MXPA00012242A - Draft sill with locking center pin - Google Patents

Abstract

A draft sill end casting with a locking center pin is disclosed. The draft sill has an open member with an elongate channel aligned with the central aperture of its center plate. A support shelf is within the elongate channel. A center pin has an upper retainer key supported on the shelf, and the center pin extends through the elongate channel to the exterior of the draft sill. The lower end of the center pin has a slot. When mounted on a truck bolster, a lower retainer key is slid through slots in the bolster walls and through the slot in the lower end of the center pin. The two retainer keys, support shelf and bolster walls lock the center pin in position, limiting axial movement of the center pin and limit rotation of the center pin. Thus, the draft sill and truck bolster are locked together to limit relative vertical and horizontal movement between them. The shelf may include rotation stops to limit rotation of the upper retainer once it is in place. The draft sill includes a key passage so that the upper retainer key and center pin can be removed if desired. In two embodiments, the key passages are through the support shelf and lead to the exterior of the draft sill;in these embodiments, the center pin and retainer key can be removed from the draft sill as a unit. In another embodiment, the key passage is formed as a slot in the interior wall of the draft sill above the support shelf;in this embodiment, the retainer key and center pin must be removed independently of one another.

Description

TRACTION IJARGUERO WITH CENTRAL WORKER PIN DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention. The present invention relates to traction beams for use with bogies or wagons of railway or rail cars and with central pins extending between traction beams and wagons of rail cars. Description of the state of the art. In a typical rail freight train, such as that shown with 10 in FIG. 1, the railway carriages 12, 14 are connected end to end by hooks 16, 18. Each of the hooks 16, 18 is received in traction rails 20, 22. The traction rails 20, 22 are at the ends of the rail. central rail car rail, and include central plates resting in bowls for central plates 24 of rail car wagons 26, 28. As shown in FIG. 2, each typical wagon 26 comprises a pair of side frames 30, 32 supported on rolling or wheeled seats 34, 36. A hollow cross member 38 extends between and is supported on springs 40 in the side frames. The bowl 24 for the central plate of the crossbar has a central opening 42. A traction beam with a central plate is supported on each wagon, with the central plate of the traction beam received inside the central plate bowl of the crossbar. Traction spars typically have an upper wall that is usually welded to a cutting plate that connects to the bottom of the rail car. The two traction beams are connected to the two ends of the central spar of the car that runs along the car.

In the event that the railway car encounters a bulge or other contingency that causes relative vertical movement between the rail car and the traction beam, the shallow center plate bowl may not retain the center plate, and the center plate and the bowl for central plate could be separated and moved horizontally with respect to one another, so that the traction beam is no longer supported on the central plate bowl of the crossbar. To avoid such relative horizontal movement, central pins have typically been used in the prior art to loosely connect each traction beam to each truck. In some applications, it has been desirable to lock the center plate and central plate bowl in order to limit relative vertical and horizontal movement between those parts. In a prior art assembly or assembly, a fabricated traction beam, with one end of the central pin fixed to the inside of the traction beam, was assembled with a retainer plate and pins. The other end of the center pin was fixed to the interior of the crossbar with a large retaining plate extending through the walls of the crossbar and the center pin. This design of the prior art had disadvantages: the central pin could not be removed from the manufactured traction beam without removing part of the traction beam. In addition, this locking design could not be easily applied to empty the traction rails.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to provide a traction beam that allows to lock or lock the central plate of the traction beam and the central plate bowl of the crossbar, while also allowing to disassemble and remove the central pin without removing the traction beam of the railway car without destroying or dismantling the traction beam. In one aspect, the present invention provides a traction spar for a rail car. The traction beam includes a central plate with an inner edge defining a central opening and an open member within the traction beam. The open member has an inner wall that defines an elongated channel, aligned with the central opening of the central plate. Each of the elongated channel and the central opening has a central longitudinal axis. The open member includes a seat platform within the elongated channel. The seat platform defines an angle with the central longitudinal axis of the open member, and includes a keyway. The traction beam has a keyway from the outside of the center plate to the keyway in the seat platform. In another aspect, the present invention provides, in combination, a traction spar for a railway wagon, a central pin and a retaining key. The traction beam includes a central plate with an inner edge defining a central opening. The traction beam also includes an open member within the traction beam. The open member has an inner wall defining an elongated channel, aligned with the central opening of the central plate. The elongated channel and the central opening have a central longitudinal axis. The open member includes a seat platform within the elongated channel. The seating platform defines an angle with the central longitudinal axis of the open member.

