US1531676A - Draft rigging - Google Patents

Description

March 31. 1925.

E. F. MECHLIN DRAFT RIGGING Filed July 12, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 31, 1925.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm W. m 2 m March 31. 1925. 1,531,676

E. F. MECHLIN DRAFT RIGGING Filed July 12,. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 16 p19 i" .17 x ,2?

Patented Mar. 31, 19.25.

UNETED STATES i sneve PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST F. I /IEOHLIM, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE SYI'EINGTON CO DRAFT MlANY, A CGRPORATION F MARYLAND.

RIGGING.

Application filed July 12,1923. Serial Nix 651,081.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enivns'r F. liLEcriLrN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at l' v ashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft Rigging; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the invention, such as will enable'others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. The invention relates to railway draft rigging and more particularly involves the production of a follower block primarily designed for use with that type of draft rigging in which one or more of the movable elements are operatively connected to the car coupler by means of a transversely extending key.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a follower block for use in Farlow types of railway draft rigging in which it is desirable to increase the cushioning capacity of the draft rigging by the intro-- duction of relatively large twin draft springs and at the same time maintain the layout of yoke arms previously designed for use with a cushioning spring of comparatively light capacity.

Another object of the invention is to provide a key receiving follower block having a contour which will provide adequate seating surface for a twin arrangement of comparatively heavy draft springs, the outside diameter of which springs exceeds the transverse distance between the inner opposed faces of the yoke arms.

A further object of the invention consists in the production of a follower block having enlarged upper and lower end portions and an intermediate connecting portion of a size sufiiciently reduced to fit between the yoke arms and operate in the usual manner but in conyunction with much heavier draft springs 4 in twin arrangement.

The invention still further consists in the construction, arrangement. and combination of the several parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings an embodiment of vention as applied to a F arl'ow type of draft rigging originally designed for a draft spring of comparatively light construction and capacity.

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of my ina Farlow draft rigging illustrating my invention applied thereto.

igure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view with portions of the draft rigging removed and other portions shownin dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a tr nsverse sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a similar view of Figure l. Fi ure 5 is a face view of a slightly modified form of follower block. T

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the follower block. i

Figure 7 is a top plan view thereof. Figure 8 is a detail view of the spring spacing member. V I Y Referring to the drawings in which corresponding reference characters designate similar parts-in the several views, the present construction of draft rigging includes the draft sills 11 having connected thereto the cheek plates 2, said sills being slotted to receive the cheek plates and the latter being .slottechas at 3, 4L- and 5, to receive the ends of the keys 6, 7 and 8. The movabledraft member is shown in the form of-slotted links 99 which constitute the full equivalent of a yoke member having spaced side arms arranged between the draft sills and suitably slotted'to receive the connecting keys. The coupler 10 is movably connected to the front ends of the yoke arms or links by means of the key 6. The rear end of the couplershank is adapted to normally contact with the for ward face of one of my improved follower blocks 11, the same constituting the front follower member through which the key v7 passes. The rear follower is of the same construction and in the assembly is indicated by the numeral 12, said follower being adapted to receive the rear key 8. A suitable. tie member 13 connects the-draft sills and is adapted to act as a back stop against which the rear follower block strikes.

Mounted between the rear facefof the front follower and the front face of the rear follower is the cushioning mechanism, said mechanism including a twin arrangement of comparatively heavy springs 14114, the outside transverse dimension ofeach being greater than the transverse distance between the inner opposed faces of the yoke arms or link 99, as best shown in Figure 3. Since the follower blocks are substantially identoward the opposite end tical iniconstruction a description-of but onewill be given.

Each follower is formed with opposite side walls 16, said .side walls being united'by oppositeend walls 171S, the said end wall'17'be'ing provided with a projection 19 adapted to serve as a centeringdevicein connection with the usual aperture in the coupler stem, andthesaid end wall .18 being formed with other projections or studs 20 adapted to act as centering and retaining means for the springs of the cushioning unechanism'. Theend wall 17 of the follower is arranged to cooperate witlreither the rear end of'the'coupler stem or a suitable back stop member, while the end wall 18 isdis- :posed vertically, as shown, to provide seating surfaces desi 'ned .to cooperate with a twin arrangement of comparatively heavy draftsprings.

