GB326575A - Improvements in and relating to railway car couplers - Google Patents

Abstract

326,575. Haddan, R., (McConway & Torley Co.). Dec. 21, 1928. Couplings, automatic. - In an automatic knuckle coupling for railway &c. vehicles of the kind in which the lock 5, Fig. 4, is adapted to be raised bv a lifter 6 either to an intermediate or lock-set position, Fig. 7, wherein it rests on the knuckle tail 2, or to a more elevated position in which it actuates a knuckle opener 21, and in which the lifter has a combined sliding and pivotal movement relative to the lock, the lock 5 is adapted, by contact with a projection 22 on the knuckle opener, to be positively tilted to a position, Fig. 7, in which it is engageable with the lock-set seat 19 on the knuckle tail, while it also retains its tilted position during the knuckle opening operation. The combined sliding and pivotal movement of the lifter relative to the lock is obtained by providing the lifter with trunnions 9 having a sliding movement in inclined guides 10 in the lock, and in the normal or locked position of the coupling co-operating inclined surfaces 12, 13 on the lifter and coupler-head 1 prevent creeping of the lock. In elevating the lock an initial vertical movement of the lifter is obtained by contact surfaces 14, 15, 16, after which, the trunnions 9 move to the upper end of the guides 10, and finally the lock is raised to the unlocked position. Either by gravity alone or by gravity assisted by contact between the projection 22 and inclined surface 23, Fig. 10, on the lock, the lock is tilted to its inclined lock-set position, Fig. 7, with the knuckles still closed. If, at this stage, the knuckles are opened the lock projection 18 rides up the inclined seat 19 until the lock sits on the upper surface of the knuckle 2, and the coupling is ready for automatic coupling and locking. If the opening of the knuckles is effected by the further elevation of the lock to operate the knuckle opener, the knuckle opener contacts at two points 22, 20 on opposite sides of the trunnions 9 with surfaces 23, 26 on the lock, and the latter retains its tilted position during the knuckle opening operation. Specification 252,576 is referred to.