The traction beam also includes a keyway through a portion of the traction beam. The retaining key is supported on the seat platform and extends up to and contacts the center pin. The keyway is dimensioned, configured and positioned to allow the retaining key to pass from outside of the traction beam through the traction beam to the elongate channel. In another aspect, the present invention provides, in combination, a traction spar, a central pin and a railway trolley crossbar. The traction beam includes a central plate and an open member. The central plate has an inner edge defining a central opening. The central member is inside the traction beam and has an elongated channel and a support member within the elongated channel. The central pin extends between the traction beam and the trolley crossbar. The central pin has a central longitudinal axis. Upper and lower keys extend through the central pin to limit the axial movement of the central pin and to limit the relative vertical movement between the traction beam and the truck crossbar. The upper retaining key is supported on the support member in the elongated channel and is movable with the central pin. The lower retainer key limits the relative movement between the center pin and the truck crossbar. The traction beam also includes a keyway from the support member to the outside of the traction beam. The traction spar and the trolley crossbar are separable by removing the lower retaining key and separating the trailing spar and the center pin from the trolley crossbar. The central pin is removable from the traction beam by separating the center member and the center pin from the cross member, by rotating the central pin about its central longitudinal axis, and moving the central pin and the upper retaining key axially downwardly through the elongate channel and of the keyway, towards the central plate and through the central opening in the central plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals have been used for similar parts and in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation of the coupled ends of two rail freight cars; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a rail car truck typical of the prior art; FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a traction beam mounted on a rail car truck crossbar; FIG. 4 is an elevation, with parts shown in cross-section, of a traction spar, a central pin and a rail car trolley cross member illustrating the characteristics of the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the rear portion of the traction beam of FIGS. 3 and 4, the cross section being taken along the longitudinal center line of the traction beam; FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the central plate of the traction beam of FIGS. 3 and 4, shown removed from the crossbar of the railcar truck; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the central pin of FIG. 3, shown with both upper and lower retainer keys removed; FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the central pin of FIGS. 3 and 7, shown with the retaining key inserted in the upper groove and with the lower retaining key removed; FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a lower retainer key; FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a top retainer key; FIG. 9 is a perspective and cross-sectional view of the rear portion of a traction beam illustrating another embodiment of the present invention, the cross section being taken along the longitudinal center line of the traction beam; FIG. 10 is a perspective and cross-sectional view of a portion of a traction beam utilizing the principles of the embodiment of FIG. 9, the cross section is taken along a transverse plane through the center of the center plate; FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a portion of the first embodiment of the traction beam of FIGS. 3 to 5, looking down through the elongate channel of the open member, illustrating the center pin and the upper retainer key in the keyways in the seat platform support; FIG. 12 is a top plan view similar to the view of FIG. 11, which shows the central pin after it has been rotated 90 ° about its central longitudinal axis, with the upper retaining key supported on the seat platform in the elongated channel; FIG. 13 is a side elevation of a cross member with a slot in an outer wall for receiving a lower retaining key; and FIG. 14 is a cross section of a portion of another embodiment of a traction beam taken along the longitudinal center line of the traction beam.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES The traction beams incorporating the features of the present invention are illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6, 9 to 12 and 14 of the attached drawings. The traction beam of the present invention allows the central plate of the traction beam to be locked vertically and horizontally with the bowl for the central plate of the crossbar of the truck supporting the traction beam, while allowing relative rotation between the central plate of the traction beam and the bowl for the center plate of the trolley crossbar. The connection between the traction beam and the trolley crossbar can also be selectively unlocked to separate the traction beam from the crossbar and to remove the central pin if desired. A traction spar using the features of the present invention can include many of the features of the traction spars of the prior art. Although one or more particular types of traction spars are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the principles of the present invention can be applied to traction spars having other designs and other characteristics. For example, although an end casting of a piece is shown, with the central plate being emptied as part of the traction beam, the principles of the present invention could also be applied to traction spars of the type having a cavity in the body. central plate for receiving a central filler plate structure as described and shown in U.S. Patent No. 4,252,068 (1981) issued to Nolan. A first embodiment of a traction beam is shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, 11 and 12 with the 'number 50. The first illustrated traction beam 50 has a central plate extending down 52. Around the center of the central plate 52, there is an inner edge 54 defining a central opening 56 , as shown in FIG. 6. This central opening 56 is aligned with an elongated channel 58 of an open member 60 inside the traction beam 50. Each of the elongated channel 58 and the central opening 56 has a central longitudinal axis 62, 64. These axes 62 , 64 are collinear in the illustrated modality. As in some traction rails of the prior art, the elongate channel 58 of the open member 60 of the illustrated traction beam 50 is defined by an inner wall 66 of the open member 60. Moreover, similarly with many prior art designs. , elongated channel 58 has different diameters in different elevations. As shown in FIG. 5, near the center plate 52, the elongate channel 58 has a bell-shaped end 67 that leads to a portion with reduced diameter 68. The portion with reduced diameter 68 extends upwardly from the inner side of the center plate 52. The elongated channel 58 of the open member 60 also has an expanded diameter portion 70 extending upwardly from the reduced diameter portion 68. In the illustrated embodiment, the expanded diameter portion 70 of the open member extends upward toward the upper wall 72. of the traction beam 50, although it should be understood that the open member 60 need not extend this distance completely. As shown in the cross sections of FIGS. 4 and 5, the open member 60 also includes a seat platform or support member 74 in the joint of the reduced diameter portion 68 and the expanded diameter portion 70 of the elongated channel 58. The seating platform 74 defines an angle with the central longitudinal axis 62 of the elongated channel 58 of the open member 60. In the illustrated embodiment, the seat platform 74 is perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis 62 of the elongate channel 58 of the open member. The traction beam 50 of the first and second embodiments of the present invention includes a keyway 80 in the seat platform 74 within the elongated channel 58 and a keyway 82 extending from the outside of the center plate 52 to the keyway 80 in the seat platform 74. In the first illustrated embodiment of the present invention, there are two keyways 80, 81 in the seat platform, and two keyways 83, 84 leading from the exterior of the central plate 52 to the keyways 80, 81 in the seat platform 74. The keyways 83, 84 are accessible through the central opening 56 of the central plate 52, and the central opening 56 of the central plate 52 it may comprise part of the keyways 83, 84. In the second embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, there is a single keyway 82 in the seat platform 74 and a single keyway 85 leading to the exterior of the center plate 52. In the first embodiment illustrated, the keyways 80, 81, 83 and 84 comprise grooves. A slot or keyway 80 in the seat platform 74 is vertically aligned with the keyway or groove 84 in the interior wall 66 of the open member 60, and the other keyway or groove 81 in the seat platform 74 is vertically aligned with the slot or keyway 83 in the inner wall 66 of the open member. A pair of vertically aligned key grooves 80, 84 is diametrically opposed to the other pair of vertically aligned key grooves 81, 83. The groove passages 83, 84 do not need to comprise grooves along their entire length, but many include for example, an open channel portion with large diameter of the elongated channel, such as the bell-shaped portion 67 shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the radial distance of the central longitudinal axis 62 of the elongated channel 58 to the inner wall 66 in the expanded diameter portion 70, is shown in rl. The radial distance from the central longitudinal axis 62 to the inner wall 66 in a vertical plane extending through the keyways 81, 83 is shown in r2. The radial distance from the central longitudinal axis 62 to the inner wall 66 in a spaced-apart vertical plane of all the keyways 80, 81, 83 and 84 is shown in r3. This distance r3 is substantially the distance between the central longitudinal axis 62 and the inner diameter 88 of the seat platform 74. And the radius of the central opening 56 of the central plate 52 is shown in r4. In this first illustrated mode, rl, r2 and r4 are all greater than r3. In this embodiment, rl, r2 and r4 are all approximately 5.08 cm (2 inches), and r3 is slightly greater than 2.54 cm (1 inch), although it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to any dimension particular unless expressly stated in the claims. As shown in the FIGS. 3 and 4, a central pin 90 extends from a first end 92 on the traction beam 50 through the central opening 56 of the central plate 52 to a second end 94 outside the traction beam. The first end 92 and a portion of the length of the central pin 90 are placed in the elongated channel 58. The central pin 90 has a central longitudinal axis 96 that is substantially collinear with the central longitudinal axes 62, 64 of the elongate channel 58 and the central opening 56 of the central plate 52 in the first illustrated embodiment. The central pin 90 has an upper retainer key 98 within the interior of the traction beam. The upper detent key 98 in the first embodiment illustrated, extends diametrically through the central pin 90 and extends radially outwardly from the body of the central pin in two directions toward two ends.102 spaced radially from the central longitudinal axis 96 of the central pin. The radial distance from the central longitudinal axis 96 of the central pin 90 to an end 100 is shown with r5 in FIGS. 4 and 11. In the illustrated mode, r5 is less than rl, but greater than r3. This radial distance r5 is approximately 4.92 cm (15/16 inches) in the illustrated embodiment, although the invention is not limited to this distance. The upper retainer pin 98 has a bottom or flat bottom surface 104, shown in FIG. 7A, which rests on the seat platform 74 in the elongated channel 74 when the center pin and the traction beam are