US1204948A - Draft-gear. - Google Patents

Description

vv. H.. COTTON.-

DRAFT GEAR.

PPUCATION FILED AUG.. 23,1915. 1,204,948. Patented Nov. 14, 1916. y 2 SHEETS- SHEET l.

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w. H. COTTON. f DRAFT GEAR.

N FILE I 5. Patented Nov.14,1916.

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I `WALTER H. COTTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO UNION DRAFT GEAR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DRAFT-GEAR.

To all 'whom it may' concern: I .Be it known that I, VVAIL'inlpH. COTTON, a citizen of the United Sta-teh; and resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of I1linois,lhave invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Draft-Gear, of which the 'following is a specification, and which are illustrated in the `'accompanying' draweiiiciencyl of the friction plates in absorbing the pressure.

l ginafter described, and is illustrated in the car, the couplerand its extensionY and the vaccompanying drawings, in whichp Figure 1 .is a central vertical section through the gear, showing it as -applied to a draft sills being shown in elevation; Fig. 2 is a plan'view, gear as applied to'a car and showing the gear underdraft compression; Fig. 3 is a central plan section of the gear as applied tothe car, the gear being shown in release position; Fig. 4 is a rear end View ofthe gear; lFig. 5 is 'a detail section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a side view of one of the outer wedging elements; and Fig. 7 is a side view' of the central wedging element. V

' The draft sills of a car areshown at 10, 10, the draft and buiiing lugs being represented, respectively, at 11, 12. At 13 there is shown the butt of a coupler, and at 14 a yoke or couplerextension. lThese parts may all be of any desired construction.

The gear comprises a shell or casing 15, one end, 16, of which is substantially closed and may constitute a follower' for engaging the-draftflug11 and a seat for the springs 17,' 18, which are nested and have identical functions. Asl/Seated against the inner end Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed ugust 23, 1915. Serial N0. 46,951.

One embodiment of the invention is herepartly in section, l,of the Patented Nov. 14, 1916'.

of the springs is a follower i3, which may be an imperforate plate. A follower lplate 20, seated'against the inner end of the yoke 14, coperates with the buliing lugs 12, and is engageable with the inner end of the casing 15 when the gear' reaches the limit of its compressive movement. f y

Interposed between the followers 19 and 20 are a plurality of cooperating Wedging faces, the legs being united 4fby a web f27.-

Each' of the Wedging elements 22, 23,' comprises a cross-head 28, and a pair iof legs 29, 30, upon which are formed the wedging faces coperating with such faces jon the element 21. The cross-'head 24 of thewedging -element 21 is provided with laterally projecting flanges 31, 32, forming spring seats, and the cross-head Vof each of the elements 22, 23, is provided with an outstanding lange 33, these several flanges constituting" seats for the releasing springs 34, 35.

Lo`cated on each side of the .several wedg-u n .ing elements there is a. series of friction plates, segmental in form inv cross-section,

the entire series constituting an arch, the periphery of which bears against the inner surface of the Wall of the casing. Each Agroup of friction plates is composed of two One sets, the members of which alternate.

set of these plates, 36, is considerably shorter than `the vother set 37. The shorter plates 3G are held against longitudinal movement with ref rence to the casing by means of outstanding lugs 38, entering suitable apertures in the wall of the casing. If desired lsome or all of these apertures maybe spanned by bridges 39, as shown in Fig. 5,'for the purpose of increasing the strength of the casing. The other set of plates, 37, is free to move or float longitudinally;

While the expansion of the wedging eleject-beyond the'end of the I not reach `thefollo\,ver- 20, Under draft stresses' the `followerti is moved forward,

fthe expansive :pressure is arrested "by Vthe .-shellin-tension.

When `the gear '1s 1n release position, as

shown in 1 and 3, the plates 3'( procasingbut do ultimately tothe poz'tignifshown in Fig. 2. Its initial movement-,causes fthe advance oi the wedging element 2l against the resistance of the springs 34, 35, which are much weaker than the'springs 17, 18. The wedging elements 22,23, are thereby forced outwardly, compressing the two .frlction plate 1 arches and increasing the friction between the elements thereof; As the several friction plates normallylit closely together the element, alternate plates: being expansive movement of the wedging ele` ments-istintslight, ,and when its limit is reached the three wedging elements move together, compressing the springs .17, 18.

