Abstract: A railway coupler connection is provided for use in a coupler shank-yoke or a drawbar-yoke configuration. Self adjusting slack reduction is provided by a wedge shaped shim or an angled follower block. Vertical and horizontal angling of the coupler connection is provided for by the curved shape of the contacting surfaces of the butt portion of the shank or drawbar and the follower block and the yoke.

Abstract: A railway coupler having a coupler head and a support shelf extending from the lower portion and in some couplers, from the upper portion as well, of the coupler head is provided. A chamfer is provided on the front and side edges of the support shelf and also on the front and side edges of the auxiliary interlocking lug to decrease the possibility of the raising of one coupler during an adverse vertical angling coupling operation.

Abstract: A drawbar assembly comprising a drawbar and a buffing block device constructed and arranged so as to provide a turning moment which tends to align the horizontally displaced adjacent ends of the railway vehicle to which the drawbar is connected when said drawbar is operating under buff loading.

Abstract: An improved coupler carrier assembly comprises a spring basket, having front, rear, end and bottom walls, with a plurality of compression springs disposed therein; a coupler carrier having a lower portion disposed in the spring basket and being supported on the compression springs for vertical movement in the basket; and a wear element defined by a front wall, a rear wall and a bottom wall and located so that the front, rear and bottom walls are adjacent to at least a portion of the inside surfaces of the front, rear and bottom walls of the spring basket, respectively. Reduced wear between the spring basket and the coupler carrier is obtained.

Abstract: A bracket is provided as part of an "E" type railway coupler and located totally below and within the envelope of the coupler guard arm for attachment of an air line fitting. A hose is attached for coupling the air line to the adjacent car and to which another hose is attached for connection to the air line on the car body. The hose is oriented in the direction of the coupling line and supported in a position where the glad hand carried thereby is a controlled distance above the rail height.

Abstract: Articulating devices may be used to combine railroad cars into a semi-permanent unit. Each device includes a male and female connecting member having ends attached respectively to adjacent ends of the railroad car bodies forming the unit. A pin disposed in aligned apertures formed in the outer end of each member forms a joint therebetween. To allow for vertical and horizontal movements between the members during operation of the unit, the pin aperture in the male member is larger than the pin and has a rear surface portion providing a substantial contact area with the pin. To maintain the pin aperture and pin in a controlled slack relationship, the male member is urged forward by a follower which is carried within the female member and engages an end surface of the male member. The position of the follower in turn is regulated by a wedge element which engages a pair of resilient elements carried by the follower.

Abstract: A pair of elongated latches positioned transversely to a longitudinal axis of a railroad car particularly adapted to be rotated to an upside down position for gravity release of contents within the car, are pivotally attached respectively on each side of a top of a coupler lock. The coupler lock is an operative part of a coupler for the railroad car. The lock is movable within a lock chamber formed in a head of the coupler and is defined in part by vertical sidewalls and a roof or top wall. A configuration of each latch and relative position to the lock chamber sidewalls is such that a center of gravity of each latch lies above its pivot connection which insures that regardless of the direction of rotation of the car, at least one of the latches readily swings to an extended position to engage the top wall of the lock chamber and thereby prevent an inadvertent release of the lock when the car and at least one pair of mated couplers are rotated toward an inverted position for emptying contents of the car.