assembled as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 As shown in FIG. 8A, the upper retainer key 98 may comprise an A36 steel bar, with dimensions of 9.84 cm by 6.35 cm by 1.27 cm (3-7 / 8 inches by 2-1 / 2 inches by 1/2 inch) for example. It should be understood that this material and these dimensions are provided solely by way of example and that other materials can be used and further that other configurations and sizes of materials can be used. Generally, the material used and the dimensions for the material used for the top retainer key must provide sufficient strength to tolerate anticipated loads. The center pin may comprise a commercially available standard center pin of A36 steel with an aperture machined or otherwise formed to accept the top retainer key 98. The aperture or groove must be formed to extend diametrically through the center pin. The center pin 90 may have a length, for example, of about 38.10 cm (15 inches) and a diameter of about 5.08 cm (2 inches), although the invention is not limited to these dimensions unless expressly mentioned in the claims . To assemble the central pin and the upper retainer key, the upper retainer key 98 can be inserted through the diametral slot in the central pin. The upper groove, shown in FIG. 7 with the number 97, it has dimensions of approximately 6.98 cm by 1.59 cm (2-3 / 4 inches by 5/8 of an inch). The center pin and the top retainer key can be fixed together by welding, or split pins or something similar can be inserted to fix the center pin and the top retainer key. However, means for fixing the top retainer key to the center pin should not be required, because there is limited space within the elongated channel 58 for movement of the upper retainer key 98 out of the upper slot 97 in the center pin. . The keyways of the traction beam 80, 81, 83 and 84 can be sized and configured to complement the size and shape of the top keeper key 98. The keyways 83, 84 can comprise grooves as illustrated, but not They need to define slots along their entire lengths. For example, portions of the keyways 83, 84 can be defined by an open portion with large diameter of the elongated channel. As shown in FIG. 4, the central pin 90 extends through the central opening 42 of the center plate bowl 24 into the interior of the truck cross member 38. Within the cross member 38, a lower retainer key 106 extends through a second formed slot in the central pin 90. The second slot is shown with 108 in FIGS. 7 and 7A. The second slot 108 is machined or otherwise formed to extend diametrically through the center pin. The lower slot can have dimensions of 6.98 cm by 1.59 cm (2-3 / 4 inch by 5/8 inch), for example. As shown in FIG. 4, the lower retainer key 106 in the first illustrated embodiment is substantially longer than the upper retainer key 98. The lower retainer key 106 is long enough to extend through the center pin 90 and at least one wall of the cross member 38. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the lower retainer key 106 extends through openings or slots in both the front and rear outer walls 110, 112 of the cross member 38, as well as through openings or slots in the two inner walls 114, 116 and through the bottom groove 108 in the center pin 90. The openings or slots in the cross member and the second groove 108 in the center pin 90 are sized large enough to allow the lower retainer key 106 to be slid in and out of the place, and small enough to substantially limit, the downward and rotational movement of the lower retainer key 106. A representative slot in an exterior wall of the cross member 110 is shown with 113 in FIG. 13. This slot 113 may have dimensions of about 6.98 cm by 1.59 cm (2-3 / 4 inch by 5/8 inch), for example. The grooves in the interior walls and the other exterior wall can have the same dimensions. In the first illustrated embodiment, the second key or lower retainer key is made of steel A36, and as shown in FIG. 8, has dimensions of 42.54 cm by 6.35 cm by 12.7 cm (16-3 / 4 inches by 2-1 / 2 inches by 1/2 inch). It should be understood that this material and these dimensions are provided solely by way of illustration and that the present invention is not limited to any particular material or dimension unless specifically stated in the claims. To prevent the lower retainer key 106 from slipping out of the slots in the cross member, slit pins or other similar devices, shown with 118 in FIG. 4, can be inserted through the holes in the two ends of the lower retainer key after assembly. To assemble the first illustrated embodiment of the invention, the upper retainer key 98 is inserted into the center pin 90. The central pin and the assembled top retainer key are then aligned as shown in FIG. 11, with the upper retainer key 98 aligned with the keyways 80, 81, 83 and 84 on the traction beam. With the upper retainer key 98 aligned in this manner, the central pin and the assembled top retainer key can be moved axially upwardly through the central opening 54 of the central plate 52 and through the elongated channel 58 of the open member 60, until the lower surface 104 of the upper retainer key 98 is at or above the level of the seat platform 74 in the elongated channel 58. The central pin and the assembled top retainer key can then be rotated approximately 90 ° about the central longitudinal axis 96 of the central pin to the position shown in FIG. 12. The center pin 90 can then be released, and the seat platform 74 will support the center pin and prevent it from falling off the traction beam. The traction spar and the central pin can then be assembled on a rail car. To mount the traction beam and center pin on the truck, the lower retainer key 106 is first left outside the center pin. The second end 94 of the center pin 90 is aligned with the central opening 42 of the center plate bowl 24. The center pin can then be moved into the cross member 38 to the position shown in FIG. 4. With the central pin positioned in this manner, the lower retainer key 106 can then be inserted through the slot 113 in one of the outer walls of the cross member 110, 112, through the slot aligned in the