US2752049A - Rotary coupler connection - Google Patents

Description

2 SheetsSheet l INVENTOR. HIZJIk i a d r Y v MW KLMEW June 26, 1956 F. H. KAYLER ROTARY COUPLER CONNECTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 20, 1951 INVENTOR.

7 1122711; H ffaz Y .QQ 3T3 on ,ww 9m 1 I I 1 l 1 I I I Om 1 FQUIIH m E agg RGTARY COUPLER CONNECTION Frank H. Kayler, Alliance, Ohio, assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 20, 1951, Serial No. 232,640

20 Claims. (Cl. 213-75) This invention relates to railway couplers and more particularly to a novel mounting accommodating relative rotary movement between a coupler and its supporting car body as may be desirable in rotary dump cars.

A primary object of the invention is to devise a novel ball and socket connection between the coupler and its supporting structure facilitating assembly and disassembly of the coupler.

A more specific object of the invention is to devise a novel coupler and yoke having complementary ball and socket means accommodating relative rotational movement therebetween.

A further object of the invention is to devise an arrangement such as above described wherein the coupler shank and yoke are interconnected by keys, and means are provided for reducing bending stresses on the keys when the coupler is subjected to pulling or draft forces.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel bearing blocks between the keys and a ball end of the coupler shank whereby pulling forces on the coupler are transmitted through said blocks to the keys.

Still another object of the invention is to provide novel means for limiting rotational movement of the bearing blocks relative to the yoke.

A difierent object of the invention is to eliminate excessive lateral offset of the coupler shank relative to its supporting car body during rotation of the latter.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the consideration of the specification and the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly in horizontal section, of a coupler mounting embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view partly in central vertical section of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a composite view, the right half thereof being a sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 1, and the left half of Figure 3 being a sectional view on the line 3A3A of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Figure 1, and

Figures 5 to 12 inclusive are diagrammatic illustrations showing the positions of the coupler shank relative to the car body opening through which it extends as the car body is rotated through 180 during a dumping operation.

Describing the invention in detail, the coupler head 2 is of conventional form and is connected to a novel shank 4, the front or outer extremity of which, indicated at 6 in Figures 1 to 3, is substantially D-shaped in cross section with a substantially fiat bottom web 8 and a substantially vertical web 10 upstanding from each side of the web 8, the webs 19 being interconnected by an arcuate web 12. The external juncture of each web 10 with the bottom web 8, as best seen in Figure 3, is arcuate as at 14 for a purpose hereinafter described in connection with the operation of the device.

The web 8 is seated on a carrier plate 16 supported by springs 18, mounted within a spring support 20, the

nited States Patent 6 ice? ends of which are removably secured as by rivets 22 to a car body center sill 24. The carrier plate 16 is provided with a lug 23 (Figure 3) at each side thereof engageable with a stop plate 30 to maintain the springs 18 under sufiicient precompression to prevent undesirable bouncing of the coupler shank. The coupler shank also comprises an intermediate portion 32 substantially annular in cross section, as best seen in Figure 4, and the portion 32 is connected to a parti-spherical ball end 34 engaged with a complementary atti-spherical socket 36 of a novel yoke 38 having a conventional draft gear pocket 49 adapted to contain a draft gear (not shown) for engagement with conventional front and rear draft gear follower plates 44 and 46 (Figure 1), respectively, said plates being seated in the usual manner against front and rear stops 4% and 50 of the car body center sill 24.

The novel yoke 38 is reversible and comprises side walls 52 as well as top and bottom walls 54 offset upwardly and downwardly, respectively, from the forward edge of the before mentioned socket 36. Each wall 54 is formed with a thickened lateral portion 56 at its juncture with each side wall 52, the portions 56 being provided with key slots 58. Each side wall 52 is provided with inner and outer substantially coplanar horizontal lugs 69 and 62 disposed, respectively, rearwardly and forwardly of the related key slots 58 to accommodate insertion and removal of vertical keys 64, each of which projects through the related key slots and comprises a bottom head 66 engageable with the bottom yoke wall 54 to limit upward movement of the key. The keys are removably retained by a plate 63 which affords substantially coplanar hearing for the bottom yoke wall 54 and for the key heads 66; and the plate 68 is provided with lateral flanges '76 each of which is reflanged as at 72 to afford a convenient removable connection as by rivets 74 to the center sill 24.

