Model railroad coupler

An improved coupler for use on a model railroad, the coupler including a shank, having a joining element at one end thereof for attaching the coupler to a unit of model railroad rolling stock, a coupler head, located at the other end of the shank, the coupler head having a coupler knuckle receiver for receiving a coupler knuckle therein for limited, rotational movement within the coupler head, the coupler knuckle being located on one side of the coupler head, the coupler head further having a first knuckle stop thereon for limiting rotational movement of the coupler knuckle relative to the coupler head in a first direction of rotation, and a spring extending between the coupler knuckle and the coupler head for urging the coupler knuckle, in the first direction of rotation, to a closed position, the improvement comprising:

• a knuckle limiter located on the coupler knuckle for receiving the other end of the spring thereon, and having a first abutting surface thereon;
• a second knuckle stop located on the one side of the coupler head adjacent the shank, for receiving one end of the spring thereon, and having a second abutting surface thereon;
• and
• wherein said second knuckle stop and said knuckle limiter have a substantially frusto-conical shape.
• wherein said knuckle limiter and said second knuckle stop are constructed and arranged to abut one another with said first and second abutting surfaces, respectively, when the coupler knuckle is shifted, in a second direction of rotation, to an open position, thereby stopping rotation of the coupler knuckle relative to the coupler head in the second direction of rotation.