nearest inner wall of the cross member 114, 116, through the second slot 108 in the central pin, and out through the other cross member walls. Next, creased pins can be inserted into the holes in the lower retainer key to limit the movement of the lower retainer key with respect to the cross member. The grooves in the walls of the cross member, such as the groove 113 and the second groove 108 in the central pin 90 are only slightly larger than the lower retaining key 106. Accordingly, once the lower retaining key has been inserted. as shown in FIG. 4, the walls of the cross member 110, 112, 114 and 116 will limit the rotation of the central pin around the central longitudinal axis 96. Because the rotation of the central pin is limited, the position of the upper retainer pin 98 is substantially fixed in the position shown in FIG. 12, with the upper retainer key supported on the seat platform 74. The upper retainer key 98 and the seat platform 74 cooperate to limit axial movement of the center pin 90 in the downward direction. The lower retainer key 106 and the cross member cooperate to limit axial movement of the central pin in both up and down directions and to limit rotation of the center pin. Thus, the truck crossbar 38 and the traction beam 50 are held together and relative vertical and horizontal movement between them is limited. During use, the upper part of the traction beam is often welded or otherwise fixed to a cutting plate below the rail car, and the cutting plate is fixed to the underside of the rail car. In the case that it is desired to separate the truck from the traction beam, this can be achieved with the present invention without removing the traction beam from the railway car. To separate the truck and the traction beam, the split pins 118 can be removed and the lower retainer key 106 slides out of the slots. The truck and the traction beam can then be separated. If it is desired to remove and replace the center pin, this can be achieved without disassembling the traction beam and rail car. The central pin 90 can be rotated about its central longitudinal axis 96 by rotating the second free end 94 until the upper detent key is aligned with the keyways 80, 81, 83 and 84, in the position shown in FIG. 11. The central pin 90 can then be moved in a downward axial direction to remove it from the traction beam 50. A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. In this embodiment, a pair of rotation stops 120, 122 extend axially upwardly from the seating platform 74. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the upper detent key 99 of the center pin 99 extends radially outward, from only one side of the center pin 91. Only one keyway 82 is provided in the seat platform 74 and a single keyway 85 takes from the seat platform to the exterior of the center plate 52. The rotation stops 120, 122 are located on both sides of the keyway 82 in the seat platform. To install the center pin 91 in this mode, the upper retainer key 99 must align with the step 85 and be pushed up through the passage 85 and through the passage 82 in the seating platform. The first end 92 of the center pin 91 must be moved axially upward to a point where the bottom surface 104 of the top keeper key 99 is at or above the top portions of the rotation stops 120, 122. The center pin 91 it can then be rotated about its central longitudinal axis 96 and dropped on the seat platform 74 between the two rotation stops 120, 122. Positioned in this manner, the central pin 91 can not be moved axially downwards even if it is rotated, but the upper retainer key can move in the seat platform between the two rotation stops 120, 122. As shown in FIG. 10, a second smaller key or lower retainer key 107 can be inserted through slots formed in one or more inner walls 124, 126 of the cross member 38 and through a second slot in the central pin 91. As shown, the key lower retainer 107 may be at a 90 ° angle of orientation for the first embodiment. This shorter retainer key 107 can be installed through one of the holes in the outer walls of the crossbar and through the slots formed in the inner walls of the crossbar. A third embodiment of the traction beam is illustrated in FIG. 14. In this modality, the key passage 130 is through a side wall of the traction beam and through the inner wall 66 of the open member 60. In this embodiment, the upper retainer member 98 can be inserted through the slot 130 and into a groove in the upper portion of the center pin 90. The center pin can then be rotated about its central longitudinal axis until the upper retaining key is spaced from the slot 130. The lower retainer key can then be inserted to maintain the rotational position and axial of the central pin. A traction spar according to the present invention can be made in the standard manner, and preferably comprises a trailing spar end void. The traction spar can be cast or cast of standard steel grades for such products, such as for a casting, one or more appropriately configured cores can be used to define the desired shapes of the keyways 80, 81, 82, 83 , 84, 85 and 130. The cross member can also be emptied with cores appropriately configured to define the grooves 113, or the grooves can be machined later on the cross member walls. The upper and lower retainer keys 98, 106 can be made from raw material for standard metal bar. The center pin can be made in a standard way with the grooves formed by machining. Although the invention has been described with respect to a cast traction beam, it should be understood that its principles could also be applied to a manufactured or machined traction beam. While only specific embodiments of the invention have been described and shown, it is obvious that various alternatives and modifications can be made to them, and that parts of the invention can be used without using the complete invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that certain modifications can be made in these illustrative modalities. It is the intention that all those modifications and alternatives as they fall within the true scope of the invention are covered in the appended claims.