The keys are snugly engaged with top and bottom bearing blocks 76 having parti-spherical surfaces 78 engaged with a complementary surface of the ball end 34 of the coupler shank forwardly of its center 79 from which its spherical surface struck. The blocks 76 are also provided on their facing edges with arcuate recesses 84 spaced from the shank portion 32 to accommodate relative rotation and angling thereof as hereinafter described.

It will be noted that during pulling or draft forces on the coupler head 2 under service conditions, the keys 64 are urged forwardly to bear against the yoke portions 56 at the forward edges of the slots 58. Under these conditions, bending stresses on the keys 64 are reduced by abutment thereof with the yoke lugs 62 which are preferably positioned approximately midway between the upper and lower key slots 58. The lugs 60 limit undesirable rotational movement of the blocks 76 on a horizontal axis, and maintain the blocks in spaced relationship to each other.

Compressive or bufiing forces on the coupler head 2 are transmitted from the ball end 34 of the coupler shank to the yoke 38 along its surface 36.

It will be noted that the yoke 38 is preferably in the form of a casting which is cored out as at 82 to lighten the structure and to afford convenient foundry practice. Also the ball end 34 of the coupler shank is provided with elongated horizontal slots 34 at opposite sides thereof, said slots having a depth at least as great as that of the yoke lugs 61 and 62 and being in alignment therewith longitudinally of the car body with the parts in assembled position, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, whereby, upon removal of the keys 64 and subsequent removal of the bearing blocks 76, the coupler shank may be disassembled from the yoke 38 by pulling the shank outwardly, the lugs 69 and 62 passing through the slots 84.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a striker 3 casting 86 is preferably provided and is removably attached as by rivets 88 to the center sill 24 of the car body. The striker casting is provided with an opening 96 of novel form although it will be understood that, if desired, the opening 99 may be provided in an integral part of the car body.

The opening 99 is particularly formed and arranged to cooperate with the coupler shank portion 6 received therewithin to prevent excessive lateral offset of the coupler when its supporting car body is rotated approximately 90. Under such conditions, in prior art arrangements, excessive offset between the coupler of the rotating car and the mating coupler of a non-rotating car has developed, resulting in excessive binding upon rotation of the car beyond 9 V to raise its coupler back to level. This condition has heretofore been regarded as a necessary consequence of providing a striker opening of' conventional width to accommodate coupler side motion or lateral angling in service operation around curves. However, an important feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the opening 90- is of conventional width to accommodate coupler side motion under service operations wherein its supporting car is upright, in combination with a novel configuration of opening 90 which limits lateral offset of the coupler relative to its car body during rotation of the latter. 7

This feature of the invention is illustrated in Figures 5 to 12, inclusive, and referring first to Figure 5 it will be noted that the opening 90, as seen in front elevational view, is partly defined by a substantially ellipsoidal surface 92 defining the upper margin of the opening 96 above the shank portion 6 and tapering inwardly as best seen in Figure l. The surface 90, as shown in Figure 5, is so formed and arranged above the level of the carrier plate 16 that when the car body and coupler shank are in normal position (that is, when the car is upright and level and the shank 6 is level and centered as shown in Figure 5), the distance between any point on the surface 92 and a co-radial point on the exterior of shank portion 6 lying on a common radius from the rotational axis X of the car body, is substantially less than the distance distance between said point on the shank and said axis X, which coincides with the longitudinal axis of the shank portion 6. when the carbody and shank are in normal position, as heretofore defined.

For example, referring to Figure 5, point 94 on the surface 92 is substantially closer to co-radial point 96 on the exterior surface of shank portion 6 than the distance between point 96 and the axis X, from which radius 98. is drawn at an angle of approximately 26 with respect to the short axis Y of the opening 90. It will be noted that, as shown in Figure 5, the short axis Y of the opening 90 is its vertical axis when the car body is in its normal upright position and, under these conditions, the carrier plate 16 is in tight contact with the stops 39 accommodating the usual amount of lateral angling of the shank portion 6,, as may be required when. its car is rolling on curved track with the coupler head 2 mated with the coupler of an adjacent car.

