Railway vehicle coupler having robust knuckle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12365370-B2
Application number	US-202217585982-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2022
Priority date	Jan 27, 2022
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

A knuckle of a coupler of a rail vehicle includes a main body including a recess formed in one or more surfaces. One or more weld fillers are disposed within the recess. A method of forming a knuckle of a coupler of a rail vehicle includes forming a recess in one or more surfaces of a main body, and disposing one or more weld fillers within the recess.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A knuckle of a coupler of a rail vehicle, the knuckle comprising:
a main body comprising a recess formed in one or more surfaces; and
one or more weld fillers disposed within the recess,
wherein the one or more weld fillers are welded to the main body within the recess.

2. The knuckle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more weld fillers are formed of a material that differs from the main body.

3. The knuckle of claim 1 , wherein the one more weld fillers comprise a first weld filler, wherein the main body is formed of a first metal, and wherein the first weld filler is formed of a second metal having one or more properties that differ from the first metal.

4. The knuckle of claim 3 , wherein the one or more weld fillers further comprise a second weld filler, and wherein the second weld filler is formed of a third metal having one or more properties that differ from the first metal and the second metal.

5. The knuckle of claim 1 , wherein the main body is formed of a first metal having a first grain, wherein the one or more weld fillers are formed from a second metal having a second grain, and wherein the second grain is finer than the first grain.

6. The knuckle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more surfaces comprise a rearward-facing surface of a leading beam.

7. The knuckle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more surfaces are configured to contact at least one surface of another knuckle of another rail vehicle.

8. The knuckle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more weld fillers comprise:
a first weld filler disposed within the recess, wherein the first weld filler defines an interior recess; and
a second weld filler disposed within the interior recess of the first weld filler.

9. The knuckle of claim 8 , wherein the main body is formed of a first metal, wherein the first weld filler is formed of a second metal that is at least 10 percent stronger than the first metal, and wherein the second weld filler is formed of a third metal that is at least 20 percent stronger than the first metal.

10. The knuckle of claim 8 , wherein the first weld filler separates the second weld filler from the main body.

11. The knuckle of claim 8 , wherein the second weld filler does not contact the main body.

12. A method of forming a knuckle of a coupler of a rail vehicle, the method comprising:
forming a recess in one or more surfaces of a main body; and
disposing one or more weld fillers within the recess,
wherein said disposing comprises welding the one or more weld fillers to the main body within the recess.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising forming the one or more weld fillers of a material that differs from the main body.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
forming the main body of a first metal; and
forming a first weld filler of a second metal having one or more properties that differ from the first metal.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising forming a second weld filler of a third metal having one or more properties that differ from the first metal and the second metal.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
forming the main body of a first metal having a first grain; and
forming the one or more weld fillers from a second metal having a second grain that is finer than the first grain.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more surfaces comprise a rearward-facing surface of a leading beam.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein said disposing comprises:
disposing a first weld filler within the recess, wherein the first weld filler defines an interior recess; and
disposing a second weld filler within the interior recess of the first weld filler.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first weld filler separates the second weld filler from the main body, and wherein the second weld filler does not contact the main body.

20. A knuckle of a coupler of a rail vehicle, the knuckle comprising:
a main body comprising a recess formed in a rearward-facing surface of a leading beam; and
one or more weld fillers disposed within the recess,
wherein the one or more weld fillers are welded to the main body within the recess,
wherein the one or more weld fillers are formed of a material that differs from the main body,
wherein the one more weld fillers comprise a first weld filler, wherein the main body is formed of a first metal, and wherein the first weld filler is formed of a second metal having one or more properties that differ from the first metal, and
wherein the first metal has a first grain, wherein the second metal has a second grain that is finer than the first grain.

21. The knuckle of claim 20 , wherein the one or more weld fillers further comprise a second weld filler, and wherein the second weld filler is formed of a third metal having one or more properties that differ from the first metal and the second metal.

Assignees

• Amsted Rail Co Inc

Inventors

• Wike Paul
• Petrunich Tom
• Todt Matthew
• Sanders Paul
• Dewald Dale K

Classifications

• B61G7/00

  Details or accessories · CPC title

• B22D31/002

  Cleaning, working on castings · CPC title

• B61G1/40 Primary

  with coupling bars having an enlarged or recessed end which slips into the opposite coupling part and is gripped thereby, e.g. arrow-head type; with coupling parts having a tong-like gripping action · CPC title

• B61G3/04 Primary

  with coupling head having a guard arm on one side and a knuckle with angularly-disposed nose and tail portions pivoted to the other side thereof, the nose of the knuckle being the coupling part, and means to lock the knuckle in coupling position, e.g. "A.A.R." or "Janney" type · CPC title