WO2019129577A1 - Railway coupler knuckle and a method of its manufacture - Google Patents

Railway coupler knuckle and a method of its manufacture Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2019129577A1
WO2019129577A1 PCT/EP2018/085866 EP2018085866W WO2019129577A1 WO 2019129577 A1 WO2019129577 A1 WO 2019129577A1 EP 2018085866 W EP2018085866 W EP 2018085866W WO 2019129577 A1 WO2019129577 A1 WO 2019129577A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
knuckle
size range
implemented
coupler
mold
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2018/085866
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Roman Aleksandrovich SAVUSHKIN
Kirill Valterovich KYAKK
Sergej Anatolevich PONOMAREV
Oleg Arkadevich BROJTMAN
Stepan Aleksandrovich BORODIN
Adel Vakhtangovna GABITOVA
Egor Stepanovich EDRIKOV
Original Assignee
Rail 1520 Ip Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Rail 1520 Ip Ltd filed Critical Rail 1520 Ip Ltd
Publication of WO2019129577A1 publication Critical patent/WO2019129577A1/en

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61G—COUPLINGS; DRAUGHT AND BUFFING APPLIANCES
    • B61G3/00—Couplings comprising mating parts of similar shape or form which can be coupled without the use of any additional element or elements
    • B61G3/04—Couplings comprising mating parts of similar shape or form which can be coupled without the use of any additional element or elements with coupling head having a guard arm on one side and a knuckle with angularly-disposed nose and tail portions pivoted to the other side thereof, the nose of the knuckle being the coupling part, and means to lock the knuckle in coupling position, e.g. "A.A.R." or "Janney" type
    • B61G3/06—Knuckle-locking devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61G—COUPLINGS; DRAUGHT AND BUFFING APPLIANCES
    • B61G3/00—Couplings comprising mating parts of similar shape or form which can be coupled without the use of any additional element or elements
    • B61G3/04—Couplings comprising mating parts of similar shape or form which can be coupled without the use of any additional element or elements with coupling head having a guard arm on one side and a knuckle with angularly-disposed nose and tail portions pivoted to the other side thereof, the nose of the knuckle being the coupling part, and means to lock the knuckle in coupling position, e.g. "A.A.R." or "Janney" type

