US 4,172,530 A · Roll-over lock protection for railroad car coupler

Abstract

A pair of elongated latches positioned transversely to a longitudinal axis of a railroad car particularly adapted to be rotated to an upside down position for gravity release of contents within the car, are pivotally attached respectively on each side of a top of a coupler lock. The coupler lock is an operative part of a coupler for the railroad car. The lock is movable within a lock chamber formed in a head of the coupler and is defined in part by vertical sidewalls and a roof or top wall. A configuration of each latch and relative position to the lock chamber sidewalls is such that a center of gravity of each latch lies above its pivot connection which insures that regardless of the direction of rotation of the car, at least one of the latches readily swings to an extended position to engage the top wall of the lock chamber and thereby prevent an inadvertent release of the lock when the car and at least one pair of mated couplers are rotated toward an inverted position for emptying contents of the car.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A latching device to prevent an inadvertent uncoupling of coupled railroad cars during rotation of one said car to allow a gravity release of contents within said rotated car, said device comprising,

a first latch means to selectively limit movement of a lock of said coupler, said first latch means pivotally attached to a side of said lock with said pivotal attachment having an axis positioned parallel to an axis of said car rotation and said first latch means having a center of gravity offset from said axis of said car rotation, and
a second latch means to selectively limit movement of said lock of said coupler, said second latch means pivotally attached to an opposite side of said lock with said pivotal attachment having an axis positioned parallel to said axis of said car rotation and said second latch means having a center of gravity offset from said axis of said car rotation,
wherein said car may be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise from a normal upright position to an unload upside down position with said first and said second latch means swinging from a position allowing a normal coupling-uncoupling operation of said coupler to a position preventing said normal coupling-uncoupling operation.

Roll-over lock protection device for use with a railroad car coupler having a coupler head pivotally supporting a coupler knuckle securable in a locked position by a lock carried within said coupler head, said lock protection device comprising,

an elongated horizontal receiving area formed in an upper portion of said lock and positioned laterally to a longitudinal axis of said coupler,
a first latch means pivotally attached at one end of said receiving area, and
a second latch means pivotally attached at an opposite end of said receiving area,
wherein said first and said second latch means may swing from a normal horizontal position to an extended vertical position upon rotation of said coupler from a normal position to a dump position to prevent said lock from inadvertent movement to an unlocked position in the coupler head.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Roll-over lock protection for railroad car coupler

Life of this patent

Roll-over lock protection for railroad car coupler

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8