US3612295A

US3612295A - Coupler-positioning device for railway cars

Info

Publication number: US3612295A
Application number: US855916A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wilbert G Glauser
Original assignee: Dresser Industries Inc
Current assignee: Amsted Industries Inc
Priority date: 1969-09-08
Filing date: 1969-09-08
Publication date: 1971-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1988-10-12

Abstract

In a coupler-positioning device, the truck is used to position the coupler to achieve ''''face-on'''' or ''''in-line'''' coupling or as near to this condition as practicable. The ''''face-on'''' or ''''inline'''' position may be defined as that position in which the centerlines of the two adjacent couplers are in-line or coincident. The coupler is not necessarily on the centerline of track. A mechanical arrangement is provided to be used in conjunction with the centering yoke assembly to provide a straight mechanical system that suits the fixed sill construction of a long high-capacity freight car. Motion of the mechanism is initiated from a bracket attached to the transom or bolster of a truck. Means are provided for disengaging the device to allow manual positioning of the coupler for coupling at tangent points to curves and on crossovers.

Description

nit tats abet [72] Inventor Wilbert Glauser Alden, NY. [21] Appl. No. 855,916 [22] Filed Sept. 8, 1969 [45] Patented (let. 12, 1971 [73] Assignee Dresser Industries, lnc.

Dallas, Ten.

[54] CQUIPILER-SITlONlNG DEVICE FOR IRAIILWAY CAlllS 1141 Claims, 13 Drawing Figs. [52] 111.5.(11 .1 213/15 [5 1] llnt. 1C1 Bfilg 5/00, B6 1 g 7/12 [50] Field of Search 213/15, 19

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,255,891 6/1966 Cope 213/19 3,365,078 1/1968 Hathorn et al... 213/15 3,520,420 7/1970 Cope 213/15 1 mime 3,520,421 7/1970 Gutridge ABSTRACT: In a coupler-positioning device, the truck is used to position the coupler to achieve face-on or in-line coupling or as near to this condition as practicable. The faceon" or in-line" position may be defined as that position in which the centerlines of the two adjacent couplers are in-line or coincident. The coupler is not necessarily on the centerline of track. A mechanical arrangement is provided to be used in conjunction with the centering yoke assembly to provide a straight mechanical system that suits the fixed sill construction of a long high-capacity freight car. Motion of the mechanism is initiated from a bracket attached to the transom or bolster of a truck. Means are provided for disengaging the device to allow manual positioning of the coupler for coupling at tangent points to curves and on crossovers.

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his A'Horney CUUIPILEh-WMTHONING DEVKCE FOR RAILWAY CAMS This invention relates to a coupler-positioning device for railroad freight or passenger cars and has as its primary object the provision of a positioning device which uses the truck to position the coupler to achieve face-on" or in-line coupling or as near to this condition as practicable. The faceon or in-line" position may be defined as that position in which the centerlines of the two adjacent couplers are in-line or coincident. The coupler is not necessarily on the centerline of track.

With todays longer cars the need for proper alignment of couplers prior to coupling has increased drastically. The length of cars between the pulling faces of couplers has been increased without a suitable increase between truck insofar clearance requirements, thus producing large overhangs to ag gravate the coupling problem. Also there are many more expensive specialized cars today which need to be protected against bypassed couplers for purely economic reasons.

Conventional centering devices that hold couplers on the car body centerline would be sufficient to assure coupling every time if they had a large enough gathering range. Type E" and other knuckle-type couplers have a very limited gathering range. On full curves, the angle between coupler centerlines (coupler held on car body centerline) is fairly large on long cars and jackknifing can result. Also even a small lateral offset of the couplers with cars on a full curve can result in a bypass.

The coupler-positioning device of the subject invention, on full curves, automatically moves couplers of similar length cars to the position they would normally assume after coupling, that is, with the coupler centerlines coincident or in-line." In so far as the couplers are concerned, this is equivalent to coupling on tangent track.

