Coupler carrier for railroad cars

Abstract

A self-lubricating, non-metallic type F coupler carrier improves upon state of the art railroad car coupler carrier arrangements. The coupler carrier is mounted within a cage, which coupler carrier comprises certain structures formed from an ultra high molecular weight polymer. The coupler carrier is shaped to define a load support surface for supporting a coupler shank. Further, oppositely facing forward and back carrier walls define vertically disposed slide surfaces formed for close fitted engagement with the inner and outer walls of the striker cage. Lugs, integrally formed with the coupler carrier comprise outwardly and upwardly facing slide surfaces for close fitted engagement with cage side walls and retainer plates, respectively. The lugs may further comprise concave relief portions intermediate the lug slide surfaces and the walls to which the lugs are integrally formed to provide stress concentration relief to said type F non-metallic coupler carrier.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features of my invention will become more evident from a consideration of certain brief descriptions of patent drawings:

FIG. 1 is a largely schematic perspective frontal view of the non-metallic type F coupler carrier.

FIG. 2 is a largely schematic perspective back view of the non-metallic type F coupler carrier.

FIG. 3 is a top horizontal view of the non-metallic type F coupler carrier.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the non-metallic type F coupler carrier.

FIG. 5 is a bottom horizontal view of the non-metallic type F coupler carrier.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the non-metallic type F coupler carrier.

FIG. 7 is a top horizontal view of the end of a car center sill showing the coupler and striker casting as applied thereto, and partially broken away to show or indicate specific parts of the assembly involved.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the end of a car center sill showing the coupler and striker casting as applied thereto, and partially broken away to show or indicate specific parts of the assembly involved.

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view taken on line 98 in FIG. 7 partially broken away to show the striker casting, non-metallic type F coupler carrier and other specific parts of the assembly involved.

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of the prior art non-metallic type F coupler carrier.

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of the prior art non-metallic type F coupler carrier with worn lugs illustrating sharp fillet and increased stress concentration.

FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the prior art non-metallic type F coupler carrier with worn lugs illustrating being bent and cracked do to the sharp fillet and increased stress concentration.

FIG. 13 is a front elevational view of the improved non-metallic type F coupler carrier with worn lugs illustrating that there is no creation of a sharp fillet or increased stress concentration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated in somewhat of frontal and back side diagrammatic views of coupler carrier 10 or coupler carrier construction formed of a non-metallic material preferably of an ultra high molecular weight polymeric material following the principles of the present invention hereinafter disclosed. FIGS. 1 through 6 further illustrates coupler carrier 10 comprising of a body 11 of molded one piece construction that includes an upper flanged platform portion 12 defining a substantially planar load support surface 13 on which the substantially planar surface 57 of coupler shank 30 is to rest. The platform portion 12 is flanged with sides 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 about its margin and is proportioned and shaped to fit within the window or mouth 21 of the striker casting 20. The coupler carrier body 11 below its platform portion 12 is of oblong configuration defining forward wall 22 and rearward wall 23 that respectively oppose the cage surfaces 24, 25 when coupler carrier 10 is mounted in the operating position shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

The coupler carrier body 11 defines side walls 26, 27 below platform portion 12 in a manner to aid in forming notched areas 28, 29. Coupler carrier body 11 is further defined by lugs 34, 35 protruding below and outward from side walls 26, 27 respectively completing the forming of notched areas 28, 29 for cooperation with the conventional retainer plates 31, 32 (or carrier stop structure) that are fixed to the striker casting 20 employing suitable fasteners 33, 43 as shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 5 illustrates that the bottom or bottom portion of coupler carrier body 11 is centrally formed to define a combined plurality of circular recesses 36 each terminating in spring seats 37, 38, 39 at the inner end of the same for receiving the respective load support springs 40, 41, 42 that interposed between the coupler carrier body 11 and the floor 44 of striker casting cage 45 of striker casting 20. Load support springs 40, 41, 42 each seat on a spring seat portions 46, 47, 48 of the floor 44 of striker casting cage 45 of striker casting 20 as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. FIG. 9 is a partial frontal elevational view taken on line 98 of FIG. 7.

