Automatic car coupler
OwnerRonnie C. Plasterinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A car coupler includes first and second complementary coupling members which are respectively attached to cars by means of drop pins about which the coupling members can rotate horizontally. The first coupling member (female) includes an elongated coupling bar which is supported by a frame allowing 360.degree. of access thereabout. The second coupling member (male) comprises a frame having a latching lever and a locking lever with axes approximately parallel to the coupling bar. The latching lever forms a latching hook having a nose portion which pivots behind the coupling bar when the latching lever is pivoted to a coupling position. The nose portion defines a notch which is engaged by a locking hook of the locking lever on the other side of the bar for locking the latching lever behind the bar.
Claims18
In a car coupler for coupling first and second adjacent cars together of a type comprising first and second coupling members respectively mounted on said first and second adjacent cars for interlocking with each other, the improvement wherein:
- said first coupling member comprises an elongated coupling bar which is supported to hve 360.degree. of access thereabout;
- said second coupling member comprises a frame member having a latching lever and a locking lever pivotally mounted thereon at latching-lever and locking-lever pivot mounts, said latching-lever pivot mount having an axis which is approximately parallel to, but laterally spaced to one side of, said bar when said first and second coupling members are interlocked with each other, said latching lever forming a latching hook having a nose portion for passing behind said bar into a blocking position for blocking separation of said bar from said second coupling member when said latching lever is pivoted to an interlocking position, a portion of said nose portion passing behind said bar defining an engagement surface, said locking lever defining a locking hook for moving into an engaging position from the other side of said bar for engaging said engagement surface to thereby lock said latching lever behind said bar in response to said latching lever moving to said interlocking position.
In a car coupler for coupling first and second adjacent cars together of a type comprising first and second coupling members respectively mounted on said first and second adjacent cars for interlocking with each other, the improvement wherein:
- said first and second coupling members each comprises a mounting bar which is mounted respectively to aid cars by means of vertical pins passing through holes in car frame elements and holes in first ends of said mounting bars;
- said first coupling member further comprising at the mounting bar's other end, an elongated coupling bar which is supported to have 360.degree. of access thereabout;
- said second coupling member comprising at the mounting bar's other end a frame member having a latching lever and a locking lever pivotally mounted thereon at latching-lever and locking-lever pivot mounts, said latching-lever pivot mount having an axis which is approximately parallel to, but laterally spaced from, said coupling bar when said first and second coupling members are interlocked with each other, said latching lever forming a latching hook having a nose portion for passing behind said coupling bar when said latching lever is pivoted to an interlocking position, said nose portion defining an engagement surface, on the opposite side of said bar for locking said latching lever behind said bar in response to said latching lever moving to said interlocking position.
In a car coupler for coupling first and second adjacent cars together of a type comprising first and second coupling members respectively mounted on said first and second adjacent cars for interlocking with each other, the improvement wherein:
- said first coupling member comprises an elongated coupling bar which is supported to have access thereabout;
- said second coupling member comprises a frame member having a latching member movably mounted thereon at a latching-member mount, said latching member being movable at said mount for passing behind said bar when said latching member is moved to an interlocking position, for preventing sepration between said coupling members;
- said first coupling member including complementary, spaced, diverging frame members for engaging said second coupling member to guide said latching member between said complementary, spaced, diverging frame members, said elongated bar of said first coupling member being rigidly mounted between opposing surfaces of said complementary, spaced, diverging frame members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.