US3717261A

US3717261A - Car coupler

Info

Publication number: US3717261A
Application number: US00116148A
Authority: US
Inventors: K Depenti
Original assignee: Midland Ross Corp
Current assignee: Midland Ross Corp; National Casting Inc
Priority date: 1971-02-17
Filing date: 1971-02-17
Publication date: 1973-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 1990-02-20
Also published as: CA950408A; BE785507A

Abstract

In a railway car coupler of the knuckle type which embodies means for automatic unlocking and opening of the knuckle during an uncoupling operation, a spring assembly is provided for actuating the knuckle unlocking and opening means. The spring assembly is applied to and removed from the coupler as a unit with the use of a simple tool such as a pry bar.

Description

United States Patent 1191 DePenti 1 51 Feb. 20, 1973 [5 CAR COUPLER 1,692,281 11/1928 Speer ..213 1 16 [75] Inventor: Ke neth L. ePe M yfie 2,504,889 4/1950 Srsson ..267/4 Heights, Ohio Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman 7 A M dl d-R C to Cl 3] sslgnee fg orpom I eve AttorneyHenry Kozak and Woodrow W. Portz 22 Filed: Feb. 17, 1971 57 ABS RACT [21] Appl. No.: 116,148 1 T I [n a railway car coupler of the knuckle type which em- [52] US. Cl ..213/110, 213/116 bodies means for automatic unlocking and opening of [5 II.-

the knuckle during an uncoupling operation a ring [58] held of Search "213/110, 201211 116; assembly is provided for actuating the knuckle un- 267/70 179 locking and opening means. The spring assembly is applied to and removed from the coupler as a unit with [56] References cued the use of a simple tool such as a pry bar.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,549,022 [2/1970 Metzger ..2l3/l l0 '7 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures SHEET 10F 3 PATENTEU FEB2 0 I975 [N VENTOR. [fill/67H L DIPEWI/ PATENTED F5520 1973 SHEET 30F 3 INVENTOR. v Kf/INUHLDcP'A/T/ CAR COUPLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In a knuckle type car coupler in which the knuckle automatically opens during intentional uncoupling of coupled couplers, energized means in the form of a spring has been employed to effect such knuckle opening. A car coupler of this type is disclosed in W.J. Metzger U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,022, issued Dec. 22, I970. In this patent coil spring means is provided in the coupler for actuating the knuckle unlocking and opening means. However, the spring means and associated spring seats are somewhat difficult to apply and remove from the coupler. Hence the present invention was evolved to provide a spring guide assembly for an automatic coupler of the type disclosed in the aforementioned patent which is readily applied to or removed from the coupler.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide in a railway knuckle coupler embodying means for automatically unlocking and opening the knuckle thereof of an improved spring guide' assembly for actuating the said means, which assembly is readily and safely applied to and removed from its operative position in the coupler. Another object is to provide a unitary spring guide assembly which is easily applied to and removed from the coupler as a unit. A further object is to provide a unitary spring guide assembly having a pair of spring seat members, one of which has a longitudinal guide stem which slidably extends through the other spring seat member.

The invention as applied to a knuckle-type railway car coupler having spring-actuated means for automatically unlocking and opening the knuckle comprises spring means reacting between a pair of pivotally mounted spring seat members disposed longitudinally of the coupler. The forward spring seat member is pivotally mounted in the coupler head by a pair of integral horizontal trunnions. The rearward spring seat member is pivotally mounted relative to a lever member in the coupler by a pair of integral horizontal trunnions which are received in bearing portions in the lever. The forward spring seat member has a longitudinal guide stem passing through a central opening in the spring and slidably extending through an opening in the rearward spring seat. The portion of the stem which projects rearwardly of the rearward spring seat member is provided with a transverse opening for receiving a pin for holding the spring in predetermined compressed condition between the seat members. The unit may thenbe readily removed from the coupler through an opening in the underside of the coupler body by manually disengaging the trunnions of the rearward seat member from the lever member and lowering that end of the unit, after which the trunnions of the forward seat member are disengaged from their mountings in the coupler head.

The foregoing and other features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a plan view in horizontal section of a car coupler embodying the invention and showing the knuckle in open position.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the coupler of FIG. 1, showing the coupler parts corresponding to, the fully open position of the knuckle.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the spring guide assembly embodying the invention.

FIG. 5 shows side and top details of the spring seat lever member that is actuated by the spring guide assembly.

FIG. 6 shows end, top and side details of the forward spring seat member.

FIG. 7 shows end and side details of the rearward spring seat member.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged side elevational view, partly in section, showing the spring guide assembly and associated parts in the same position as in FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along line 9-9 on FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along line 10-10 on FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the method of compressing the spring prior to removal of the spring guide assembly from the coupler.

