초록 ▼

Provided is an articulable spherical connection for a railway coupling arrangement. The connection includes a male connection member having a spherical connection portion secured to one end of a body portion and a female connection member having a split body portion. Each body portion of such femal

Provided is an articulable spherical connection for a railway coupling arrangement. The connection includes a male connection member having a spherical connection portion secured to one end of a body portion and a female connection member having a split body portion. Each body portion of such femal connection member having a spherical cavity formed therein to receive a portion of the spherical connection portion of the male connection member therein. A securing device is provided to secure such split body portion together around the spherical connection portion of the male member.

대표청구항 ▼

An articulable substantially spherical connection apparatus, said apparatus is configured for use in combination with a coupling arrangement utilized in a railway-type application to enable movement of a train consist around curved portions of a track and over hilly terrain, said coupling arrangemen

An articulable substantially spherical connection apparatus, said apparatus is configured for use in combination with a coupling arrangement utilized in a railway-type application to enable movement of a train consist around curved portions of a track and over hilly terrain, said coupling arrangement being an articulated slackless-type coupler, said articulable substantially spherical connection apparatus comprising: (a) a first connection member having a first end thereof engageable with one end of a first railway car body and a second end thereof engageable in a bolster bowl of a railway truck, said second end of said first connection member having an aperture formed therethrough; (b) a vertically disposed male connection member positionable intermediate adjacent ends of a pair of car bodies which are equipped to at least operate on such track, said male connection member including; (i) a first body portion having a first predetermined cross-sectional size and a first predetermined cross-sectional shape and a first predetermined length, said first body portion includes a first end and an axially opposed second end, a substantial portion of said first body portion being disposed in said aperture formed in said first connection member, (ii) a substantially spherical connection portion is secured to said first end of said first body portion, said substantially spherical connection portion having a first predetermined radius, (iii) a generally hollow extension member is secured to said axially opposed second end of said first body portion, said generally hollow extension member extends from said axially opposed second end of said first body portion for a second predetermined length, said generally hollow extension member forming a cavity adjacent said axially opposed second end of said first body portion, said cavity having a second predetermined cross-sectional size and a second predetermined cross-sectional shape, (iv) a pin member engageable adjacent one end thereof with said generally hollow extension member, said pin member having a third predetermined cross-sectional size and a third predetermined cross-sectional shape and a third predetermined length, at least a predetermined cross-sectional size and said third predetermined cross-sectional shape of said pin member adjacent said one end thereof being smaller than said second predetermined cross-sectional size and said second predetermined cross-sectional shape of said cavity formed in said generally hollow extension member to enable receiving said one end of said pin member within said cavity; and (v) a securing means engageable with each of said generally hollow extension member and said one end of said pin member for securing said pin member to said generally hollow extension member, said securing means including: (a) an aperture formed through said one end of said pin member; (b) a pair of axially opposed apertures formed through a side wall of said generally hollow extension member; and (c) a rod-like member inserted through and engageable with each of said aperture in said one end of said pin member and said pair of axially opposed apertures in said side wall of said generally hollow extension member; and (c) a female connection member engageable with said male connection member, said female connection member including; (i) a second body portion having a fourth predetermined cross-sectional size and a fourth predetermined cross-sectional shape and a first substantially spherical cavity formed therein adjacent one predetermined surface thereof, a first predetermined portion of said substantially spherical connection portion of said male connection member is positioned within said first substantially spherical cavity, said first substantially spherical cavity having a contour substantially identical to a contour of said substantially spherical connection portion of said male connection member and a second predetermined radius that is at least one of substantially identical to and slightly larger than said first predetermined radius of said substantially spherical connection portion of said male connection member, (ii) a third body portion having a fifth predetermined cross-sectional size and a fifth predetermined cross-sectional shape and a second substantially spherical cavity formed therethrough for receiving therein a second predetermined portion of said substantially spherical connection portion of said male connection member, said second substantially spherical cavity having a contour that is substantially identical to said contour of said substantially spherical connection portion of said male connection member and a third predetermined radius that is at least one of substantially identical to and slightly larger than said first predetermined radius of said substantially spherical connection portion of said male connection member, and (iii) a first securing means engageable with each of said second body portion and said third body portion for securing said third body portion to said second body portion thereby forming said female connection member and said articulable substantially spherical connection apparatus.