and bearing at all times against the side of the gudgeon opposite that at which the bearing portion of said first yoke member is located so said gudgeon is disposed between said bearing portions of both said yoke members, a trainline connector head mounted on one of said yoke members and adapted to engage a mating connector head of an opposing connector apparatus to connect trainlines terminating in said connector heads, spring means operating between the rear portion of said second yoke member and the rear of said first yoke member to urge said bearing portions of said yoke members toward said gudgeon and to hold said bearing portion of said second yoke member in contact with said gudgeon, said gudgeon having laterally extending shoulder means that upwardly supports the bearing portion of said second yoke member and thereby supports said first and second yoke members on said gudgeon, said gudgeon and the bearing portion of said second yoke member interengaging protuberances and depressions shaped in a plane transverse of the gudgeon which permit said second yoke member and said first yoke member to be moved laterally about said gudgeon to a connecting position in which said connector head can engage a mating connector head of an opposing connector apparatus and to be biased and maintained in said position and also to permit said yoke members to be moved laterally about said gudgeon to a storage position out of connecting position and to be biased and maintained in said storage position.