When coupling to a car not equipped with a positioning device, the car equipped with the positioning device of the subject invention has its coupler in the preferred position." Hence, it is necessary to manually move the coupler on the car not so equipped to line up with this preferred position." Coupling at tangent points to curves or at crossovers presents the worst coupling condition, especially with long cars; and even a positioning device can compensate only up to a certain degree depending on the geometry. Therefore, the positioning device of the subject invention is equipped with means to disengage the device and manually position the coupler for coupling at these locations.

The parts of the coupling device of the subject invention may be classified broadly as follows: (1) truck end assembly, (2) coupler end assembly, (3) connecting assembly.

To reiterate the problems relating to coupling, the long cars in use today require much greater lateral in travel of the couplers in order to negotiate the existing track curves. Since the added lateral movement is largely uncontrolled and because of the geometry involved, the couplers of two cars can bypass completely with the result that car ends can and do get badly damaged. Failures to couple have occurred in the past to the extent that a second coupling attempt was not at all unusual.

The cause was either closed knuckles or failure to gather, but in either case the end result was not usually a bypass and was not particularly damaging unless the impact was extremely severe and even in this case the damage was usually limited to the coupler. After corrective action, the recoupling attempt was usually successful. The delay was only minor in those days when flat switching was used in contrast with current hump yard operation where a delay of some significance can be caused by a failure to couple.

Another feature is that the majority of cars used to be of a length and overhang which did not create a coupling problem so that a rigid coupler which is self-centering was used and there was no need to ever move it off the centerline of the car to couple.

For instance, the old 40-foot box car on a l75foot radius curve produced a coupler offset from centerline of track of 8% inches. At the tangent point to a l75-foot radius curve,

two 40-foot box cars produced a lateral mismatch of only approximately 8 inches, enough to cause a coupling problem, but not enough to cause a bypass. The angle between two similar cars on a full l75-foot radius curve was approximately 14% degrees which is not sufficient to cause jackknifing or force a bypass condition with a short standard coupler. in addition the couplers could angle up to 7 degrees so that the lateral movement was insufficient to permit a bypass.

There were of course some longer cars but except for a few special types the extra length was in the truck centers and this does not effect coupling to anywhere near the same degree as a long overhang from the truck center to the pulling face of the coupler.

The call for the extra long cars in quantity developed with the highway trailer Piggyback" service. The need to carry two 40-foot highway trailers determined the car length, and since the width of the cars automatically governs the car truck centers to control fixed structure clearance, the only way to obtain enough length was to increase the overhang.

Long overhang is the principal cause of the coupling problems. This was not overlooked in the design of the long cars; however, the need for long cars and their potential earning capacity outweighed the coupling considerations. A move toward longer cars of all types followed closely behind the piggyback cars compounding the problem.

It is not possible to completely solve the problem on existing cars without major structural changes. This is due to the relationship of normal coupler length to car overhang.

The subject invention, however, improves the situation considerably on existing equipment to the extent of eliminating better than percent of bypassed couplers and the associated damage to the car ends.

The subject invention also greatly increases the percentage of successful unattended couplings.

Since most of the track over which cars operate is either tangent or full curve, the subject invention was designed to move the coupler of an uncoupled car to the position it would assume in the coupled condition to reduce the incidence of bypassed couplers.

The positioning mechanism of the subject invention utilizes the truck angling movement to position the coupler at or near the position it would assume in the coupled condition.

The device of the subject invention also permits the car to be operated uncoupled around a curve of smaller radius that it could negotiate coupled. in this case the truck would attempt to move the coupler through a greater angle than provided for by the striker opening.

The override spring of the invention protects the device and the car in the event of a miscoupling or bypass under adverse conditions.

By making the as-coupled position and the truck assigned position coincident, the override mechanism on cars of equal length is called upon to operate only on entering and leaving curves and on crossovers or reverse curves. It assures that two similar length cars would always be aligned to couple unattended on tangent track and on full curves.

