US2689052A - Coupler operating rod - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 14, 1954 F. H. KAYLER COUPLER OPERATING ROD 5 Sheegs-Sheet 1- Filed July 18. 1952 INVENTOR. i 91. Qizyfm BY @5 Q 4 Sept. 14, 1954 F. H. KAYLER 2,689,052

COUPLER OPERATING ROD Filed July 18, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

P 1954 F. H. KAYLER 2,689,052

COUPLER OPERATING ROD Filed July 18, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 J06 J08 7 1L w 7 Sept. 14, 1954 F. H. KAYLER COUPLER OPERATING ROD 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 18, 1952 Q d a 'JNVENTOR.

Sept. 14, 1954 F. H. KAYLER 2,639,052

COUPLER OPERATING ROD Filed July 18, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

(9 M 5% Oyh body tending to release the anticreep.

Patented Sept. 14, 1954 COUPLER OPERATING ROD Frank H. Kayler, Alliance, Ohio, assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 18, 1952, Serial No. 299,767

This invention relates to automatic railway coupler mechanisms and more particularly to a novel coupler operating device associated with automatic couplers as used on American railways. This application is a continuation-inpart of my applications Serial No. 31,628, filed June 8, 1948', and Serial No. 180,030, filed August 1'7, 1950, both of which are now abandoned, said application Serial No. 180,030 having been filed as a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 107,429, filed July 29, 1949, and now abandoned.

It is a well known fact that one of the principal difiiculties in automatic couplers is to provide an anticreep which will prevent accidental movement of the lock to unlock position under all conditions. It is known, for example, that under present conditions, the operating rod will on occasion swing forwardly away from the car If this action occurs at the same instant that some force on the coupler tends to throw the coupler lock upwardly in the head, the lock may rise to a point at which the knuckle is released causing a train parting. Such a combination of conditions is relatively rare but it is, of course, desirable to eliminate the possibility entirely.

Accordingly, a 'primary object of the present invention is to obtain greater stability of the operating rod in rest position by frictionally resisting at a plurality of spaced points on the rod any tendency of the handle to swing causing rotation of the rod during train operation' A more specific object of the invention is to devise an operating rod with a portion adapted to seat on an associated bracket which is formed and arranged to frictionally resist accidental rotation of the rod at spaced points.

A different object of the invention is to provide an operating rod having greater rotatability than present designs without increasing the height of the handle portion at the final operating position. This feature is particularly applicable to couplers requiring greater rotation of the operating rod than the present A. A. R. Standard E coupler; however, the feature is equally applicable to the Standard E coupler.

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 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the novel operating mechanism shown in rest position applied to a coupler-and car body shown in phantom lines;- 4 I 10 Claims. (01. 21316t' Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the operating mechanism with the parts shown in rest position;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 with the operators hand and the final operating position of the coupler rod handle being shown in phantom lines;

Figure 4 is a sectional View corresponding to Figure 3 but showing the conditions prevailing under end shock tending to rotate the operating rod handle;

Figure 5 is a sectionalview corresponding to Figure 3 but illustrating a modification of the invention wherein the operating rod handle is provided with a diagonal rather than a horizontal hand hold;

Figures 6 and 7 are somewhat diagrammatic views illustrating the manner in which the handle end of the rod is bent to the desired shape,

Figure 6 being a plan view of the rod, and Fig ure '7 being a front elevational view thereof;

Figure 8 is an end view of a typical rod in present use with a force diagram applied thereto, the operators hand and the final operating position of the coupler rod handle being shown in phantom lines and the support for the rod being shown in vertical section;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, partly in section, the section being taken substantially on line 9-9 of Figure 10, the view illustrating another embodiment of the novel operating rod with a force diagram applied thereto, the rod being shown in solid lines in normal rest position and in phantom lines in several operating positions; Figure 10 is atop plan view of my novel rod applied to a coupler and car body shown in phantom lines;

Figure 11 is a front elevational view of the structure shown in Figures 9 and 10 with the coupler omitted and a handle of the standard rod shown in phantom lines for comparison, and

Figures 12, 13 and 14 illustrate still another embodiment of the invention, the views being similar to Figures 2, 3 and 4 respectively.

