Rail vehicle coupler system

Abstract

A yoke assembly including a housing defining a front end and an opposite rear end, the housing defining an inner chamber between the front end and the rear end, a longitudinal axis extending between the front end and the rear end. In addition, the yoke assembly includes a conical spring disposed within the housing and positioned in proximity to the rear end, the conical spring extending a distance from the rear end in the direction of the front end. The yoke assembly further includes a guide rod extending through the conical spring and the inner chamber of the housing and aligned axially with the longitudinal axis. The guide rod is positioned to be engaged by a mechanical head of a first coupler system of a first rail vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A yoke assembly comprising: 
 a housing defining a front end and an opposite rear end, the housing defining an inner chamber between the front end and the rear end, a longitudinal axis extending between the front end and the rear end;    a conical spring disposed within the housing and positioned in proximity to the rear end, the conical spring extending a distance from the rear end in a direction of the front end; and   a guide rod extending through the conical spring and the inner chamber of the housing and aligned axially with the longitudinal axis,    wherein the guide rod is positioned to be engaged by a mechanical head of a first coupler system of a first rail vehicle.    
     
     
         2 . The yoke assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the conical spring defines a first spring end having a first diameter and an opposite second spring end having a larger second diameter, wherein the second spring end is positioned in proximity to the rear end of the housing.  
     
     
         3 . The yoke assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the conical spring is configured to compress to provide mechanical support from engagement of the guide rod with the mechanical head of the first coupler system, wherein the conical spring is configured to move axially relative to the longitudinal axis when the conical spring applies a supporting force to the mechanical head of the first coupler system. 
     
     
         4 . The yoke assembly according to  claim 1  further comprising a spring retainer aligned axially with the guide rod and positioned in contact with the conical spring in proximity to the front end of the housing and the guide rod. 
     
     
         5 . The yoke assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the conical spring defines a first spring end having a first diameter and an opposite second spring end having a larger second diameter, wherein the second spring end is positioned in proximity to the rear end of the housing, wherein the spring retainer has a diameter that is substantially similar to the first diameter of the conical spring.  
     
     
         6 . The yoke assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the conical spring is configured to move axially relative to the longitudinal axis when the conical spring is compressed to absorb energy from engagement of the guide rod with the mechanical head of the first coupler system. 
     
     
         7 . The yoke assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an opening in the rear end of the housing through which a rear rod end of the guide rod protrudes therethrough, the guide rod includes a yoke pin and one or more annular bodies between the yoke pin and the rear end of the housing.  
     
     
         8 . The yoke assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the yoke pin is configured to be removed from the guide rod to permit removal of the one or more annular bodies, the guide rod and the conical spring are configured to be removed from the housing.  
     
     
         9 . The yoke assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide rod is positioned to be engaged by the mechanical head of the first coupler system of the first rail vehicle to position a first hook of the first coupler system for coupling with a second hook of a second coupler system of a second rail vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The yoke assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising attachment hardware configured to removably attach the housing of the yoke assembly to the first coupler system. 
     
     
         11 . A coupler system comprising:  
       a mechanical head comprising a hook, and  
       a yoke assembly connected to the mechanical head, the yoke assembly comprising: 
 a housing defining a front end and an opposite rear end, the housing defining an inner chamber between the front end and the rear end, a longitudinal axis extending between the front end and the rear end; 
 a conical spring disposed within the housing and positioned in proximity to the rear end, the conical spring extending a distance from the rear end in a direction of the front end; and 
 a guide rod extending through the conical spring and the inner chamber of the housing and aligned axially with the longitudinal axis,  
 wherein the guide rod is positioned to be engaged by the mechanical head.  
 
     
     
         12 . The coupler system according to  claim 11 , wherein the coupler system is a first coupler system and the hook is a first hook, wherein the guide rod is positioned to be engaged by the mechanical head of the first coupler system of a first rail vehicle to position the first hook of the first coupler system for coupling with a second hook of a second coupler system of a second rail vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The coupler system according to  claim 12 , wherein the conical spring is configured to be compressed to provide mechanical support from engagement of the guide rod with the mechanical head of the first coupler system, wherein the conical spring is configured to move axially relative to the longitudinal axis when the conical spring is compressed. 
     
     
         14 . The coupler system according to  claim 11 , wherein the conical spring defines a first spring end having a first diameter and an opposite second spring end having a larger second diameter, wherein the second spring end is positioned in proximity to the rear end of the housing.  
     
     
         15 . The coupler system according to  claim 11  further comprising a spring retainer aligned axially with the guide rod and positioned in contact with the conical spring in proximity to the front end of the housing and the guide rod. 
     
     
         16 . The coupler system according to  claim 15 , wherein the conical spring defines a first spring end having a first diameter and an opposite second spring end having a larger second diameter, wherein the second spring end is positioned in proximity to the rear end of the housing, wherein the spring retainer has a diameter that is substantially similar to the first diameter of the conical spring.  
     
     
         17 . The coupler system according to  claim 11 , wherein the housing includes an opening in the rear end of the housing through which a rear rod end of the guide rod protrudes therethrough, the guide rod includes a yoke pin and one or more annular bodies between the yoke pin and the rear end of the housing, wherein the yoke pin is configured to be removed from the guide rod to permit removal of the one or more annular bodies, the guide rod and the conical spring are configured to be removed from the housing.  
     
     
         18 . The coupler system according to  claim 11 , wherein the housing of the yoke assembly is removably attached to a surface of the coupler system by attachment hardware. 
     
     
         19 . A yoke assembly comprising:  
       a housing defining a front end and an opposite rear end, the housing defining an inner chamber between the front end and the rear end, a longitudinal axis extending between the front end and the rear end; and 
       a spring assembly comprising: 
 a conical spring having a first spring end with a first diameter and a second spring end with a larger second diameter, the conical spring disposed within the housing with the second spring end positioned proximate the rear end of the housing and the first spring end positioned proximate the front end of the housing;  
 a spring retainer engaging the first spring end of the conical spring and having an opening; and 
 a guide rod having an elongated body and a head attached to the elongated body, the elongated body extending through the opening of the spring retainer and through the conical spring and the inner chamber of the housing and aligned axially with the longitudinal axis, the head of the guide rod configured to abut the spring retainer;  
 wherein the spring assembly is positioned such that contact is minimized between the spring assembly and the front end of the housing, and the yoke assembly lacks wear components between the front end of the housing and the first spring end and spring retainer, and  
 wherein the guide rod is configured, when the head of the guide rod is pressed upon by a head part of a rail vehicle coupler system, to press upon the spring retainer for the spring retainer to compress the conical spring. 
 
     
     
         20 . The yoke assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the spring retainer defines a protrusion that fits within the first spring end of the conical spring, wherein the second spring end is fixed to the rear end of the housing such that the second spring end provides a self-centering, stabilizing force to the first spring end.