Vehicle Wheel Chock for Auto-Rack Railcar

This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/643,165, filed May 6, 2024, entitled “VEHICLE WHEEL CHOCK FOR AUTO-RACK RAILCAR,” the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to rail vehicles and, more specifically, to wheel chocks for auto-rack railcars.

Auto-racks are railcars (e.g., rail vehicles pulled by a locomotive) that are used to transport automobiles, light-duty trucks, and other on-road vehicles within a rail network. An auto-rack typically includes a platform (e.g., a pair of bogies or trucks that support a frame) and a support structure attached to the platform and having side walls, access doors, and two or three vehicle support levels each configured to receive plural automobiles or other on-road vehicles. For transport, the on-road vehicles must be maintained stationary in place inside the auto-rack. For this purpose, repositionable wheel chock devices are attached to the floors of the vehicle support levels (e.g., the floors may include metal grating) to abut the tires of the on-road vehicles, thereby preventing substantial horizontal movement.

To attach a wheel chock to the floor (e.g., grating) of an auto-rack, the wheel chock typically includes an actuation mechanism. In a first position of the actuation mechanism, the wheel chock is detached from the floor, and in a second position of the actuation mechanism, the wheel chock is attached to the floor. However, many modern on-road vehicles may have restricted wheel clearance, mud flaps, or both, or other aspects that present limited spacing and access to the wheels. Depending on the particular on-road vehicle configuration relative to the wheel chock and the auto-rack in question, it may be difficult for a user to access the actuation mechanism to affix the wheel chock to the floor grating after it is put in place abutting a tire. Therefore, it may be desirable to provide a wheel chock that differs from existing wheel chocks.

In an embodiment, a vehicle wheel chock for an auto-rack railcar includes a wheel chock body and a locking assembly having a locking member pivotally connected to the body and lockable to the body. The locking assembly further includes a pin support attached to the locking member, a pin guide attached to the locking member, a locking handle unit abutting the pin guide and having a locking handle body, and a locking pin unit having a locking pin and operably coupled to and extending between the pin support, the locking handle, and the pin guide. The locking handle unit is laterally slidable relative to the pin support, pin guide, and locking pin unit between a first fully extended position in one lateral direction, a second fully extended position in the other lateral direction, and an intermediate position. In the intermediate position the locking handle body is prevented from being pulled away from the pin guide to retract the locking pin for unlocking the locking member from the wheel chock body. In both the first and second fully extended positions, the locking handle body is pivotable away from the pin guide on one side to retract the locking pin to unlock the locking member from the wheel chock body.

In another embodiment, the locking handle unit may include first and second depending pivot pins attached to the locking handle body. In the intermediate position, the first and second depending pivot pins respectively abut first and second wing portions of a guide recess in the locking member to prevent the locking handle body from being pulled away from the pin guide to retract the locking pin for unlocking the locking member from the wheel chock body. In both the first and second fully extended positions, one of the depending pivot pins abuts one of the wing portions of the guide recess but the other of the depending pivot pins aligns with a clearance portion of the guide recess, allowing the locking handle body to be pivoted away from the pin guide on one side to retract the locking pin to unlock the locking member from the wheel chock body.

Thereby, according to one aspect, a user may slide the locking handle unit to either fully extended position to unlock the locking member from the wheel chock body, depending on which side of the wheel chock is more easily accessible or otherwise convenient for the user when attaching and detaching the wheel chock to the floor grating of an auto-rack.

Embodiments of the invention relate to a locking assembly for a vehicle wheel chock for an auto-rack railcar. Aspects of the vehicle wheel chock unrelated to the locking assembly may be generally similar to those set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 7,976,255 (the '255 patent), which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

In embodiments, with reference to, a vehicle wheel chockfor an auto-rack railcar includes a wheel chock bodyand a locking assemblyhaving a locking memberpivotally connected to the body and lockable to the body. The locking assembly further includes a pin supportattached to the locking member, a pin guideattached to the locking member, a locking handle unitabutting the pin guide and having a locking handle body, and a locking pin unithaving a locking pinand operably coupled to and extending between the pin support, the locking handle, and the pin guide. The locking handle unit is laterally slidable relative to the pin support, pin guide, and locking pin unit between a first fully extended positionin one lateral direction (), a second fully extended positionin the other lateral direction (), and an intermediate position(), e.g., halfway between the two extended positions,. (Each fully extended position may represent the furthest degree or range of travel of the locking handle body in that direction.) In the intermediate position(), the locking handle body is prevented from being pulled away from the pin guide to retract the locking pin for unlocking the locking member from the wheel chock body, as indicated by the crossed-out arrows in. In both the first and second fully extended positions,(), the locking handle body is pivotable away from the pin guide on one side to thereby retract the locking pin to unlock the locking member from the wheel chock body. For example, if the locking handle unit is laterally slid to the first fully extended positionas in, a first end(e.g., right end from the perspective of) of the locking handle body is then pivotable away from the pin guideto cause the locking pinto move away from the wheel chock body, to thereby eventually disengage from the wheel chock body. Similarly, if the locking handle unit is laterally slid to the second fully extended positionas in, a second endof the locking handle body (the left side of the locking handle body, from the perspective of) is then oppositely pivotable away from the pin guideto cause the locking pinto move rearwards to disengage from the wheel chock body.

