Articulated coupling for integral trains
AssigneeGeneral Signal Corporation
InventorThomas H. Engle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An articulated coupling having a center coupling and a plurality of side bearings or couplings coaxial along a lateral axis to facilitate yaw and pitch between two cars while restricting roll. The side bearings each have a cylindrical member on one car received in a cylindrical recess associated with another car. The center coupling includes a mating of two spherical members with one of the member longitudinally movable to allow pitch. The axes of the cylindrical side bearings are coaxial and include the center of the spherical center coupling.
Claims28
An articulated coupling for a rail car having a body with first and second ends, and an axle mounted to said body at said first end, comprising:
- first coupling means including a pair of members, one member of said pair on each end of said body on the longitudinal axis of said body which when mated with a respective member of another car define a vertical axis of rotation at a central longitudinal axis of said body;
- second and third coupling means each including a pair of members, one member of each pair associated with each end of said body, separated from each other along a lateral axis of said body including therebetween said first coupling means and which when mated with a respective member of another car define a lateral axis of rotation which intersects said vertical axis of rotation at said first coupling means;
- wherein said second and third coupling means each include a cylindrical female member coaxial with said lateral axis of said body, mounted at one end of said body and a concave male member associated with the other end of said body for receiving a respective female member of an adjacent car;
- members of said first, second and third coupling means associated with said first end of said rail car mating with members of first, second and third coupling means associated with said second end of an adjacent car for facilitating pivoting about said vertical axis at said first coupling means, facilitating pivoting about said lateral axis at said first, second and third coupling means and restricting pivoting about said longitudinal axis.
An articulated coupling for a rail car having a body with first and second ends, and an axle mounted to said body at said first end, comprising:
- first coupling means including a pair of members having complementary spherical surfaces, one member of said pair on each end of said body on the longitudinal axis of said body;
- second and third coupling means each including a pair of members having concave and convex complementary cylindrical surfaces which have axes parallel to a lateral axis of said body, one member of each pair associated with each end of said body, separated from each other along said lateral axis of said body including therebetween said first coupling means;
- the axes of said cylindrical surfaces of said second and third coupling means being coaxial and include the center of said spherical surfaces of said first coupling means when mated.
An articulated coupling for a rail car having a body with first and second ends, and an axle mounted to said body at said first end, comprising:
- first coupling means including a pair of members, one member of said pair on each end of said body on the longitudinal axis of said body;
- second and third coupling means each including a pair of members, one member of each pair associated with each end of said body, separated from each other along a lateral axis of said body including therebetween said first coupling means;
- members of said first, second and third coupling means associated said first end of said first end of said rail car mating with members of first, second and third coupling means associated with said second end of an adjacent car for facilitating pivoting about a vertical axis at said first coupling means, facilitating pivoting about said lateral axis at said first, second and third coupling means and restricting pivoting about said longitudinal axis;
- wherein said second and third coupling means each include a cylindrical female member coaxial with said lateral axis of said body mounted at one end of said body and a concave male member associated with the other end of said body for receiving a respective female member of an adjacent car;
- and
- wherein said male members and corresponding female members have the same length along said lateral axis.
An articulated coupling for a rail car having a body with first and second ends, and an axle mounted to said body at said first end, comprising:
- first coupling means including a pair of members, one member of said pair on each end of said body on the longitudinal axis of said body;
- second and third coupling means each including a pair of members, one member of each pair associated with each of said body, separated from each other along a lateral axis of said body including therebetween said first coupling means;
- members of said first, second and third coupling means associated said first end of said first end of said rail car mating with members of first, second and third coupling means associated with said second end of an adjacent car for facilitating pivoting about a vertical axis at said first coupling means, facilitating pivoting about said lateral axis at said first, second and third coupling means and restricting pivoting about said longitudinal axis;
- including fourth and fifth coupling means each including a pair of members, one member of each pair associated with each end of said body, separated from each other and said first, second and third coupling means, along said lateral axis of said body;
- and
- wherein said second, third, fourth and fifth coupling means each include a cylindrical female member coaxial with said lateral axis of said body at one end of said body and a concave male member associated with the other end of said body for receiving a respective female member of an adjacent car.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.