Articulated coupling apparatus

An articulated coupling apparatus utilized in connecting together, in a substantially semi-permanent fashion, adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway cars, said articulated coupling apparatus comprising:

• (a) a female connection member including:
• (i) a first end configured to be engaged with and connected to one predetermined end of a center sill member disposed substantially along a longitudinal centerline of one of the railway cars,
• (ii) an elongated hollow second end aligned substantially axially with said first end of said female connection member, said second end having a first portion which is secured to said first end of said female connection member and a second portion which is connected in open communication to said first portion and which extends axially therefrom in a direction away from said first end,
• (iii) a first aperture formed through a planar wall portion which closes said second portion of said second end and which is disposed generally vertically when said female connection member is installed for connecting such pair of railway cars and which is disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of one of the railway cars, said first aperture having each of a first predetermined size and a first predetermined shape, and
• (iv) a second aperture formed through a top planar wall portion of said second end, said second aperture having each of a second predetermined size and a second predetermined shape;
• (b) a front follower positioned within said second portion of said second end of said female connection member, said front follower having each of a bottom surface thereof abuttingly engaging said inner surface of said bottom wall portion of said second end of said female connection member, a front surface thereof disposed generally perpendicular to each of said bottom surface of said front follower and the longitudinal centerline of one of the railway cars, a spherical cavity formed in said front surface of said front follower, an opposed rear surface thereof abuttingly engaging an inner surface of said planar wall portion which closes said second portion of said second end of said of said female connection member, and an aperture formed through said spherical cavity and through said rear surface of said front follower in general alignment with said first aperture of said second end of said female connection member;
• (c) a rear follower positioned within said second end of said female connection member adjacent to and spaced from said first end thereof, said rear follower having each of a bottom surface thereof abuttingly engaging an inner surface of a bottom wall portion of said second end of said female connection member, a front surface thereof disposed generally perpendicular to each of said bottom surface and such longitudinal centerline of such one of such pair of railway cars, a spherical cavity formed in said front surface, an opposed rear surface thereof disposed towards said first end of said female connection member, a pair of spaced apart tapered portions provided on said rear surface in spaced relationship from a top and said bottom surface of said rear follower and tapered at a predetermined angle downwardly and outwardly in a direction toward said first end of said female connection member, an aperture axially formed therethrough, and a tab extending outwardly from said front surface of said rear follower in a direction toward said front follower;
• (d) a first lubricating liner disposed within said spherical cavity of said rear follower, said first lubricating liner having each of an annular ring axially formed on a rear surface thereof and sized to be received within said aperture of said rear follower and a tab extending outwardly from a portion of a peripheral edge of said first lubricating liner in said direction toward said front follower;
• (e) a second lubricating liner disposed within said spherical cavity of said front follower, said second lubricating liner having an aperture formed through a wall portion thereof and cooperating with said aperture formed through said front follower, said second lubricating liner further having cutout formed in said wall portion thereof for receiving a combination of said tab of said rear follower and said tab of said first lubricating liner;
• (f) a substantially spherical member which is at least partially positioned in operable relationship between said first and second lubricating liners;
• (g) a shaft member having a first end thereof disposed on and secured to a portion of an outer surface of said substantially spherical member, said shaft member axially extending outwardly from said outer surface of said substantially spherical member through each of said aperture formed through said spherical cavity and through said rear surface of said front follower and said first aperture of said second end of said female connection member, said shaft member having an opposed second end thereof being positioned external to said female connection member;
• (h) a pair of wedges each having a top end, a bottom end which is spaced from said inner surface of said bottom wall portion of said second end of said female connection member, a tapered front surface connecting said top and bottom ends and cooperatively engaging a respective one of said pair of spaced apart portions which are formed on said rear surface of said rear follower and a rear surface connecting said top and bottom ends and abuttingly engaging an inner surface of a wall portion of said first portion of said female connection member which engages said first end of said female connection member, said pair of wedges descending downwardly during use to force said rear follower and said substantially spherical member in a direction toward said front follower and to compensate for longitudinally axial clearances forming due to wear of at least one of said substantially spherical member, said spherical cavity of front follower and said spherical cavity of said rear follower;
• (i) a male connection member having a first end thereof configured to be engaged with and connected to an adjacent predetermined end of a center sill member disposed substantially along a longitudinal centerline of an opposed one of such pair of railway cars, a second end thereof secured to and substantially axially aligned with said first end of said male connection member, and a cavity formed within said second end of said male connection member for operably receiving said second end of said shaft member, whereby said substantially spherical member and said shaft member enable a swivel movement of said male connection member relative to said female connection member in both a vertical direction and a horizontal direction over a predetermined range;
• and
• (j) whereby an opposed second end of said shaft member is secured for rotation within said cavity of said male connection member.