According to one aspect, when the locking handle unit is in the intermediate position() and with the locking pinengaging the wheel chock body, the locking memberis locked to the body. To unlock the locking member from the body (e.g., to detach the wheel chock from floor grating), a user may slide the locking handle unit to either of the fully extended positions,(or), whichever is more accessible or otherwise convenient, and then pull on first or second end of the locking handle body as indicated inor, respectively.

According to another aspect, to lock the locking member to the wheel chock body, the locking handle unit is moved to either of the fully extended positions (as selected by a user). Then, the appropriate end of the locking handle body is pulled to pivot the locking handle body and pull the locking pin rearwards, until the locking member is free to pivot down into the wheel chock body to a point where the locking pin is aligned with a lock notchin the wheel chock body. Once the locking pin is in place in the lock notch (e.g., via spring action as discussed below), the locking handle unit is slid to the intermediate, locking position.

In embodiments, the wheel chock may include a first set of grate engagers (e.g., curved teeth) (not shown) attached to an underside of the wheel chock body, and, as shown in, a second set of grate engagers(e.g., curved teeth) attached to an underside of the locking member. The sets of grate engagers may be generally physically and functionally configured as described in the '255 patent.

In another embodiment, with reference to, the locking handle unitmay include first and second depending pivot pins,attached to the locking handle body. In the intermediate position, as shown in, the first and second depending pivot pins respectively abut first and second wing portions,of a guide recessin the locking member. (The guide recess is machined or otherwise formed in the locking member; the gray coloring inindicates that the recess is a perpendicular-walled depression in the surface of the locking member.) For example, in the intermediate position, if a user attempts to pull on either end of the locking handle body, one of the depending pivot pins,hits the sidewall of the wing portion of the recess, preventing movement of the locking handle body. Thereby, the locking handle body is prevented from being pulled away from the pin guide, which prevents retracting the locking pin for unlocking the locking member from the wheel chock body.

With reference to, in both the first and second fully extended positions (the locking handle unitis shown in the first fully extended positionin, as an example), one of the depending pivot pins (e.g., the first depending pivot pin) abuts the sidewall of one of the wing portions of the guide recess (e.g., the first wing portion), but the other of the depending pivot pins (e.g., the second depending pivot pin) lies outside the other wing portion (e.g., the second wing portion) and aligns with a clearance portionof the guide recess. In this example, since the second depending pivot pinis unblocked, when a force is exerted on the first endof the locking handle body in a direction away from the pin guide, the second depending pivot pinmoves into the clearance portionof the recess. Simultaneously, with the first depending pivot pinblocked, the locking handle bodypivots about the first depending pivot pinand away from the pin guideon the one side. As discussed in more detail below, this causes the locking pinto retract.

As indicated, the locking memberis pivotally coupled to the wheel chock body. For this purpose, the locking assemblymay include first and second lateral hinge pins,(see), or a pivot shaftextending through the locking member as shown in.

Aspects of embodiments of the wheel chock are now further described with reference toand. As shown in, the locking assemblymay include the pin supportattached generally on one side of a top surface of the locking member, and the pin guideattached generally on the other side of the top surface of the locking member. The pin guide defines an aperture(e.g., circular aperture) that is slightly larger in widest dimension (e.g., diameter) than a widest cross-dimension (e.g., diameter) of the locking pin, such that the locking pin can pass through the aperture. The pin supportdefines a pin support aperture, which may include a first portiondimensioned to receive a headof the locking pin, an intermediate portiondimensioned to accommodate a shaftof the locking pin, and a spring receiver portiondimension to receive the end of a compression spring(see). The pin support apertureis coaxial with the apertureof the pin guide. Further, the locking member defines the recess, machined or otherwise formed as a walled depression in the surface of the locking member, having the two wing portions,and the clearance portiondisposed between the two. The recess is positioned next to the pin guide, between the pin guide and the pin support, with one wing portion located on one side of the pin guide and the other wing portion located on the other side of the pin guide, and the clearance portioncentered on the pin guidebetween the two wing portions. Each wing portion may be a channel having a width just large enough to accommodate one of the depending pivot pinsor, with there being a respective lip or corner edgebetween each wing portion and the clearance portion of the recess. The clearance portionincludes a curved wall(extending between the lips or corner edges of the wing portions) that is dimensioned to accommodate travel of the depending pivot pins when the locking handle unit is moved to either of the fully extended positions,and the locking handle body is pivoted.