Notched areas 28, 29 are respectively shaped to define opposed lug stop surfaces 51, 52 at either lug 34, 35 of coupler carrier body 11 which serve to limit the range of upward vertical movement permitted by body 11 when mounted in its operating position shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. The lugs 34, 35 of coupler carrier body 11 define substantially planar side lug walls 53, 54 respectively for cooperation with the substantially planar opposed cage surfaces 55, 56 of striker casting cage 45 of striker casting 20 as shown in FIG. 9.

In accordance with the invention, coupler carrier 10 is formed in a one piece configuration from ultra high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene preferably having a molecular weight in the range from about 3 million to about 10.5 million grams/mole. In the preferred embodiment, coupler carrier 10 is formed from molecularly oriented UHMW polyethylene marketed by Ticona LLC of Summit, N.J. under the trademark GUR PE-UHMW. The material specified is an UHMW polymer of self-lubricating characteristics that is sufficiently compaction resistant to resist any substantial compaction under compressive forces up to its elastic limit, and has a high degree of elastic memory for full return to original shape after being stressed, up to its elastic limit. This material also has a high degree of toughness and long wearing characteristics and is also receptive to (1) fillers in the form of glass, clay, sand, suitable fabrics, and alumina and (2) processing adjustments to affect cross-linking of the material for modifying same to adapt the coupler carrier 10 for specific conditions. Further advantages of this material are disclosed herein and previously taught in prior art.

In accordance with the invention, the coupler carrier 10 is proportioned so its forward wall 22, rearward wall 23, and lug-bearing, laterally-opposed side walls or side lug walls 53, 54 of coupler carrier body 11 will be in closely spaced relation to the respective cage surfaces 24, 25, 55, 56 of striker casting cage 45 of striker casting 20 as shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 for making the rubbing contact therewith that has been the source of wear problem in connection with conventional coupler carrier and carrier iron assemblies. It has been found that occasionally service conditions are of a severe oscillating or vibratory nature so abrasive conditions are such that prior art non-metallic type F coupler carrier 60 shown in FIG. 10 with lug stop surfaces 58, 59 of lugs 61, 62 adjacent to the retainer plates 31, 32 wear significantly at the expense of maintaining the principal object of the invention by providing wear protection to the retainer plates 31, 32. FIG. 11 illustrates, the result of this prior art lug stop surfaces 58, 59 being worn down over time and forming modified lug stop surfaces 63, 64 along with the development of laterally adjacent sharp edges 65, 66, 67, 68 along with the creation of very small fillets 69, 70 respectively. Small fillets 69, 70 result in the creation of increased stress concentrations and also results in increasing the notch sensitivity. Also, over time wear creates thinner lugs 61, 62 along lines 71, 72 and is illustrated in FIG. 11. Thinner lugs 61, 62 in combination with relatively large stress concentrations do to the small fillets 69, 70 result in a geometry that is susceptible to crack initiation and than fatigue cracks 73, 74 grow and ultimately the fracture of the thinner lugs 61, 62 as illustrated in FIG. 12.