Claims (20)

1. A traction beam for a railway car, the traction beam includes: a central plate with an inner edge defining a central opening; and an open member within the traction beam, the open member has an inner wall defining an elongated channel aligned with the central opening of the central plate, each of the elongated channel and the central opening having a central longitudinal axis; wherein the open member includes a seating platform within the elongated channel, the seating platform defines an angle with the central longitudinal axis of the open member, the seating platform includes a keyway; and wherein the traction beam has a keyway from the outside of the center plate to the keyway in the seat platform.

The traction beam of claim 1, wherein the seat platform includes a keyway and the interior wall of the open member includes a keyway extending from the keyway of the seat platform, the grooves of keys define the steps for key.

3. The traction beam of claim 1, wherein the elongated channel of the open member has a reduced diameter portion extending from the central plate and an expanded diameter portion extending upwardly from the reduced diameter portion, the platform of The seat is in the joint of the reduced diameter portion and the expanded diameter portion.

The traction beam of claim 3, wherein the reduced diameter portion of the elongated channel of the open member has a large dimension in a plane through the keyway and a smaller dimension in a spaced plane of the keyway.

The traction beam of claim 1, which likewise comprises a central pin in the elongated channel of the open member, the central pin has two ends and extends from a first end on the traction beam through the central opening of the traction member. the central plate towards a second end outside the traction beam; The central pin has a central longitudinal axis and a retaining key between the two ends of the central pin, the retaining key has at least one end radially spaced from the central longitudinal axis of the central pin and supported on the seat platform inside the longitudinal stringer. traction.

6. The traction beam of claim 5, wherein the seat platform has an inner diameter in the elongated channel, the radial distance from the central longitudinal axis of the channel to the inner diameter of the seat platform is less than the radial distance of the seat. central longitudinal axis of the central pin to the end of the retaining key.

The traction beam of claim 6, wherein the radial distance from the central longitudinal axis of the elongated channel to the inner wall of the elongated channel in the keyway is greater than the radial distance from the central longitudinal axis of the central pin to the end. of the retention key.

The traction beam of claim 7, wherein the center pin is removable from the traction beam by rotating the center pin about its central longitudinal axis until the retainer key is aligned with the keyway in the seat platform and then moving the center pin downward, with the retainer key traveling through the keyway until the center pin is below the center plate.

9. The traction beam of claim 7, wherein the retaining key is spaced from the keyway in the seating platform.

The traction beam of claim 9, wherein the seat platform prevents axial movement of the center pin in one direction, while the retaining key is supported on the seat platform and spaced from the keyway in the seat platform .