Definitions

  • the invention is in the field of railway machinery and relates to the railway car coupler devices, in particular to the design of coupler knuckle (hitch) and a method of its manufacture.
  • the single train railway car coupler systems in the USA use the Association of American Railroads (AAR) coupler devices, for example, the Janney Coupler.
  • AAR Association of American Railroads
  • Such couplers include a knuckle body with a tail portion and a C-shaped head portion, to which the coupler knuckle (hitch) is pivotally attached as a coupling element.
  • the adjacent coupler knuckles of joining cars turn relative to the respective head portion of the knuckle and interlock with each other based on the principle of vertical contact allowing the front railway car coupler system to pull the rear railway car.
  • the working surfaces of adjacent coupler knuckles of joining cars contact each other over a cylindrical surface with vertical generator.
  • the coupler knuckle is a one-piece part containing a nose portion, a tail portion and a transition portion that joins them.
  • Implementation of a knuckle with a solid tail portion significantly increased the part weight, where internal voids may also occur thereby reducing the coupler knuckle operation life. For this reason, the knuckle has an internal cavity to lighten the part weight while preserving the part strength.
  • the coupler knuckle tail portion is subject to high loads, in particular, when the knuckle is interlocked with the adjacent coupler knuckle of joining railway car.
  • the hub portion includes a generally cylindrical coupler pivot pin passage having a longitudinal axis.
  • the railway coupler knuckle has an internal cavity formed inside the tail portion and at least within a part of the transition portion. In the nose portion of the railway coupler knuckle an opening is made to accommodate the signal flag.
  • the tail portion is implemented on a gently sloping surface in the area of pulling surfaces, which engage in contact with the coupler body head portion.
  • the method of manufacture of said railway coupler knuckle includes implementation of top and drag mold sections for each separate knuckle and three mold cores to form the coupler pivot pin opening, the signal flag opening and the internal cavity in the transition portion and in the tail portion.
  • the upper and lower walls of the transition portion with the internal cavity are parabolic shaped and narrowing (in the horizontal plane) towards the hub portion.
  • a railway coupler knuckle is disclosed (US 9533696 B2, publ. 01.03.2017,
  • the railway coupler knuckle has an internal cavity to lighten the part weight and is connected with the coupler pivot pin opening and the signal flag opening.
  • the walls of the transition portion with the internal cavity are made non-uniform and narrowing towards the hub portion.
  • the tail portion is implemented with a smooth shaped pulling surface.
  • mold cores are used to form the knuckle inter-nal cavity, the coupler pivot pin and signal flag openings.
  • the railway car coupler knuckles may be formed of metal and may be manufactured by casting as a single structure.
  • the casting operation provides for using the top mold section formed of molding sand and the drag mold section formed of molding sand, as well.
  • the mold cores made of resin or otherwise strengthened sand are placed in the drag mold section before closing the mold assembly and then the top mold section is placed above the drag section.
  • the coupler pivot pin opening and the internal cavity are formed with mold cores.
  • the mold cores may represent a single structure or may be connected to each other.
  • transition portion implemented with uniform (constant) thickness and are maintained over the entire length of the transition portion within the size range of 23 to 31 mm, the preferred range being 25 to 30.5 mm.
  • the opposite walls of the transition portion may have different thickness.
  • this technical result is achieved by the fact that in the railway coupler knuckle having the nose portion, the hub portion, the tail portion and the transition portion that joins them, the signal flag opening in the nose portion, the coupler pivot pin opening in the hub portion connected with the internal cavity made in the transition portion and in the tail portion, according to the present invention, the tail portion in the area of pulling surfaces is implemented with a platform on its upper side while the wall thickness of the tail portion is non-uniform within the size range of 12 to 31 mm, the preferred range being 15 to 30 mm.
  • the non-uniformity of the tail portion wall thickness may be up to 50% of the wall thickness in the adjacent portion, length L of the platform on the tail portion upper side may be made within the size range of 27 to 33 mm, the preferred range being 30 to 31 mm.
  • this technical result is achieved by the fact that in the railway coupler knuckle having the nose portion with working surface, the hub portion, the tail portion and the transition portion that joins them, the signal flag opening in the nose portion, the coupler pivot pin opening in the hub portion connected with the internal cavity made in the transition portion and in the tail portion, according to the present invention, the working surface in the nose portion is made even throughout its length.
  • the working surface in the nose portion may be implemented with a slope from the bottom and/or upper sides.
  • this technical result is achieved by the fact that in the railway coupler knuckle having the nose portion, the hub portion, the tail portion and the transition portion that joins them, the signal flag opening in the nose portion, the coupler pivot pin opening in the hub portion connected with the internal cavity made in the transition portion and in the tail portion, according to the present invention, the signal flag opening and the coupler pivot pin opening are implemented separately from each other, with the axes of the openings being parallel to and located at some distance from each other.
  • the axes of the signal flag and coupler pivot pin openings may be located at a distance LI in the railway coupler knuckle transverse plane within the size range of 90 to 95 mm, the preferred range being 90 to 92 mm, and at a distance L2 in the railway coupler knuckle longitudinal plane within the size range of 47 to 53 mm, the preferred range being 48 to 50 mm.
  • the mold sections and mold cores are made of green sand, sand-resin, sand-water glass or cold hardening mixtures.
  • the mold sections and mold cores are made using the vacuum-film molding method.
  • the mold sections and mold cores may be made using the pattern-core equipment.
  • Fig. 1 railway coupler knuckle (top view),
  • Fig. 2 railway coupler knuckle (side view),
  • Fig. 3 section A-A of Fig. 2,
  • Fig. 4 section E-E of Fig. 1,
  • Fig. 5 mold cores to form the signal flag opening and the coupler pivot pin opening connected with the internal cavity.
  • the railway coupler knuckle shown in the Figures contains nose portion 1, tail portion 2, hub portion 3, transition portion 4 that joins tail portion 2 and hub portion 3, signal flag opening 5 in nose portion 1 , coupler pivot pin opening 6 in hub portion 3 connected with internal cavity 7 (not shown in Figs. 1 and 2) made in transition portion 4 and tail portion 2.
  • the nose portion has working (bearing) surface 1.1, in addition, the nose portion may be implemented with slope 1.2 on its working (bearing) surface 1.1.
  • Signal flag opening 5 and coupler pivot pin opening 6 are located at some distance from each other, as the axes of signal flag opening 5 and coupler pivot pin opening 6 may be located at a distance Ll in the railway coupler knuckle transverse plane within the size range of 90 to 95 mm and at a distance L2 in the railway coupler knuckle longitudinal plane within the size range of 47 to 53 mm.
  • Fig. 3 shows the railway coupler knuckle embodiment, where walls 4.1 in transition portion 4 are implemented with uniform (constant) thickness w and are maintained over the entire length of the transition portion within the size range of 23 to 31 mm.
