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US 4,203,523 AGranted
Locksetting mechanism for a rigid jaw coupler
AssigneeMidland-Ross Corporation
InventorKenneth L. DePenti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rigid jaw-type coupler having a locksetting mechanism which can be easily tripped to restore the lock from a lockset position back to a locked position. The mechanism comprises a lock operating lever which is provided with a projecting lug that is designed to slidably engage and override a specially contoured cam which is carried by a pawl for holding the lever and lock in a lockset position.
Claims12
A coupler having a shank extending from a chambered head with a buffing face that connects a pair of laterally spaced fixed jaws, and a locking mechanism which comprises:
- (a) a spring biased lock disposed within the chambered head and movable generally longitudinally of the coupler shank between a locked position and a lockset position, the lock having an axially elongated slot therein;
- (b) a locklifting lever for moving the lock between the locked and lockset positions, the lever having a pair of opposing ends;
- (c) means mounting the lever on the coupler head for limited rotation about an axis which is normal to the longitudinal axis of the coupler shank;
- (d) a handle at one of the opposing ends of the lever and disposed exteriorly of the coupler head for operating the lever;
- (e) a lug and rocker arm disposed within the chambered head at the other of the opposing ends of the lever, the lug and arm extending in opposite directions from the plane of the lever, the arm being received in the slot of the lock and designed to move the lock axially against the biasing spring, when the handle of the lever is rotated in one direction to operate the lever;
- (f) a pawl for frictionally engaging the lug and holding the lock in the lockset position, the pawl having a plate at one end thereof for receipt in an opening disposed in the buffing face of the coupler adjacent the lock, the pawl including a cam for slidably engaging the lug and interlocking coaction with the lug when the lock is moved by the lever to the lockset position, the cam being shaped so that the lug lifts and overrides the cam when the handle is rotated in a direction opposite said one direction, to allow the lock to return to the locked position from the lockset position;
- and
- (g) means mounting the pawl for limited movement in a direction which is generally normal to the axial direction in which the lock moves between the locked and lockset positions.
5 more elements
A coupler having a shank extending from a chambered head with a buffing face that connects a pair of laterally spaced fixed jaws, and a locking mechanism which comprises:
- (a) a spring biased lock disposed within the chambered head and movable generally longitudinally of the coupler shank between a locked position and a lockset position, the lock having an axially elongated slot therein;
- (b) a locklifting lever for moving the lock between the locked and lockset positions, the lever having a pair of opposing ends;
- (c) means mounting the lever on the coupler head for limited rotation about an axis which is normal to the longitudinal axis of the coupler shank;
- (d) a handle at one of the opposing ends of the lever and disposed exteriorly of the coupler head for operating the lever;
- (e) a lug and rocker arm disposed within the chambered head at the other of the opposing ends of the lever, the lug and arm extending in opposite directions from the plane of the lever, the arm being received in the slot of the lock and designed to move the lock axially against the biasing spring, when the handle of the lever is rotated in one direction to operate the lever;
- (f) a pawl for engaging the lug and holding the lock in the lockset position, the pawl having a plate at one end thereof for receipt in an opening disposed in the buffing face of the coupler adjacent the lock, the pawl including a cam for slidably engaging the lug and interlocking coaction with the lug when the lock is moved by the lever to the lockset position, the cam being shaped to cause movement of the pawl at least upwardly in the direction of the lever handle as the cam lug slidably engage when the lock moves from lockset to a locked position;
- and
- (g) means mounting the pawl for limited movement in a direction which is generally normal to the axial direction in which the lock moves between the locked and lockset positions.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.