11. The traction beam of claim 7, which likewise comprises a rotation stop on the seat platform, the rotation stop extends axially upwards from the surface of the seat platform, the rotation stop prevents complete rotation of the central pin about its central longitudinal axis when the retaining key is on the seat platform.

12. The traction beam of claim 1, mounted on a crossbar of a railcar truck or bogie, the crossbar has a plurality of walls and a central plate bowl that receives the central plate of the traction beam, the bowl for central plate has an inner edge defining a central opening, the combination also includes a central pin extending from the interior of the traction beam, through the central opening in the central plate, through the central opening in the bowl for central plate and inwardly of the crossbar, the central pin includes an upper retaining key supported on the seat platform in the elongated channel of the traction beam and a lower retaining key extending diametrically through the central pin and through two Crossbar walls.

The traction spar of claim 1, wherein the traction spar comprises a trailing spar end void.

14. In combination, a traction beam for a rail car, a center pin and a retainer key; the traction beam includes: a central plate with an inner edge defining a central opening; and an open member within the traction beam, the open member has an inner wall defining an elongated channel aligned with the central opening of the central plate, each of the elongated channel and the central opening having a central longitudinal axis; wherein the open member includes a seating platform within the elongated channel, the seating platform defines an angle with the central longitudinal axis of the open member; the traction beam also includes a keyway through a portion of the traction beam; the retaining key is supported on the seat platform and extends towards and in contact with the central pin; The keyway is dimensioned, configured and positioned to allow the retaining key to pass from the outside of the traction beam through the traction beam to the elongate channel.

15. The traction beam of claim 14, wherein the keyway extends through the seat platform.

16. The traction beam of claim 14, wherein the keyway extends through the interior wall of the open member above the seating platform.

17. The traction spar of claim 14, wherein the traction spar comprises a trailing spar end void.

18. In combination, a traction spar, a central pin and a railway trolley crossbar; the traction beam includes a central plate and an open member, the central plate has an inner edge defining a central opening and the open member is within the traction beam and has an elongated channel and a support member within the elongated channel; the central pin extends between the traction spar and the trolley crossbar, the central pin having a central longitudinal axis; upper and lower retainer keys extending through the central pin to limit axial movement of the central pin and to limit relative vertical movement between the traction beam and the truck crossbar; the upper retaining key is supported on the support member in the elongated channel and is movable with the central pin, the lower retaining key limits the relative movement between the central pin and the wheel of the truck; the traction beam includes a keyway from the support member to the outside of the traction beam; the traction spar and the trolley crossbar are separable by removing the lower retaining key and separating the traction spar and the center pin from the trolley crossbar; the center pin is removable from the traction beam by separating the traction beam and the center pin from the truck crossbar, by rotating the center pin about its central longitudinal axis, and moving the center pin and the top retainer key axially downward through the elongated channel and the keyway to the central plate and through the central opening in the central plate. The combination of claim 18, wherein the lower retaining key extends through two walls in the cross member, the lower retaining key and the cross member limit rotation of the central pin about its central longitudinal axis. The combination of claim 18, wherein the traction spar comprises a trailing spar end void. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A terminal draw-bar spacing with a central locking pin is disclosed. The traction beam has an open member with an elongate channel aligned with the central opening of its center plate. A support platform is inside the elongated channel. A central pin has an upper retainer key supported on the platform, and a central pin extends through the elongated channel to the outside of the traction beam. The lower end of the center pin has a slot. When mounted on a truck or bogie crossbar, a lower retainer key slides through slots in the walls of the crossbar and through the slot in the lower end of the center pin. The two retaining keys, the support platform and the walls of the crossbar lock the central pin in position, limit the axial movement of the central pin and limit the rotation of the central pin. Thus, the traction beam and the trolley crossbar lock together to limit the relative vertical and horizontal movement between them. The platform may include rotation stops to limit rotation of the top retainer once it is in place. The traction beam includes a keyway, so that the top retainer key and the center pin can be removed if desired. In two embodiments, the keyways are through the support platform and are directed towards the outside of the traction beam; in these embodiments, the center pin and retainer key can be removed from the traction beam as a unit. In another embodiment, the keyway is formed as a groove in the inner wall of the traction beam above the support platform; in this mode, the retaining key and the central pin must be removed independently from each other.