EP0680864A1 - U-förmiges Verbindungsglied für eine spielfreie Zugstangenanordnung mit einem Kugelgelenk - Google Patents

U-förmiges Verbindungsglied für eine spielfreie Zugstangenanordnung mit einem Kugelgelenk Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0680864A1
EP0680864A1 EP94113994A EP94113994A EP0680864A1 EP 0680864 A1 EP0680864 A1 EP 0680864A1 EP 94113994 A EP94113994 A EP 94113994A EP 94113994 A EP94113994 A EP 94113994A EP 0680864 A1 EP0680864 A1 EP 0680864A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
connection member
pair
female connection
disposed
male connection
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP94113994A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0680864B1 (de
Inventor
Wajih Kanjo
David W. Daugherty Jr.
Michael G. Hawryszkow
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Westinghouse Air Brake Co
Original Assignee
Westinghouse Air Brake Co
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Westinghouse Air Brake Co filed Critical Westinghouse Air Brake Co
Publication of EP0680864A1 publication Critical patent/EP0680864A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0680864B1 publication Critical patent/EP0680864B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61G—COUPLINGS; DRAUGHT AND BUFFING APPLIANCES
    • B61G5/00—Couplings for special purposes not otherwise provided for
    • B61G5/02—Couplings for special purposes not otherwise provided for for coupling articulated trains, locomotives and tenders or the bogies of a vehicle; Coupling by means of a single coupling bar; Couplings preventing or limiting relative lateral movement of vehicles