The device of the subject invention improves considerably the coupler alignment on existing cars; however, as noted there are still conditions under which couplings cannot be accomplished without manual alignment of the coupler. For this reason a disengaging lever is provided for disengaging the coupler from the track. By operating the: disengaging lever the centering yoke is disengaged from the coupler shank leaving the coupler free to be positioned manually. it will reengaged automatically during operation.

Accordingly, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a coupler-positioning device to effect proper alignment of couplers prior to coupling.

Another object of the subject invention is to provide a coupler-positioning device to avoid bypass.

A further object of the subject invention is to provide a coupler-positioning device which automatically moves couplers to the position they would normally assume after coupling.

Yet another object of the subject invention is to provide a coupler-positioning device which when coupling to a car not equipped with a positioning device has its coupler in the preferred position.

An additional object of the subject invention is to provide a coupler-positioning device which is equipped with means to disengage the device and manually position the coupler for coupling at tangent points to curves or on crossovers.

A further object of the subject invention is to provide a coupler-positioning device with which the truck is used to position the coupler to achieve face-on or in-line" coupling or as near to this condition as practicable.

Yet a further object of the subject invention is to provide a coupler-positioning device which includes a truck end assembly, a coupler end assembly, and a connecting assembly.

A further object of the subject invention is to provide a coupler-positioning device which helps to avoid damage to car ends.

Yet an additional object of the subject invention is to provide a coupler-positioning device which eliminates or drastically reduces the incidence of bypassed couplers and improves the percentage of first-time successful couplings without the need of manual positioning of the coupler.

An additional object of the subject invention is to provide a coupler-positioning device which includes an override spring to protect the device and the car in the event of a miscoupling or a bypass under adverse conditions.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be seen as the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention progresses in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. I is a bottom plan view of the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention on a full curve with the coupler in the truck assigned position.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention on a full curve with the coupler in truck assigned position.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention in maximum override condition with the coupler not in assigned position.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention in maximum override condition with the coupler not in assigned position.

FIG. 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention.

FIG. 7 is a view on a larger scale of a portion of the couplerpositioning device of the subject invention taken along the lines 7--7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a view on a larger scale of the adjustable push-pull rod with resilient-type end bushings taken along the lines 8-8 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a view on a larger scale of the override mechanism taken along the lines 9-9 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 10 is a view on a larger scale of a portion of the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention taken along the lines 10-l0 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 11 is a view of a portion of the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention taken along the lines llll I of FIG. 5.

FIG. 12 is a view on a larger scale of a portion of the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention taken along the lines l2-- 12 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 13 is a view on a larger scale of the coupler positioning device of the subject invention taken along the lines l3 13 of FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings, the invention and its operation will be readily apparent.

The coupler-positioning device of the subject invention in one embodiment is designed for clearances and attachment on tank cars using a Buckeye six-wheel truck.

As noted the parts for the positioning device may be classified as follows: (I) truck end assembly, (2) coupler end assembly, (3) connecting assembly.

The truck end assembly includes a clevised truck attachment bracket 1 fixed to the truck transom 2 and an adjustable push-pull rod 3 with integral rubber bushings 3a at each end. The clevised truck attachment bracket 1 may be welded or bolted or otherwise fixed by suitable means to the truck transom 2. The adjustable push-pull rod 3 is connected to the truck attachment bracket at one end by the pin 4 and to the rear bellcrank 5 by the pin 6.

The coupler end assembly includes a centering yoke 7 with two

upstanding lugs

8 and 9 that engage the coupler shank 10 without interfering with any movement in buff or draft. The centering yoke 7 pivots on the bolt II which is retained by the nut ll2 within the body of a centering lever 13, and the centering yoke 7 is urged upward by a spring 14. The upward position of the

lugs

8 and 9 on the centering yoke 7, may be adjusted relative to the shank 10 of the coupler by adjusting the compressed height of the contained spring. The centering yoke 7, lugs 8 and 9 may be disengaged from the coupler shank I0 temporarily by rotation of a manual handle 15 which depresses the centering yoke 7 within the body of the centering lever i3 against the contained spring 14. The centering yoke 7 will reengage the coupler shank 10 in the normal movement of the car.

