US2695714A - Coupler arrangement - Google Patents

Description

NOV.,30, 1954 KAYLER 2,695,714

COUPLER ARRANGEMENT Filed April 13, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1954 F. H. KAYLER 2,695,714

COUPLER ARRANGEMENT Filed April 13, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Bank H ffcyler United States 1 Patent 2,695,714 COUPLER ARRANGEMENT Frank H; Kayler, Alliance, Ohio, assignorto American teel Foundries, Chicago, 111., a corporation'of New ersey Application April 13, 1951, Serial No. 220,891

13 Claims. Cl. 213-126 This invention relates to automatic railway car couplers and more particularly to an improved knuckle throwing means for couplers-such as the Standard E and proposed F couplers. p

In couplers of this type, the knuckle thrower is pivoted in the knuckle head and'comprises a pair of arms, one of which is operated bythe lock and the other of which actuates the knuckle during a knuckle throwing opera tion. The lock is manually actuated by anoperating rod which is connected by one of several'well known linkages to theleg of the lock depending from its head,

which is adapted-in lockedposition thereoftolock the pivotal knuckle in its closed position. The leg coin prisesa: lock set portion engageable with one arm of theknuckle thrower to support the lockin its unlocked position preparatory to. uncoupling. In prior art arrangements, the knuckle throwing operation, particularly in worn couplers, has frequently been adifiicultonebecause of friction'between the knuckle thrower and related surfaces of the coupler head 1 which limit upward movement of the thrower to maintain it in properassembled position 1 within the coupler head;

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to reduce frictional resistance to actuation of the knuckle thrower.

A more specific object of theinvention is to disposethe areas of frictional contact between the coupler. head andthrower, during-actuationof the latter, as closely as possible to the rotational axis of the throwerthereby' decreasing frictional resistance to-opening of the knuckle-.

A further object of the invention "is to provide a novel guide surface within the coupler head for thelock actu ated arm of the thrower, said. surface having a p'ortion overlyinglsaid arm at the lock set position thereof and having another higher portion overlying the path of movement of said arm and spaced therefrom during a knuckle throwing operation therebyprevent'ing binding of said arm between the cam surfaee'ofthe lock and" the lock leg without binding between said trunnion and bearing surface during a knuckle throwing. operation;

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification and the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure l is a top plan view partly in horizontal. section through a coupler head embodying the invention;

Figure -2 is a side viewof the coupler with'portions" of the coupler head broken away along approximately the longitudinal vertical center plane thereof and with its thrower guide slot and related throwerarm in section along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is-a sectional view taken on the line 33" of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on-the line 44of Figure l with the knuckle thrower in it's knuckle open position; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5----5"of Figure 1.

2, 95,714 Patented Nov. 30, 1954' 2 t Describing the invention in detail and referring first? to Figures 1 and 2, the coupler head, generallydsignated 2,-isprovided-with a knuckle lpivoted thereon on a? substantially vertical axis' as, for example, by a piri 6'? extending through complementary openings in top I and bottom" earsof the knuckle head 2, only thejbottornea'r beingillustrated in Figure 1 inasmuch as this structure= is conventional. In this connection, it may be noted? that the knuckle 4is shown in-Figure l in solid lines atits closed position and is shown inphantornlines at its", knuckle .open or fully op'en positions;-ancl forvthe sake of clarity only such portions of the knuckle are shown as arepertinent to the present invention inasmuch as the knuckle is of conventional design. 1

The knuckle 4in itsclosed position is locked-in the" usual{ manner by a head 8"(Figure 2) of aflock generally designated 10, said lock being vertically movable to" locked and unlocked position within a cavity 1 2' ofthe coupler head 2 by a conventional operating mechanism"; such as that shown in Figure 2,-wherein a lifter link 14 is providedwith a substantially cylindricallug or tru n nion 16 slidably received within a diagonal slot=18' ina leg 20-of the lock 10 depending from the head 8 thereo'fa- The link 14 is pivoted as at 22 to a rotor lever 24 having- 1 1 34 of the leg 20 is engageable with a complementary seat 36 (Figure l) of a novel knuckle. thrower generally designated 38. It maybe noted atthis point that in the. lock set position- (notishowny-of the knuckle thrower 38; and lock 10, a lug 40 (Figure 2)on'the upper end of the link. 14 rests in thelusual manner against 'an upwardly facing seat 42 (Figure 1) of theknuckle thrower38;

The knuckle thrower comprises top: and bottom substantially coaxial trunnions 44 and 46-. The uppertrunnion 44is substantially frusto-conical inform and preisents' a generally conical bearing surface 48taperingto;- :l ward the upper end of the trunnion 44. The .thrower '38 also comprises a lock engaging arm '50 having the before: mentioned lock set seat 36? and linkseat 42. As clearly seen-tin Figure 1, the arm 50 of the thrower 38 projects 1 from one side-of the rotational axis of thetrunnions 44? and 46, said axis being indicated at X--X:in' Figures*3-.5;L and the thrower 38-comprises a knuckle actuating: arm 52 projecting from the opposite side of said'axis andr comprising a'nose 54 engageable with a complementary surface of the knuckle 4, the open position thereof being' indicated by phantom linesat 4a in Figure 1.

