US 8,770,265 B2Granted

Method and system for manufacturing railcar couplers

AssigneeBedloe Industries LLC

InventorsF. Andrew Nibouar, Jerry R. Smerecky, Kelly S. Day, Nick Salamasick

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Abstract

A casting apparatus for casting a railcar coupler, which includes a shank portion and a head portion, includes cope and drag portions that define an external shape of the coupler. The casting apparatus also includes one or more cores that define an interior of the shank portion and a separate head core with an exterior that defines an interior of the head portion that includes lock chamber, guard arm side portion, and knuckle side portions of the head. The head core is a single piece with a hollow center section that defines a front face gating system that includes at least one in-gate configured to direct molten material to top and bottom regions of the head to define the lock chamber, guard arm side portion, and knuckle side of the head.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A casting and rigging apparatus for casting a railcar coupler, the railcar coupler including a shank portion and a head portion, the casting apparatus comprising:

cope and drag portions that define an external shape of the coupler;
one or more cores that define an interior of the shank portion;
and
a head core with an exterior that defines exterior surface features of the head portion that include surfaces of a lock chamber, a guard arm side portion, and a knuckle side of the head portion, wherein the head core comprises at least one portion exterior to a front face of the head portion and extending between the guard arm side portion and knuckle side of the head that defines a front face gating system that includes a channel that runs in a generally vertical direction through a center of the at least one portion exterior to a front face of the head portion and extending between the guard arm side portion and knuckle side of the head and at least one in-gate configured to direct molten material to top and bottom regions of the head portion to define the lock chamber, guard arm side portion, and knuckle side of the head.

1 more element

A casting method for casting a railcar coupler that includes a shank portion and a head portion , the casting method comprising:

providing cope and drag portions that define an external shape of the coupler;
providing one or more cores that define at least a portion of an interior of the shank portion;
and
providing a separate head core with an exterior that defines exterior surface features of the head portion that include surfaces of a lock chamber, a guard arm side portion, and a knuckle side the head, wherein the head core comprises at least one portion exterior to a front face of the head portion and extending between the guard arm side portion and knuckle side of the head that defines a front face gating system that includes a channel that runs in a generally vertical direction through a center of the at least one portion exterior to a front face of the head portion and extending between the guard arm side portion and knuckle side of the head and at least one in-gate configured to direct molten material to top and bottom regions of the head to define the lock chamber, guard arm side portion, and knuckle side of the head.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/339,007Filed 28 Dec 2011
Published: US 2013/0168036 A14 Jul 2013
Granted: 8 Jul 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B61G 3/04
Couplings comprising mating parts of similar shape or form which can be coupled without the use of any additional element or elements: with…
B22C 9/02
Moulds or cores ; Moulding processes: sand moulds or like moulds for shaped castings
B22C 9/08
Moulds or cores ; Moulding processes: features with respect to supply of molten metal, e.g. ingates, circular gates, skim gates
B22C 9/10
Moulds or cores ; Moulding processes: cores; Manufacture or installation of cores

Family

US 2013/0168036 A1Pre-grant publication · published 4 Jul 2013
US 8,770,265 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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