GB886817A - Improvements in or relating to a draft and buff arrangement for railway vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

886,817. Combined buffer and draw gears. NATIONAL MALLEABLE & STEEL CASTING CO. June 1, 1959 [June 2, 1958]. No. 18681/59. Class 103(5). A combined buffing and draw gear for mine wagons, Figs. 1, 2, comprises a head 52 on a shank 54 providing a concave spherically curved surface 53, a front follower casting 34, Fig. 7, having a forwardly facing convex spherical surface 55 engageable on buff but not on draft with the concave surface 53, follower members 68, 70 with a cushioning unit 72 therebetween, and a bolt 74 extending through the unit 72 and connecting via a pin 76 with the bifurcated end of the shank 54 to transmit draft forces. Rear stops 22 and forward stops 24, 26 are provided, and retainer members 48 are inserted between lugs 44 on the front follower casting 34 and the stops 24, 26. A centering arrangement (see Specification 623,103) is provided by a spring pressed plunger 58 which receives the forward end of the bolt 74 in an arcuate shaped portion 58b and has a bifurcated end 58a which provides ends 58c bearing against the butt seat 64 without interference from the pin 76. In operation and upon the application of a buffing force the surfaces 53, 55 will engage and the butt end 62 of the shank 54 will contact surface 64a on' a seat 64 and take up clearance 66, the pin 76 being unstressed as it is accommodated in a hole 78 elongated forwardly at 98 in the shank. The buffing forces are therefore transmitted partly through the casting 34 and its lugs 44 to the follower 68 and unit 72, and partly through the shank 54 and seat 64. Under buffing load the frictional force between the engaged surfaces 53, 55 prevents angling of the coupler and therefore limits the derailing moment exerted on the cars. Draft forces are transmitted through the bolt 74 to move the follower 70 forwardly to compress the unit 72 against the follower 68 which abuts the lugs 44 and stops 24, 26, and the surfaces 53, 55 are pulled apart so that the coupler may angle freely. In a modification, Fig. 5 (not shown), the shank 54 is nearly circular in section and sufficient clearance in the casting 34 is provided to allow the cars to be side tipped without uncoupling.