GB956733A - Railroad skate having lockable retainers - Google Patents

Abstract

956,733. Skid-blocks for braking rail vehicles. SAFETY SKATE CO. Inc. May 1, 1962 [April 5, 1962], No. 16562/62. Heading F2E. A skid-block for braking a rail vehicle comprises a skid bar 10 provided with a pair of retainers 46 which depend from the bar on opposite sides of the head 12 of a rail 16, on which the skid bar is placed, to guide the skid bar along the rail when the bar is moved by the engagement of a vehicle wheel 44 with an upstanding abutment 42 carried by a support 38 secured to the bar 10, each retainer being normally held by a latch 86<SP>1</SP> in depending position, until the head 102<SP>1</SP> of the latch engages a frog on the rail track whereupon the latch is moved to release the retainer, whereby it is raised by the frog to a retracted position. When one retainer is so retracted the other retainer continues to guide the skid-block. The latch consists of a bar 84<SP>1</SP> carrying locking elements 88<SP>1</SP>, 90<SP>1</SP>, co-operating with blocks 80<SP>1</SP>, 70<SP>1</SP> secured to the bar 10 via supports 76<SP>1</SP>, 66<SP>1</SP> which latter guide the retainer by co-operation with hoods 52<SP>1</SP>, 54<SP>1</SP> on the retainer. Stops 112 carried by the support 38 limit upward movement of the retainers. A spring 94<SP>1</SP> acts on a peg 98<SP>1</SP> carried by the latch bar to retain the latter in locking position with the elements 88<SP>1</SP>, 90<SP>1</SP> either below or above the blocks 80<SP>1</SP>, 70<SP>1</SP>. In operation, the wheel 44 of a moving vehicle rides up a ramp 32 pivoted at 36 to the bar 10 and engages the abutment 42, causing the bar 10 to slide on the rail head 12 to brake the vehicle, the retainers being initially locked in depending positions to guide the skid-block along the rail. Should a frog be encountered on one side of the rail this first engages the head 102<SP>1</SP> of the corresponding latch bar, moving it to unlocking position in which the elements 88<SP>1</SP>, 90<SP>1</SP> are moved clear of blocks 80<SP>1</SP>, 70<SP>1</SP>, relative rotation between the latch bar and the retainer being prevented by the engagement of rib 104<SP>1</SP> on the head 102<SP>1</SP> with groove 106<SP>1</SP> on the retainer. The forward edge 110<SP>1</SP> of the retainer subsequently engages the frog so that the retainer is raised to retracted position, after which spring 94<SP>1</SP> is enabled to return the latch bar so that elements 88<SP>1</SP>, 90<SP>1</SP> engage above the blocks 80<SP>1</SP>, 70<SP>1</SP> to lock the retainer in raised position.