F gures 6 to 12, as hereinafter discussed, illustrate that the point of contact between the coupler shank portion 6 and the surface 92 in any rotational position of the car body is preferably along a radius of said opening struck from the rotational axis X of the car body at an angle not greater than about 35 with respect to the short axis Y of the opening 90. V

For example, as shown in Figure 6, wherein the car body has been rotated in a clockwise direction about 30 from normal position, the point of contact between. the shank portion 6 and the surface 92 is indicated at 99 along a radius 106 from the axis X, said radius being at an angle of about 12 to the short axis Y of the opening Under these conditions, the longitudinal axis Z of; the shank portion 6 has moved laterally and upwardly from the rotational axis X of the car body as theresult of a camming action by the carrier plate 16 without further compressing its supporting springs.

In Figure 7, the car body is illustrated in a further position of clockwise rotation about from the normal position of Figure 5; and under these conditions, the shank portion 6 is engaged with the surface 92 at a point 102 on a radius 104 from the axis X, the radius 104- being at an angle of about 25 with respect to the short axis Y of the opening 90. The longitudinal axis Z of the shank portion 6 has moved downwardly and laterally from the position of Figure 6 to a position of maximum lateral angling of shank portion 6 during rotation of the car body. It will be noted that in the position of Figure 7 the carrier plate 16 has been compressed to a position indicated at 16a and its lower lug 28 is spaced from the stop 34 at the lower side of the opening under these conditions.

In Figure 8, the, car body is. illustrated in a rotational position about 60, from the normal position of Figure 5, and lateral movement of the shaknportion, 6, is limited by engagement thereof with thesurface 92 at point 166 on a radius 108. drawn from the axis X at about 24 to the axisv Y. Under these conditions, the longitudinal axis Z of the shank portion 6 has; moved downwardly from the position of Figure 7 but has not moved further laterally from the position of, Figure 7, and the carrier plate 16 remains in the compressed position indicated at 16a, with its lower lug 28 spaced from the stop 30 at the lower side of the opening 90.

Referring now to Figure 9-, the car body is illustrated in a further rotational, position about 90 from the normal' position of Figure 5, and lateral movement of the shank portion 6 is limited by engagement with the surface 92 at point 110. on a radius 112 drawn from the axis X at about 26 with respect to the short axisY of the opening 90. Under these conditions, the longitudinal axis Z of the shank has movedfrom the position of Figure 8 upwardly and laterally toward the rotational axis X of the opening 90, and the carrier plate 16 has resumed normal position with its lugs 28 engaged with the stops 30.

Figure 10 illustrates the car body in a further rotational position about from thenormal position of Figure 5, and lateral movement of the shank portion 6 'is. limited by engagement with the surface 92, at a point 114 on a radius 116 drawn from the-rotational axis X of the opening 90, the radius 114 coinciding with the short axis Y of the opening 90. Under these conditions, the carrier plate 16 is again cammed to a position 16a whereat itsv lower lug 2 8. is spaced from the lower stop 30; and the longitudinal axis Y of the shank portion 6 has moved downwardly from the position ofFigure 9 but has moved close to the rotational axis X of the opening 90 than in the position of Figure 9, thereby further reducing lateral offset of the shank portion 6.

Referring to in Figure ll, the car body is shown in a further rotational position about from the normal position of Figure 5, and lateral movement of the shank portion 6 is limited by engagement with the surface 92 at point 118 on a radius 120 drawn from the rotational axis X of the opening 90 at an angle of about 5 with respect tov its short axis Y. Under these conditions, the longitudinal axis Z of the shank portion 6 has moved downwardly from the positionof Figure 10, however, lateral offset of the shank portion 6 with respect to the car body is less than that occurring under the conditions of Fig: ure 9. in the position of Figure 11, the carrier plate 16 is still compressed somewhat from its normal position to that. indicated at Figure 16a, with its lower lug 28 spaced from the lower; lug 30,.