Definitions

  • the present invention relates, in general, to slackless type drawbar assemblies which are in extensive use at the present time in the railway industry to couple together the adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway freight type cars in a substantially semi-permanent fashion and, more particularly, this invention relates to a female connection member which can be used in an improved slackless type drawbar assembly which is specifically designed to make use of a ball and race assembly disposed substantially adjacent each end of such drawbar assembly to achieve the requisite amount of angling movements which are necessary between such pair of railway freight cars during their operation on a track structure and, still more specifically, the female connection member of the present invention can, also, be used in conjunction with a male connection member for a slackless drawbar assembly using a ball and race assembly to replace one end of a prior art type slackless drawbar assembly during a routine repair of such prior art slackless drawbar assembly thereby enabling a cost effective replacement of a prior art type slackless drawbar assembly in stages.
  • slackless type drawbar assemblies Prior to the development of the present invention, as is generally quite well known in the railroad industry, a number of slackless type drawbar assemblies have been in widespread use for several years. These slackless drawbar assemblies are designed to couple together the adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway freight cars in a substantially semi-permanent fashion.
  • these railway cars do not require frequent separation during service. Normally they will only be separated during a required repair and/or routine maintenance being performed on one or more of them.
  • railway freight cars are normally of the type which are utilized in the railroad industry in what is most commonly referred to as dedicated service.
  • These dedicated service type railway freight cars will generally include; by way of example only, cars which are utilized to haul coal, coke, and/or various other types of minerals, light truck and automobile transport carriers, tank cars used for the purpose of transporting various types of liquids, as well as, cars which are quite often used in transporting various types of building materials.
  • Examples of several common minerals which are normally transported in these dedicated service type railway cars will include; various ores, cement, slag and stone.
  • the various types of liquids which are known by applicants to be transported by such dedicated service type railway freight cars will at least include a number of different chemicals, including liquified gases.
  • U.S. Patent No. 5,000,330 One example of a prior art slackless type drawbar assembly is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,000,330.
  • the teachings of such U.S. Patent No. 5,000,330 are incorporated into the present application by reference thereto. Illustrated in this particular reference is a plurality of railway freight cars which have the adjacently disposed ends thereof connected together utilizing a slackless type drawbar assembly.
  • slackless type drawbar assemblies known by applicants to be in use prior to the present invention, include a relatively large number of frictionally engaged surfaces which are disposed on a number of different components. Each pair of these frictionally engaged surfaces is designed in a manner to allow movement to occur relative to one another.
  • the present invention provides a female connection member which can be readily utilized with an improved slackless type drawbar assembly which is specifically designed to connect together a pair of adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway freight type cars in a substantially semi-permanent manner.
  • the slackless type drawbar assembly to which the female connection member of the present invention is most applicable will include a ball and race assembly carried by a male connection member.
  • This female connection member is disposed substantially entirely in and engageable with one end of a center sill portion, disposed beneath a bottom portion of a car body member, of a first railway car.
  • a cavity is formed in such female connection member for receiving for movement therein a first end of male connection member.
  • Such cavity being defined essentially by a back wall portion and a pair of side wall portions.
  • each of such back wall portion and the pair of side wall portions having a predetermined configuration.
  • An aperture is formed through a predetermined portion of such first end of the male connection member and has disposed therein at least a portion of a ball member (hereinafter referred to as a spherical shaped member).
  • a pair of substantially horizontally disposed shaft members extend outwardly for a predetermined distance from axially opposed outer surfaces of such spherical shaped member.
  • each respective one of such pair of shaft members includes an axially opposed and substantially flat surface portion formed thereon.
  • An inner surface of the race assembly is disposed around such portion of the spherical shaped member disposed within the aperture formed in such first end of such male connection member.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a female connection member for use with a slackless type drawbar assembly that connects together, in a substantially semi-permanent fashion, the adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway freight cars which will enable a minimum number of components which must move relative to each other to be used, especially, when compared to the relatively high number of components that are required to move with respect to each other in the presently known prior art type slackless drawbar assemblies.
  • Still another object of the present invention is to provide a female connection member for use with a slackless type drawbar assembly that connects together, in a substantially semi-permanent fashion, the adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway freight cars which will, generally, require substantially less repair and/or routine maintenance, particularly, when compared to the repair and/or routine maintenance requirements of presently known prior art type slackless drawbar assemblies.
  • Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a female connection member for use with a slackless type drawbar assembly that connects together, in a substantially semi-permanent fashion, the adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway freight cars which will exhibit a relatively long operating service life, especially when compared to the normal operating service life of such presently known prior art type slackless drawbar assemblies.
  • a further object of the present invention is to provide a female connection member for use with a slackless type drawbar assembly that connects together, in a substantially semi-permanent fashion, the adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway freight cars which will be significantly more cost effective for the user.
  • An additional object of the present invention is to provide a female connection member for use with a slackless type drawbar assembly that connects together, in a substantially semi-permanent fashion, the adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway freight cars which can be easily retrofitted into existing railway freight cars.
  • Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a female connection member for use with a slackless type drawbar assembly that connects together, in a substantially semi-permanent fashion, the adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway freight cars which is lighter in weight than previously used conventional type couplers that require the use of yokes, draft gear, draft key members and follower members.
  • An additional object of the present invention is to provide a female connection member for use with a slackless type drawbar assembly that connects together, in a substantially semi-permanent fashion, the adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway freight cars which does not require the use of any specialized tools and/or other equipment to install on a railway freight car.
  • FIG. 1 Illustrated therein is a presently preferred embodiment of a female connection member, generally designated, 10 which can be readily utilized as one of the critical components of an improved slackless type drawbar assembly, generally designated, 20.