The centering lever 13 and its attached parts pivot in a horizontal plane on a plate-mounted bracket 16. The bracket 16 is bolted to the bottom flange of the center sill 17 by bolt 18. The centering lever 13 has an extended arm 20 that is clevis connected by clevis 21 and pin 22 to the head end 23 of the double-acting override spring assembly 24 as described below.

The centering lever I3 pivots on the pin or bolt 25.

The manual handle 15 is held pivotally by the

brackets

26 and 27.

The coupler is shown at 28 with head 29, knuckle 30, and guard arm 3]..

The override spring assembly 24 is a double-acting spring arrangement. The spring 33 is precomprcssed to its assembled height and is completely enclosed within the override spring assembly body 34. The override spring assembly 24 has

clevises

21 and 35 at its ends. The head end clevis 21 is connected to the extended arm 20 of the centering lever 13 as described above. The spring 33 is compressed beyond its assembled height only under override conditions as explained below.

The connecting assembly includes two offset bellcranks, the forward bellcrank 36 and the rear bellcrank 5. The two bellcranks pivot about plate-mounted

brackets

37 and 38. The plates are bolted or welded to bottom flanges of the center sill H7. The offset arm 39 of the forward bellcrank 36 is connected to the rod clevis 35 of the override spring assemble 24, described above, by the pin 40.

The offset arm 41 of the rear bellcrank 5 is connected to the adjustable push-pull rod 3 described above.

The two

bellcranks

36 and 5 are connected together forming a parallelogram by two adjustable clevised tension or

tie rods

42 and 43 and pivotally held by

pins

44, 45, 46, and 47 and

clevises

48, 49, 50, and 51.

In operation, of an uncoupled car, when the car moves from tangent track to a full curve the truck angles relative to the car body. This movement is used to position the coupler in the following manner: The angling of the truckrelative to the car body depending upon the degree of track curvature rotates the rear bellcrank 5 through the adjustable push-pull rod 3 which motion is transmitted to the forward bellcrank 36 through the connecting assembly including tie rods or

tension rods

42 and 43 and

clevises

48, 49, 50, and 51. Rotation of the forward bellcrank 36 is transmitted to the extended arm 20 of the centering lever I3 through the override spring assembly 24 without any lost motion since the override spring 33 is compressed to a load greater than that required to move the coupler 28 in the uncoupled condition.

The centering lever lid rotates the coupler 2% to its in-line or face-on" position through the centering yoke 7 and its upstanding lugs ill and 9.

With regards to a coupled car on tangent track and on full curves, the coupler positioning device of the subject invention puts coupler Ell in a position it normally assumes after coupling. Thus with the car 52 coupled, the coupler 2d location in normal movement is identical to the truck assigned location of the coupler 2d.

The only time the truck and coupler 28 are not in phase is when the cars go through a crossover or in moving from tangent track to a full curve. The override spring 33 is compressed to accommodate the-deviation of the out-of-phase condition. The override spring 335 compensates when the coupled position of the coupler 28 does not coincide with the truck assigned position on reverse curves, on curve entries and exits, and when different length cars are coupled and negotiating track curves.

Relating to the operation of the manual disengaging lever, the coupler 2% may be disengaged from the positioning device by rotating the manual disengaging lever l5. This depresses the centering yoke 7 within the body of the centering lever 113 against the contained spring M. Coupler 28 may then be moved to any desired angle. The coupler 23 will automatically be reengaged when the shank llll of the coupler 2b; and the centering yoke 7 are realigned in normal movement.

The various types of coupling conditions may be grouped as follows: (1) coupling two long cars both equipped with positioning devices, (2) coupling two long cars with only one equipped with a positioning device, (3) coupling two long cars with one equipped with a positioning device and the other equipped with a conventional centering device, (4) coupling one long car equipped with a positioning device to a standard boxcar or other short car.

in the above noted types of coupling conditions utilizing the coupling device of the subject invention, the cars although they may not be perfectly aligned will have their couplers more closely aligned thus diminishing the possibility of having bypassed couplers.