Figure 12 illustrates the car body in a rotational position 180 from the normal, position of Figure 5. and the longitudinal axis Z of the shank portion 6 is'in a vertical plane intersecting the rotational axis X of the opening 99. along the short axis Y thereof which is again disposed inla vertiealplane. Under, these conditions, there isno lateral oifset of the coupler shank relative to the car body, and the carrier plate lugs 28 are again in contact with the stops 30. In the position of Figure 12, lateral movement of the shank portion 6 is resisted by engagement thereof with the surface 92 at points 122 and 124 along radii 126 and 128, respectively, each disposed at an angle of about 29 with respect to the short axis Y of the opening 99.

Thus it will be seen that in any rotational position of the car body less than 135 from normal position thereof, lateral movement of the coupler shank portion 6 is preferably limited by engagement with the ellipsoidal surace 92 at a point thereon lying on a radius from the rotational axis X of the opening 90 at an angle not substantially greater than 26 with respect to the short axis Y of the opening 90. Thus referring again to Figure 5, wherein the radius 98 is drawn at approximately 26 to the axis Y, it will be seen that the distance between coradial points 94 and 96 on the surface 92 and the exterior surface of the shank portion 6, respectively, is not substantially greater than about 45% of the distance between the point 96 and the axis X from which the radius 98 is drawn. This fact, in combination with the fact that the surface 92 is substantially ellipsoidal in shape above the level of the carrier 16 when the car body and coupler shank are in normal position, with the distance between any point on the surface 92 and a co-radial point on the external surface on the shank portion 6 being less than the distance between the point on the shank portion 6 and the rotational axis X of the opening, accommodates full lateral angling of the coupler shank 6 when the car body is in normal level position and greatly restricts lateral offset of the shank portion 6 with respect to the car body when the latter is rotated during a dumping operation.

Furthermore, when the car body is being rotated 180 from its normal level position, as shown in Figure 12, the shank portion 6 is restrained by contact with the surface 92 at 122 and 124 against lateral angling fromthe horizontally centered position shown in Figure 12.

I claim:

1. A coupler mounting comprising a yoke having a socket with a parti-spherical surface, a coupler having a shank with an extremity in said socket seated against said surface along a complementary parti-spherical area of said extremity, a plurality of separable bearing blocks in said yoke engaging forwardly facing complementary para-spherical areas of said shank, and substantially rigid, nonresilient key means engaged with rearwardly and forwardly facing surfaces of the yoke and blocks, respectively, to limit forward movement of the blocks.

2. A coupler mounting comprising a yoke having a socket, a coupler having a shank with an extremity projecting into said socket and seated against the yoke along complementary parti-spherical surfaces of the shank and yoke, respectively, a plurality of separable bearing blocks in said yoke outwardly of said socket and engaged with said shank along complementary parti-spherical surfaces of the shank and blocks, respectively, substantially concentric with the first mentioned surfaces, a substantially rigid, nonresilient key engaging the outer sides of the blocks and extending through aligned slots in the yoke, and means on the yoke between said slots engageable with the key intermediate its ends for reducing bending stresses thereon when the shank is subjected to pulling forces.

3. A coupler mounting comprising a yoke, a coupler having a shank projecting into the yoke and engaged therewith along complementary parti-spherical surfaces, a plurality of separable bearing blocks engaged with the shank along complementary parti-spherical surfaces, substantially rigid key means removably connected to the shank for limiting outward movement of the blocks with respect of the yoke, and means on the yoke between the blocks and engageable therewith to position said blocks.

4. A coupler mounting comprising a yoke having a socket with a parti-spherical surface, a coupler comprising a shank with a ball end extending into said socket and seated against said surface, means for retaining said end in engagement with said surface comprising key means extending through aligned slots of the yoke, abutment means on the yoke between said slots, said abutment means facing the socket and engaged with the key means for limiting bending stresses thereon under certain conditions, and a slot through said ball end aligned with said abutment means to accommodate passage of the latter through said slot to accommodate disassembly of the coupler and yoke, upon removal of the key means.

