Locking device for an air brake hose coupling member

Abstract

A locking device for a pair of mating air brake hose coupling members includes a housing with a first aperture for attachment to one air brake hose coupling member and a second aperture for attachment to a hose support member which is adjusted to provide a predetermined clearance between the air brake hose coupling and a rail track. A locking pin is reciprocally disposed within the housing and is being urged by a resilient member in one direction for preventing undesirable complete rotational uncoupling of such pair of mating air brake hose coupling members. The locking pin is manually movable in the opposite direction during coupling and uncoupling under normal operating conditions.

1 . A locking device for a pair of mating air brake hose coupling members each having a neck connected to a flexible hose, a generally tubular body portion connected to such neck, an arcuate locking flange with a locking lug projecting outwardly from such body portion, a stop member formed on such body portion and projecting outwardly from a top portion thereof, and a mounting flange formed on such body portion adjacent such neck and having an aperture for attachment to a hose support member, such pair of air brake hose couplings joining a pair of air brake hose assemblies, each of such air brake hose assemblies being suspendably supported by such hose support member attached to one of a rail car and a truck at one end and attached to such attachment aperture of a respective air brake hose coupling at a distal end, said locking device comprising: 
 (a) a housing;    (b) a first attachment means engageable with said housing for externally attaching said locking device to one of such pair of such air brake hose coupling at such attachment aperture thereof;    (c) a second attachment means engageable with said housing for attaching said locking device to a respective hose support member; and    (d) a locking means engageable with said housing and mounted for reciprocal movement in a first and a second direction, said locking means movable in a first direction for enabling placement of such pair of air brake hose coupling members in an abutting relationship substantially along their entire inner coupling faces and for enabling their rotation with respect to each other into a locked position, said locking means movable in a second direction, after such pair of air brake hose coupling members completed said rotation with respect to each other, for preventing a complete rotational uncoupling of such pair of air brake hose coupling members, whereby a subsequent movement of said locking means in said first direction enables said complete rotational uncoupling of such pair of air brake hose coupling members.    
   
   
       2 . The locking device, according to  claim 1 , wherein said first attachment means is an aperture.  
   
   
       3 . The locking device, according to  claim 1 , wherein said second attachment means is an aperture.  
   
   
       4 . The locking device, according to  claim 1 , wherein said locking means is mounted for said reciprocal movement within a cavity disposed within said housing, said cavity having at least one open end.  
   
   
       5 . The locking device, according to  claim 1 , wherein said locking device includes a compressible resilient means engageable with said locking means for urging said locking means for movement in said second direction.  
   
   
       6 . The locking device, according to  claim 5 , wherein said compressible resilient means is one of a spring and an elastomer.  
   
   
       7 . The locking device, according to  claim 1 , wherein said locking device further includes a grip means connected to said locking means for manually moving it in one of said first direction, said second direction and a combination thereof.  
   
   
       8 . The locking device, according to  claim 7 , wherein said grip means extends outwardly from said housing.  
   
   
       9 . The locking device, according to  claim 8 , wherein said grip means is a handle.  
   
   
       10 . The locking device, according to  claim 7 , wherein said locking device includes means for positively retaining said locking means upon completion of a movement in said second direction.  
   
   
       11 . The locking device, according to  claim 10 , wherein said means for positively retaining said locking means is a clamp.  
   
   
       12 . The locking device, according to  claim 1 , wherein said locking means is an elongated pin.  
   
   
       13 . The locking device, according to  claim 1 , wherein said locking device further includes means engageable with at least an outer surface of said locking means for reducing frictional forces during movement of said locking means.  
   
   
       14 . The locking device, according to  claim 1 , wherein said friction reducing means is formed from a material having a low coefficient of friction.  
   
   
       15 . An air brake hose coupling member for an air brake hose assembly for one of a rail car and truck trailer, such air brake hose being suspendably supported by a hose support member, said air brake hose coupling member comprising: 
 (a) a generally tubular body with a longitudinal axis and an inner coupling face at a first end that is aligned generally in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis and extending around an air passage;    (b) a neck extending from a second end of said generally tubular body for connection to such air brake hose;    (c) a flange formed on said generally tubular body adjacent said neck and having an aperture;    (d) an arcuate locking flange projecting outwardly from said first end of said generally tubular body;    (e) an L-shaped annular flange formed on said generally tubular body and projecting outwardly from a top portion thereof, wherein said arcuate locking flange and said L-shaped annular flange are adapted to engage with an L-shaped annular flange and an arcuate locking flange, respectively, of another air brake hose coupling member to couple said members together when inner coupling faces of said two coupling members are placed in an abutting relationship substantially along their entire inner coupling faces and rotated with respect to each other into a locked position; and    (f) a locking means attached to said aperture of said flange and connected to a distal end of such hose support member, said locking means having a predetermined portion thereof movable in a first direction for enabling said rotation of said two air brake hose coupling members into said locked position, said predetermined portion movable in a second direction after complete rotation of said two air brake hose coupling members with respect to each other for preventing a rotational uncoupling of said two air brake hose coupling members, whereby a subsequent movement of said predetermined portion in said first direction enables said rotational uncoupling of said two air brake hose coupling members.    
   
   
       16 . The air brake hose coupling member, according to  claim 15 , wherein said locking means includes a housing and said predetermined portion of said locking means is mounted for movement within a cavity disposed within said housing, said cavity being open at one end.  
   
   
       17 . The air brake hose coupling member, according to  claim 15 , wherein said air brake hose coupling member includes a stop formed on said generally tubular body and extending outwardly therefrom.  
   
   
       18 . The air brake hose coupling member, according to  claim 17 , wherein said stop includes a V-shaped notch engaging an end of said arcuate locking flange after said two air brake hose coupling members completed said rotation with respect to each other.  
   
   
       19 . An air brake hose coupling member for an air brake hose assembly, such air brake hose assembly being suspendably supported by a hose support member attached at one end to one of a rail car and truck trailer, said air brake hose coupling member comprising: 
 (a) a generally tubular body with a longitudinal axis and an inner coupling face at a first end that is aligned generally in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis and extending around an air passage;    (b) a neck extending from a second end of said generally tubular body for connection to such air brake hose;    (c) a boss formed on said generally tubular body adjacent said neck and having an aperture with a longitudinal axis disposed substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said generally tubular body, said aperture enables connection to such hose support member;    (d) an arcuate locking flange projecting outwardly from said first end of said generally tubular body;    (e) an L-shaped annular flange formed on said generally tubular body and projecting outwardly from a top portion thereof, wherein said arcuate locking flange and said L-shaped annular flange are adapted to engage with an L-shaped annular flange and an arcuate locking flange, respectively, of another air brake hose coupling member to couple said members together when inner coupling faces of said two coupling members are placed in an abutting relationship substantially along their entire inner coupling faces and rotated with respect to each other into a locked position; and    (f) a locking means engageable with said boss and mounted for reciprocal movement in a first and a second direction, said locking means movable in a first direction for enabling said rotation of said two air brake hose coupling members into said locked position, said locking means movable in a second direction, after said two air brake hose coupling members completed said rotation with respect to each other, for preventing a complete rotational uncoupling of said two air brake hose coupling members, whereby a subsequent movement of said locking means in said first direction enables said complete rotational uncoupling of said two air brake hose coupling members.    
   
   
       20 . The air brake hose coupling member, according to  claim 19 , wherein said locking means is mounted for said reciprocal movement within a cavity disposed within said boss formed on said generally tubular body, said cavity being open at one end and having a longitudinal axis aligned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said generally tubular body.