  • the thickness w of opposite walls 4.1 may be different, but remaining the same over the entire length of one wall 4.1.
  • Fig. 4 shows the railway coupler knuckle embodiment, where tail portion 2 in the area of pulling surfaces is implemented with platform 8 on its upper side (in Fig. 4 the upper side of the knuckle is on the right), with length L within the size range of 27 to 33 mm.
  • wall 2.1 of tail portion 2, including the interface between tail portion 2 and transition portion 4 is implemented with variable non-uniform thickness wl within the size range of 12 to 31 mm, the thickness non-uniformity may be up to 50%.
  • Fig. 5 shows mold core 5.1 to form signal flag opening 5 and mold core 6.1 to form pivot pin opening 6, connected with mold core 7.1 to form the internal cavity in transition portion 4 and in tail portion 2, which, in the present embodiment, are shown in the configuration as installed in the drag and top mold sections (not shown in the drawings).
  • Core 5.1 is installed in the casting mold (mold sections) separately from cores 6.1 and 7.1 at a distance 1 to exclude any communication between signal flag opening 5 and coupler pivot pin opening 6 of the railway coupler knuckle.
  • the railway coupler knuckle implemented with uniform (constant) thickness of the wall over the entire length of the transition portion (in the area of internal cavity) provides optimization and improvement of the railway coupler knuckle design reliability, as well as simplifies its manufacturability due to exclusion in the part manufacturing process the need to compensate metal shrinkage in the walls of the knuckle transition portion.
  • metal is poured into a mold for casting, the metal is evenly distributed inside it to ensure equal time for solidification of the molded walls resulting in significant reduction of the risk of flaw formation and hot spot formation, thereby increasing the railway coupler knuckle reliability.
  • the transition portion wall thickness (in the area of internal cavity) is uniform and is maintained over the entire length of the transition portion within 23 to 31 mm range, the minimum value being determined by preservation of the knuckle strength properties and the maximum defined as a critical value when the structural strength increases slightly and the specific metal consumption starts growing significantly.
  • the opposite wall thicknesses may be different, but remaining the same over the entire length of one wall of the transition portion, resulting in uniform shrinkage and solidification of molded walls. The calculations have shown that the best results are achieved when the transition portion wall thicknesses are uniform and within the size range of 25 to 30.5 mm.
  • the implementation of the platform with length L on the upper side of the railway coupler knuckle tail portion provides optimization and improvement of the design reliability owing to bending reduction under load at the area of contact with the coupler device head portion during the coupler device operation, due to even load distribution over the entire surface of the tail portion platform.
  • the platform length L range of 27 to 33 mm is determined by preservation of the knuckle strength properties under draft loads when the cars move on railway rails and the possibility to implement the platform on the upper side of the knuckle tail portion because, in operating condition, the tail portion is located inside the coupler device C-shaped head portion, the preferred range being 30 to 31 mm.
  • the railway coupler knuckle, implemented with the tail portion, with non- uniform thickness wl ensures an increased resistance to the pulling surface tensile stresses in the tail portion in the pulling surface area, an improvement of the tail portion wall abrasion resistance due to increase of the wall thickness in the pulling surface area within the area where maximum stress arises during operation, which allows to optimize and improve the railway coupler knuckle design reliability.
  • the non-uniformity of wall thickness may be up to 50% of the wall thickness in the adjacent portion.
  • the wall thickness wl minimum value of 12 mm in the pulling surface area has been chosen based on the condition that a reduction of specific metal consumption while preserving the knuckle strength properties must be ensured in the area of the transition portion interface with the tail portion, in other words, directly in the area before the railway coupler knuckle pulling surfaces.
  • the tail portion wall thickness wl maximum value of 32 mm in the pulling surface area is determined by the platform implementation on the upper side of the railway coupler knuckle tail portion. However, when the tail portion is implemented in the pulling surface area, the preferred range is 15 to 30 mm.
  • the separate forming of the signal flag opening i.e.
  • the axes of the openings being parallel, provides optimization and improvement of the knuckle design reliability due to the absence of additional internal holes between the required design openings and due to decrease of the risk of core erosion and clogs in the body of casting, which might appear during the part casting, and, additionally, enhances its manufacturability due to simplification of the design of mold cores and the knuckle in general, and, accordingly, simplification of manufacturing and design of the core boxes, where mold cores are formed.
  • the axes of the signal flag and coupler pivot pin openings are located at a distance LI in the railway coupler knuckle transverse plane within the size range of 90 to 95 mm and at a distance L2 in the railway coupler knuckle longitudinal plane within the size range of 47 to 53 mm.
  • the above value range is determined by the wall between the signal flag and the coupler pivot pin openings, which allows reduction of the risk of flaws and hot spot formation, when metal is poured into the mold for casting, due to even distribution of the metal inside the mold and equal time of the molded wall solidification in general, resulting in the optimization and improvement of the railway coupler knuckle design reliability.
  • the preferred ranges Ll in the knuckle transverse plane and L2 in the knuckle longitudinal plane are 90 to 92 mm and 48 to 50 mm, respectively.
  • the method of manufacture of railway coupler knuckle includes
  • the enhancement of the knuckle manufacturability is in the fact that two mold cores are used for forming, while the mold core to form the signal flag opening and the mold core to form the pivot pin opening of the coupler with the internal cavity are implemented separately from each other and not connected when the cores are installed in the mold sections, because the former are installed at a distance 1 from each other, measured by the shortest distance from one core surface to the other core surface, within the size range of 7 to 15 mm, which ensures implementation of the additional wall between the cores and removes the possibility of flaws and hot spot formation, due to even distribution of the metal poured into the mold and equal time of metal solidification in the mold.
  • mold cores separately from each other provides simplification of manufacturing and design of the pattern-core equipment needed to manufacture them, which also simplifies the knuckle manufacturability in general.
  • knuckle manufacturing when the cores are located at a distance 1 from each other, measured by the shortest distance from one core surface to the other core surface, the preferred range is 9 to 10 mm.
  • molding material green sand, sand-resin, sand-water glass or cold hardening mixtures may be used. Furthermore, the mold sections and mold cores may be made using the vacuum-film molding method, which also is simplified due to
  • the claimed invention in the combination of its essential features, allows to optimize and improve the railway coupler knuckle design reliability and to enhance its manufacturability.