Describing the invention in detail and referring to the embodiment thereof shown in Figures 1 to 4, the novel coupler operating mechanism is illustrated as applied to a coupler 2 and a car body 4, fragmentarily indicated in phantom lines in Figure 1. nated 5, comprises a main body portion 6 sloping downwardly and inboardly and terminating in a generally horizontal end portion 8 formed with connecting means in the form of a hook Ill- The operating rod, generally desigfor connection to a rotor II connected to asso- 3 ciated knuckle locking and throwing mechanism (not shown) of the coupler 2, said rotor being rotatably journaled in conventional manner within complementary openings of lugs I3 (Figure 1) on the underside of the coupler 2. The

upper end of the body portion 6 comprises a substantially horizontal bearing portion I2 adapted for support, as hereinafter described in detail, by

a bracket, generally designated I4. The longitudinal axis of said bearing portion I2 is inter:

sected by the rotational axis BB (Figures 1 and 2) of the rod 5. The outboard end of the portion I2 is formed with a bend or loop I6 disposed in a vertical plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of the rod portion I2, and the bottom segment of the loop I6 is formed with an I actuator portion I 8 sloping downwardly and rearwardly so that the lower rear extremity of the portion I8 terminates at a point rearwardly of the rear extremity of the loop I6, as best seen in Figures 1, 3 and 4. The lower end of the portion I8 is preferably formed with an approximately perpendicular, horizontal hand hold or handle 20 which may be conveniently grasped by the I hand of the operator, indicated at 22 in Figure 3.

It may be noted, as best seen in Figure 3, that a' vertical plane AA which is parallel to a vertical plane defined by the longitudinal axis of the bearing portion I2 and which bisects the handle 20 along its longitudinal axis passes rear wardly of the portions I2, I6 and I8, and said plane A--A is spaced horizontally from the longitudinal axis of the bearing portion I2 a distance at least about 25 per cent of the shortest distance between the longitudinal axes of the 1 bearing portion I2 and handle 20. 1 words, considering that the longitudinal axis of In other bearing portion I2 extends to infinity, the distance horizontally between plane A--A and the longitudinal axis of bearing portion I2 is at least about 25% of the shortest distance between said axis and the center of the outboard end of handle 20, the outboard end of handle 29 in this embodiment being the free end thereof. This arrangement accommodates actuation of the novel operating rod from the rest position shown by solid lines in Figure 3 to the final operating' position illustrated by phantom lines I therein with a minimum of effort by the operator, I as hereinafter described in detail.

Thebracket I4 comprises a rear web 24 adapted for removable securement in any convenient manner as, for example, by bolts or a weld (not shown) to the car body 4. The bracket also comeye 36 (Figures 3 and 4) sloping downwardly and forwardly and defined by top and bottom diagonal webs or legs 38 and 40 integrally formed with the web 34. The'bearin'g portion I2 of the operating rod is confined withinthe slot 36 for rotation therein, as hereinafter described. As best seen in Figure l, the web 28. is tapered as at 44 toward the outboard end thereof to afford clearance for the actuator portion I8 ,of the operating rod.

In the rest position of the operating rod, the portion I2 thereof is received within the eye 36 and is secured against accidental disassembly therefrom by a cotter pin 42, as best seen in Figure 3. The lower segment of the loop portion I6 is seated on the top of the web 26 which slopes upwardly, as heretofore described. In Figure 3, the actuator portion I8 of the rod is shown in its final operating position in phantom lines with the portion I2 moved upwardly and rearwardly within the eye 36. Under these conditions, as is well known to those skilled in the art, the knuckle (not shown) of the coupler 2 is thrown to open position'and it will be noted that the handle 20 has not been rotated substantially above the horizontal plane of the bearing portion I2 although the rod has been rotated approximately 113 from the rest position shown in solid lines in Figure 3. Inasmuch as the present rod is rotated approximately 83, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that a conventional rod rotated 113 would re quire the operator 'to actuate the handle above the horizontal. In actual practice, this would require a two step operation with the operator pulling upwardly on the handle in the first step and then pushing upwardly on the handle in the sec v ond step, an extremely dangerous practice due to the hazards of railway service which require that an operator actuate the rod within minimum time limits. 1

