Abstract: An improved lever assembly for uncoupling railroad cars having a coupler that includes a lock lifter. The lever assembly has a handle on one end that is pivotally connected to the railcar and a hook located at the other end of the lever assembly that is connected to the lock lifter. The assembly has levers that slide relative to each other. The levers are held adjacent to each other by enclosures through which the levers slide. The enclosures contain U-shaped glides held stationary relative to the enclosures. Typically made of plastic, the glides provide low friction sliding contact with levers sliding through them. The glides are longitudinally shorter than their containing enclosures providing protection from ultraviolet light.

Abstract: An elongated tubular glide housing for a telescoping, uncoupling lever for a railroad car. A tubular glide housing includes a rectangular seal enclosure having a top wall, a bottom wall, an outwardly located side wall, and an inwardly located side wall defining a passage extending through the enclosure. The top and bottom walls of the enclosure have leading and trailing edges. A circular tool opening is formed in each of the outwardly and inwardly located side walls. A pair of elongated plastic glide elements are positioned in the passage extending through the rectangular steel enclosure. Each of the elongated plastic glide elements is formed with a generally L-shaped transverse cross-section including a first leg and a second leg. The L-shaped elements are dimensioned to fit into the passage of the steel enclosure. Each of the first and second legs have a leading edge and a trailing edge. An outwardly projecting retaining tab is formed at each of the leading and trailing edges of the first leg.

Abstract: Two side-by-side housings each receive a telescoping member therein. Bearings captivated within each housing engage the telescoping members such that the bearings are free to slide both with respect to the housings and the telescoping members. A handle for operating the lever and an arm for engaging the car coupler are mounted to opposing distal ends of the telescoping members. The other ends of the telescoping members are free to extend beyond the housings and have stops which abut the bearings while these ends are disposed within the housings.