FIG. 12 is a view showing another step in removal of the spring guide assembly from the coupler.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2' and 3 of the drawing, there is shown an Association of American Railroads (A.A.R.) Standard E coupler incorporating means for automatic unlocking and opening of its knuckle. The coupler head 10 has a knuckle 12 pivoted thereto about a vertical pivot pin 14. The knuckle 12 in each of these views is shown in fully opened position, to which it is automatically swung after an uncoupling operation. The coupler has a lock 16 which is shown raised to outof-locking position in the upper end of the lock chamber 18 in the head 10, in which position it is held by the automatic knuckle opening means. Operatively connected to the lower end of lock leg 16a is the lock lifter link 20, the upper end of which has a trunnion 22 received in slot 24 in the leg. In the raised position of the lock, trunnion 22 bears against the upper end of slot 24. The lower end of link 20 is pivotally connected to the forward element 26a of the articulated rotor lever 26 as at 28. A rearward element 26b of lever 26 has a hook-shaped portion 260 pivotally mounted on trunnion 30 of the coupler head. Elements 26a and 26b of the rotor lever are pivotally joined together by a pin or rivet 32 and rotate as a unit about trunnion 30 upon engagement of lug 27 on element 26a with the opposing surface of element 26b-during manual actuation of the lever by the usual uncoupling rod, the U-shaped end 34 of which is operatively connected to forward element 26a.

With the coupler knuckle closed and the lock in lowered locking relation with the knuckle, clockwise rotation of rotor lever 26, as viewed in FIG. 2, by manual actuation of the uncoupling rod, raises lock 16 to the position as shown. During such movement of the lock the rearward side of lock leg 16a is urged rearwardly against arm 36a of the knuckle thrower 36 causing the thrower to pivot Pivotal movement of the thrower results in its arm 36b urging the knuckle to open position. It will be understood that the above described manual knuckle opening operation applies to an existing AAR Standard E coupler which is in free condition, i.e., not in coupled relation with another coupler.

As aforementioned, the present invention concerns a coupler of the automatic knuckle opening type as shown in WJ. Metzger U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,022, and comprises an improved spring guide assembly which has been applied thereto. Briefly the automatic unlocking and opening of the knuckle 12 is achieved through the actuation of rotor lever 26 by means of a depending arm 40a on an inner lever 40 which is keyed to a transverse horizontal shaft 42 pivotally supported in the coupler head 10. The lower end of arm 40a is adapted for camming engagement with an upstanding cam arm 44 integral with element 26a and disposed above trunnion 30. The base of arm 44 is formed with curved bearing portion 45 for engagement with trunnion 30 to provide support for the rotor lever when it is actuated through arm 44. Rotation of shaft 42 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, to effect engagement of arm 40a with cam arm 44 is obtained by means of spring guide assembly 50 disposed in outer chamber 46 in the lower end of guard arm a. Chamber 46 is open at its lower end to permit easy application and removal of the spring guide assembly as will be hereinafter described.

The spring guide assembly 50 comprises a forward spring seat member 52, a rearward spring seat member 54, and spring means 56 in the form of inner and outer coil springs reacting against the seat members. Forward seat member 52 is pivotally mounted in the coupler head by means of a pair of horizontal trunnions 52a which are supported in spaced U-shaped bearing portions 58 in the coupler head. Positioned at right angles to trunnions 52a is the spring engaging portion 52b. Thus trunnions 52a extend from opposite sides of portion 52b. Rearward seat member 54 also has a pair of horizontal trunnions 540 which are pivotally supported in U-shaped bearing portions 60a in the bifurcated lower end of spring seat lever 60 which is secured to shaft 42. Lever 60 has a square-shaped opening 60b through its hub for receiving the correspondingly shaped shaft 42, thereby to key the lever to the shaft. Trunnions 54a extend laterally from the sides of spring engaging portion 54b which is disposed at right angles to the trunnions.

Forward seat member 52 is provided with a longitudinally extending shaft or stem 520 which extends through a central opening 540 in rearward seat member 54 and projects rearwardly of the latter as at e. Stern 52c is in slidable relationship with member 54 and assures that the ends of spring 56 willremain in place against their respective seats and that the spring will compress and expand without bowing or distorting durin g operation of the mechanism.

The mechanism is so arranged that spring 56 is at all times under compression from knuckle closed to knuckle open position. Spring 56 is compressed the maximum amount when the knuckle is in closed position so that the greatest force of the spring is available for actuation of the mechanism to open the knuckle. In this connection a horizontally reciprocating plunger 64 shown in FIG. 1 is operatively connected to an upper arm 40b on inner lever 40 and has a forward end 64b which extends forwardly of the coupler face when the knuckle is open. When the coupler is being coupled with a mating coupler, the knuckle of the mating coupler will force plunger 64 rearwardly, thereby pivoting arm 40b rearwardly and causing shaft 42 to rotate clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 3. Clockwise rotation of shaft 42 will swing spring seat lever 60 forwardly to compress spring 56 between

seat members

52 and 54. During an uncoupling operation, the expansive force of the spring bears against lever 60 to rotate shaft 42 counterclockwise, thereby causing arm 40a to engage cam arm 44 and effect rotation of rotor lever in a clockwise direction to unlock and open the knuckle.