The end wall 18 of eachfollower blocl: is formed with projectingportions 21 arranged to extend beyond the side walls l5l6 of the block, said portions being preferably projected from a center which 'ischosen withv View to the installation of comparatively heavy draft springs conforming to A. R. A. standards. C111 the present instance :a cir- :cular shape is given to'zthe upper and lower portions of the end wall 18, this contour providing-a strong anddurable seating surface .for'receiving springs of increased width and-capacity. The projecting portions ofthe oppositely enlarged :ends of the follower walll8overlie at lcasta portion of the top and bottom edges of theyolre arms.

Reinforcing means int-he nature of a rib is preferably provided for the laterally projecting portions 21 of the sorin'g seating surface of the follower, said r-ib extending wall 17 aim being united with the cent side wall of the follower. The type of follower :bloclr shown is .preferablyscast with a plurality of reinforcing ribs I01 webs disposed .to provide a series of hollow columns, this construction serving to provide .a block comparatively modified form of '6 and T the- side walls 15 and 16 are preferably COHUIIUBCl above and below the top and light inweight but of sufficient strength :to resist all loads to which it may be subyected under -se vice COI1(l1tlODS.- The alined slots in the side walls of the follower block may be connected by a 'centrallyarranged and apertured brace'23 which:preferablyextends from and is connected to the central portions of respectively. In the the end walls 1-7 and 18, 7

shown in Figures 5 block bottom'wa ll portions 24: and 25 of'the "block,

said continuation providing reinforcing ribs :26 and 27, respectively, for the end wall 18,

particularly the projecting portions Q1 extendin be 10nd the said side walls and form- 'ing 'tl'ie additional spring seating surfaces,

A plurality "of vertically arrangedribs 28 'si'tely arranged and 'topro ect beyond tlIB'OPPOSliGSKlG walls for receiving OVGI'SPZG twin draft spri1rgs,"and

' ging having width than said end portions,

"right webs.

and 29 are provided intermediate the continuations 26 and 27 of the sidewalls, said rangeinent by means of a spacing member block and formed in the nature of a hollow suitably curved upon its upper and lower faces to conform to the curvature of the springs. The spring spacer block is preferably adapted to maintain the springs from contact with the upper and 'lower edg'es of the yoke arms, it being sufficient to separate the springs a distance which will permit the extending portions of the springs to overlie the yoke arms in closely spaced relation thereto.

A follower constructed in accordance with either form of the present invention makes it possible to economically convert a layout of draft rigging in which the cushioning capacity of-the gears has been limited by reason of the arrangement'of yoke arms and associated spacing of the parts between the sills. into a higher'eapacity gear by the introduction of comparatively heaviersprings, all of the associated' parts of the draft rigging being, maintained intact with the eX- ception of the old follower blocks for my improved construction of follower is substituted. The presentconstruction of 'follower block can be easily positioned between the sills and the yoke arms introduced longitudinally of the draft rigging.

Having now described my invention, although it is to be understood that the foregoing description is merely illustrative of one embodiment of the invention, what I claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent I claim:

1. A follower block for railwa-ydraftrigging comprising opposite side walls, end walls uniting said side "walls, at least one of said end walls being provided with oppospaced portions adapted tions.

2. A follower block for railwaydra'ft rip;-

a box-shaped intermediate-pen tion provided with a key receiving slot therein, said folloi'yer having rounded end portions-said intermediate portionbeing of less portions and'boX-shaped intermediate portion'belng connected by a plurality ofup- In testiinon Y whereof I affix in si nature.

ERNEST F. MEGHLIN.

which I the said end means for reinforcing said projecting por-

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