When the follower20 comes into engagement with tlelloating plates 37, the latter are lcarried vforwardly Awith it, sliding fric-l tionally upon the plates 36, the frictiondeveloped being vsufiicient to absorb in great measure the draft stresses,` and being gradually augmented by the increased resistance `of the springs as the latter .arevcompre'ssed When the pull uponthe coupler ceases the parts of the gear, are returned to their original positions -by the `springs 17,'1'8.. The, springs 34, y35, act promptly to relieve the wedgln action, buta violent recoil is Aprevented y the action of the springs 17, 18,

in causin -the outer wedging elements 22,

23, to fo low, up the central element 21,

thereby insuring a gradual diminution of frictional resistance. The action of the gear under the nfiuence of buiiing stresses is simi ply: the reverseof that whichptakes place 1n draft, the casing and its contents being moved inwardlytoward the follower 20.

Iclaim as my invention- 1.' -In a draft'gear, in combination, a casing, a spring within the casing seated against a suitable shoulder thereon, a follower engaging thel opposite end of the spring, a lfollower beyond the end of the casing, ajsct'of wedging elementsv bearing, respectively, `-on the two followers, two groupsofI segmental-friction plates, each group being arranged in arch form, the archfspringing'at each end from a wedging anchored lower thereto, nally between the two wedging'elements.

ing longitudinally movable with referenceI thereto.4 l

2. In a draft gear, in combination, a casing, a spring within vthe casing seated against a`suitable shoulder thereon, a folengaging the opposite lend of the spring, a follower beyond the end of the casing, a set of wedging elements bearing, respectively, on 'the two followers, two groups of segmental friction plates,` each group being arranged in arch form, the

. arch springing at each end' from a wedging element, alternate plates being 'anchored against longitudinal 'movement with reference to the casing and alternate plates being longitudinally movable with reference and a spring reactingl longitudi- 3. In a draftgear, in'combination, a casing, a spring within the casing `seated against a suitable shoulder thereon, -a follower engaging the opposite end of the spring, a follower beyond the end of the casing, a central U-shaped wedging element having wedging faces onits legs andifla'nges projecting klaterally from its cross member,

a pair oftU-shaped wedging elements jcooperating therewith and each having a flange projecting laterally 'from-'its'crossmembers, such coperating wedging ele'- ments being respectively seated against the two named followers, two groups 4of segmental friction plates, each group being arranged in arch form, the arch springing at each end from a wedging element, alternate platesbeing anchored against longitudinal movement with reference to the casing and y alternate plates being longitudinally,mov ablewith reference thereto, and springs reacting upon the lateral flanges of the co operating wedging elements.

4. Ina draft gear, in combination, two groups of segmental friction plates, each `group arranged in arch form and Aalternate plates being' relatively longitudinally movable,vand wedging ineens acting on the ends of the arches', the' spreadjng'action of the wedge elements beingf due to their "relative 'movement in the line of draft.

5. Ina draft gear, in combination, two sets of intercalated relatively movable friction plates arranged in arch form, 'and meansacting compressively on the ends of the arches, such. action being'duev to lthe movement of said means parallel to the line of draft. A

6. In a draft gear, in combination, intervalating friction plates, cooperating wedge elements for pressing the plates together, a spring reacting between the wedge elements to relieve the wedging action 'and a spring acting on one of vthe wedging elements in*` opposition to the first-named Spring for related relatively movable friction elements, tarding the release. each group being arranged in arch form and 7. In a draft gear, in combination a caslocated Within one of the named curved poring, a cross section thereof forming an obtions of the casingand wedging means act- 10 5 long glu'e with symmetrically curved ends ing' on the ends of the arches.

and parallel sides, two groups of interca- 1WALTER H. COTTON.

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