US3853228A - Railway coupling - Google Patents

Abstract

A coupler head is modified from A.A.R. standards in that its thrower hole is displaced so that a standard knuckle thrower engages the coupler head, preventing engagement of the knuckle thrower with the lock in the lockset position as the lock drops toward the locked position.

Description

O United States Patent [191 [111 3,853,228

Metzger Dec. 10, 1974 4] RAILWAY COUPLING Prima Examiner-M. Henson Wood Jr. 75 I t 1 N D. M Al 1 men or elson eager Ohio Assistant Examiner-Gene A. Church [73] Assignee: Amsted Industries Incorporated,

Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: May 14, 1973 57 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 359,713

A coupler head is modified from A.A.R. standards in that its thrower hole is displaced so that a standard [52] US. Cl. 213/146, 213/147 knuckle thrower engages the coupler head, preventing [51] Ilit. Cl. 361g 3/08 engagement of the knuckle thrower with the I k i [58] Fleld of Search 213/147, 146 the lockset position as the lock drops toward h locked position. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 2,948,414 8/1960 Metzger 213/146 X PATENIE sec 1 0:914

' sum 20F 2' RAILWAY COUPLING This invention involves modification ofa standard railway coupler to provide for greater assurance of locking upon closure of the coupler knuckle. The disclosure herein is directed towardsastandard E coupler as established by the Association of American Railroads. However, it should be understood that the disclosure is applicable to standard F couplers, as well as other types of railway couplers. Such couplers are well known, and are disclosed in Car and Locomotive Cyclopedia, published by Simmons-Boardman, New

' York.

Upon closure of a coupler knuckle, a knuckle thrower is pivoted into position to receive a lock, which drops under the force of gravity to engage the knuckle thrower in the locked position, thereby securing the knuckle. Heretofore, couplers were designed to insure that a head allowed free movement of the knuckle thrower within the coupler housing. Indeed, freedom of movement was considered to be an important advantage to insure proper coupler operation.

Recent investigation has determined that in cases where a knuckle is closed, the knuckle thrower may, as a result of impact from the knuckle, pivot beyond the locking position, thereby engaging the lock in its lockset position.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a modified coupler which provides greater assurance of locking as the knuckle closes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a structural relationship between a knuckle thrower and its associated coupler head to limit pivotal movement of the knuckle thrower during the closing operation.

Still another object of this invention is to provide for reorientation of a knuckle thrower relative to a coupler head, so that engagement with the coupler head limits pivoting of the knuckle thrower, thereby assuring that a lock will drop properly to its locked position.

These and'other objects of this invention will become clear to those skilled in the art upon examination of the disclosure herein including the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view, cut away to show a standard E coupler in its locked position;

FIG. 2 is a side view, cut away to show a standard E coupler in its lockset position;

FIG. 3 is a side view, cut away to show a standard E coupler in its thrown or open position; and

FIG. 4 is a top view, cut away to show details of the modified coupler design.

Turning now to the drawings in more detail, the coupler includes a head having a side 12 with an inner face 14. A knuckle 16 is carried by head 10 for pivotal movement relative thereto about a knuckle pin 18.

A knuckle thrower 20 includes upper and lower trunnions 22 supported within a lower thrower hole 24 defined by head 10 and by an upper trunnion bearing surface 25. Trunnions 22 freely rotate, thereby causing knuckle thrower 20 to move pivotally about the center lines of the trunnions.

A lock 26 having a thrower seat 28 and a lockset seat 30 is cooperatively engaged with knuckle thrower 20 and knuckle l6 within'head 10 in a conventional manner. In FIG. 1 the coupler is shown in its locked position,-and thrower seat 28 of lock 26 is supported by lock seat leg 32 of knuckle thrower 20. A conventional locklift assembly, including a lever 34 and a toggle 36,

is associated with head 10 and lock 26 in a conventional manner. Upon movement of the locklift assembly, lock 26 is moved from its locked position (FIG. 1)

to its lockset position (FIG. 2), wherein lockset seat 30 of lock 26 is seated upon lock seat leg 32 of knuckle thrower 20.

In a conventional manner knuckle 16 may be thrown to the open position (FIG. 3).

