Lightweight knuckle for a railroad car coupler
AssigneeNational Casting Incorporated
InventorsRichard A. Openchowski, Scott A. Beatty, Andreas M. Haas, Kenneth F. Packer, Jiten V. Shah
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lightweight knuckle weighing substantially less than an AAR Standard Knuckle, is described for use in a railroad car coupler. This lightweight knuckle can be used, for example, to replace AAR Standard knuckle which becomes broken or otherwise damaged during operation and requires replacement in the field. Both the contouring and inner coring of an AAR Standard knuckle are radically changed to produce this lightweight knuckle which has all the functioning features of the standard knuckle, so as not to adversely effect the coupling and uncoupling operations of a coupler in which the lightweight knuckle is used.
Claims20
A lightweight knuckle for a railroad car coupler, comprising a body which, I) has internal voids and an outer configuration which are different from an existing AAR Standard knuckle, II) weighs substantially less than an existing AAR Standard knuckle, III) has functioning parts which include a nose, a pulling face, a front face, a pin hole, a tail, a tail stop, a pair of pulling lugs, buffing shoulders, a thrower pad, a lock shelf and locking face, and a lock ledge, all of which parts function the same as corresponding parts of an existing AAR Standard knuckle such that, when the lightweight knuckle is installed in a railroad car coupler, it will function like an existing AAR Standard knuckle, including the rotary function of the knuckle during coupling and uncoupling of the knuckle.
A lightweight knuckle for a railroad car coupler, comprising a body which, I) has internal voids and an outer configuration which are different from an existing AAR Standard knuckle, II) weighs substantially less than such an AAR Standard kncukke, and III) when installed, can operate as such an AAR Standard knuckle, the knuckle having a pin hole, a tail, and a tail stop and wherein the body, includes;
- a) an easterly side which, approximately due east of the bottom of the pin hole closest the tail of the knuckle, curves inwardly of the body to substantially the center plane of the knuckle and then becomes substantially flat as it extends in a direction towards the tail.
A lightweight knuckle for a railroad car coupler comprising a body having a nose, a pulling face, a throat, a front face, a pair of pin protectors adjacent a pair of vertically aligned recessed pin holes, a tail, a tail stop, top and bottom pulling lugs and buffing shoulders, a thrower pad, a lock shelf and locking face, and a lock ledge, the lightweight knuckle characterized by;
- a) an easterly side which, approximately due east of the bottom of the pin hole closest the tail of the knuckle, curves inwardly of the body to substantially the center plane of the knuckle and then becomes substantially flat as it extends in a southerly direction towards the tail;
- b) a triangular projection extending from the easterly side of the knuckle in an easterly direction, the projection having a northeasterly facing, flat thrower pad which is designed to engage a thrower used in the coupler head;
- c) a heel which is sufficiently wide to engage and deflect a guard arm nose of an AAR Standard type F coupler, the heel projecting from between a pair of coplanar flat surfaces which face in a northeasterly direction;
- d) a flat surface on the nose coextensive with the height of the nose, the flat surface on the nose intersecting the front face and facing in a northwesterly direction, the flat surface and nose having the same vertical height as the front face and coplanar flat surfaces from which the heel projects;
- e) a tail stop assembly extending from the tail in an easterly direction and terminating at a tail stop;
- f) at least one void disposed vertically in the knuckle in the area generally bounded by the throat, the pulling face, the rounded nose and flat surface on the nose, the front face, the coplanar surfaces and heel, and the pin protectors and pin holes, the void being at least substantially coextensive with the front face.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.