in fig1 a striker assembly , generally 20 , is shown . it will be understood that the upper wall 22 of the striker comprising sidewalls 24 , 26 , bottom 28 and striker flange 30 , is normally positioned beneath the end of a center sill ( not shown ) of a railway car , and that the body of a coupler ( also not shown ) normally extends toward the viewer through the opening defined by the flange 30 and a coupler carrier , generally 40 . the coupler carrier 40 is in the form of a substantially hollow cap which is open at the bottom and receives therein the upper portions of a plurality of vertical coil springs 42 which are supported in a striker spring basket 44 formed within the bottom 28 of the striker assembly , generally 20 . thus , the carrier 40 may move vertically on the springs 42 between the striker side walls 24 and 26 . when properly assembled , the springs 42 are partially compressed and the upper limit of travel of the carrier , generally 40 , is confined by retainer plates , generally 50 , 52 , secured at either side wall 24 and 26 . thus , the weight of the coupler is normally supported by the carrier 40 and springs 42 at the uppermost carrier position . as may be best seen in fig2 and 3 , the coupler carrier , generally 40 , comprises a substantially rectangular hollow body 60 enclosed at the upper portion by a top wall 62 which extends outwardly ( in a lateral direction ) of the body at each end to form detents 64 , 66 . the upper surface of top wall 62 contains a rectangular recess to receive a replacable wear plate 68 . where a wear plate 68 is utilized it may be of steel , although preferably such wear plate is of a relatively lower coefficient of friction to enable the coupler to slide easily across the top wall 62 . the wear plate 68 may be comprised of a low friction plastic material such as that produced and marketed by the holland company under the trademark &# 34 ; hollube &# 34 ;. the wear plate 68 may be fastened in place by any suitable means as by welding brazing cementing or the like . countersunk fasteners are preferred such as the illustrated flat head counter sunk bolts 74 which thread into captive nuts 76 secured to nipples on the underside of the top wall 62 . the mountings for such nuts 76 may also serve to position the tops of the springs 72 . the hollow body 60 of carrier 40 terminates at the lower portion in the form of end lugs 80 , 82 which extend outwardly ( laterally ) beneath the detents 64 , 66 respectively . the upper surfaces of each lug 80 , 82 slopes downwardly ( in the lateral direction ) from the body 60 at about 10 ° to the horizontal ; and also slopes downwardly from the front and back sides toward the center thereof ( in a longitudinal direction respecting the assembled parts ) at about 15 ° to the horizontal , thereby forming non - planar angled bearing means 84 , 86 , preferably chevron shaped as illustrated , at each end of the carrier 40 . as previously mentioned the carrier body 60 is vertically reciprocable within a basket 44 which holds springs 42 at the bottom 28 of the striker assembly , generally 20 . lugs 80 , 82 and detents 64 , 66 of the carrier , generally 40 , extend laterally toward the striker side walls 24 , 26 respectively where retainer plates 50 , 52 are located . the latter are contacted by the lugs 80 , 82 and thereby serve to limit upward movement of the carrier 40 by reason of the retainer plates 50 , 52 respectively , extending laterally into the space between detent 64 and lug 80 at the left side and between detent 66 and lug 82 at the right side ( as viewed in fig1 and 3 ). downward movement of the carrier body 60 is limited by contact of the top wall 62 with the upper edge of the spring basket 44 . the retainer plates 50 , 52 are also replaceable and are preferably secured to flanges in holes cast in the striker side walls by two piece rivets 88 or the like . according to the present invention , the undersurfaces of the retainer plates also form angled bearing means congruent to the bearing means 84 , 86 on the carrier lugs 80 , 82 . this is accomplished by forming the undersurface of each retainer plate to contain two adjacent faces 92 , 94 each of which faces are sloped in two directions at approximately 10 ° downward from an end and at about 15 ° upward from the center toward the outer edges . it will be seen that the two retainer plates 50 , 52 are identical ( being merely mounted to face in opposite directions ) with flat upper surfaces 96 and holes 98 for the rivets 88 . each retainer plate is also preferably of rectangular plan formed from steel with the faces 92 , 94 advantageously flame hardened or quenched and tempered to about 400 bhn ( brinell hardness number ). when the aforedescribed parts are assembled , the retainer plates 50 , 52 project inwardly from sides 24 , 26 with their flat upper surfaces 96 disposed upwardly toward upper wall 22 of the striker assembly ; and the coupler carrier generally 40 is compressed downwardly on the springs 42 and held against upward movement by the undersurfaces of the retainer plates bearing against the shaped upper surfaces of lugs 80 , 82 of the carrier . the coupler body ( not shown ) rests upon the wear plate 68 and may move laterally from sidewall 24 to sidewall 26 . such movement tends to move the carrier 40 laterally against the retainer plates . the coupler may also be moved downward and upward and the carrier 40 will tend to remain in supporting contact by reason of springs 42 . to some extent the coupler will also move fore and aft longitudinally across the wearplate 68 and tending to move the carrier 40 within basket 44 and against the retainer plates 50 , 52 . these movements are believed to have caused the greatest wear and damage to prior striker assemblies . however , with the present invention , the angled bearing means on both the carrier lugs and retainer plates resists and retards such longitudinal movement of the carrier 40 and also resists lateral movement of the carrier when the coupler is moved , thus greatly reducing wear and replacement of parts . modifications and variations may be made in the aforedescribed invention without departing from the scope thereof which is defined hereafter in the claims .