In accordance with the invention, and another principal object of the invention is to provide a coupler carrier 10 with geometric improvements of rounded edges 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84 adjacent to lug stop surfaces 51, 52 of lugs 34, 35. These rounded edges 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84 are formed to provide blended edges so as to provide reduced stress concentrations and eliminate the development of detrimental stress concentrations compared to previous art. Also, in accordance with the invention, and another principal object of the invention is to provide a coupler carrier 10 with geometric improvements of substantially concave filleted relief's 77, 78 or concave relief portions adjacent to lug stop surfaces 51, 52 of lugs 34, 35 and adjacent to side walls 26, 27 of coupler carrier body 11 and are illustrated along lines 75, 76 in FIGS. 4, 9 and 13. These substantially concave relief's 77, 78 or concave relief portions are formed so as to provide reduced stress concentrations and eliminate the development of detrimental stress concentrations compared to previous art that is disclosed herein and will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The significance of the forming of stress concentrations is well understood and proven by the fact of specially developed and published impact testing by the Association of Standard Test Methods also know as the ASTM Standards. Reference to ASTM standard D-4020 will teach that the preferred material used in this invention is extremely impact and crack resistant and so much so that the material can not be cracked using specimens manufactured per previous test standards such as ASTM D-256 with pre-existing notches with radii as small as 0.010 inches (or 0.25 mm). Therefore ASTM D-4020 was developed to provide methods to be able to consistently fracture UHMW-PE by way of teaching the fabrication of the type of higher degree stress concentrations required to fracture the preferred material. It is the intent of this invention to incorporate relief's 77, 78 adjacent to lug stop surfaces 51, 52 of lugs 34, 35 of coupler carrier 10 of such a form to eliminate the formation of stress concentrations that are detrimental as previously disclosed and shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.

FIG. 13 illustrates lug stop surfaces 51, 52 having been worn to form lug stop surfaces 85, 86 comparable to worn lug stop surfaces 63, 64 of prior art coupler carrier 60 shown in FIG. 11, without the formation of small fillets resulting in the creation of increased stress concentrations as previously disclosed. Also, in accordance with the invention, and another principal object of the invention is to provide a coupler carrier 10 with geometric improvements to eliminate the creation of thinner lugs 34, 35 of coupler carrier 10.

As previously disclosed, prior art coupler carrier 60 as shown in FIG. 10 illustrates a particular unworn thickness of lugs 61, 62 along lines 71, 72. All prior art non-metallic type F coupler carriers typically used in industry have exhibited an unworn thickness along lines 71, 72 no greater than 1.68 inches do to the nature of the substantially planar bottom surface 87 of prior art coupler carrier 60. The reason for this thickness is to prevent the outside edges 88, 89 of substantially planar bottom surface 87 of prior art coupler carrier 60 from hitting the inside sloped surfaces 90, 91 of striker casting cage 45 when load support springs 40, 41, 42 are compressed by coupler shank 30 in such a manner to cause such action. This invention improves upon this marginal wall thickness by providing a coupler carrier 10 with unworn top-to-bottom lug thicknesses along lines 75, 76 shown in FIGS. 4, 9, and 13 greater than the 1.68 inches of previous art by providing a novel coupler carrier bottom 90 that is not substantially planar for lugs 34, 35.

Referring to FIGS. 4, 9, 13, it will be seen that that the coupler carrier bottom 90 of coupler carrier 10 consists of two substantially convex surfaces 94, 95 on the bottom side of lugs 34, 35 to provide the thicker section along lines 75, 76 and enhance the desired improvement as previously disclosed. The central area of coupler carrier bottom 92 is illustrated as a substantially planar bottom surface 93 recessed from the convex surfaces 94, 95 and is desired for use as a reference surface for easier verification checking during installation of type F coupler carrier arrangements. Substantially planar bottom surface 92 is illustrated as recessed but is not required to be recessed for proper function and its relative location may be adjusted as so desired as long as it does not detract from proper function as disclosed herein.

Substantially convex surfaces 94, 95 on the bottom side of lugs 34, 35 are blended and sloped to form edges 96, 97 that is adjacent to substantially planar side lug walls 53, 54 respectively. The location of edges 96, 97 and slope of convex surfaces 94, 95 are defined so as not to hit the inside sloped surfaces 90, 91 of striker casting cage 45 when load support springs 40, 41, 42 are compressed by coupler shank 30 in such a manner to cause such action. The thickness of lugs 34, 35 of coupler carrier 10 is allowed to be tailored along lines 75, 76 and the thicknesses adjacent to such reference as allowed by the object of the novel invention and those skilled in the art.

