The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 24, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 10, 1997
Richard P Alfieri, Delmont, PA (US);
Daniel R Disk, Murrysville, PA (US);
Detlev F Smith, Fairlawn, OH (US);
Roger H Ramsey, Akron, OH (US);
Union Switch & Signal, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
A clamp for securing apparatus such as end-of-train equipment to a railroad coupler head includes a first finger member that is mounted to pivot about a pivot pin in scissors-like manner between a fixed second and third finger member affixed to a housing, a threaded rod and cooperating piston for pivoting the first finger member away from the fixed second and third finger members, a rail member for abutting against an outside surface of the coupler head, and a crank and handle for tightening the grip of the first, second and third fingers on the inner surfaces of the core hole when the crank is rotated. The pivoting of the first finger member is accomplished by driving a pin through a slotted clevis defined in a first end of the first finger member, such that the pin moves within the slot defined by the clevis when the pin is driven in one lateral direction generally toward the fixed second and third finger members, thereby urging the clevis downward about the pivot pin and urging the opposing second end of the first finger member to move upwardly away from the fixed second and third finger members. In a preferred embodiment, end-of-train signaling and monitoring equipment is connected to the clamp for the railroad coupler head.