Referring now to Figure 4 which shows the operating rod from the outboard end thereof under conditions of end shock which would tendv to rotate the portion I3 by inertia thereof, it will be seen that such rotation of the portion I8 fulcrums the rod at 46 on the upper surface of the sloping web 26. Under these conditions the portion I2 of the rod frictionally engages the d.i--, agonal web 38 of the eye 36 as at 48 (Figure 4),;

Thus under these conditions the rod must over come frictional resistance at both points it and 48, and rotation of the portion I8 requires that the portion I2 of the rod be urged upwardly and rearwardly along the sloping leg 38 in frictional engagement therewith. actual tests of this arrangement that handle swing has been reduced to approximately 50% of the conventional handle swing. Thus it will be understood that the novel mechanism above described not only accommodates maximum rod rotation with minimum eifort by an operator but also provides a novel and effective lock means for resisting accidental rotation of the rod due to swinging of the actuator portion I8 under end shock.

Referring now to Figure 5, a modification of the device is shown wherein the horizontal hand hold is eliminated, the other parts being identical with those described in connection with Figuresv 1 to 4 and being identified by corresponding nu-.

portion I6 and the portion I8 are first formedby bending these portions in a plane passing longitudinally through the axis of the portion I2,-

as shown in phantom lines in Figure 7. The loop portion is then bent back at X until this portion is in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of the portion I2. The handle 20 and the:

It has been found by.

other portions of the rod may be bent either be- .fore or after the above described operations.

Referring now to Figure 8 which shows a conventional rod in current use, the rod generally designated I 02 is rotatably supported at I04 from a bracket I06 mounted on a car body I08, fragmentarily shown. The rod comprises a depending handle I I0 at one end having an upper portion II2 sloping rearwardly downwardly toward the car body H0 and having a lower handhold portion II 4 ofiset forwardly away from the car body, the lower end of the handhold portion I I4 being bent rearwardly. In operating this type of rod from its position of rest as shown in solid lines, the operators hand, designated I I6, grasps the lower end of the handhold portion II4 as shown and, to rotate the rod, pulls the handle towards himself and lifts the handle to a position shown at H8 in order to open the coupler knuckle. It will be noted, however, that to move the handle IIO to the position shown at IIB the operator must use a lifting force and that the direction of force vector is as shown by the line A'A' in Figure 8 and that the effective leverage represented by the line BB, taken from the axis of rotation of the rod perpendicular to the force vector, line AA, is equal to about half of the length of the handle. The lower curved portion of rod hand hold I I4 is the intended and most advantageous position at which to grasp the handle for maximum operating force. It has been found in service that instead of grasping the handle at this most advantageous position the operator may grasp it on the straight portion above this, which position affords reduced throwing leverage. 1

Referring now to Figures 9 to 11, another embodiment of the novel coupler operating rod is illustrated as applied to a coupler I50 and a car body I52 fragmentarily shown in phantom lines in Figure 10. The operating rod, generally designated I54, comprises a main body portion I56 sloping downwardly and inboardly and terminating in a generally horizontal end portion I58 formed with connecting means in the form of a hook I60 for connection to associated conventional knuckle locking and throwing mechanism (not shown) of the coupler I50. The body portion is offset rearwardly adjacent its upper end as at I62 (Figure 10) and is then continued as a substantially horizontal bearing portion I64 adapted for support as hereinafter described in detail by a bracket generally designated I66.