, he'arm 52 also comprisesan arcuatethroat-56 611-) gageable with a conventional bottompullinglug 58 of theknuckle 4 in the open position thereof, said pulling i.

'lug being adapted for cooperation in the usual manner" with a complementary pulling lug (not shown) of the: coupler head 2 when the knuckle 4 is locked and mated with a knuckle (not shown) 1 of a mating couplerwhen" the couplers are under draft, as will be readilyunderen stood by those skilled in the art. The outer edge of the arm 52 is provided with a safety lug 60 which mergesi with the top trunnion 44 and is received within a slot 62" (Figure, 5) of the coupler head 2 partially defined by a.- wall 64"thereof having a surface formed as a segment; of a cone complementary to and substantially coaxial with the trunnion surface 48 and aifording abearingtherefor, as best seen inFigure 5. The .wall 64 also; comprises a downwardly facing surface, or abutment 6 8 normally spaced abov'e the lug 60, in all operating po-; sitions of the thrower 38 and adapted for engagement with the lug '60 during unusual upward movemen of the throwe'r38 to preventaccidental disengagement ,of its bottoin trunnion 46' from a complementary pivot opening 70 of a coupler head 2.11nder unusual 'coridia tions, such as occasionally occur in railway service "where in the coupler head 2 is subjected to unusual vertical movements or is rotated during dumping of a dump car.

As best seen in Figure 1, when the knuckle thrower 38 is in the knuckle open position indicated in phantom lines at 38a in Figure 1, more than one-third of the lug 60 underlies the wall 64, as indicated by the shading at 60a in Figure 1. Thus from the knuckle open position of the thrower shown at 3811 in Figure 1 an additional rotation of the knuckle thrower to the fully open position indicated at 38b in Figure 1 is required to release the lug 60 from beneath the wall 64. This additional rotation must be at least 70% of the amount of rota tion required to move the thrower 38 from its knuckle closed position, shown in solid lines in Figure l, to its knuckle open position, shown at 38a in that figure. It will be understood that this additional rotation ordinarily takes place only in disassembly of the thrower 38 with respect to the coupler head 2. However, in worn couplers, rotation of the thrower 38 beyond its normal knuckle open position, shown at 38a in Figure I occasionally takes place due to worn condition of the parts and the above described improved arrangement positively prevents accidental disassembly of the thrower 38 in such worn couplers, particularly when used on cars operated through rotary dumpers which invert them.

Referring again to Figures 1 to 3, it will be seen that the extremity of the thrower arm 50, remote from its rotational axis XX, is disposed within a guide slot 72 in a wall of the coupler head 2 adjoining its guard arm 7 4, and as best seen in Figure 2, the slot 72 comprises a substantially horizontal upper surface 76 overlying the arm 50 and normally engaged therewith, when the lock 10 is raised to engage its trunnion lock 30 with the coupler head surface at 32, under which conditions a rearwardly facing cam surface 78 of the lock leg engages a cooperating surface of the thrower arm 50. Thus the surface 76 positively prevents the thrower 38 from following the lock 10 upwardly under these conditions, as might otherwise occur, preventing the lock set seat 34 from passing over the top of the arm 50.

Under these conditions, the arm 52 of the thrower is also frictionally engaged as at 80 (Figure 3) with an upwardly facing diagonal surface of the coupler head 2. The knuckle arm 52 also contacts the surface 80 when the knuckle 4 is in locked position to afford frictional resistance to loose motion of the thrower 38 when the knuckle 4 is locked.

Continued rotation of the rotor 28 in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 2 causes the lock leg 20 to rotate rearwardly and upwardly in a counterclockwise direction about the fulcrum point 32 whereby the cam surface 78 of the lock leg 20 urges the thrower arm 50 rearwardly pivoting the thrower arm 38 in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure 1, to throw the knuckle 4 to open position, and it will be understood that as the knuckle moves to open position, the thrower arm 50 passes from beneath the surface 76 below a coupler head surface 81 sloping upwardly and rearwardly from the surface 76 and overlying the path of the thrower arm 50 during a knuckle throwing operation. As best seen in Figure 4, the surface 81 is constantly spaced from the arm 50 inasmuch as the trunnion surface 48 and the knuckle head bearing surface 66 wedge the thrower 38 to the right, as seen in Figure 4, so that the bottom trunnion 46 is frictionally engaged as at 82 with the margin of the opening 70 at one side of the axis XX, by wedge action of the surfaces 48 and 66 which are at the opposite side of that axis. Also, under these conditions, due to upward movement of the thrower 38, the lug 60 thereof is engaged with the overlying surface 68 of the wall 64, as shown in Figure 4. Thus it will be understood that, as the thrower 38 is rotated from the position shown in Figure 2, the arm 50 thereof is spaced below the surface 81, and the entire frictional contact between the thrower 38 and the coupler head 2, under these conditions, is along the surfaces 66, 68 and 82, as seen in Figure 4, all of these surfaces being closely adjacent the rotational axis XX of the thrower 38 to minimize frictional resistance to such movement of the thrower during a knuckle throwing operation.

