Rail vehicle coupler system
AssigneeTransportation IP Holdings, LLC
InventorArunkant Ramdas Bhat
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A yoke assembly including a housing defining a front end and an opposite rear end, the housing defining an inner chamber between the front end and the rear end, a longitudinal axis extending between the front end and the rear end. In addition, the yoke assembly includes a conical spring disposed within the housing and positioned in proximity to the rear end, the conical spring extending a distance from the rear end in the direction of the front end. The yoke assembly further includes a guide rod extending through the conical spring and the inner chamber of the housing and aligned axially with the longitudinal axis. The guide rod is positioned to be engaged by a mechanical head of a first coupler system of a first rail vehicle.
Claims20
A yoke assembly comprising:
- a housing defining a front end and an opposite rear end, the housing defining an inner chamber between the front end and the rear end, a longitudinal axis extending between the front end and the rear end;
- a conical spring disposed within the housing and positioned in proximity to the rear end, the conical spring extending a distance from the rear end in a direction of the front end;
- and
- a guide rod extending through the conical spring and the inner chamber of the housing and aligned axially with the longitudinal axis,
- wherein the guide rod is positioned to be engaged by a mechanical head of a first coupler system of a first rail vehicle.
A coupler system comprising:
- a mechanical head comprising a hook, and
- a yoke assembly connected to the mechanical head, the yoke assembly comprising:
- a housing defining a front end and an opposite rear end, the housing defining an inner chamber between the front end and the rear end, a longitudinal axis extending between the front end and the rear end;
- a conical spring disposed within the housing and positioned in proximity to the rear end, the conical spring extending a distance from the rear end in a direction of the front end;
- and
- a guide rod extending through the conical spring and the inner chamber of the housing and aligned axially with the longitudinal axis,
- wherein the guide rod is positioned to be engaged by the mechanical head.
A yoke assembly comprising:
- a housing defining a front end and an opposite rear end, the housing defining an inner chamber between the front end and the rear end, a longitudinal axis extending between the front end and the rear end;
- and
- a spring assembly comprising:
- a conical spring having a first spring end with a first diameter and a second spring end with a larger second diameter, the conical spring disposed within the housing with the second spring end positioned proximate the rear end of the housing and the first spring end positioned proximate the front end of the housing;
- a spring retainer engaging the first spring end of the conical spring and having an opening;
- and
- a guide rod having an elongated body and a head attached to the elongated body, the elongated body extending through the opening of the spring retainer and through the conical spring and the inner chamber of the housing and aligned axially with the longitudinal axis, the head of the guide rod configured to abut the spring retainer;
- wherein the spring assembly is positioned such that contact is minimized between the spring assembly and the front end of the housing, and the yoke assembly lacks wear components between the front end of the housing and the first spring end and spring retainer, and
- wherein the guide rod is configured, when the head of the guide rod is pressed upon by a head part of a rail vehicle coupler system, to press upon the spring retainer for the spring retainer to compress the conical spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.