Railway draft appliances – Couplings – Glass table
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-09
2001-10-30
Moreno, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Railway draft appliances
Couplings
Glass table
C213S0750GT
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308845
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to the field of model train couplers. More specifically, the present invention is related to a scale model of a coupler used for coupling equally scaled model train cars, the coupler being magnetically and mechanically actuated using magnetics.
BACKGROUND ART
It has been a well known hobby for many years for railroad enthusiasts around the world to build and operate model railroads. To accommodate this hobby, railroad equipment—including railroad cars, railroad track, buildings, and other properties—have been reduced to a scale version of the original. This allows the modeler to create his/her own setting for the particular train. The goal of each modeler is typically to create as lifelike a setting as possible. To this extent, it is desirable to have a coupler for coupling model railroad cars whereby the coupler is scaled to the same proportions as the cars, and whereby the coupler is close in physical appearance to a full scale coupler.
Due to the size and operation of a model train coupler, it is well known that achieving an accurate visual representation of a coupler is difficult. Specifically, it is difficult to construct a working scale model coupler that is also realistic in appearance.
Other model railroad couplers have been produced to couple model railroad cars. Typical of the art are those devices disclosed in the following U.S. Patents:
U.S. Pat. No.
Inventor(s)
Issue Date
5,785,192
M. N. Dunham et al.
July 28, 1998
5,931,322
D. Storzek
Aug. 3, 1999
The '192 device disclosed by Dunham et al., is typical of the prior art. The '192 device includes a knuckle pivotally carried by a coupler head, and a spring actuated locking mechanism. The knuckle is configured to engage the knuckle of another such device placed in an opposite orientation such that when they are so engaged and when each is locked, the respective cars to which they are mounted remain coupled one to the other. The locking mechanism includes a simulated air hose, which is essentially a magnetic arm which, when passed over a magnetic field, releases the knuckle, thereby allowing for the decoupling of the two model cars. However, at least for visual impact, it is not desirable to include the magnetic arm. Further, Dunham et al., note that known couplers are generally larger scale than the cars which they are designed to couple. As an example, they indicated that “HO scale is {fraction (1/85)} scale”, while “a typical HO coupler is approximately {fraction (1/70)} scale.” They concluded that “efforts have been made to make couplers smaller,” but the presence of “extraneous structure has made this task difficult.” Likewise, the extraneous structure taught by Dunham et al., impedes the task of achieving an accurately scaled coupler.
The '322 device disclosed by Storzek is formed from a pair of shanks disposed one on the other. Both shanks are rotatably mounted on a single pivot axis. One shank defines a knuckle at its distal end, and the other defines a lip. The shanks are each biased such that the knuckle and lip are biased toward each other. The knuckle and shank are configured such that another such device placed in an opposite orientation may be engaged with the device by pushing the two in a axial direction. In order to disengage the two devices, a specialized tool is wedged between the two knuckles and rotated clockwise. However, this type of mechanism fails to assimilate the functions of a full scale coupler. Specifically, the '322 device does not teach a knuckle pivotally mounted to a coupler head.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a scaled railroad car coupler for coupling equally scaled model train cars.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a coupler whereby the coupler includes a knuckle pivotally carried by a coupler head.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a coupler including an internal locking mechanism for locking the orientation of the knuckle when closed.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a coupler whereby the locking mechanism is magnetically actuated.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Other objects and advantages will be accomplished by the present invention which provides a scaled railroad car coupler for coupling equally scaled model train cars. The coupler is configured to include a knuckle pivotally carried by a coupler head, and an internal locking mechanism for locking the orientation of the knuckle when closed, the locking mechanism being magnetically actuated.
The knuckle defines an arcuate configuration such that engagement between two such knuckles securely couples the two cars on which they are mounted. A pin is pivotally received within an opening defined in the proximal end of the knuckle. First and second ends of the pin are closely received within an opening defined at the distal end of each of the upper and lower members, respectively.
The locking mechanism includes a locking arm carried by the knuckle and a locking ball. Both the locking arm and the locking ball are received within the coupler head. The distal and of the upper member defines a recess for receiving and limiting the rotation of the locking arm relative to the coupler head. The recess defines an upper member receptor configured to receive the locking ball entirely above the locking arm. When the locking ball is encouraged into the upper member receptor, the knuckle is free to pivot. The lower member defines a lower member receptor for partially receiving the locking ball when the knuckle is in a closed orientation. The ball is dimensioned and the lower member receptor is configured such that when the knuckle is in the closed orientation, without any outside influence, the ball is at rest within the lower member receptor and in close proximity to the leading edge of the locking arm, thereby preventing the knuckle from rotating relative to the coupler head. In order to accomplish operation of the locking mechanism, the various components of the coupler are fabricated from a non-ferrous, or non-magnetizable material, with the exception of the locking ball. The locking ball is magnetically attracted to a magnetic wand such that passage of the wand over the top of the coupler pulls the locking ball into the upper member receptor, thereby unlocking the knuckle.
The proximal end of each of the upper and lower members defines a corresponding opening for receiving a train car post. Further, the distal end of each of the upper and lower members defines a corresponding slotted opening—opening at one end in the train car post opening—for receiving a spring. The spring provides a frictional engagement with the train car post for resisting pivotal movement between the coupler and the train car post.
In constructing the coupler, the pin is placed within the pin opening defined by the knuckle. In an alternative embodiment, the knuckle is fabricated with the pin embedded therein, or is integrally formed with the pin. The first end of the pin is then inserted into the pin opening defined by the upper member. The locking ball is then placed within the upper member receptor and the second end of the pin is inserted into the lower member pin opening. The upper and lower members are then secured to one another in a conventional manner. Any excess length of the pin is then removed in a conventional manner.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5316158 (1994-05-01), Dunham et al.
patent: 5509546 (1996-04-01), Staat
patent: 5785192 (1998-07-01), Dunham et al.
patent: 5823371 (1998-10-01), Riley et al.
patent: 5931322 (1999-08-01), Storzek
McCarry, Jr. Robert J.
Moreno S. Joseph
Pitts & Brittian P.C.
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