A description of the various coupling conditions as related to the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention is as follows: Where both long cars are equipped with the positioning device of the subject invention with both cars on tangent track, the couplers are held on the car body centerline and they are in line. This coupling condition requires no attention.

Coupling two tank cars equipped with the positioning device of the subject invention where both cars are on a full curve, each coupler is in its truck-assigned position as shown in FIGS. l and 2. Since both cars are long cars equipped with the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention, the couplers are in line and the coupling requires no attention.

Where two long cars equipped with the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention are coupled with one car on a full curve of relatively small radius and the other car on tangent track, the couplers must be manually moved from their truck-assigned position to the coupling position since the couplers would not be within the gathering range. Where one car is on a full curve with the truck at the point of tangency and the other car is on tangent track, the couplers must be manually moved from their truck-assigned position to the coupling position. Keep in mind that in these cases, cars equipped with conventional centering devices would be even farther out of line than a car equipped with the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention. As a result, the chance of having couplers bypass when utilizing the coupler positioningdevice of the subject invention is greatly reduced since the couplers would be closer.

Where coupling two long cars equipped with the positioning device of the subject invention with both cars on crossover, with one car to one side of the FROG and the other car to the other side of the FROG, the trucleassigned positions of the couplers are not in line and they must be moved manually to the coupling position. llereto note that cars equipped with the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention are more closely aligned than those equipped with a conventional centering device, thus, greatly diminishing the chance of bypass.

Where coupling two long cars equipped with the couplerpositioning device of the subject invention, with one car on the closure rail of a crossover and the other car on tangent track, the coupling condition is identical to the case where one car is on a full curve and the other car on tangent track as described above.

Where coupling two long cars on a curve with only one car being equipped with the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention, the car equipped with the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention has its coupler in its truck assigned face-on" position which is the preferred position for coupling; thus, manually moving the other coupler to line up with it would insure proper coupling.

Where coupling two long cars on a curve, one being equipped with the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention and the other being equipped with a centering device, the car equipped with the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention has its coupler in its truck assigned faceon position, which is the preferred position for coupling; thus disengaging the centering device on the other car, and manually moving the coupler to line up with the coupler on the positioning-device equipped car would insure proper coupling. The car equipped with a centering device would have its coupler on the car body instead of the truck-assigned position.

Where coupling a long car to a 40-foot-6-inch boxcar with both cars on tangent track, the long car equipped with the positioning device of the invention has its coupler held on the track and the 40-foot-6-inch boxcar would have to have its coupler also on the track or within the gathering range.

Where coupling a long car to a 40-foot-6-inch boxcar on a full curve, the long car equipped with a coupler-positioning device of the subject invention would have itscoupler in the truck assigned face-on position and it would have to be moved manually to line up with the coupler on the 40-foot-6- inch boxcar. Keep in mind that a long car equipped with a conventional centering device would be further out of line than a car equipped with the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention.

Where coupling a long car to a 40-1io0t-6-inch boxcar on other than tangent track or with both cars on full curve, it is required that the coupler on the long car be manually positioned to line up with the coupler on the 40-foot boxcar; however, it must be kept in mind, that in all these cases utilizing the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention the misalignment is much less than with a conventional centeringdevice-equipped car, thus greatly diminishing the possibility of having bypassed couplers.

