Rotary coupler for a railway car
AssigneeMcConway & Torley Corporation
InventorJoseph L. Gagliardino
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A railcar coupler system that includes a yoke comprising a front end, a rear end, a top strap, and a bottom strap. The top strap and the bottom strap are positioned between the front end and the rear end. The front end comprises an internal bearing surface that is obliquely angled with respect to a central axis of the yoke that extends from the front end to the rear end of the yoke. The system also includes a connector configured to rotate within the yoke such that an axis of rotation of the connector is substantially aligned with the central axis of the yoke when the connector is positioned within the yoke. The connector includes an external bearing surface that is obliquely angled with respect to the axis of rotation of the connector and configured to correspond to the internal bearing surface of the yoke.
Claims20
A railcar coupler system, comprising:
- a yoke comprising a front end, a rear end, a top strap and a bottom strap, the top strap and the bottom strap positioned between the front end and the rear end;
- wherein the front end comprises an internal bearing surface that is obliquely angled with respect to a central axis of the yoke that extends from the front end to the rear end of the yoke;
- a connector configured to rotate within the yoke such that an axis of rotation of the connector is substantially aligned with the central axis of the yoke when the connector is positioned within the yoke, the connector comprising an external bearing surface that is obliquely angled with respect to the axis of rotation of the connector and configured to correspond to the internal bearing surface of the yoke;
- and
- wherein the connector surrounds a coupler shaft portion of a coupler such that the external bearing surface does not engage the coupler shaft portion.
A method for manufacturing a rotary coupler, comprising:
- forming a yoke comprising a front end, a rear end, a top strap and a bottom strap, the top strap and the bottom strap positioned between the front end and the rear end;
- wherein the front end comprises an internal bearing surface that is obliquely angled with respect to a central axis of the yoke that extends from the front end to the rear end of the yoke;
- forming a connector configured to rotate within the yoke such that an axis of rotation of the connector is substantially aligned with the central axis of the yoke when the connector is positioned within the yoke, the connector comprising an external bearing surface that is obliquely angled with respect to the axis of rotation of the connector and configured to correspond to the internal bearing surface of the yoke;
- and
- wherein the connector surrounds a coupler shaft portion of a coupler such that the external bearing surface does not engage the coupler shaft portion.
A railcar coupler system, comprising:
- a yoke comprising a front end, a rear end, a top strap and a bottom strap, the top strap and the bottom strap positioned between the front end and the rear end;
- wherein the front end comprises an internal bearing surface that is obliquely angled with respect to a central axis of the yoke that extends from the front end to the rear end of the yoke;
- a connector configured to rotate within the yoke such that an axis of rotation of the connector is substantially aligned with the central axis of the yoke when the connector is positioned within the yoke, the connector comprising an external bearing surface that is obliquely angled with respect to the axis of rotation of the connector and configured to correspond to the internal bearing surface of the yoke;
- and
- wherein the obliquely angled external bearing surface comprises a surface with a constant angle.
A method for manufacturing a rotary coupler, comprising:
- forming a yoke comprising a front end, a rear end, a top strap and a bottom strap, the top strap and the bottom strap positioned between the front end and the rear end;
- wherein the front end comprises an internal bearing surface that is obliquely angled with respect to a central axis of the yoke that extends from the front end to the rear end of the yoke;
- forming a connector configured to rotate within the yoke such that an axis of rotation of the connector is substantially aligned with the central axis of the yoke when the connector is positioned within the yoke, the connector comprising an external bearing surface that is obliquely angled with respect to the axis of rotation of the connector and configured to correspond to the internal bearing surface of the yoke;
- and
- wherein the obliquely angled external bearing surface comprises a surface with a constant angle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.