Knuckle formed through the use of improved external and internal sand cores and method of manufacture

A method for manufacturing a railcar coupler knuckle, said method comprising:

• providing a cope mold portion and a drag mold portion, the cope and drag mold portions having internal walls defining at least in part perimeter boundaries of a coupler knuckle mold cavity;
• positioning at least one chill core within one of the cope mold portion and the drag mold portion;
• closing the cope and drag mold portions with the at least one chill core therebetween, the closed cope and drag mold portions defining a parting line where the cope and drag mold portions contact each other;
• filling the mold cavity with a molten metal, the molten metal solidifying after filling to form a steel casting including a pulling face portion such that a center section of the pulling face portion does not contain the parting line and requires no finish grinding upon its formation;
• and
• reducing micro-shrinkage within the steel casting in the pulling face portion by virtue of using the at least one chill core.