The outboard end of the portion I64 is formed with an integral handhold portion generally designated I68. The portion I68 comprises an upper section I10, an intermediate section I12, and a bottom section I14, all of said sections I10, I12 and I14 being disposed in a common diagonal plane sloping downwardly and inboardly with respect to the outboard end of the bearing portion I64 to a position therebeneath as seen in Figure 11. It will be noted that the section I10 slopes downwardly toward the car body I52 in normal rest position of the rod, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, and that the intermediate section I12 of the handle is somewhat c-shaped in form and comprises upper and lower legs I15 and I18 and a handle I80 therebetween. The upper leg slopes slightly upwardly toward the car body and merges with the lower end of the upper section I10 of the handle. The handle I80 is offset forwardly of the upper section I10 of the handle and forwardly of the axis of rotation of the rod and slopes downwardly forwardly of the handle and merges at its lower end with the lower leg I18 which extends rearwardly of the handle. The lower section I14 is formed as a continuation of the lower leg I18 of the intermediate section and slopes slightly upwardly rearwardly of the handle and extends to a point rearwardly of the bearing portion I64 of the rod and is formed at its rear end with a generally horizontal handle I82 extending substantially at right angles to the section I14 outboardly thereof and generally parallel to the bearing portion I64 of the rod. In this embodiment, as in that of Figures 1-4, the outboard end of handle I 82 is its free end but due to the sloping arrangement of handle sections I10 and I12, as best seen in Figure 11, the

outboard end of the handle I82 does not project beyond the outboard end of the bearing portion I 64 to avoid injury toan operator, as hereinafter discussed. As illustrated in Figure 9 in the drawings, a vertical plane C-C' bisecting the handle I 82 along its longitudinalaxis is spaced rearwardly from the longitudinal axis of the bearing portion I64, a distance of approximately 25 per cent of the shortest distance between the longitudinal axes of the handle I 82 and the bearing portion I64. In other words, the distance horizontally between plane G--C and the longitudinal axis of bearing portion I64 is at least about 25% of the shortest distance between said axis and the center of the outboard end of handle 20 at which center the handle 20 is intersected by the plane C-C, as best seen in Figure 9. With this arrangement, the operating rod is movable from a rest position to a final operating position with minimum effort by the operator in swinging a knuckle to open position.

The bracket I66 comprises a generally vertical mounting web I 84 secured in any convenient manner as by rivets I86, I86 to the car body I52. The inboard end of the bracket is provided with a transverse, generally vertical wall I88 on which is formed a U-shaped jaw I90 receiving the bearing portion I64 of the rod therein. The rod is secured to the bracket. by a key I92 extending through aligned openings in the upstanding ears I94 and I96 of the jaw. The key I92 preferably carries a bearing block I98 between the ears I94 and I96. The bracket is formed with a substantially horizontal web connected to the lower ends of the web I84 and wall I88 and affords an abutment as at 200 for the upper section I10 of the handle in normal rest position of the handle, as shown in Figure 9, to arrest swinging of the handle. It will be noted that the main body portion of the rod, as seen in Figure 10, by being 01fset forwardly of the bearing portion I64 of the rod, serves to counterbalance the part of the handle which is disposed rearwardly of the bearing portion, whereby the rod is normally urged to a position engaging the upper section I10 of the handle with the horizontal web of the bracket. The bracket is provided with a generally vertical gusset 202merging with the top side and outer side of the bottom wall and mounting web, respectively.

Referring now to the force diagram shown in Figure 9, it will be noted that the rod aifords a substantially vertical handle I of the intermediate section I12 of the portion I68. This handle may be used for unlocking the coupler lock which requires comparatively much less force than is required to open the knuckle, the portion I68 being moved to the position indicated at I68A. In order to apply the maximum force force vector, representing the force would grasp the'he'ndie It? and his other-hand 296 may, if desired, rasp the handle I80. The exerted at band 203 when the rod is moved as indicated at 208 to its final position to open the coupler knuckle, may be indicated by the line 'C'--C, and

is not the most advantageous for throwing the knuckle which action requires considerably greater force, with handle in a higher position.

' j the 'efiective leverage may be represented by the I In view of this it is much more desirable to use I82. The force vector at hand 2% grasping the horizontal handle re resenting the force I horizontal handle I82 when moving the handle to its fines operating position, indicated at 2st,

may be shown by age exerted may be shown by a line D--F exline The effective 1evertending perpendicular from the center of rotation of the rod to the line E-E. It will be noted that the line D-F, representing the eifective leverage, is slightly less than the line DG, repre: senting maximum leverage which would be had 11 the force exerted were perpendicular to the line D--G, which in actual ractice never occurs.

a comparison "It will be readily appreciated by of the force diagrams of Figures 8 and 9 that the effective leverage of my novel arrangement, and as actually calculated with force applied by band 264 at horizontal handle I82, is slightly less than twice that available in the arrange ment shown in Figure 8 with hand I It grasping the lower end of handheld H4 and more than twice that available if operating the rod by hand 2% on handle IBii. it will also be appreciated that the operator may use either left or right hand at handle E82 when operating the rod at handle I82 alone, tional operating force left hand may I right hand on handle I86 of the rod handle.