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  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Operated Clutches (AREA)
  • Molds, Cores, And Manufacturing Methods Thereof (AREA)

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an improved railway coupler knuckle design and method of manufacture. The railway coupler knuckle has a nose portion, the hub portion, the tail portion and the transition portion that joins them, the signal flag opening in the nose portion, the coupler pivot pin opening in the hub portion connected with the internal cavity made in the transition portion and in the tail portion. Disclosed are improved specifications for thicknesses of transition portions, walls opposite the transition portions. Also disclosed are configurations for platforms areas tail portions in the area of pulling surfaces. Also disclosed is a method of mold positioning and filling to create such knuckle.

Description

RAILWAY COUPLER KNUCKLE AND A METHOD OF ITS MANUFACTURE
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation of Russian Patent Application No.
2017145594 filed on December 25, 2017, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD]
[0002] The invention is in the field of railway machinery and relates to the railway car coupler devices, in particular to the design of coupler knuckle (hitch) and a method of its manufacture.
SUMMARY
[0003] The single train railway car coupler systems in the USA use the Association of American Railroads (AAR) coupler devices, for example, the Janney Coupler. Such couplers include a knuckle body with a tail portion and a C-shaped head portion, to which the coupler knuckle (hitch) is pivotally attached as a coupling element. When connecting railway cars, the adjacent coupler knuckles of joining cars turn relative to the respective head portion of the knuckle and interlock with each other based on the principle of vertical contact allowing the front railway car coupler system to pull the rear railway car. When coupled, the working surfaces of adjacent coupler knuckles of joining cars contact each other over a cylindrical surface with vertical generator. The coupler knuckle (hitch) is a one-piece part containing a nose portion, a tail portion and a transition portion that joins them. Implementation of a knuckle with a solid tail portion significantly increased the part weight, where internal voids may also occur thereby reducing the coupler knuckle operation life. For this reason, the knuckle has an internal cavity to lighten the part weight while preserving the part strength. During operation, the coupler knuckle tail portion is subject to high loads, in particular, when the knuckle is interlocked with the adjacent coupler knuckle of joining railway car. The AAR standards and specifications show that the knuckle tail portion is a critical area and must be checked after operation for cracks, fractures and/or other stresses. [0004] In the prior art a railway coupler knuckle is disclosed (US 5582307 A, publ.
12.10.1996, IPC B61G 3/00, B61G 3/04, B61G 007/00, B22D 25/02, B22D 25/00), including a nose portion with a bearing surface, a tail portion, a hub portion and a transition portion joining the tail portion and the hub portion. The hub portion includes a generally cylindrical coupler pivot pin passage having a longitudinal axis. The railway coupler knuckle has an internal cavity formed inside the tail portion and at least within a part of the transition portion. In the nose portion of the railway coupler knuckle an opening is made to accommodate the signal flag. The tail portion is implemented on a gently sloping surface in the area of pulling surfaces, which engage in contact with the coupler body head portion. The method of manufacture of said railway coupler knuckle includes implementation of top and drag mold sections for each separate knuckle and three mold cores to form the coupler pivot pin opening, the signal flag opening and the internal cavity in the transition portion and in the tail portion. The upper and lower walls of the transition portion with the internal cavity are parabolic shaped and narrowing (in the horizontal plane) towards the hub portion.
[0005] A railway coupler knuckle is disclosed (US 9533696 B2, publ. 01.03.2017,
IPC B61G 3/00, B61G 3/04, B61G 3/06, B61G 7/00, B22C 9/10, B22C 9/103, B22C 9/02, B22C 9/22), taken as the prototype, including a nose portion, a tail portion, a hub portion and a transition portion joining the tail portion and the hub portion, with the hub portion including a generally cylindrical pivot pin passage having a longitudinal axis. The railway coupler knuckle has an internal cavity to lighten the part weight and is connected with the coupler pivot pin opening and the signal flag opening. The walls of the transition portion with the internal cavity are made non-uniform and narrowing towards the hub portion. The tail portion is implemented with a smooth shaped pulling surface. For manufacture of said knuckle interconnected mold cores are used to form the knuckle inter-nal cavity, the coupler pivot pin and signal flag openings.
[0006] A method of manufacture of railway coupler knuckle is disclosed (RU
2531989 Cl, publ. 10.27.2014, IPC B61G 03/06). The railway car coupler knuckles may be formed of metal and may be manufactured by casting as a single structure. The casting operation provides for using the top mold section formed of molding sand and the drag mold section formed of molding sand, as well. The mold cores made of resin or otherwise strengthened sand are placed in the drag mold section before closing the mold assembly and then the top mold section is placed above the drag section. The coupler pivot pin opening and the internal cavity are formed with mold cores. The mold cores may represent a single structure or may be connected to each other.