While the above descriptions contain much specificity, this specificity should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of the invention. For example, the invention may be said to essentially teach or disclose a type F coupler carrier or coupler carrier construction configured for cooperative load-supporting, wear resistance intermediate a coupler shank and a striker cage assembly. In this regard, it will be recalled that the striker cage may comprise transversely rectangular movement-restricting structure and certain carrier stop structure. In other words, the striker cage may comprise outer, inner, and laterally-opposed upright walls and certain retainer plates. The coupler carrier construction of the present invention may be said to essentially comprise an upper load-supporting, platform portion, a bottom portion, forward, rearward, and laterally-opposed side walls, and laterally-opposed lugs. The lugs extend outwardly from the laterally-opposed side walls and having outwardly facing lug slide surfaces and upwardly facing lug slide surfaces. The platform portion essentially functions to support the coupler shank of a coupler assembly.

The forward and rearward side walls extend downwardly from the platform portion and thereby form wall slide surfaces, the wall slide surfaces are designed to oppose the outer and inner upright walls of the striker cage; the outwardly facing lug slide surfaces are designed to oppose the laterally-opposed upright walls of the striker cage; and the upwardly facing lug slide surfaces are designed to oppose the carrier stop structure or retainer plates of the coupler assembly. The bottom portion is preferably sized and shaped to cooperatively accommodate striker casting cages of varying configurations.

The lugs may preferably comprise concave relief portions intermediate the upwardly facing lug slide surfaces and the laterally-opposed side walls. It is contemplated that the concave relief portions may well function to enhance resistance to stress concentration development in that region. Further, the lugs may preferably comprise a top-to-bottom lug thickness greater than 1.68 inches for the reasons set forth hereinabove.

Accordingly, although the invention has been described by reference to a preferred embodiment and certain alternatives thereof, it is not intended that the novel carrier construction be limited thereby, but that modifications thereof are intended to be included as falling within the broad scope and spirit of the foregoing disclosure, the following claims and the appended drawings.

Claims

1. A type F coupler carrier, the coupler carrier being usable in combination with a coupler assembly, the coupler assembly comprising a striker casting, a coupler shank, carrier-retaining plates, and a striker cage, the striker casting defining a striker casting window, the coupler shank extending through the casting window, the striker cage comprising outer, inner, and laterally-opposed upright walls, the coupler carrier comprising: a carrier body, the carrier body being shaped to define an upper, planar, load-supporting, platform portion, forward, rearward, and laterally-opposed side walls, laterally-opposed lugs, and a bottom portion, the lugs having outwardly facing lug slide surfaces and upwardly facing lug slide surfaces, the platform portion, the forward and rearward side walls, and the lug slide surfaces each being formed from a polyethylene material, the platform portion spanning the width of the striker casting window for supporting the coupler shank, the forward and rearward side walls extending downwardly from the platform portion thereby forming wall slide surfaces, the wall slide surfaces opposing the outer and inner upright walls, the outwardly facing lug slide surfaces opposing the laterally-opposed upright walls, the upwardly facing lug slide surfaces opposing the carrier retainer plates, the bottom portion being sized and shaped to cooperatively accommodate striker casting cages of varying configurations.

2. The coupler carrier of claim 1 wherein the wall slide surfaces are formed from the polyethylene material.

3. The coupler carrier of claim 2 wherein the polyethylene material is self-lubricating.

4. The coupler carrier of claim 2 wherein said polyethylene is cross linked.

5. The coupler carrier of claim 2 wherein the polyethylene materials comprises an ultra high molecular weight.

6. The coupler carrier of claim 1 wherein the body portion defines a bottom surface, the bottom surface being formed to provide a top-to-bottom lug thickness greater than 1.68 inches.

