# US 11,440,568 B2 · Railway vehicle coupler > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,568 B2 - Document ID: US11440568B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/716,564 - Filed: 2019-12-17 - Published: 2020-06-25 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-21 - Assignees: Amsted Rail Company, Inc. - Applicants: Amsted Rail Company, Inc. - Inventors: Matthew Todt; Timothy Dumey - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440568B2 ## CPC - B61G 3/04: with coupling head having a guard arm on one side and a knuckle with angularly-disposed nose and tail portions pivoted to the other side thereof, the nose of the knuckle being the coupling part, and means to lock the knuckle in coupling position, e.g. "A.A.R." or "Janney" type - B61G 3/06: Knuckle-locking devices - B61G: COUPLINGS; DRAUGHT AND BUFFING APPLIANCES (vehicle connections in general B60D) ## Abstract A knuckle of a coupler of a rail vehicle includes a leading beam having a pulling face, a lateral offset beam extending from the leading beam, a tail extending from the lateral offset beam, an extension wall extending from the lateral offset beam towards an end of the tail, and a tapered lock engagement wall extending from the extension wall to the end of the tail. The tapered lock engagement wall is angled in relation to the extension wall. The tapered lock engagement wall is configured to engage an interior face of a main body of a lock of the coupler. The interior face defines a knuckle-engaging surface that is configured to bear against the tapered lock engagement wall. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A knuckle of a coupler of a rail vehicle, the knuckle comprising: a leading beam having a pulling face; a lateral offset beam extending from the leading beam; a tail extending from the lateral offset beam; an extension wall extending from the lateral offset beam towards an end of the tail; and a tapered lock engagement wall extending from the extension wall to the end of the tail, the tapered lock engagement wall being angled in relation to the extension wall, wherein the tapered lock engagement wall is configured to engage an interior face of a main body of a lock of the coupler, wherein the interior face defines a knuckle-engaging surface that is configured to bear against the tapered lock engagement wall. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The knuckle of claim 1, wherein the tapered lock engagement wall angles inwardly towards a central longitudinal plane of the tail. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The knuckle of claim 1, wherein the tapered lock engagement wall comprises a front edge that connects to a rear edge through a flat surface, wherein the rear edge is closer to a central longitudinal plane of the tail than the front edge. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The knuckle of claim 1, wherein the tapered lock engagement wall is out of plane in relation to a lateral surface of the extension wall. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The knuckle of claim 1, wherein the tapered lock engagement wall is at an angle θ in relation to a lateral surface of the extension wall, wherein the angle θ is not 180 degrees. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The knuckle of claim 5, wherein the angle θ is between 1 degree and 10 degrees. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The knuckle of claim 5, wherein the angle θ is at least 2 degrees. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The knuckle of claim 5, wherein the angle θ is 3 degrees. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The knuckle of claim 1, wherein the tapered lock engagement wall is configured to bear against an entirety of the interior face of the lock during draft load application. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The knuckle of claim 1, further comprising a lock shelf that is configured to support the lock, wherein the tapered lock engagement wall is perpendicular to the lock shelf. ### Claim 11 A method of manufacturing a knuckle of a coupler of a rail vehicle, the method comprising: forming a leading beam having a pulling face; extending a lateral offset beam from the leading beam; extending a tail from the lateral offset beam; extending an extension wall from the lateral offset beam towards an end of the tail; and extending a tapered lock engagement wall from the extension wall to the end of the tail, wherein said extending the tapered lock engagement wall comprises angling the tapered lock engagement wall in relation to the extension wall, wherein the tapered lock engagement wall is configured to engage an interior face of a main body of a lock of the coupler, wherein the interior face defines a knuckle-engaging surface that is configured to bear against the tapered lock engagement wall. ### Claim 12 A coupler of a rail vehicle, the coupler comprising: a lock including a main body having an interior face defining a knuckle-engaging surface; and a knuckle comprising: a leading beam having a pulling face; a lateral offset beam extending from the leading beam; a tail extending from the lateral offset beam; an extension wall extending from the lateral offset beam towards an end of the tail; and a tapered lock engagement wall extending from the extension wall to the end of the tail, the tapered lock engagement wall being angled in relation to the extension wall, wherein the tapered lock engagement wall engages an interior face of a main body of a lock of the coupler, and wherein the knuckle-engaging surface bears against the tapered lock engagement wall. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The coupler of claim 12, wherein the tapered lock engagement wall angles inwardly towards a central longitudinal plane of the tail. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The coupler of claim 12, wherein the tapered lock engagement wall comprises a front edge that connects to a rear edge through a flat surface, wherein the rear edge is closer to a central longitudinal plane of the tail than the front edge. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The coupler of claim 12, wherein the tapered lock engagement wall is out of plane in relation to a lateral surface of the extension wall. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The coupler of claim 12, wherein the tapered lock engagement wall is at an angle θ in relation to a lateral surface of the extension wall, wherein the angle θ is not 180 degrees. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The coupler of claim 16, wherein the angle θ is between 1 degree and 10 degrees. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The coupler of claim 16, wherein the angle θ is 3 degrees. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The coupler of claim 12, wherein the tapered lock engagement wall bears against an entirety of the interior face of the lock during draft load application. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The coupler of claim 12, further comprising a lock shelf that supports the lock, wherein the tapered lock engagement wall is perpendicular to the lock shelf.