[0007] A technical problem inherent to the above solutions is:
[0008] - non-uniformity of the walls of the railway coupler knuckle transition portion with the internal cavity in the hub portion area, which complicates the processes of its manufacturing and quality control;
[0009] - large probability of formation of hot spots and related cavities due to shrinkage in the walls widened with respect to the adjacent areas of the knuckle transition portion within the internal cavity area during the knuckle casting process;
[0010] - wear and reduction of the wall thickness in the tail portion in the area of pulling surfaces with operation;
[0011] - loss of strength of the cast part in the tail portion;
[0012] - complicated knuckle design when using a large number of mold cores or interconnected cores, which also complicates the railway coupler knuckle method of manufacture due to complexity of the mold core casting process;
[0013] - complexity of the mold core manufacturing;
[0014] - a likelihood of mold crushes and clogs when using connected mold cores for the coupler pin and the signal flag with formation of small holes for connecting the coupler pin and signal flag openings.
[0015] The technical result of the claimed group of inventions is to optimize and improve reliability of the railway coupler knuckle design and to simplify its
manufacturability.
[0016] This technical result is achieved by the fact that in the railway coupler knuckle having the nose portion, the hub portion, the tail portion and the transition portion that joins them, the signal flag opening in the nose portion, the coupler pivot pin opening in the hub portion connected with the internal cavity made in the transition portion and in the tail portion, according to the present invention, the transition portion walls are
implemented with uniform (constant) thickness and are maintained over the entire length of the transition portion within the size range of 23 to 31 mm, the preferred range being 25 to 30.5 mm. The opposite walls of the transition portion may have different thickness.
[0017] Together with or separately from the first embodiment, this technical result is achieved by the fact that in the railway coupler knuckle having the nose portion, the hub portion, the tail portion and the transition portion that joins them, the signal flag opening in the nose portion, the coupler pivot pin opening in the hub portion connected with the internal cavity made in the transition portion and in the tail portion, according to the present invention, the tail portion in the area of pulling surfaces is implemented with a platform on its upper side while the wall thickness of the tail portion is non-uniform within the size range of 12 to 31 mm, the preferred range being 15 to 30 mm. The non-uniformity of the tail portion wall thickness may be up to 50% of the wall thickness in the adjacent portion, length L of the platform on the tail portion upper side may be made within the size range of 27 to 33 mm, the preferred range being 30 to 31 mm.
[0018] In addition, together with or separately from the first two embodiments, this technical result is achieved by the fact that in the railway coupler knuckle having the nose portion with working surface, the hub portion, the tail portion and the transition portion that joins them, the signal flag opening in the nose portion, the coupler pivot pin opening in the hub portion connected with the internal cavity made in the transition portion and in the tail portion, according to the present invention, the working surface in the nose portion is made even throughout its length. In addition, the working surface in the nose portion may be implemented with a slope from the bottom and/or upper sides.
[0019] Together with or separately from the first three embodiments, this technical result is achieved by the fact that in the railway coupler knuckle having the nose portion, the hub portion, the tail portion and the transition portion that joins them, the signal flag opening in the nose portion, the coupler pivot pin opening in the hub portion connected with the internal cavity made in the transition portion and in the tail portion, according to the present invention, the signal flag opening and the coupler pivot pin opening are implemented separately from each other, with the axes of the openings being parallel to and located at some distance from each other. The axes of the signal flag and coupler pivot pin openings may be located at a distance LI in the railway coupler knuckle transverse plane within the size range of 90 to 95 mm, the preferred range being 90 to 92 mm, and at a distance L2 in the railway coupler knuckle longitudinal plane within the size range of 47 to 53 mm, the preferred range being 48 to 50 mm.
[0020] This technical result is achieved by the fact that the method of manufacture of railway coupler knuckle that includes the top and the drag mold sections and the mold cores made of a molding material, installation of the mold cores between the mold sections with subsequent joining the mold sections together, filling the joined mold sections with the mold cores installed inside with metal, according to the present invention, to form the signal flag opening and the coupler pivot pin opening connected with the internal cavity, separately from each other two mold cores are used that are installed between the mold sections at some distance from each other. The mold cores may be installed at a distance 1 from each other, measured by the shortest distance from one core surface to the other core surface, within the size range of 7 to 15 mm, the preferred range being 9 to 10 mm. The mold sections and mold cores are made of green sand, sand-resin, sand-water glass or cold hardening mixtures. The mold sections and mold cores are made using the vacuum-film molding method. The mold sections and mold cores may be made using the pattern-core equipment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0021] The essence of the invention is explained by the drawings:
[0022] Fig. 1 : railway coupler knuckle (top view),
[0023] Fig. 2: railway coupler knuckle (side view),
[0024] Fig. 3: section A-A of Fig. 2,
[0025] Fig. 4: section E-E of Fig. 1,
[0026] Fig. 5: mold cores to form the signal flag opening and the coupler pivot pin opening connected with the internal cavity.
[0027] The railway coupler knuckle shown in the Figures contains nose portion 1, tail portion 2, hub portion 3, transition portion 4 that joins tail portion 2 and hub portion 3, signal flag opening 5 in nose portion 1 , coupler pivot pin opening 6 in hub portion 3 connected with internal cavity 7 (not shown in Figs. 1 and 2) made in transition portion 4 and tail portion 2. The nose portion has working (bearing) surface 1.1, in addition, the nose portion may be implemented with slope 1.2 on its working (bearing) surface 1.1. Signal flag opening 5 and coupler pivot pin opening 6 are located at some distance from each other, as the axes of signal flag opening 5 and coupler pivot pin opening 6 may be located at a distance Ll in the railway coupler knuckle transverse plane within the size range of 90 to 95 mm and at a distance L2 in the railway coupler knuckle longitudinal plane within the size range of 47 to 53 mm.
[0028] Fig. 3 shows the railway coupler knuckle embodiment, where walls 4.1 in transition portion 4 are implemented with uniform (constant) thickness w and are maintained over the entire length of the transition portion within the size range of 23 to 31 mm. In addition, the thickness w of opposite walls 4.1 may be different, but remaining the same over the entire length of one wall 4.1.
[0029] Fig. 4 shows the railway coupler knuckle embodiment, where tail portion 2 in the area of pulling surfaces is implemented with platform 8 on its upper side (in Fig. 4 the upper side of the knuckle is on the right), with length L within the size range of 27 to 33 mm. In addition, wall 2.1 of tail portion 2, including the interface between tail portion 2 and transition portion 4, is implemented with variable non-uniform thickness wl within the size range of 12 to 31 mm, the thickness non-uniformity may be up to 50%.
[0030] Fig. 5 shows mold core 5.1 to form signal flag opening 5 and mold core 6.1 to form pivot pin opening 6, connected with mold core 7.1 to form the internal cavity in transition portion 4 and in tail portion 2, which, in the present embodiment, are shown in the configuration as installed in the drag and top mold sections (not shown in the drawings). Core 5.1 is installed in the casting mold (mold sections) separately from cores 6.1 and 7.1 at a distance 1 to exclude any communication between signal flag opening 5 and coupler pivot pin opening 6 of the railway coupler knuckle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] The railway coupler knuckle implemented with uniform (constant) thickness of the wall over the entire length of the transition portion (in the area of internal cavity) provides optimization and improvement of the railway coupler knuckle design reliability, as well as simplifies its manufacturability due to exclusion in the part manufacturing process the need to compensate metal shrinkage in the walls of the knuckle transition portion. When metal is poured into a mold for casting, the metal is evenly distributed inside it to ensure equal time for solidification of the molded walls resulting in significant reduction of the risk of flaw formation and hot spot formation, thereby increasing the railway coupler knuckle reliability. The transition portion wall thickness (in the area of internal cavity) is uniform and is maintained over the entire length of the transition portion within 23 to 31 mm range, the minimum value being determined by preservation of the knuckle strength properties and the maximum defined as a critical value when the structural strength increases slightly and the specific metal consumption starts growing significantly. In addition, the opposite wall thicknesses may be different, but remaining the same over the entire length of one wall of the transition portion, resulting in uniform shrinkage and solidification of molded walls. The calculations have shown that the best results are achieved when the transition portion wall thicknesses are uniform and within the size range of 25 to 30.5 mm.
[0032] The implementation of the platform with length L on the upper side of the railway coupler knuckle tail portion provides optimization and improvement of the design reliability owing to bending reduction under load at the area of contact with the coupler device head portion during the coupler device operation, due to even load distribution over the entire surface of the tail portion platform. The platform length L range of 27 to 33 mm is determined by preservation of the knuckle strength properties under draft loads when the cars move on railway rails and the possibility to implement the platform on the upper side of the knuckle tail portion because, in operating condition, the tail portion is located inside the coupler device C-shaped head portion, the preferred range being 30 to 31 mm.
