US1712490A - Draft-key-locking means - Google Patents

Description

L. J. BROWN DRAFT KEY LOCKING MEANS May 14, 1929.

Filed Aug. 6, 1925 Patented May 14,1929.

LLOYI) 3'. BROWN, EVANS'ION, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 E.

SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

PATENT OFFICE.

BAYSON SMITH, O1

DRAFT-KEY-LOGKING MEANS.

Application filed August 6, 1925. Serial No. 48,439.

My invention relates to means for locking the usual draft keys in place against accidental removal and loss; the invention contemplating means adapted to engage with the tapered or tail end of the draft key and of such. construction as to provide a com- 7 paratively large bearing or contact surface with the adjacent side of the center sill mem ber or reenforcing element or cheek plate se cured to the center sill and thereforea construction which is adapted to withstand the strains and stresses to which it may be subjected through the back and forward movement of the draft keys at varying angles em countered in movement of the car along curves or irregularities in the right of way.

The advantages and objects of In 1 lnven- 'tion will be readily comprehended from the following detailed description of the construction illustrated in the drawing, where- Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of the center sill of a car, the coupler and portions of the draft rigging, with my improved locking means shown applied to the draft keys.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 2+2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is an elevation of my improved locking means shown applied to a draftkey which is shown in section.

Figure d is a perspective view of one ele ment of the locking means. I

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the end of a draft key which is adapted to receive my improved locking means. 7

In the exemplification of the invention, the center sill members are shown at 10, 10 with their outer sides provided with reenforcing or cheek plates 11 which are riveted thereto at 12- in a manner usual in car construction. The drawing, in Figure 1, also illustrates a portion of the draft rigging yoke at 13 disposed between the two center sill members 10, 10; the center Slll member, reenforcmg or cheek plates 11 and the draft rigging yoke 13 being provided with registering slots adapted to receive the draft keys shown at 14, 14. The draft keys at one end are usually provided with a head 15 of size greater than the width of the slots through which the keys pass, so that movement of the keys in one direction, beyond a certain point, is prevented by the heads 15. p a

The present method of retaining the draft keys in place, in addition to the head 15, con sists in providing the tail or tapered end 16 of the key with an aperture therethrough to receive a cotter-pin- It has been found in practice that the use of cotter-pins, or. other comparatively small pins, for holding the draft keys against longitudinal movement is entirely inadequate because of the constant shifting of the draft keys in abackward and forward direction induced by the forces and shocks encountered and at varying angles resulting from the movement of the car around track curves or across other irregularities in the track, as for example switching back and forth; the draft rigging with the draft keys at such times being subjected to enormous strains resulting from the amount of power necessary to pull the loads and which strains or impacts range as high as four or five hundred thousand pounds. The shifting or movement of the draft keys causes the cotterpins to be brought up against the center sill members or cheek plates where they are subjected to shearing strains which frequently shearoif the cotter-pins and thus allow the draft keys to work longitudinally in the direction of the draft key headgwith the further result that the draft keys, themselves, be

come sheared due to the heavy impacts, thus permitting the couplers to drop out of place and either result inderailments or other disasters.

My invention contemplates locking means which may be readily applied to the tail or tapered end of the draft key; the draft key having its tapered or tail end 16, ata suitable distance away from the immediate end, provided with a suitable contact or abutting p013 tion preferably in the nature of the slots or sockets 17, 17 on both longitudinal edges of the key as more clearly shown in Figure 5. The draft key may be forged with the slots 17 17 which are adapted to receive the comentire casting being preferably provided with a reenforc'ing web as at 20 along what may be termed the inner side, that is to say the side which is intended to be disposed toward the center sill or reenforcing member or cheek plate secured to the same. The intermediate or'U-shape portion ofthe casting on the side last referred to is provided on the inner erimeter or concave side with an arcuate oss or rib as at 21 conforming in curvature somewhat with the curved edges of the draft key 14 or rather with the curvature of the portioniwitliin the slot 17 of the draft key;