  • Such improved slackless type drawbar assembly 20 is utilized to connect together the adjacently disposed ends (not shown) of a pair of railway type freight cars (not shown), in a substantially semi-permanent fashion.
  • Such female connection member 10 has a first predetermined configuration.
  • the shape, of the outermost surface portions of such first predetermined configuration, of such female connection member 10 is designed in a manner such that it will readily enable such female connection member 10 to be substantially disposed entirely within and secured, preferably, in a removable manner to a first end of a center sill portion 12 which, in turn, is secured to a bottom portion (not shown) of a car body member (not shown) of a railway freight car.
  • the female connection member 10 will be substantially restrained against any longitudinal movement within the center sill portion 12. Such restraint is achieved in a first longitudinal direction by rear stop members 13 and in an axially opposed second longitudinal direction by front draft stop members 15.
  • a cavity 14 is formed in such female connection member 10.
  • Such cavity 14 is at least defined by an inner surface 16, having a second predetermined configuration, of a back wall portion 18 and the respective inner surfaces 22 and 24 of a pair of side wall portions 26 and 28 of such female connection member 10.
  • Each of these inner surfaces 22 and 24 will have a third predetermined configuration.
  • the second predetermined configuration of the inner surface 16 of back wall portion 18 will, preferably, be generally concave in both a vertical direction and a horizontal direction and such third predetermined configuration of such inner surfaces 22 and 24, on the other hand, will exhibit a generally convex shape in at least a horizontal direction.
  • such inner surfaces 22 and 24 will have a generally convex shape in both such horizontal direction and in a vertical direction.
  • the first opening 30 has a fourth predetermined configuration.
  • such fourth predetermined configuration of the first opening 30 will at least include each of a first generally round portion 32 and a first generally open bottom portion 34.
  • the fourth predetermined configuration of such first opening 30 will be substantially identical to such fifth predetermined configuration of the second opening 36.
  • the present invention is not to be limited thereto.
  • the slackless type drawbar assembly 20, which such female connection member 10 of the present invention is particularly designed to be used with, further includes a male connection member, generally designated, 40 which has a sixth predetermined configuration.
  • At least a portion of a first end 38 of such male connection member 40 is adapted to be disposed for rotatable movement within the cavity 14 formed in such female connection member 10.
  • the end surface 42 of such first end 38 which is disposed facing the inner surface 16 of such back wall portion 18 of female connection member 10 will, preferably, exhibit a generally convex shape in a plane disposed in each of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction.
  • the first end 38 of such male connection member 40 will be generally rectangular in shape except for the radius portions disposed along the outer edges thereof.
  • Aa aperture 44 is formed through a predetermined portion of such male connection member 40 adjacent the first end 38 thereof. According to the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, such aperture 44 will be generally round and have a predetermined diameter.
  • a ball-like member 46 (hereinafter referred to as a spherical shaped member 46). At least a predetermined portion of such spherical shaped member 46 is disposed within the aperture 44 formed through such first end 38 of the male connection member 40.
  • the outer surface of the spherical shaped member 46 will be a polished surface. Still more preferably, the polished outer surface of the spherical shaped member 46 will be a polished chrome plated surface.
  • first shaft member 50 is disposed within the generally round portion 32 of such first opening 30 formed through such first side wall portion 26 and at least a portion of a second shaft member 48 of such pair of shaft members 48 and 50 is disposed within the second opening 36 formed through the second side wall portion 28 of such pair of side wall portions 26 and 28.
  • Each respective one of such pair of shaft members 48 and 50 has an axially opposed and substantially flat surface portion 52 and 54 formed thereon.
  • the function served by these substantially flat surface portions 52 and 54 will become clear as the detailed description of the present invention proceeds.
  • both such spherical shaped member 46 and such pair of shaft members 48 and 50 will be formed as an integral single piece component.
  • race assembly 56 having at least a portion thereof disposed within and adjacent the perimeter of such aperture 44 and secured to such first end 38 of the male connection member 40. According to one of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, such race assembly 56 will be removably secured to the first end 38 of such male connection member 40. However, it is considered to be within the scope of the present invention for such race assembly 56 to be welded to such first end 38 of the male connection member 40.
  • Such race assembly 56 is disposed around such portion of the spherical shaped member 46 positioned within such aperture 44 formed in such male connection member 40. In this manner, the spherical shaped member 46 can be maintained substantially centered within the aperture 44.
  • a substantially solid type lubricating liner member 58 such as manufactured by Kahr Rearing Co. and marketed under the tradename "KARLON", disposed intermediate the outer surface such spherical shaped member 46 and the inner surface of the race assembly 56.
  • a means, generally designated, 60 is engageable with both a second end 58 of such male connection member 40 and a second end (not shown) of another male connection member for securing the second end of such male connection member to the second end of such other male connection member.
  • Such means 60 may be as simple as providing a weldment which secures the second end 58 of such male connection member 40 to the second end of such other male connection member.
  • the second end 58 of such male connection member 40 and the second end of such other male connection member will have a predetermined length which will be at least sufficient to provide the spacing required between the adjacently disposed ends of the pair of railway freight cars connected together by the improved slackless drawbar assembly 20 to enable such railway freight cars to easily negotiate any curves encountered on a track structure.
  • such securing means 60 will include a bar or pipe-like member 62 disposed intermediate and secured to the second end 58 of the male connection member 40 and the second end of such other male connection member.
  • Such wedge means 70 includes a pair of wedge members 64 each having a bolt 66 disposed therethrough in a longitudinal direction and a washer means 68.
  • washer means 68 will be Bellville type washers.
  • a first one of such pair of wedge members 64 includes a tapered surface 72 engaged with a first flat surface portion 52 of such axially opposed and substantially flat surface portions 52 and 54 formed on the pair of shaft members 48 and 50.
  • a substantially flat and vertical surface 74 disposed on the first one of the wedge members 64 is engaged with a mating surface 76 of a respective front draft stop member 15.
  • the second one of such pair of wedge members 64 includes a tapered surface 78 engaged with a second flat surface portion 54 of such axially opposed and substantially flat surface portions 52 and 54 formed on the pair of shaft members 48 and 50. There is a substantially flat and vertical surface 80 disposed on the second one of the wedge members 64 engaged with a mating surface 82 of a respective front draft stop member 15.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Pivots And Pivotal Connections (AREA)
  • Connection Of Plates (AREA)
  • Mutual Connection Of Rods And Tubes (AREA)
EP94113994A 1994-05-04 1994-09-07 U-förmiges Verbindungsglied für eine spielfreie Zugstangenanordnung mit einem Kugelgelenk Expired - Lifetime EP0680864B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US23826494A 1994-05-04 1994-05-04
US238264 1994-05-04