[0033] The railway coupler knuckle, implemented with the tail portion, with non- uniform thickness wl ensures an increased resistance to the pulling surface tensile stresses in the tail portion in the pulling surface area, an improvement of the tail portion wall abrasion resistance due to increase of the wall thickness in the pulling surface area within the area where maximum stress arises during operation, which allows to optimize and improve the railway coupler knuckle design reliability. The non-uniformity of wall thickness may be up to 50% of the wall thickness in the adjacent portion. The wall thickness wl minimum value of 12 mm in the pulling surface area has been chosen based on the condition that a reduction of specific metal consumption while preserving the knuckle strength properties must be ensured in the area of the transition portion interface with the tail portion, in other words, directly in the area before the railway coupler knuckle pulling surfaces. The tail portion wall thickness wl maximum value of 32 mm in the pulling surface area is determined by the platform implementation on the upper side of the railway coupler knuckle tail portion. However, when the tail portion is implemented in the pulling surface area, the preferred range is 15 to 30 mm.
[0034] Such implementation of the railway coupler knuckle with non-uniform wall thicknesses and the platform in the tail portion simplifies the railway coupler knuckle manufacturability due to simpler mold core and mold section forms made with smooth walls and increased directionality of solidification in the casting process to ensure acceptable integrity.
[0035] The implementation of the railway coupler knuckle with uniform working
(bearing) surface provides optimization and improvement of the knuckle design reliability due to even load distribution on the knuckle nose portion engaged with the other knuckle when couplers of joining cars are connected. The slope from the upper and/or bottom sides of the nose portion working (bearing) surface ensures shifting of active loads from transverse to longitudinal components, which allows to increase the area of stress distribution and decrease the load directly on the working (bearing) surface. [0036] The separate forming of the signal flag opening, i.e. at a distance from the coupler pivot pin opening connected with the internal cavity, the axes of the openings being parallel, provides optimization and improvement of the knuckle design reliability due to the absence of additional internal holes between the required design openings and due to decrease of the risk of core erosion and clogs in the body of casting, which might appear during the part casting, and, additionally, enhances its manufacturability due to simplification of the design of mold cores and the knuckle in general, and, accordingly, simplification of manufacturing and design of the core boxes, where mold cores are formed. The axes of the signal flag and coupler pivot pin openings are located at a distance LI in the railway coupler knuckle transverse plane within the size range of 90 to 95 mm and at a distance L2 in the railway coupler knuckle longitudinal plane within the size range of 47 to 53 mm. The above value range is determined by the wall between the signal flag and the coupler pivot pin openings, which allows reduction of the risk of flaws and hot spot formation, when metal is poured into the mold for casting, due to even distribution of the metal inside the mold and equal time of the molded wall solidification in general, resulting in the optimization and improvement of the railway coupler knuckle design reliability. In addition, for the distances between the axes of the signal flag and coupler pivot pin openings, the preferred ranges Ll in the knuckle transverse plane and L2 in the knuckle longitudinal plane are 90 to 92 mm and 48 to 50 mm, respectively.
[0037] The method of manufacture of railway coupler knuckle includes
implementation, using the pattern-core equipment, of the top and drag mold sections and the mold cores made of a molding material, installation of the mold cores on the drag mold section with subsequent placing the top mold section above, filling the joined mold sections with the mold cores installed inside with molten metal. The enhancement of the knuckle manufacturability is in the fact that two mold cores are used for forming, while the mold core to form the signal flag opening and the mold core to form the pivot pin opening of the coupler with the internal cavity are implemented separately from each other and not connected when the cores are installed in the mold sections, because the former are installed at a distance 1 from each other, measured by the shortest distance from one core surface to the other core surface, within the size range of 7 to 15 mm, which ensures implementation of the additional wall between the cores and removes the possibility of flaws and hot spot formation, due to even distribution of the metal poured into the mold and equal time of metal solidification in the mold. This ensures that no communication (connection) exists between the openings in the molded part, which affects the process of metal pouring into the mold section, as opposed to the closest prior art, where the mold cores are connected to each other and/or must be implemented as a single component. In addition, the implementation of mold cores separately from each other provides simplification of manufacturing and design of the pattern-core equipment needed to manufacture them, which also simplifies the knuckle manufacturability in general. In knuckle manufacturing, when the cores are located at a distance 1 from each other, measured by the shortest distance from one core surface to the other core surface, the preferred range is 9 to 10 mm.
[0038] As molding material, green sand, sand-resin, sand-water glass or cold hardening mixtures may be used. Furthermore, the mold sections and mold cores may be made using the vacuum-film molding method, which also is simplified due to
implementation of the cores as separate components, resulting in the simplification of knuckle manufacturability in general.
[0039] Therefore, the claimed invention, in the combination of its essential features, allows to optimize and improve the railway coupler knuckle design reliability and to enhance its manufacturability.