5. A coupler mounting comprising a yoke having a forwardly facing socket and top and bottom walls projecting forwardly therefrom, a coupler having a shank With an extremity projecting into said socket and seated against the yoke therein along complementary partispherical surfaces, top and bottom bearing blocks disposed forwardly of said socket and seated against the shank along complementary parti-spherical surfaces substantially concentric with the first mentioned surfaces, a pair of keys at opposite sides of the shank and extending through slots in said walls, said keys being engageable with the blocks and walls to retain said shank extremity in said socket, and abutments on said yoke between said walls engageable with respective keys to limit bending stresses thereon.

6. A coupler mounting comprising a yoke having a socket and having top and bottom walls and spaced side walls extending forwardly from said socket, a coupler comprising a shank with a ball end seated in said socket along complementary atti-spherical surfaces of said yoke and ball end, top and bottom bearing blocks disposed forwardly of said socket and seated against said ball end along complementary parti-spherical surfaces substantially concentric with respect to the first mentioned surfaces, a pair of keys at opposite sides, respectively, of the shank, each of said keys being removably retained within aligned slots in the top and bottom walls and bearing against the blocks to retain the latter in assembled position, lugs on the inner surfaces of the side walls engageable with forwardly facing areas of the keys to limit bending stresses thereon, and slots through said ball end from front to rear thereof in alignment with said lugs, said lugs being adapted to pass through respective slots upon removal of said ball from said yoke.

7. A coupler mounting comprising a yoke having a parti-spherical socket and having top and bottom walls offset upwardly and downwardly therefrom, respectively, and extending forwardly from said socket, said yoke comprising side walls extending forwardly from said socket and merging with said top and bottom walls, a coupler having a shank comprising a ball end with a parti-spherical surface complementary to that of said socket and seated against said socket surface, a pair of top and bottom bearing blocks disposed forwardly of said socket and having parti-spherical surfaces engaged with complementary surfaces of said ball end, all of said surfaces being substantially concentric, a pair of lugs on the inner surfaces of respective side walls disposed between said blocks to maintain them in spaced relationship with respect to each other, key slots through said top and bottom walls, a pair of keys engaged with the forward surfaces of the blocks and extending through the related key slots, said keys being engaged with the top and bottom walls at the forward ends of said key slots, another pair of lugs on the inner surfaces of re spective side walls engageable with the forward edges of the keys to reduce bending stresses thereon, said other lugs being aligned horizontally with the first mentioned lugs, and slots through said ball end aligned with said lugs whereby said lugs may be passed through said lastmentioned slots during assembly and disassembly of the yoke and shank.

z reaoco 8. A coupler mounting comprising a support member, a coupler shank having arcuate thrust engagement with said support member, means for retaining said member and shank in said thrust engagement comprising a key removably interlocked at its ends with said member, and means on said member interengaged with the key between said ends for limiting bending stresses thereon when the coupler shank is subjected to pulling forces.

9. A coupler mounting comprising a support member, a coupler having a shank member in complementary arcuate thrust engagement with said support member, readily removable means interlocking said members in said thrust engagement, said removable means comprising a key engaged at its ends with the support member, and means on said support member engaged with the keybetween said ends to limit bending stresses thereon when the shank member is subjected to forces tending to separate said members from said thrust engagement.

10. A coupler mounting comprising a support member, a. coupler comprising a shank in arcuate thrust engagement with the support member, aligned key slots through the support member, means for retaining said members in said thrust engagement comprising a'key extending through said slots and engaged with the support member, and an abutment carried by said support member between said slots, said abutment being engaged with the key to reduce bending stresses thereon under certain conditions.

11. A coupler mounting comprising a support member having top and bottom and spaced side walls defining a cavity and having a socket inwardly of said cavity, a coupler comprising a shank extending through said cavity, said shank having an enlarged end in said socket, retaining means for said shank comprising top and bottom bearing blocks in said cavity engaged with said end, said retaining means comprising a key extending through aligned slots in said top and bottom walls, an inwardly facing abutment projecting from one of the side walls and engaged with the key to reduce bending stresses thereon, and slots through said enlarged end aligned with said abutments whereby said abutments may be passed through said last mentioned slots during assembly and disassembly of the coupler shank and support member.

12. A coupler yoke comprising a socket and comprising top and bottom walls ofiset upwardly and downwardly from said socket, spaced side walls connected to the top and bottom walls, aligned key slots through said top and bottom walls for reception of associated key means, and a log on the inner surface of at least one side wall between said top and bottom walls, said lug comprising an abutment facing the socket and adapted for engagement with said key means to reduce bending stresses thereon.