The conical bearing surfaces 48 and 66 of the thrower 38 and coupler head 2, respectively, are also effective during such a knuckle throwing operation to maintain the rotational axis XX of the thrower 38 in an approximately vertical position and prevent tilting of the thrower 38 thereby further reducing relative movement between the contacting surfaces of the knuckle 4 and thrower 38, a feature which also increases the efiiciency of the throwing mechanism.

I claim:

1. An automatic railway coupler comprising a coupler head, a knuckle pivoted thereto on a substantially vertical axis, a lock in said head for said knuckle, a knuckle thrower having an arm operatively connected to the knuckle and having another arm operatively associated with the lock for actuation thereby to throw the knuckle to open position thereof, substantially coaxial top and bottom trunnions on said thrower between its arms, the bottom trunnion being pivotally mounted within a complementary opening of the head, and a bearing surface in said head formed substantially as a conical segment and engaged with a complementary conical surface of the top trunnion at one side only of the axis of said trunnions during rotation of said thrower by said lock, the bottom trunnion being engaged with the margin of said opening at the opposite side only of the axis of said trunnions during said rotation of said thrower by said lock.

2. An automatic railway coupler having a coupler head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, a lock in said head vertically movable into and out of locking engagement with said knuckle, a knuckle thrower having an arm connected to the knuckle and another arm operatively associated with the lock for actuation thereby to throw the knuckle, said lock having a lock set portion adapted to seat on said other arm when said lock is in lock set position, top and bottom substantially coaxial trunnions on said thrower between its arms, the bottom trunnion being pivotally mounted within a complementary pivot opening of the head, a bearing surface within said head formed substantially as a conical segment and engageable with a complementary conical surface of the top trunnion to limit upward movement thereof, a guide slot in said head facing the bearing surface and receiving the extremity of said other arm, said slot having a substantially horizontal top surface overlying said other arm in lock set position, thereof, and said slot comprising another surface above the level of said horizontal surface and overlying the path of said other arm and spaced therefrom during knuckle throwing movement thereof.

3. An automatic railway coupler comprising a head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, a lock vertically movable in said head to locked and unlocked position with respect to the knuckle, a thrower pivoted in said head, said thrower having an arm engageable with the knuckle and having another arm engageable by said lock for actuation thereby during knuckle throwing, a surface in said head overlying the extremity of said other arm, said surface having a portion above said other arm in lock set position thereof whereat a portion of said lock is seated on said other arm for support thereby to hold said lock in open position, and said surface having another portion above the level of the first mentioned portion and overlying the path of said other arm during knuckle throwing movement thereof, and means on said coupler head engageable with the thrower between said arms for positively limiting upward movement of the thrower beyond a level whereat said other arm is spaced below said other surface portion during knuckle throwing movement of the thrower.

4. An automatic railway coupler comprising a head, a knuckle pivoted thereto on a substantially vertical axis, a lock vertically movable in said head to locked and unlocked position with respect to the knuckle, a thrower pivoted in said head on a substantially vertical axis, said thrower having an arm at one side of its axis and engageable with the knuckle and said thrower having an arm at the opposite side of said axis and engageable by said lock for actuation thereby during knuckle throw, said lock having a lock set portion engageable with an upwardly facing surface on said other arm for support thereby in lock set position of said lock and'knuckle thrower, a surface in said head overlying the extremity of said other arm, said surface having a portion engageable with said other arm in lockset position thereof and said surface having another portion above the level of the first mentioned portion and overlying the path of said other arm during knuckle throwing movement thereof, and means on said coupler head engageable with the thrower. between said arms thereof for positively limiting upward movement of the thrower, thereby preventing engagement of said other arm with said other surface portion during knuckle throwing movement of the thrower, said means being spaced above the thrower in lock set position thereof, a sufficient distance to accommodate said engagement of said other arm with the first mentioned surface portion.

