GB1218811A - Combined buff and draw gear - Google Patents

Abstract

1,218,811. Combined buff and draw gear. W. H. MINER Inc. 17 July, 1968, No. 33995/68. Heading B7T. A combined buff and draw gear, for use in a railway vehicle centre sill 22, comprises a housing 52 having a forward portion 54 which receives a coupler 66, a transversely bored-centre section 56 through which passes a draft key 80 extending through slots 28 in the sill, and a rearward chamber section 58 which contains a compressible solid 124, or a liquid, which is acted on by piston assembly 111, 112 during buff, and by piston 114 during draft. The inner faces of section 54 are outwardly divergent and leaf springs 72 welded at one end to these faces retain the coupler 66 in a central position although allowing angular and axial movement. The coupler is retained in section 54 by a key 70, and its rear end contacts the forward part-spherical face of a ram member 82 which locates key 80. The rear end of key 80 is located by piston retainer 90 having slidable therein piston 114. The retainer is fixed relative to the housing 52 by means of a flange 93 engaging a groove in chamber section 58, and a seal 118 and antiextrusion rings 120 surround the piston 114. The piston assembly 111, 112 is fixed to a plate 128 limited in rearward movement by a frame 30. A piston-rod bearing 96 guides the rod 111 and there is slidable therein a sleeve 104 which retains an anti-extrusion ring 108. During buff the housing moves rearwardly causing the solid to compress and move around the piston 112, thereby damping the buff forces. Springs 132 return the housing 52 to its normal position after the buff forces have been removed. During draft, key 80 engages the forward ends of slots 28, whereby the housing moves forward and piston 114 compresses the solid. A sill extension 32 may be bolted to the forward end of the sill. During instillation of the gear in the centre sill a compressible solid 126 is introduced into cavity 109. When installed, a plug in the wall of housing section 58 is removed to release this compressed solid 126, thereby permitting the components of the gear to occupy their normal positions.