Telescoping uncoupling lever assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11498595-B2
Application number	US-201916692645-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2019
Priority date	Dec 4, 2018
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

A telescoping uncoupling lever assembly including a first lever, a hook connected to the first lever, a second lever, a handle connected to the second lever, and a third lever including a plurality of first lever connectors, a plurality of first glides bonded to the respective interior surfaces of the first lever connectors for engagement with the first lever, a plurality of second lever connectors, and a plurality of second glides bonded to the respective interior surfaces of the second lever connectors for engagement with the second lever.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An uncoupling lever assembly comprising:
a first lever including a first elongated member;
a hook connected to a first end of the first elongated member, the hook connectable to a lock lifter of a coupler assembly of a railroad car;
a second lever including a second elongated member;
a handle connected to a second end of the second elongated member, the handle connectable to a frame of the railroad car; and
a third lever including:
a third elongated member,
a plurality of first lever connectors connected to the third elongated member,
a plurality of second lever connectors connected to the third elongated member,
a plurality of first glides bonded to interior surfaces of the first lever connectors and at least one third glide bonded to an exterior first side surface of the third elongated member to engage the first lever and such that the first lever is slidably received within the plurality of first glides bonded to the first lever connectors, and wherein the plurality of first glides are in face-sharing contact with only an outer surface of the first lever, and
a plurality of second glides bonded to interior surfaces of the second lever connectors and at least one fourth glide bonded to an exterior second side surface of the third elongated member to engage the second lever and such that the second lever is slidably received within the second glides bonded to the second lever connectors, and wherein the plurality of second glides are in face-sharing contact with only an outer surface of the second lever,
wherein the first lever is slidable relative to the third lever, and
wherein the second lever is slidable relative to the third lever.

2. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 1 , wherein each connector includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall connected to one of the plurality of first glides or the plurality of second glides.

3. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one third glide is one of a plurality of spaced-apart third glides bonded to an exterior first side surface of the third elongated member to engage the first elongated member, and wherein the at least one fourth glide is one of a plurality of spaced-apart fourth glides bonded to an exterior second side surface of the third elongated member to engage with the second elongated member.

4. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first lever includes a first stop connected to a second end of the first elongated member and configured to engage one of the first connectors, wherein the first stop has a greater width than the first elongated member and a greater height than the first elongated member.

5. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 4 , wherein the first stop includes a first lip that extends above or below the first elongated member and a second lip that extends transversely beyond the first elongated member.

6. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 4 , wherein the second lever includes a second stop connected to a first end of the second elongated member and configured to engage one of the second connectors, wherein the second stop has a greater width than the second elongated member and a greater height than the second elongated member.

7. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 6 , wherein the second stop includes a first lip that extends above or below the second elongated member and a second lip that extends transversely beyond the second elongated member.

8. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first elongated member is tubular, the second elongated member is tubular, and the third elongated member is tubular.

9. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 1 , wherein the glides are polyurethane.

10. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 1 , wherein the hook is pivotally connected to a first end of the first elongated member.

11. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 1 , wherein each connector includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall connected to the top wall and the bottom wall, and wherein one of the top wall and the bottom wall includes an inwardly extending dimple.

12. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the first glides are each generally rectangular and define indentations in opposite ends.

13. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 12 , wherein a plurality of the second glides are each generally rectangular and define indentations in opposite ends.

14. An uncoupling lever assembly comprising:
a first lever including a first elongated member;
a hook connected to a first end of the first elongated member, the hook connectable to a lock lifter of a coupler assembly of a railroad car;
a second lever including a second elongated member;
a handle connected to a second end of the second elongated member, the handle connectable to a frame of the railroad car; and
a third lever including:
a third elongated member,
at least one first lever connector connected to the third elongated member,
at least one second lever connector connected to the third elongated member,
at least one first glide bonded an interior surface of the first lever connectors and at least one third glide bonded to an exterior first side surface of the third elongated member to engage with only an exterior of the first lever and such that the first lever is slidably received within the first glide bonded to the first lever connectors, and
at least one second glide bonded an interior surface of the second lever connectors and at least one fourth glide bonded to an exterior second side surface of the third elongated member, the exterior second side surface opposite the exterior first side surface, to engage with only an exterior of the second lever and such that the second lever is slidably received within the second glide bonded to the second lever connectors,
wherein the first lever is slidable relative to the third lever, and
wherein the second lever is slidable relative to the third lever.

15. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 14 , wherein each connector includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall connected to the top wall and the bottom wall.

16. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 14 , wherein the first lever includes a first stop connected to a second end of the first elongated member and configured to engage one of the first connectors, wherein the first stop has a greater width than the first elongated member and a greater height than the first elongated member.

17. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 16 , wherein the second lever includes a second stop connected to a first end of the second elongated member and configured to engage one of the second connectors, wherein the second stop has a greater width than the second elongated member and a greater height than the second elongated member.

18. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 16 , wherein the first elongated member is tubular, the second elongated member is tubular, and the third elongated member is tubular.

19. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 14 , wherein the glides are polyurethane.

20. The uncoupling lever assembly of claim 14 , wherein the hook is pivotally connected to a first end of the first elongated member.

21. An uncoupling lever assembly comprising:
a first lever including a first elongated member and a first stop fixedly connected to a second end of the first elongated member;
a hook connected to a first end of the first elongated member, the hook connectable to a lock lifter of a coupler assemb

Assignees

• Transp Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Hankinson Stephen
• Peach Walter J
• Anderson John D

Classifications

• B61G7/02

  Hand tools for coupling or uncoupling · CPC title

• B61G3/08 Primary

  Control devices, e.g. for uncoupling · CPC title

• B61G7/04

  Coupling or uncoupling by means of trackside apparatus · CPC title

• B61G7/10

  Mounting of the couplings on the vehicle · CPC title

• B61G9/20

  Details; Accessories · CPC title