With reference to, the locking pinmay include the shaftand the headattached to an end of the shaft. The free end of the shaft distal the head may be slightly rounded or tapered, to accommodate entry into the locking notch of the wheel chock body. The locking pin defines a lateral through-holeextending through the shaft at a point between the two ends of the shaft. With further reference to, the lateral through-holeis dimensioned to receive a center guide pin, e.g., the center guide pin may be press fit into the through-hole, as shown in. Both the center guide pin and locking pin may be made of steel or another metal.

As shown in, the locking pin unitmay further include a pin cap. The pin cap includes a generally cylindrical body(e.g., made of metal or polymer) defining a pin cap apertureextending through the body from a first side endof the body to a second side endof the body. The pin cap aperture includes a first portiondimensioned to receive an end of the compression spring, and a second portiondimensioned to receive the shaftof the locking pin; thereby, the first portionmay have a larger diameter than the second portion. The second side endof the body, around the egress of the aperture, may be rounded.

With reference to, the compression spring may be made of metal, and may have an internal diameter dimensioned to accommodate a diameter of the shaftof the locking pin, i.e., the spring fits over the locking pin shaft. The outer diameter of the compression spring corresponds in size to the first portionof the pin cap apertureand to the spring receiver portionof the pin support apertureof the pin support.

With reference to, the locking handle unitmay include the locking handle bodyand the first and second depending pivot pins,. The depending pivot pins may be metal pins embedded in an underside of the locking handle body. The locking handle body may include a central basethat extends down from a middle region of the locking handle body. The locking handle body defines a locking pin aperture, which extends through the body front a front side of the body to a rear side of the body. The locking pin aperture may be centrally disposed in the middle of the locking handle body. A height of the locking pin aperture corresponds in size to a diameter of the locking pin, such that the locking pin can extend through the locking pin aperture and the locking handle body can be slid between the first and second fully extended positions even with the locking pin extending through the locking pin aperture. The locking handle body also defines a center guide pin aperture, which extends through at least partially through the locking handle body from a top side of the locking handle body, through to the locking pin aperture, and then further down into the body below the locking pin aperture, towards a bottom side of the locking handle body. The lower portion of the center guide pin aperture may be a blind hole, or it may extend all the way through to the bottom side of the locking handle body. A width of the center guide pin apertureis dimensioned to accommodate a diameter of the center guide pin, and a height of the center guide pin apertureis dimensioned to accommodate a length of the center guide pin. A length of the center guide pin aperture (e.g., the long dimension as shown in) accommodates travel of the locking handle unit between the first and second fully extended positions, with the center guide pinattached to the locking pinas shown inand the center guide pindisposed in the center guide pin aperture, as shown in. In embodiments, there may be a fairly narrow clearance between the width of the center guide pin aperture and the diameter of the center guide pin, such that the center guide pin is slidable along the center guide pin aperture but there is some degree of friction interference between the two. This serves to keep the locking handle unit in the intermediate (locked) position unless a user exerts at least a designated, non-incidental lateral sliding force on the locking handle body. As shown in the drawings, in embodiments, the endsof the center guide pin apertureare slightly bent or curved (relative to the middle portion of the center guide pin aperture). This may help with keeping the locking handle unit in the fully extended positions, and/or for leverage when pulling on the locking handle body to unlock the locking member.

With reference to, the wheel chock bodymay have a front portion, a central portion, and a rear portion, and the chock may include a plurality of grate engagers or teeth (not shown, but see the '255 patent) extending downwardly and forwardly from the front portion, a tire engaging assembly at the front portion (not shown, but see the '255 patent), the locking assemblyhaving the locking memberpivotally connected to the rear portion of the bodyand lockable at the central portionof the body, and the plurality of grate engagers(see) extending downwardly from the locking member. The chock body defines an aperture between the central portionand the rear portioninto which the locking memberpivotally fits. The locking notchis positioned in the central portionof the chock body. A locking area or surfaceof the central portioninto which the locking notch extends may include a sloped rearwardly facing biasing wall. If the biasing wall is appropriately sloped, in one embodiment, when the locking member is pivoted downwardly from the unlocked position, toward the locked position, the free end of the locking pin engages the sloped biasing wall of the locking area or surface which causes the locking pin to be biased against the compression spring journaled about the locking pin. When the free end of the locking pin reaches the locking notch, the compression spring causes the locking pin to move into the locking notch and thus secure the locking member in the locked position.