13. A coupler yoke comprising a socket and comprising top andbottom walls projecting forwardly therefrom, a side wall connected to said top and bottom walls, aligned key slots through said top and bottom Walls, abutment carried by the side wall and disposed between the top and bottom walls, said abutment being disposed forwardly of the key slotsand facing said socket.

14. A coupler yoke comprising an arcuate socket and comprising spaced walls extending forwardly from said socket, said walls having aligned key slots therethrough, said. yoke comprising another wall interconnecting said spaced walls, said otherwall comprising a key abutment lugbet-ween said spaced walls, said lug being spaced from said slots and being disposed between said slots in alignment therewith, and said lug facing the socket for engagement with associated key means receivable in said slots.

15. A coupler yoke comprising a socket and comprising spaced walls projecting forwardly therefrom, aligned key slots through said walls, another wall interconnecting said spaced walls, and a pair of spaced lugs, on the inner surface of'said other wall between said key slots, said lugs being in alignment with each other and defining therebetween a space registered with said slots to accommodate insertion of associated key means therein.

16. A coupler comprising a shank with a ball end having a parti-spherical bufling. surface and at least one slot through said end interrupting its surface from front to rear thereof, said slot accommodating passage of a yoke lug therethrough during assembly and disassembly of said ball end with a yoke.

17. In a railway coupler mounting for a rotatable car; the combination of an opening in said car, a coupler with a shank rotatably connected to the car and having a portion extending through the opening, and means carried by the car to resiliently support the shank in said opening, said shank portion having arcuate exterior surfaces on its upper and lower lateral edges, and said opening being generally ellipsoidal in shape around the sides and over the top of said portion to confine the shank against excessive lateral offset relative to the car upon. rotation thereof.

18. In a coupler mounting, a car body, a coupler having a shank, means connecting said shank to said body to. accommodate 180 rotation of the latter on a substantially horizontal axis extending longitudinally of said body, and means on said body and shank for limiting lateral offset of the latter from said axis to a predeter mined distance when the body is in normal upright position, and means for limiting lateral offset of the shank to a lesser distance from said axis when the car body is rotated on said axis from said position.

19. In a coupler mounting, a car body, a coupler having a shank, means connecting said shank to said body to accommodate rotation of the latter on a substantially horizontal axis, and means; on said body and shank for restricting lateral olfset of the latter from said axis to a predetermined distance when the body is in upright position and for restricting lateral oifset of the shank to a lesser distance from said axis when the car body is rotated on said axis from said position, said last mentioned means comprising cooperating substantially rigid arcuate surfaces on the shank and car body.

20. In a coupler mounting, a car body having an opening, a coupler having a shank portion, means resiliently supporting said coupler in level position, means connecting said shank portion to said car body to accommodate rotation relative to said shank on a substantially horizontal axis, said opening being partly defined by a substantially ellipsoidal surface extending around the sides and over the top of said shank portion, said opening end portion being so formed and arranged that in normal position of the car body and coupler the distance between any point on said surface and a co-radial point on the exterior surface of said portion lying on a radius from said axis is less than the distance between said co-radial point and said axis, and the distance between any point of said first mentioned surface and, a co-radial point on said second-mentioned surface lying on a radius from said axis at an angle not more than about with respect to the normally vertical axis of said opening is not greater than about of the distance between said last mentioned point and said horizontal axis whereby maximum lateral offset between said shank and car body during rotation of the latter on said horizontal axis is substantially less than maximum lateral angling of the.

shank when the car body is in normal upright position. References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 752,605 Thomas Feb. 16, 1904 1,925,319 Goodall Sept. 5, 1933 2,240,363; Barrows et al. Apr. 29, 1941 2,276,168 Dalton Mar. 10, 1942 2,282,146 Mealing et al. May 5, 1942 2,327,240 Barrows et a1 Aug. 17, 1943 2,378,851 Ibbott June 19, 1945 2,404,285 Gilpin July 16, 1946 2,509,988 Nys'trom May 30, 1950

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