It will be noted that the vertical and. the outboard extent of the handle is approximately the same as that of Figure 8 by a comparison of both handles in Figure ll, the handle Ht of Figure 8 being shown in phantom lines. Thus the improved rod ma be applied to existing equipment. It will be apparent that the inboard slope of the section I12 provides that, while maintaining the outboard extension of handle I82 on its lower end to no more than present type handle, there is maintained, between its upper end and the bracket support jaw, the necessary clearance for the rod to move in an inboard direction to follow the side movement of the coupler in service.

Within the limitations of permissible handle length; the provision of a handle I82 affords substantially the maximum operating leverage while maintaining the final .full travel position low by 'us'e of both hands, his

enough for very effective application of force by the operators hand and arm. Furthermore, since the operators hand and arm are positioned outboardly of the handle when grasping handle I32, the intermediate section I'I2 of the handle serves as a guard to prevent the operator from reaching the coupler knuckle with his other hand. It will be noted that both handles I89 and I82 are positioned inboardly of the outboard extremity of the rod, and that handle I82 opand that he may apply addi be at horizontal handle I82 and a 8 and the radius of the are along which handle I82 moves, is greater than the radius of the arc through which handle I80 moves. The relationship of handles I80 and I82 affords convenient operation of the rod by the operator with both hands.

In view of these advantages, the novel operating rod herein described has been found singularly successful in actual use in that it affords adequate leverage, is convenient and requires less effort to operate.

Referring now to the embodiment shown in Figures 12 to 14 wherein parts identical with those in the previous embodiment shown in Fig-" ures 9 to 11 are identified by corresponding reference numerals, the rod, generally indicated 300, has a body portion I56 identical with that shown in Figures 9 to 11 and comprises at its outer end the bearing portion I64 which operates within the bracket I65.

The outboard extremity of portion I64 is pro vided with a modified handhold portion, gen-'- erally indicated 302. The portion 332 comprises an upper section 384 which slopes downwardly rearwardly with respect to the portion I64. The portion 394 is adapted in the normal 'rest posi= tion of the rod as shown in the drawings, to abut at its rear side as at 3B6 against the bottom ilange of the support bracket I55. The lower end of the upper section 3% of the handle is continued into the upper extremity of an inter= mediate section 398 of the portion 3EI2 which is offset forwardly of the bearing portion I64 of the rod. The offset portion 308 is substantially U-shaped in side elevation and comprises an upper leg 3H! which "slopes downwardly forwardly of the bearing portion is and merges at its upper end with the lower end of the section 284. The leg 3m merges into the upper end of section 3l2 which afiords a handle similar to handle ISIi and slopes downwardly forwardly of portion I64 and leg 3H! and at its upper end merges into the lower end of the upper leg am. The lower end of section 3l2 is curved rearwardly and merges into the lower end of a bottom le 3 I I. The leg 3 I 4 is inclined upwardly rearwardly of the handle and extends rearwardly of the bearing portion I64 of the rod. The rear ,or upper end of the lower leg 3M of the intermediate por-'- tion of the handle is bent to form a handle 3I6 which is substantially parallel to the bearing portion I64 of the rod. As illustrated in Figure 12, a vertical plane X-X bisecting the handle 3I6 along its longitudinal axis is spaced rearwardly from the longitudinal axis of the bearing portion I64 a distance of approximately 25 per cent of the shortest distance between the longitudinal axes of the handle 3IS and the bearing portion Ifi i. In other words, the distance horizontally between plane X-X and the longitudinal axis of bearing portion I64 in this embodiment is at least about 25% of the shortest distance between said axis and the center of the inboard end of handle 3H5, at which center the handle 3H5 is intersected by the plane X--X, as best seen in Figure 12. It may be noted that in this embodiment the inboard end of handle 3; is the free end thereof inasmuch as this handle projects inboardly from the bottom leg 314 of handle section 3I2, as above described. This arrangement permits the operator to swing a knuckle to open position with minimum effort, as heretofore described in connection with the form of the invention illustrated in Figure .9.-

erates througha longer art: than handle I80;- It will be noted that the sections 384 and. 89.8

9. and leg 3H are located in a substantially common plane which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bearing portion I64of the rod.