, disposed ends 19 of the U-shape castings or the jareuate boss or rib 21 being of'width slightly less'than the width of the slots 17 so as to freely enter said slots. 1 The outwardly members '18areleachapertured so that when the correlated or complementary members 18,

18 are placedabouttheslotted end of the draft key with the outwardly turned ends of both member's 18, arranged in parallel juxtaposition as shown i'nFigures 1 and 3, the openings 22 in the ends 19 are'in register to receive a'suitable'bolt asat 23 which is provided with a nut as at24' so that when the boltsand nuts areserewed up or tightened,

' the complementary members 18 will be drawn together with the, arcuate bosses 21 firmly seatedin' the slots onboth sides of the draftkey[ The complementary members 18, there- I fore are 'firmly'elamped onto the end of the draft key and are held against any movement because the verticaldimension of the opening I betweenfthe complementary members 18, 18 1s just' sufl icient}to receive the key and as a g 7 result a twisting movement of the members about the draft key isiinpossible In order toprevent possibility of'thenuts 24 becoming loose and screwing off thebolts 23, I' prefer to provideea eh bolt '23 with an aperture'to re-, 7 'ceivefmeans'for preventing the unscrewing of the nuts, as for example a cotter-pin as shown 1 quickly applied to the draft keys without in- V y will not inter v I the slots in the center sill and other correlated at'25liil igure V v y I As] is apparent [from the construction shown, my improved locking means can be te rfering with the carunderfr'ame or draft rigging construction; it being merely necessary to provide the tail end of the draft keys wit an engaging surface or portion which ere with its insertion through elements, but which :will permita locking rei lation to be obtained betweenthe correlate-d members 18 and the draft key when the members'ha-ve been bolted together as shown and described. That is to say, in addition to the usual head, the other end of the draft key mustbe provided with some contact surface or cooperating formation whereby the immediate end of the draft key presents a surface or port-ion of dimensions greater than the dimensions of the opening formed by the two complementary members 18 when the latter have been secured together.

With my construction the draft keys will not only be firmly locked in place again accidental removal, but the draft keys may be removed if necessary by simply removlng the bolts 23 from the clamp members 18; while at the same time means of such nature are provided as to easily withstand the strains to which it may be subjected by movement of the draft keys in a longitudinal direction so as to bring the locking means into frictional or rubbing engagement with the center sill member or its reenforcing or cheek plate.

I have shown a simple adaptation of my invention, which has been described in terms employed merely as terms of descri tion and not as terms of limitation, as mo ifications are possible and may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a draft ke the longitudinal edges of the tail end w ereof are slotted, a pair of complementary U-shaped members adapted to be isposed transversely from opposite sides of the draft key, Said members on their concaved sides being each provided with an inwardly extending rib adapted to seat in the draft key slots when said members are secured in place, and means whereby the ends of said members are drawn together into key-engaging relation.

2. Draft key lockin means, comprising, in combination with a raft key, the opposite longitudinal sides whereof are slotted a pair of complementary transversely slotted members adapted to fit about the opposite longitudinal edges of the draft key, each of said members being provided with a rojection disposed into the slot beyond the inner end thereof and adapted to seat in a slot in the draft key, and means whereby said members are secured together and held in gripping relation with the draft key.

3. Draft key locking means, com risi a pair of complementary members a apte to extend about the longitudinal edges of a draft key withthe opposing ends of said members arranged intermediate of the edges of the draft key, said members being provided at one side with vertical walls increasing in vertical dimensions toward the opposing ends, in combination with a draft ke the opposite longitudinal sides whereof, ad aeent to the tail end, are formed to receive the inner perimeters of said members, and means for drawing said members together into clamping re ation with the draft key.

4. Draft key locking means, comprising, in combination with a draft key, the opposite longitudinal edges whereof are transversely of each member being provided with an arcuate rib adapted to seat in the draft-key slots, and means engaging both ends of each {10' member whereby the members are clamped together and said arcuate ribs forced into the draft-key slots.

LLOYD J. BROWN.

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