Patent ID: 7497345

Claim:
In combination with a railway freight car coupler assembly, such coupler assembly including a coupler shank and a coupler head having a knuckle side and a guard arm side, and further including a knuckle pin mounted within such coupler head, and a knuckle which is mounted for independent rotation on such knuckle pin, an apparatus for automatically pivoting and maintaining a full open position of the knuckle of such coupler when a coupling mechanism is actuated, the improvement comprising: (a) a coiled torsion spring capable of continuously exerting a predetermined force; (b) an attachment means for attaching said coiled torsion spring to a first portion of such coupler head, said attachment means includes: i. an elongated sleeve member coaxially engaging a bottom end of such knuckle pin, ii. a threaded aperture axially formed in such bottom end of such knuckle pin, iii. a threaded aperture axially formed in such bottom end of such knuckle pin, iv. a threaded fastener threadably engaging said threaded aperture for securing said elongated sleeve member and said flange member to such bottom end of such knuckle pin, v. whereby said coiled torsion spring is vertically and concentrically disposed about said elongated sleeve member and is caged between said flange member and such first portion of such coupler head, and vi. whereby an opposed second arm of said coiled torsion spring is fixed on a second portion of such coupler head for providing a reaction means for said coiled torsion spring and for preventing a free rotational movement of said coiled torsion spring relative to said elongated sleeve member; and (c) a connecting means for connecting a first arm of said torsion spring to such knuckle generating a torque on such knuckle to pivot and maintain said full open position of such knuckle.