It will be noted that in the present embodiment and in the embodiment shown in Figures 9 to 11 the portion I64 of the rod converges with the adjacent end of the car body toward the adjacent side of the car. The rear handle in each of these embodiments is disposed in a vertical plane approximately parallel to the axis of rotation of the rod, the axis sloping downwardly from the car body in a direction inboardly from the side of the body adjacent the handle of the rod. In Figures 12 to 14 the handle 3I6 is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the rod. The workman is thus accommodated in each embodiment a convenient position to I apply a rotating force on the rod substantially normal to the axis of rotation of the rod. It will be noted that the handholds I82 and 3H5 are located in the normal rest position of the rod beneath the end sill of the car body approximately 30 degrees rearwardly of the axis of rotation of the rod so that the workman must reach the handle with fully extended arm.

In the present embodiment the arrangement affords increased safety for the workman in that the inturned handle 3I6 will not injure the workman if the rod is operated by the upper handhold and accidentally jerked forward. Another advantage of both embodiments resides in locating the rear handhold as far as possible rearwardly of the axis of rotation of the rod and at the same time having the forward offset portion to counterbalance the rear extension of the handle so that the handle rests against the abutment on the bracket I66. The construction of the offset portions I12 and 308 also presents a rounded contour facing the workman so that possibility of the workman severely injuring himself is prevented. In both of these embodiments the handholds I82 and 3I6 extend diagonally horizontally with respect to the adjacent side of the car body so that the most convenient way of applying force to the handle requires the workman to stand facing toward the adjacent corner of the car body. Thus the workman is in an advantageous position to move quickly away from the car if danger threatens.

In the rest position of the handle the bottom portion of the handle extends rearwardly diagonally upwardly. This feature raises the rear handhold so that a workman of average build may conveniently grasp the rear handhold with the arm fully extended. Inasmuch as the rear handhold is rearwardly of the axis of rotation of the rod, the rear handhold will move in an arc which curves downwardly to a point directly below the axis of rotation of the rod. In the arrangement herein described this is advantageous inasmuch as the downward movement of the handle maintains the workmans arm extended and compensates for the movement of l the rear handhold toward the workman.

As shown, the rear handhold is at,

rod and not by a bent arm pull as in all of the arrangements heretofore used, as seen in Figure 8, where the final position of the handhold is substantially above the axis of rotation of the rod. 1

Iclaim:

1. A coupler operating mechanism comprising a bracket adapted for attachment to an associated car body, a downwardly and forwardly sloping slot in said bracket, a seat on said bracket outboard said slot and sloping upwardly and forwardly, a rotatable operating rod with a main body portion extending through said slot and downwardly therefrom, the lower end of said portion having means for attachment to an associated coupler structure, a loop portion connected to the main body portion, disposed in a vertical plane approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said body portion, and slidably supported on said seat along an area thereof extending forwardly and rearwardly of the rotationalaxis of said rod and disposed below said axis, and an actuator portion depending from said loop portion.

2. A coupler operating mechanism comprising a bracket adapted for attachment to an associated car body, said bracket having a slot openv at its upper end and sloping downwardly and forwardly, a seat on said bracket disposed outboardly of said slot and slop-ing upwardly nected to the first mentioned portion and slidably supported on said seat along an area below the rotational axis of said rod and extending for wardly and rearwardly of said axis, and an actuator portion connected to'said loop portion for raising the same from said seat and rotating said rod.