7. The coupler carrier of claim 6 wherein the lugs comprise concave relief portions, the concave relief portions being formed intermediate the upwardly facing lug slide surfaces and the laterally-opposed side walls, the concave relief portions for enhancing resistance to stress concentration development.

8. A type F coupler carrier, the coupler carrier being usable in combination with a coupler assembly, the coupler assembly comprising a striker casting, a coupler shank, carrier-retaining plates, and a striker cage, the striker casting defining a striker casting window, the coupler shank extending through the casting window, the striker cage comprising outer, inner, and laterally-opposed upright walls, the coupler carrier comprising: a carrier body, the carrier body being shaped to define an upper, planar, load-supporting, platform portion, forward, rearward, and laterally-opposed side walls, laterally-opposed lugs, and a bottom portion, the lugs having outwardly facing lug slide surfaces and upwardly facing lug slide surfaces, the platform portion, the forward and rearward side walls, and the lug slide surfaces each being formed from a non-metallic material, the platform portion for supporting the coupler shank, the forward and rearward side walls extending downwardly from the platform portion thereby forming wall slide surfaces, the wall slide surfaces opposing the outer and inner upright walls, the outwardly facing lug slide surfaces opposing the laterally-opposed upright walls, the upwardly facing lug slide surfaces opposing the carrier retainer plates, the bottom portion being sized and shaped to cooperatively accommodate striker casting cages of varying configurations.

9. The coupler carrier of claim 8 wherein the wall slide surfaces are formed from the non-metallic material.

10. The coupler carrier of claim 9 wherein the non-metallic material is self-lubricating.

11. The coupler carrier of claim 9 wherein said non-metallic is cross linked.

12. The coupler carrier of claim 10 wherein the non-metallic material is reinforced with fillers.

13. The coupler carrier of claim 8 wherein the body portion defines a bottom surface, the bottom surface being formed to provide a top-to-bottom lug thickness greater than 1.68 inches.

14. The coupler carrier of claim 8 wherein the lugs comprise concave relief portions, the concave relief portions being formed intermediate the upwardly facing lug slide surfaces and the laterally-opposed side walls, the concave relief portions for enhancing resistance to stress concentration development.

15. A type F coupler carrier construction, the coupler carrier construction being configured for cooperative load-supporting, wear resistance intermediate a coupler shank and a striker cage assembly, the striker cage comprising carrier stop structure and outer, inner, and laterally-opposed upright walls, the coupler carrier construction comprising an upper load-supporting, platform portion, a bottom portion, forward, rearward, and laterally-opposed side walls, and laterally-opposed lugs, the lugs extending outwardly from the laterally-opposed side walls and having outwardly facing lug slide surfaces and upwardly facing lug slide surfaces, the platform portion for supporting the coupler shank, the forward and rearward side walls extending downwardly from the platform portion thereby forming wall slide surfaces, the wall slide surfaces for opposing the outer and inner upright walls, the outwardly facing lug slide surfaces for opposing the laterally-opposed upright walls, the upwardly facing lug slide surfaces for opposing the carrier stop structure, the bottom portion being sized and shaped to cooperatively accommodate striker casting cages of varying configurations.

16. The coupler carrier construction of claim 15 wherein the lugs comprise concave relief portions, the concave relief portions being formed intermediate the upwardly facing lug slide surfaces and the laterally-opposed side walls, the concave relief portions for enhancing resistance to stress concentration development.

17. The coupler carrier construction of claim 16 wherein the lugs comprise a top-to-bottom lug thickness greater than 1.68 inches.

18. The coupler carrier construction of claim 17 wherein the platform portion, the forward and rearward side walls, and the lug slide surfaces are each formed from a non-metallic, self-lubricating material.

19. The coupler carrier construction of claim 18 wherein the non-metallic, self-lubricating material is defined by a polyethylene material.

20. The coupler carrier construction of claim 19 wherein the polyethylene material comprises an ultra high molecular weight.