Head insert for railway trailer hitch

Claim 2

In a trailer hitch to be mounted upon a railway flat car having a vertical strut and a diagonal strut in extended position supporting a hitch head adapted to engage and hold in place a kingpin of a trailer supported on said flat car, said hitch including a top plate having an opening including a generally semi-circular and vertical kingpin engagement portion, and at least one movable jaw located below said top plate, said jaw being movable between a closed position holding a kingpin captive in said head and adapted to engage said top plate, and an open position allowing said kingpin to be removed, the kingpin applying horizontal loads to said engagement portion in closed position in transit, the improvement comprising: an insert made of wear resistant and crack resistant material mounted on said top plate within said opening and overlying a substantial portion of the vertical extent of said kingpin engagement portion, said insert forming substantially the only contact between the jaw and the kingpin; removable fastening means engaging first openings in said insert and second openings in said top plate to hold said insert in place overlying said kingpin engagement portion; whereby said insert is easily and quickly removable from said top plate by disconnecting said fasteners from said top plate, whereby a new insert may be quickly inserted in place within said opening while said hitch remains in place on said flat car without taking said hitch out of service.

Claim 3

An improved trailer hitch according to claim 1 wherein a slot is formed in said head and wherein said insert is formed to conform to the contour of said slot.

Claim 4

An improved trailer hitch according to claim 1 wherein said insert is made of alloy steel having a Brinell Hardness of about 300 to 400.

Claim 5

An improved trailer hitch according to claim 3 wherein said alloy steel is heat treated.

Claim 6

An improved trailer hitch according to claim 1 wherein said fasteners engage first openings in said insert and second openings in said top plate.

Claim 7

An improved trailer hitch according to claim 5 wherein said first openings are countersunk.

Claim 8

In a trailer hitch to be mounted upon a railway flat car having a vertical strut and a diagonal strut in extended position supporting a hitch head adapted to engage and hold in place a kingpin of a trailer supported on said flat car, said hitch including a top plate having an opening into which is inserted a fixed jaw including a generally semi-circular and vertical kingpin engagement portion; a movable jaw located below said top plate; guide means depending from top plate to guide said movable jaw in general horizontal movement between a closed position holding the kingpin captive in said kingpin engagement portion and an open position allowing said kingpin to be removed, said kingpin applying horizontal loads to said fixed and movable jaws in transit, the improvement comprising: an insert made of wear resistant and crack resistant material mounted on said top plate and overlying a substantial portion of the vertical extent of said kingpin engagement portion, said insert forming substantially the only contact between the jaw and the kingpin; removable fastening means engaging first openings in said insert and second openings in said fixed jaw to hold said insert in place overlying said fixed jaw; whereby said insert is easily and quickly removable from said top plate by disconnecting said fasteners from said top plate, whereby a new insert may be quickly inserted in place within said opening while said hitch remains in place on said flat car without taking said hitch out of service.

Claim 9

In a trailer hitch to be mounted upon a railway flat car having a vertical strut and a diagonal strut in extended position supporting a hitch head adapted to engage and hold in place a kingpin of a trailer supported on said flat car, said hitch including a top plate having an opening into which is inserted a fixed jaw including a generally semi-circular and vertical kingpin engagement portion; a movable jaw located below said top plate; guide means depending from top plate to guide said movable jaw in general horizontal movement between a closed position holding the kingpin captive in said kingpin engagement portion and an open position allowing said kingpin to be removed, said kingpin applying horizontal loads to said fixed and movable jaws in transit, the improvement comprising: an insert made of wear resistant and crack resistant material mounted on said top plate and overlying a substantial portion of the vertical extent of said kingpin engagement portion, said insert forming substantially the only contact between the jaw and the kingpin; removable fastening means engaging first openings in said insert and second openings in said fixed jaw to hold said insert in place overlying said fixed jaw; whereby said insert is easily and quickly removable from said top plate by disconnecting said fasteners from said top plate, whereby a new insert may be quickly inserted in place within said opening while said hitch remains in place on said flat car without taking said hitch out of service.

Claim 10

An improved trailer hitch according to claim 7 wherein said insert also engages a portion of said top plate.

Claim 11

An improved trailer hitch according to claim 8 wherein said insert is tapered to facilitate said kingpin assuming the closed position.

Claim 12

An improved trailer hitch according to claim 9 wherein said insert is made of heat treated alloy steel having a Brinell Hardness of about 300 to 400.

Claim 13

An improved trailer hitch according to claim 7 wherein said fasteners engage first openings in said insert and second openings in said top plate.

Claim 14

An improved trailer hitch according to claim 11 wherein said first openings are countersunk.