Process for producing a coupler knuckle and improved coupler knuckle
AssigneePennsy Corporation
InventorsZachary Ryan Brook, Manuel Tavares
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for producing a coupler knuckle and an improved coupler knuckle design are provided. The process produces a coupler knuckle by constructing a mold having the shape of the coupler knuckle. The mold is coated with a material that is resistant to melting at the molten melt temperatures of the molten metal used to form the knuckle. With the mold coated, the cavities in the mold interior are filled by placing an inert material therein. The molten metal used for forming the knuckle contacts the mold and consumes it, while the coating serves to provide a shape for the knuckle.
Claims40
A method for producing a coupler knuckle provided for use as an in-service coupler knuckle, the method comprising:
- forming a mold having a desired shape of the coupler knuckle to be produced, said mold having at least one cavity therein and at least one opening therein;
- the mold having a plurality of mold component sections, wherein said mold component sections are arrangeable together to form a representation of the desired shape of the coupler knuckle to be produced;
- wherein said at least one cavity communicates with an exterior of the mold through the at least one opening;
- wherein said mold component sections are formed from a consumable material;
- arranging the plurality of mold component sections to form the shape of the coupler knuckle to be produced, the mold component sections when arranged forming said at least one cavity and forming the at least one opening in said mold that communicates with said at least one cavity;
- wherein the arranged mold component sections define an interior mold surface formed therefrom, and wherein the arranged mold component sections define an exterior mold surface of the mold exterior formed therefrom, wherein said at least one cavity is formed by the interior mold surface;
- applying a refractory coating to the interior and the exterior mold surfaces of said arranged mold component sections to form the mold;
- placing said mold formed from said arranged mold component sections in a secured arrangement for receiving a first material and a second material;
- introducing a first material into the at least one cavity to occupy the at least one cavity;
- introducing a second material into the mold to contact the mold component sections and to consume said mold component sections;
- wherein said second material takes the place of said mold component sections to form a coupler knuckle having a shape corresponding with the arranged mold component sections;
- wherein arranging the plurality of mold component sections includes aligning the mold component sections to form a vertical passageway therethrough comprising a continuous pin bore that passes through each of said mold component sections;
- and
- wherein each of said mold component sections has a horizontal shelf portion, which, when said mold component sections are aligned, defines the vertical passageway;
- and
- wherein each said mold component section has a sidewall,
- wherein each said horizontal shelf portion joins with a sidewall of a said mold component section;
- wherein the vertical passageway comprising the continuous pin bore comprises a cylindrical vertical passageway that is formed by a circumferential aperture in each of the respective horizontal shelf portions of the respective mold component sections,
- wherein when the mold component sections are arranged, the circumferential apertures align to form the pin bore,
- wherein said respective horizontal shelf portion in which said apertures are formed have a circumferential wall forming said respective aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.