Claims

1. A railway coupler knuckle comprising:
a nose portion;
a hub portion;
a tail portion; and
a transition portion that joins them;
characterized in that the transition portion walls are implemented with uniform constant thickness and are maintained over the entire length of the transition portion within the size range of 23 to 31 mm.
2. The knuckle according to claim 1, characterized in that the thicknesses over the entire length of the transition portion are maintained within the size range of 25 to 30.5 mm.
3. The knuckle according to claim 1, characterized in that the opposite walls of the transition portion are implemented with different thickness.
4. A railway coupler knuckle comprising:
a nose portion;
a hub portion;
a tail portion; and
a transition portion that joins them;
characterized in that the tail portion in the area of pulling surfaces is implemented with a platform on its upper side while the wall thickness of the tail portion in the platform area is made non-uniform within the size range of 12 to 32 mm.
5. The knuckle according to claim 4, characterized in that the wall thickness of the tail portion in the platform area is made non-uniform within the size range of 15 to 30 mm.
6. The knuckle according to claim 4, characterized in that the non-uniformity of the wall thickness in the tail portion is up to 50% of the wall thickness in the adjacent portion.
7. The knuckle according to claim 4, characterized in that length L of the platform on the upper side of the tail portion is implemented within the size range of 27 to 33 mm.
8. The knuckle according to claim 4, characterized in that length L is implemented within the size range of 30 to 31 mm.
9. A railway coupler knuckle comprising a nose portion with a working surface, a hub portion, a tail portion and a transition portion that joins them, characterized in that the working surface in the nose portion is made even throughout its entire length.
10. The knuckle according to claim 9, characterized in that the working surface in the nose portion is implemented with a slope from the bottom side.
11. The knuckle according to claim 9, characterized in that the working surface in the nose portion is implemented with a slope from the upper side.
12. A railway coupler knuckle comprising:
a nose portion;
a hub portion;
a tail portion; and
a transition portion that joins them;
a signal flag opening in the nose portion; and
a coupler pivot pin opening in the hub portion connected with internal cavity made in the transition portion and in the tail portion;
characterized in that the signal flag opening and the coupler pivot pin opening are implemented separately from each other, with the axes of the openings being parallel to and located at a distance from each other.
13. The knuckle according to claim 12, characterized in that the axes of the signal flag and coupler pivot pin openings are located at a distance Ll in the railway coupler knuckle transverse plane within the size range of 90 to 95 mm and at a distance L2 in the railway coupler knuckle longitudinal plane within the size range of 47 to 53 mm.
14. The knuckle according to claim 12, characterized in that the distance Ll is implemented within the size range of 90 to 92 mm.
15. The knuckle according to claim 12, characterized in that the distance L2 is implemented within the size range of 48 to 50 mm.
16. A method of manufacture of railway coupler knuckle comprising: implementation of top and drag mold sections and mold cores made of a molding material,
installation of the mold cores between the mold sections and subsequent joining the top and drag mold sections,
filling the joined mold sections with the mold cores installed inside them with metal, characterized in that two mold cores are used separately from each other to form the signal flag opening and the pivot pin opening connected with the internal cavity, installed between the top and drag mold sections at a distance from each other.
17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the mold cores are installed at a distance 1 from each other, measured by the shortest distance from one core surface to the other core surface, within the size range of 7 to 15 mm.
18. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the distance 1 is implemented within the size range of 9 to 10 mm.
19. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the mold sections and mold cores are made of green sand, sand-resin, sand- water glass or cold hardening mixtures.
20. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the mold sections and mold cores are made using the vacuum-film molding method.
PCT/EP2018/085866 2017-12-25 2018-12-19 Railway coupler knuckle and a method of its manufacture WO2019129577A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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RU2017145594A RU2686255C1 (en) 2017-12-25 2017-12-25 Claw of railway coupler (versions) and method of its manufacturing
RU2017145594 2017-12-25

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5582307A (en) 1995-05-08 1996-12-10 Amsted Industries Incorporated Railway car coupler knuckle
US6129227A (en) * 1996-04-22 2000-10-10 National Casting Incorporated Lightweight knuckle for a railroad car coupler
US20090289024A1 (en) * 2008-05-23 2009-11-26 Nibouar F Andrew Railway coupler core structure for increased strength and fatigue life of resulting knuckle
RU2531989C1 (en) 2010-08-13 2014-10-27 Амстед Рэйл Компани, Инк. Coupler knuckle with inner bearing surface
US9533696B2 (en) 2011-05-20 2017-01-03 Bedloe Industries Llc Railcar coupler knuckle cores and knuckles produced by said cores

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4605133A (en) * 1983-09-22 1986-08-12 Amsted Industries Incorporated Coupler knuckle
US4640422A (en) * 1985-02-06 1987-02-03 Mcconway & Torley Corporation Knuckle structure to prevent knuckle pin failure in a railway coupler

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5582307A (en) 1995-05-08 1996-12-10 Amsted Industries Incorporated Railway car coupler knuckle
US6129227A (en) * 1996-04-22 2000-10-10 National Casting Incorporated Lightweight knuckle for a railroad car coupler
US20090289024A1 (en) * 2008-05-23 2009-11-26 Nibouar F Andrew Railway coupler core structure for increased strength and fatigue life of resulting knuckle
RU2531989C1 (en) 2010-08-13 2014-10-27 Амстед Рэйл Компани, Инк. Coupler knuckle with inner bearing surface
US9533696B2 (en) 2011-05-20 2017-01-03 Bedloe Industries Llc Railcar coupler knuckle cores and knuckles produced by said cores

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RU2686255C1 (en) 2019-04-24
EA201892727A2 (en) 2019-06-28

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