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0680864A1 true EP0680864A1 (de) 1995-11-08
EP0680864B1 EP0680864B1 (de) 1999-11-17

Family

ID=22897164

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP94113994A Expired - Lifetime EP0680864B1 (de) 1994-05-04 1994-09-07 U-förmiges Verbindungsglied für eine spielfreie Zugstangenanordnung mit einem Kugelgelenk

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0680864B1 (de)
JP (1) JP2837362B2 (de)
AU (1) AU683498B2 (de)
BR (1) BR9501333A (de)
CA (1) CA2125439C (de)
DE (1) DE69421691T2 (de)
ZA (1) ZA946566B (de)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5000330A (en) * 1989-10-27 1991-03-19 Amsted Industries Incorporated Railway vehicle rotary drawbar arrangement
EP0456222A1 (de) * 1990-05-08 1991-11-13 Westinghouse Air Brake Company Lageraufbau für einen gelenkigen Kupplungsmechanismus
EP0582035A1 (de) * 1992-08-04 1994-02-09 Westinghouse Air Brake Company Gelenkiger Kupplungsmechanismus

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5065679A (en) * 1990-05-08 1991-11-19 Westinghouse Air Brake Company Articulated coupling apparatus for connecting adjacent ends of a pair of railway cars together in a semipermanent manner
US5172819A (en) * 1990-05-08 1992-12-22 Westinghouse Air Brake Company Bearing assembly for an articulated coupling apparatus which connects adjacent ends of a pair of railway cars together

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5000330A (en) * 1989-10-27 1991-03-19 Amsted Industries Incorporated Railway vehicle rotary drawbar arrangement
EP0456222A1 (de) * 1990-05-08 1991-11-13 Westinghouse Air Brake Company Lageraufbau für einen gelenkigen Kupplungsmechanismus
EP0582035A1 (de) * 1992-08-04 1994-02-09 Westinghouse Air Brake Company Gelenkiger Kupplungsmechanismus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH07304449A (ja) 1995-11-21
ZA946566B (en) 1995-04-26
AU7777494A (en) 1995-11-09
CA2125439C (en) 2001-09-11
DE69421691D1 (de) 1999-12-23
EP0680864B1 (de) 1999-11-17
DE69421691T2 (de) 2000-04-27
CA2125439A1 (en) 1995-11-05
AU683498B2 (en) 1997-11-13
BR9501333A (pt) 1995-10-24
JP2837362B2 (ja) 1998-12-16

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