5. In an automatic railway coupler, a coupler head, a knuckle thrower pivoted at the bottom side thereof to said head, a knuckle pivoted in said head, a lock in said head movable to locked and unlocked position with respect to the knuckle, said thrower having arms operatively connected to the knuckle and loss, respectively, and a bearing surface in said head formed as a segment of a cone substantially coaxial with the pivotal axis of the throat and engaged with a complementary segmental conical bearing surface on the top side of the thrower, at one side only of the pivotal axis of said thrower when the latter is pivoted, said thrower being engaged at the underside thereof along a substantially vertical surface of the head at the opposite side only of said axis when the thrower is pivoted.

6. In an automatic railway coupler, a coupler head, a knuckle thrower having a trunnion on its bottom side pivotally mounted within a complementary opening of the head, a knuckle pivoted in said head, a lock in said head movable to locked and unlocked positions with respect to the knuckle, said thrower having arms engageable with the knuckle and lock, respectively, a bearing surface on said head formed as a segment of a cone substantially coaxial with said trunnion, and another trunnion on the top side of said thrower having a conical bearing surface engageable with the first mentioned surface, at one side only of the pivotal axis of said thrower, said trunnion being engageable with the margin of said opening at the opposite side only; of said pivotal axis when said bearing surfaces are interengaged.

7. An automatic railway coupler comprising a hollow coupler head member, a knuckle thrower member therein, a substantially vertical trunnion on one of the members loosely fitted within a complementary opening of the other member to afford rotatable movement therebetween on a substantially vertical axis, a knuckle pivoted to said head member on a substantially vertical axis outwardly of said trunnion, a lock within said head member movable vertically therein to locked and unlocked position with respect to said knuckle, said thrower member having an arm engaged with the knuckle to throw the latter to open position, and said thrower member having another arm with an upwardly facing seat to support a lock set portion of the lock in lock set position thereof whereat said knuckle is unlocked preparatory to opening thereof, cooperating fulcrum means on the lock and head member upwardly and outwardly of said portion, cam means on the lock facing inwardly and engageable with said other arm, means for urging the lock upwardly to interengage said fulcrum means and for rotating the lock upwardly and inwardly about said fulcrum means to thereby urge the cam means against said other arm whereby said one arm throws the knuckle to open position, and means on the head and thrower members for limiting upward movement of the latter during actuation of said other arm by said cam means, said limiting means being disposed between said arms, being entirely spaced therefrom, and being disposed closely adjacent the first mentioned axis to minimize frictional resistance to rotation of the thrower member.

8. An automatic railway car coupler comprising a head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, a knuckle thrower having substantially coaxial top and bottom trunnions, the bottom trunnion being pivotally mounted within a complementary opening of the head, and the top trunnion having a substantially conical surface, a wall in said coupler having a complementary conical surface engaged with said trunnion surface, and a lug on said thrower extending beneath said wall and engageable therewith to limit upward movement of the thrower, the engagement of said bottom trunnion with the head within said opening thereof at one side only of the axis of said trunnions, and the engagement of said wall with said lug, and the engagement of said wall surface with said top trunnion at the opposite side only of the axis of said trunnions being the sole contacting areas between the coupler head and thrower during knuckle throwing movement of the thrower.

9. An automatic railway car coupler comprising a head, a knuckle pivoted thereto, a knuckle thrower pivoted within the head and having an arm engaged with the knuckle for moving it to open position, said thrower having another arm, means operatively connected to said other arm for actuation thereof, and means on the head and thrower entirely disposed between said arms for limiting upward movement of the thrower during actuation thereof.

10. In an automatic railway coupler, a coupler head, a knockle pivoted thereto, a knuckle opener rotatably mounted within the head for rotation in a horizontal plane, said opener having an arm engaged with the knuckle to move it to open position, and said opener having another arm, said head having a guard arm wall with a slot, the slot partially defined by a top surface overlying the end of said other arm in knuckle closed position thereof, and said slot being partially defined by another top surface rearwardly of the first mentioned surface and extending upwardly therefrom.

11. A coupler head having outer pivot means for a knuckle and having inner, upwardly facing pivot means for a knuckle thrower, a conical bearing surface carried by said head above the level of said inner pivot means at one side thereof, and an inwardly facing guide slot in said head above the level of said inner pivot means at the opposite side thereof, said slot having a downwardly facing surface at one level for engaging an arm of said thrower and having a downwardly facing surface at a higher level than said one level and disposed rearwardly thereof and above the path of movement of said arm during knuckle throwing movement of the thrower.

12. A coupler head comprising outer knuckle pivot means, inner knuckle thrower pivot means, and a bearmg surface formed as a segment of a cone substantially coaxial with said inner pivot means above the level thereof and at one side only of the axis of said inner pivot means.

13. A knuckle thrower of the class described having a bottom pivot trunnion substantially cylindrical in shape and having a top trunnion of the shape of a frustrum of a cone, a knuckle thrower arm connected to said trunnions at one side thereof and a lock engaging arm con-,

nected to said trunnions and projecting from the other side thereof, said trunnions being substantially coaxial.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

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