shows the locking member in the locked position. Generally speaking, prior to this state of operation, for assembly of this portion of the chock, the compression spring is positioned to abut the pin support, and the pin cap is positioned at the other end of the compression spring. The locking handle unit is then aligned with the pin guide and with the depending pivot pins disposed in the recess of the locking member. The locking pin is then slide through the pin support, the compression spring, the pin cap, the locking pin aperture of the locking handle body, and the aperture of the pin guide, until the lateral through-hole of the locking pin aligns with the center guide pin aperture of the locking handle body. The center guide pin is then passed through the upper or top portion of the center guide pin aperture and is press fit into the lateral through-hole of the locking pin. The locking pin is thereby in effect spring loaded, and the center guide pin maintains the locking pin in axial alignment relative to the locking handle body, such that the locking handle body can slide laterally relative to the locking pin but the locking pin can only move axially along with the locking handle body when the locking handle body is in either of the fully extended positions. The pin cap provides an interface between the spring and the locking handle body, such that the locking handle body can slide laterally relative to the pin cap and spring, whereas pivoting of the locking handle body (when in one of the fully extended positions) causes the locking handle body to press against the pin cap which in turn compresses the compression spring; here, the locking pin is simultaneously retracted due to the center guide pin, attached to the locking pin, interfering with the center guide pin aperture. E.g., as the locking handle body is pivoted, the walls of the center guide pin aperture press on the center guide pin, which in turn moves the locking pin.

are top and side plan views of an embodiment of a wheel chock in a first state of operation, andis a top plan view of the wheel chock shown inshowing a related unlocking operation.are top plan views of the wheel chock ofin a second state of operation. As illustrated in, from the locked state of the wheel chock (e.g., as shown in), to unlock the locking member, the locking handle unit may be slid to the first fully extended position. This causes the second depending pivot pitto clear the second wing portion of the recess. The center guide pinremains stationary, but tracks along the center guide pin aperturedue to the sliding movement of the locking handle body. Once at the first fully extended position, a user exerts a force on the first endof the locking handle body, as shown in. This causes the locking handle body to pivot about the first depending pivot pin. The locking handle body in turn presses against the pin cap, and the walls of the center guide pin aperturein turn press upon the center guide pin. In combination, this compresses the compression springand moves the locking pinaway from the locking notchto a point where the locking pin disengages from the locking notch, unlocking the locking member. If the wheel chock is attached to a floor grating, this also disengages the grate engagersfrom the floor grating, which will also cause the locking memberto pivot upwards slightly relative to the chock body. If the locking handle body is then released, the compression spring will push the locking handle body back into engagement with the pin guide and cause the locking pin to re-extend. But being out of alignment with the locking notch, the locking assembly is in an unlocked state. To re-lock the locking assembly, the locking handle body may be pivoted away from the locking notch again and the locking member pivoted back into place relative to the wheel chock body for the locking pin to be aligned with the locking notch. Releasing the locking handle body allows the compression spring to move the locking pin back into the locking notch. Alternatively, in embodiments where the wheel chock body includes a biasing wall, it may be possible to re-lock the locking assembly by exerting a downwards force on the top of the pin guide and locking handle body, which causes the rounded, free end of the locking pin to slide along the biasing wall, which in turn forces the locking pin away from the rest of the wheel chock body to compress the compression spring and pivot the locking handle body, until the free end of the locking pin is aligned with the locking notch. At this point, the compression spring causes the locking pin to move into the locking notch, locking the locking member in place.

As shown in, the locking membercan be similarly unlocked and locked if the locking handle unitis instead slid to the second fully extended position. Operation is otherwise similar to. However, for unlocking, this allows a user to slide the locking handle unit to whichever of the two fully extended positions is more convenient for operation relative to the on-road vehicle (being secured using the wheel chock) and auto-rack in question.

The singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. “Optional” or “optionally” means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description may include instances where the event occurs and instances where it does not. Approximating language, as used herein throughout the specification and clauses, may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it may be related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms, such as “about,” “substantially,” and “approximately,” may be not to be limited to the precise value specified. In at least some instances, the approximating language may correspond to the precision of an instrument for measuring the value. Here and throughout the specification and clauses, range limitations may be combined and/or interchanged, such ranges may be identified and include all the sub-ranges contained therein unless context or language indicates otherwise. References to “top,” “bottom,” “left,” “right,” “upper,” “lower,” “first,” “second,” etc. are provided as labels to differentiate different parts relative to one another, and are not meant to establish a particular number of parts or features or an absolute orientation relative to a ground surface or other supporting structure or otherwise unless specified.

This written description uses examples to disclose the embodiments, including the best mode, and to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to practice the embodiments, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The clauses describe aspects of the invention and include other examples that occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within scope if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language presented, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language presented.