It should be pointed out that a coupler embodying automatic knuckle opening means will always haveits knuckle open when the coupler is in free condition.

However, when two such couplers are in coupled relationship, the automatic knuckle opening means in each coupler is immobilized by the plunger 64 which has been forced rearwardly into the coupler by the knuckle of the opposing coupler. When it is desired to uncouple two coupled couplers, the usual procedure is for a trainman to lock-set one of the couplers. This operation involves unlocking the knuckle and is accomplished through manual actuation of the uncoupling rod to raise the lock to its raised or lock-set position relative to the knuckle. Thereafter, as pulling forces are applied to the couplers and they start to move apart, the unlocked knuckle is pulled toward open position by the opposing closed knuckle, and as this occurs the plunger in the opposing coupler will begin to move forward. After the plunger has moved forward a sufficient amount, the automatic knuckle opening means in response to spring 56 becomes operative. Thus, as the couplers continue to separate, the automatic means will open the knuckle that was not manually unlocked by the trainman. Upon completion of the uncoupling operation, both knuckles will have been opened.

In view of the substantial spring force that is needed to effect unlocking and opening of the knuckle, it is essential that an an easy as well as safe method of applying and removing the spring 56 and

seat members

52 and 54 to the coupler be provided. Referring now particularly to FIGS. 8, 11 and 12, the procedure for removal of the spring guide assembly will be described. In FIG. 8 which shows the position of the parts cor responding to knuckle open position, a simple rod such as a pry bar 66 is inserted into the eye opening 68 in forward element 26a of the rotor lever 26 as shown. Bar 66 is positioned between the uncoupling rod 34 and forward upper edge 70 of opening 68 and is then forced rearwardly to rotate rotor lever in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 8. This causes cam arm 44 to swing forwardly against arm 40a of lever 40 and rotate shaft 42 clockwise, thereby urging spring seat lever 60 and seat member 54 forwardly to compress spring 56. The compression of spring 56 by this method is continued until a transverse hole 52d in stem 52c is exposed rearwardly of seat 52, after which a cotter or pin 72 is inserted into the opening. The force against the pry bar is released and the spring is held under predetermined compression by pin 72 in contact with seat member 54, as seen in FIGS. 11, 12 and 4. Next spring seat lever 60 may be swung rearwardly by hand sufficiently to disengage trunnions 540 from bearings 60a, permitting the rearward end of the spring assembly to swing downwards, as shown in FIG. 12. Thereafter, trunnions 52a on the forward seat member 52 may be readily disengaged from bearings 58 in the coupler head through slight rearward movement and the entire spring guide assembly is free of the coupler. Application of the spring guide assembly is performed by reversing the preceding steps used in removing the assembly.

I claim:

1. In a car coupler of the pivoted knuckle type having mechanism therein operative for automatically unlocking and opening the knuckle thereof and lever means for actuating said mechanism, a spring guide assembly for actuating said lever, said assembly comprising a forward spring seat member pivotally mounted in the coupler head, a rearward spring seat member pivotally engaging said lever means, each of said members having a pair of horizontal trunnions for pivotal mounting of the member, U-shaped bearing portions in said head for pivotally supporting said trunnions, and spring means reacting between said seat members, said forward seat member having a longitudinal guide stem extending through a longitudinal opening in said rearward seat member.

2. A car coupler according to claim 1 in which each seat member has a spring engaging portion disposed between said trunnions.

3. A car coupler according to claim 1 in which said lever member has a bifurcated end containing said U- shaped bearing portions for supporting the trunnions of said rearward seat member.

4. A car coupler according to claim 1 in which said stem has a transverse opening therethrough for receiving stop means for engagement with said rearward seat member for holding said spring under predetermined compression during removal of said assembly from the coupler.

5. In combination with a spring guide assembly for application to a car coupler of the knuckle type a lever member adapted for pivotal mounting in the coupler head, said member having a bifurcated end formed with U-shaped bearing portions, said assembly comprising a first spring seat member having a pair of integral trunnions at its sides for pivotally mounting said seat member in the coupler head, a second spring seat member having a pair of integral trunnions at its sides for mounting in said bearing portions, and spring means compressible between said seat members, said first seat member having a longitudinal guide stem extending through a longitudinal central opening in said second seat member.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 in which each spring seat member has a spring seat disposed entirely between said trunnions.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 5 in which said stem has a transverse opening for receiving a pin for engaging the outer end of said second seat member to maintain the spring under predetermined compression for assembly and di sass embly purposes.

Claims

3. A car coupler according to claim 1 in which said lever member has a bifurcated end containing said U-shaped bearing portions for supporting the trunnions of said rearward seat member.