3. A coupler operating mechanism comprising a bracket adapted for attachment to an associated car body, a slot in said bracket sloping downwardly and forwardly, a seat on said bracket sloping upwardly and forwardly, a rotatable operating rod having a portion rotatably confined within said slot and having another portion supported by said seat along an area thereof disposed below the rotational axis'of the rod and extending forwardly and rearwardly of said axis, and an actuator portion connected to said other portion and sloping downwardly therefrom, the lower end of said actuator portion terminating at a point rearwardly of and below the rear extremity of said loop portion.

4. A coupler operating mechanism comprising a bracket including a slot sloping downwardly and forwardly, an operating rod with a portion extending through said slot and having means for connection to an associated coupler structure, a loop portion connected to the body portion and seated on an area of said bracket spaced outboardly from said slot and extending below the rotational axis of said rod, and an actuator portion connected to said loop portion and extending downwardly therefrom, the lower end of said actuator portion terminating rearwardly of said loop portion.

5. A coupler operating mechanism support bracket having a seat for a portion of a rotatable operating rod and a downwardly and forwardly sloping abutment surface on said bracket disposed'at one side of said seat and engageable with said rod to limit forward movement thereof, said abutment extending above the rotational axis of said rod, and said seat being disposed below said axis. 1

6. A coupler operating mechanism comprising asupport bracket including a seat and an abutment surface disposed respectively in planes converging forwardly of said bracket, andan operating rod rotatable on an axis above said seat, said rod being slidably supported by said seat along an area below said axis and extending forwardly and rearwardly thereof and said rod being engageable with said surface to limit forward movement of the rod, said rod extending inboardly from said surface for connection to an associated coupler structure.

7. A coupler operating rod having a substantially horizontal bearing portion as seen in front elevational view, said bearing portion having a substantially horizontal longitudinal axis, and said bearing portion being intersected at an acute angle by the rotational axis of said rod, said rod having a portion sloping downwardly and inboardly from the inboard end of said bearing portion and terminating in coupler operating means, the outboard end of said bearing portion being connected to a downwardly extending portion, the lower end of which terminates rearwardly of said axis, and a handle on said lower end extending angularly therefrom as seen in front elevational view, said handle being so arranged that a vertical plane which is parallel to a vertical plane defined by said first mentioned axis and which interesects the center of the free end of said handle passes rearwardly of all of said portions and is spaced horizontally from said first mentioned axis a distance at least twentyfive per cent of the shortest distance between said first mentioned axis and the center of the free end of said handle.

1 8. A coupler operating rod, according to claim 7, wherein the handle projects outboardly from the downwardly extending portion, which also slopes inboardly and wherein the downwardly extending portion is provided with another handle extending above the level of the first mentioned handle, the handles being disposed at opposite sides, respectively, of the vertical plane defined by the longitudinal axis of the bearing portion.

9. A coupler operating rod, according to claim 7, wherein the handle projects inboardly from:

the downwardly extending portion, and wherein,

the downwardly extending portion is provided with another handle extending above the level of the first mentioned handle, the handles being disposed at opposite sides, respectively, of the vertical plane defined by the longitudinal axis angle by the rotational axis of said rod, a downwardly and inboardly sloping portion connected to the inboard end of said bearing portion, said sloping portion terminating in coupler operating means at the end thereof remote from said bearing portion, another downwardly extending por tion connected to the outboard end of said bearing portion, said other downwardly extendin portion being offset to define a handle forwardly of the first mentioned axis, said rod having a rearwardly extending portion connected to the lower end of said handle, another handle projecting inboardly from said rearwardly extencle ing portion, said handles being disposed at opposite sides, respectively, of a vertical plane de fined by the first mentioned axis parallel to the first mentioned axis, said second mentioned han-. dle being so formed and arranged that a vertical plane which is parallel to the first mentioned plane and which intersects said second mentioned handle at the center of the inboard end thereof is spaced horizontally from the first mentioned axis a distance at least approximately twentyfive per cent of the shortest distance between said first mentioned axis and the center of the inboard end of the second mentioned handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 427,737 Buhoup May 13, 1890 1,450,241 Viberg Apr, 3, 1923 1,455,386 Campbell May 15, 1923 1,590,291 Hawkes Jan. 29, 1926 1,840,166 Kelso Jan. 5, 1932 2,396,855 Kayler Mar. 16, 1946

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