From the above detailed description it will be apparent that an improved coupler-positioning device for long cars has been provided which on full curves automatically moves couplers to the position they would normally assume after coupling to a similar car, i.e., with the coupler centerlines coincident or inline. it is clear that utilizing the coupler-positioning device of the subject invention, the probability of bypass occurring is reduced, thus reducing associated damage to car ends. it is also clear that utilizing the automatic coupler-positioning device of the subject invention the percentages of successful unattended couplings is increased greatly.

it should be understood that the described and disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the subject invention and that all modifications within the scope of the specification are intended to be included that do not depart from the spirit of the invention.

l-laving described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill including a truck end and a coupler end and a connecting assembly between said ends to position the coupler, said assembly consisting of rod means pivotally connected at one end to the truck end, a front and rear bellcrank having offset arms pivotally connected to the bottom of the fixed sill, the offset arm of the rear bellcrank being pivotally connected to the other end of the rod means, the offset arm of the front bellcrank being connected to the coupler end and means for connecting the bellcranks to each other.

2. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as desired in claim 1 including means to disengage the positioning device, to allow manual positioning of the coupler for coupling at tangent points to curves and on crossovers.

3. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as described in claim 1 in which the means for mounting the bellcranks to the bottom of the center sill are plate mounted brackets fixed to the bottom of the center sill.

4. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as described in claim 3 in which the means for connecting the two bellcranks are two adjustable tension rods each having clevised ends for pivotally engaging ends of the bellcranks to form a parallelogram.

5. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as described in claim 4 in which the means for connecting the forward bellcrank to the coupler end assembly is an override spring assembly with clevised ends, the offset arm of the forward bellcrank being pivotally connected to one clevised end of the override spring assembly, the other clevised end of the override spring assembly being pivotally connected to the coupler end assembly.

6. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as described in claim 5 in which the override spring assembly is a double-acting spring arrangement including a cylinder and a spring precompressed within the cylinder to its assembled height and completely enclosed within the cylinder and wherein the spring is compressed beyond its assembled height only under override conditions.

7. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as described in claim 5 in which the coupler end assembly includes a centering yoke, a centering lever, and spring means coacting between the centering yoke and the centering lever.

8. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as described in claim 7 in which the centering lever has an extended arm that is pivotally connected to the other clevised end of the override spring assembly.

9. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as described in claim 8 including means for pivotally mounting the centering lever to the bottom of the center sill.

10. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as described in claim 9 in which the means for pivotally mounting the centering lever to the bottom of the center sill is a plate-mounted bracket fixed to the bottom of the center sill.

11. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as described in claim 7 in which the centering yoke is pivotally mounted within the body of the centering lever and is urged upward by the spring means coacting between the centering yoke and the centering lever.

12. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as described in claim 1 l in which the centering yoke has two upstanding lugs that engage the coupler shank without interferring with any movement in buff or draft.

[3. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as described in claim 12 including means for manually disengaging the centering yoke lugs from the coupler shank.

14. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as described in claim 13 in which the means for manually disengaging the centering yoke from the corpler shank includes a manual handle rotatably mounte to the bottom of the center srll to depress the centering yoke within the body of the centering lever against the spring coacting between the centering yoke and the centering lever.

mg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFl'CE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 12, 95 Dated October 12 1971 Inventor(s) Wilbert G. Glauser It is certified that: error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 2, line 2, change "desired" to de-scribed-.

Signed and sealed this 5th day of March 197k.

('sEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Offi Commissioner of Patents

Claims

1. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill including a truck end and a coupler end and a connecting assembly between said ends to position the coupler, said assembly consisting of rod means pivotally connected at one end to the truck end, a front and rear bellcrank having offset arms pivotally connected to the bottom of the fixed sill, the offset arm of the rear bellcrank being pivotally connected to the other end of the rod means, the offset arm of the front bellcrank being connected to the coupler end and means for connecting the bellcranks to each other.

12. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as described in claim 11 in which the centering yoke has two upstanding lugs that engage the coupler shank without interferring with any movement in buff or draft.

13. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as described in claim 12 including means for manually disengaging the centering yoke lugs from the coupler shank.

14. A coupler-positioning device for use with a coupler on a railway car having a fixed sill as described in claim 13 in which the means for manually disengaging the centering yoke from the coupler shank includes a manual handle rotatably mounted to the bottom of the center sill to depress the centering yoke within the body of the centering lever against the spring coacting between the centering yoke and the centering lever.