Abstract: A core assembly for forming the interior spaces of a railcar coupler knuckle has a first transition section between the C-10 portion of the core and the finger portion of the core. The first transition section has a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side and the first and second sides form the vertical axis of the first transition section and the third and fourth sides form the horizontal axis of said first transition section. The vertical axis of the first transition section has a height along a horizontal plane of the vertical axis of at least 2.5? and the horizontal axis of said first transition section has a width along a vertical plane of the horizontal axis of at least 0.925?.

Abstract: A core for use in railcar coupler part casting processes is provided. The core includes a body with a side wall, a first opening in a top wall of said body a second opening in a bottom wall of said body, a channel defined through said body connecting said first and said second openings, and at least one channel defined in said bottom wall.

Abstract: A core assembly for casting a railcar coupler knuckle includes a first core and a second core. The first core includes a lug. A slot is defined in the second core. First and second positive stop surfaces are provided. The invention reduces core shifting during casting and therefore improves the strength and fatigue life of a coupler knuckle.

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.

Abstract: A casting assembly for manufacturing a lock of a railcar coupler includes drag and cope portions of a first mold that defines exterior surfaces of the lock, wherein the first mold comprises a first molding material. The casting assembly also includes a second mold formed of a second molding material. The second mold defines a cavity with an interior surface that substantially complements an exterior surface of the first mold. A down sprue is formed in the second mold. A gating system is formed in the second mold that and is in fluid communication with the down sprue. An in-gate is formed in the second mold and is in fluid communication with the gating system and the first mold.

Abstract: A main body core box assembly for creating coupler head cores which are attachable to various shank cores includes a main body core box including two halves, each half including a pattern configured to form the outer walls of a first head core having a first shank core. A plug is insertable into an end of respective patterns to form a second, alternative head core having a first half of a connection joint attachable to a second shank core that includes a second half of the connection joint, the second shank core being different than the first shank core. The first half of the connection joint may be a male connector, where the plug includes a recess having an angled surface to create a notch on the male connector. The second half of the connection joint may be a female connector with a raised surface corresponding to the notch.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a railcar coupler knuckle includes, before casting, positioning an external chill within a cope mold portion and a drag mold portion offset from and adjacent internal walls of a pulling face and a throat of the cope and drag mold portions, thus producing a casting with reduced micro-shrinkage in at least the throat, a high-stress section of the casting. Use of subsurface chills produces an improved surface with fewer inclusions when compared to an equivalent surface produced in a process without use of a subsurface chill. The external chill may be a cone chill of a larger size to improve cooling and solidification at and below the surface. The external chill may also be a cylindrical and/or oblong chill with a tapered design that may correspond to the internal walls of the cope and drag mold portions between the pulling face and the throat.

Abstract: A rigging system for casting railcar coupler knuckles is provided. The rigging system comprises cope and drag portions of a mold, a down sprue defined in said cope portion, at least one riser defined in said mold, at least two ingates defined at least partially in said mold and connected to said at least one riser, at least two knuckle mold cavities defined in said mold, and wherein said ingates have a non-circular shape.

Abstract: A core for use in railcar coupler part casting processes is provided. The core has a hollow body, a top with a first opening defined therein, a bottom having a generally rounded wall, and second and third openings defined in the side wall of the body.

Abstract: A system for creating an interlock feature between two related railcar coupler cores comprises a first half of a corebox defining cavity for forming a first half of a railcar coupler core, a second half of a corebox defining a cavity for forming second half of a railcar coupler core, and a loose piece loose piece including an extension on a first side shaped to fit in the cavities.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bolster of a rail car that includes a pair of shoe pockets at respective ends configured to be inserted into bolster openings of respective side frames includes providing a bolster pattern for forming a drag portion and cope portion of a mold. Cores that define an interior region of a cast bolster are also provided. The bolster pattern and the cores are configured to constrain shoe pocket angles within about ±0.5°.

Abstract: A core assembly for forming the interior spaces of a railcar coupler knuckle has a first transition section between the C-10 portion of the core and the finger portion of the core. The first transition section has a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side and the first and second sides form the vertical axis of the first transition section and the third and fourth sides form the horizontal axis of said first transition section. The vertical axis of the first transition section has a height along a horizontal plane of the vertical axis of at least 2.5? and the horizontal axis of said first transition section has a width along a vertical plane of the horizontal axis of at least 0.925?.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a side frame of a rail car, where the side frame includes a pair of pedestals for mounting wheel sets, includes providing a side frame pattern for forming a drag portion and a cope portion of a mold. Cores that define an interior region of a cast side frame are also provided. The side frame pattern and the cores are configured to constrain a spacing between the pair of pedestals to within about ±0.038 inches.

Abstract: An interlock feature for railcar core comprises a lug on a first core, a slot on a second core, a first positive stop surface, and a second positive stop surface.

Abstract: A core assembly for creating interior spaces in a railcar coupler knuckle is designed to be set in a cavity with cope and drag sections. The cavity is shaped to form a railcar coupler knuckle and includes a first wall that forms the substantially vertical outside wall of the tail of the knuckle. The core includes a kidney section with a rear core support section that extends at least 0.5? outside the first wall of the cavity when the core is set in the drag.

Abstract: A method of casting a core includes the steps of preparing a first half of a corebox, preparing a second half of a corebox such that the parting line of a core formed from the first and second coreboxes runs along the vertical axis of the core.