Upon closure, knuckle 16 moves counterclockwise about pin 18 (FIG. 4) until thrower pad 38, carriedby knuckle 16, engages knuckle actuating leg 40 of knuckle thrower 20. Continued counterclockwise movement of knuckle 16 causes knuckle thrower 20 to pivot about the center line of trunnion 22 in a clockwise direction. This clockwise pivotal movement causes lock seat leg 32 to move to the locking position (FIG. 1), at which time lock 26 drops, as a result of gravitational forces, to its locked position.

Heretofore, it had been thought that knuckle thrower 20 should have complete freedom of movement within head 10. I-Iowever,in instances where hard closure of knuckles 16 occurs, it has been found that the impact of thrower pad 38 engaging knuckle actuating leg 40 causes clockwise rotational movement of knuckle thrower 20 to such an excessive degree that it moves beyond the locking position into a position where it is engaged by lockset seat 30 as lock 26 drops. This results in lock 26 assuming its lockset position (FIG. 2) rather than its locked position (FIG. 1).

It has been found desirable to limit clockwise movement of knuckle thrower 20. One preferred form of this invention involves modifying head 10 by re-locating hole 24 and upper trunnion bearing surface 25, and by relieving head and/or knuckle thrower surfaces to accommodate this re-location. It has been found that by moving the center of hole 24 and arcuate surface 25 a distance of one-sixteenth inch upwardly and one thirtysecond inch rightwardly as shown in FIG. 4, the desired results are obtained. Specifically, this movement changes placement of trunnions 22, thereby changing the point about which clockwise rotation of knuckle thrower 20 takes place. Knuckle thrower 20 pivots until knuckle actuating leg 40 engages inner face 14 of side 12. This engagement acts as a limit stop, preventing further clockwise rotation of knuckle thrower 20.

' As a result, lock seat leg 32 cannot move far enough to engage lockset seat 30 as lock 26 drops. By not allow ing movement of knuckle thrower 20 beyond the locking position, lock 26 is free to drop into its locked position with thrower seat 28 supported by lock seat leg 32.

Inner face 14 of side 12 may be modified so as to be positioned to insure that it acts as a proper limit stop for knuckle thrower 20.

Although the modification disclosed herein is slight, it has resulted in greatly improved locking characteristics upon closure of a knuckle. It should be understood that variations on the preferred form of the disclosure may be made. For example, the knuckle thrower and head may be modified, or the knuckle thrower alone may be modified, or an external limit stop may be provided without departing from the scope of the invention, which is limited only by the claims following.

I claim:

1. In a railway coupler comprising a head member, a knuckle and a knuckle thrower member supported by said head member for movement between thrown and other of said members to limit pivoting of said knuckle thrower member into a locked position wherein said knuckle thrower is maintained out of engagement with said lock as said lock moves from said thrown position into said lockset position toward said locked position.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said head member includes a thrower hole, and said knuckle thrower member includes a trunnion journaled in said thrower hole for pivotal movement of' said knuckle thrower member between said thrown and locked positions, said knuckle thrower member being engagab le with said head member in said locked position wherein said knuckle is maintained out of engagement with said lock during movement from said thrown to locked positions thereof.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said head member is modified from established A.A.R. standards by displacement of said thrower hole, thereby causing said knuckle thrower member to engage said modified head member to limit said pivotal movement when said knuckle thrower is in said locked position.

Claims (3)

1. In a railway coupler comprising a head member, a knuckle and a knuckle thrower member supported by said head member for movement between thrown and locked positions, said knuckle thrower member being engageable by and movable with said knuckle toward said locked position, and a lock movable within said head member between thrown, lockset and locked positions, said lock being movable toward its locked position due to gravity; the improvement wherein means on at least one of said members is engagable with the other of said members to limit pivoting of said knuckle thrower member into a locked position wherein said knuckle thrower is maintained out of engagement with said lock as said lock moves from said thrown position into said lockset position toward said locked position.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wHerein said head member includes a thrower hole, and said knuckle thrower member includes a trunnion journaled in said thrower hole for pivotal movement of said knuckle thrower member between said thrown and locked positions, said knuckle thrower member being engagable with said head member in said locked position wherein said knuckle is maintained out of engagement with said lock during movement from said thrown to locked positions thereof.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein said head member is modified from established A.A.R. standards by displacement of said thrower hole, thereby causing said knuckle thrower member to engage said modified head member to limit said pivotal movement when said knuckle thrower is in said locked position.

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