US1979070A - Draft rigging - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 30, 1934.

A. E. HEFFELFINGER 1,979,070

DRAFT RIGGING Filed Aug. 7, 1928 SWW/nto@ Si /Z//l Patented Cet. l30, 1934 PATENT OFFICE DRAFT RIGGIN G Arthur E. Heiellinger, NewYork, N. Y., assgnor to The Symington Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation" ofMaryland Application August` 7,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to railway draft rigging and moreparticularly to a swivel butt coupler, the butt portion of which-is elongatedto receive ahorizontal draft key for its entire width.

The'principal object of my invention generally considered is to provide a swivel butt coupler in which the coupler stein and associated swivel block are formed with intercalated flanges with registering apertures for receiving pivotal means; said swivel block being formed with adraft key receiving slot disposed generally rearwardly of the pivot means receiving apertures andformed entirely in the swivel block.

Another object ofr my invention is to provide a swivel butt coupler formed withan elongated swivel block slotted for entirely receiving an associated'draft key whereby the front' end of thel slot may beclosed asshown to thereby secure key-protection for the associateddraft gearV on b'uff, and the Vpoints of engagement between said `key andassociated yoke are rearwardlyof the pivotal'axis between the' coupler and'swivelblock rather than forwardly thereof.

A further objectofV my. invention is to provide a swivel butt coupler with pins pivotally connecting the stem'. andswivel block thereof, said pins having the.` headendsformedwith peripheral groovesror notchesA adapted for engagement by pins, rivets or cotters, extending between 30'spaced lugsfon the adjacent outer faces ofthe swivel. butt` coupler andI preferably the swivel block portion thereof for' preventing undesired axial movement, said swivel block portion being longitudinally elongated for completely receiving a horizontal draft key, the ends of which are positioned in standard slots in the associated draft sills, rearwardly of the pivot pins and to adapt said coupler for use on vehicles with relatively long overhang, such as electric locomotives and other electrical equipment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particular arrangement and construction of the various parts will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawing illustrating my invention, the scope whereof is defined by the appended claims:

Figure 1 is a plan, partly in horizontal section, of a swivel butt coupler with a swivel block and connecting means embodying my invention, the associated draft key and yoke being illustrated diagrammatically.

Figure 2 is a side elevation shown partly in vertical longitudinal section of the swivel butt coupler and associated parts shown in Figure 1.

1928, Serial `No;` 298,021

Referring tothe drawing, showing a preferred embodiment, like parts being designated by like reference characters, a coupler 1 is shown, the stem of which is formed with rearwardly extending portions, such as webs or flanges 2 and 3, said flanges being preferably perforated, as indicated at 4 and 5 respectively, for the reception of vertical pivot means, such as the pivot pins 6 and 7. The rear edges of said flanges are curved ooakially with respect to said perforaw tions as indicated at 8. The flanges 2 and 3 of the coupler stem closely nt in corresponding notches or pockets 9 and 10 in the swivel block or butt portion 11 of the swivel butt coupler. The bottom or coupler engaging face of each' pocket is curved coaxially with respect to the ivot apertures in the coupler and swivel block so that the iianges 2 and 3 of the coupler are adapted to nt into said pockets for transmitting forces therebetween while at the same time permitting angling motion between the coupler and swivel block.

The swivel block or butt portion 1l of the coupler is provided with upper and lower flanges or webs l2 and 13 respectively and an intermediate flange or web portion 14 which flange portion and the body of the swivel block are in* tersected, as illustrated, by slot 15 for receiving an associated draft key 16, diagrammatioaliy illustrated, for. connecting said coupler to a yoke 17, also diagrammatioally illustrated. The ends of said-key, not shown, are received in slots, of standard or normal character, in associated draft sills, not shown, as illustrated in the Symington Patent No. 1,097,738, or any other patent showing Farlow attachments. As in said patent, the rear face of the block 1l is adapted to engage a front follower or follower-acting means forming the front element of associated cushioning mechanism, (not shown). Front follower stopsg` of standard or normal character, as shown in said patent, are employed. Said slot 15 is disposed rearwardly of the perforations in the swivel block and coupler stem and more specifically the axis thereof, so that it is not only en-` tirely received in the swivel block, rather than as heretofore partly in the swivel block and partly in the coupler stem, but the points of engagement between the front edge of the key 16 and the yoke 17 are rearwardly of the axis of f rotation between the swivel block and coupler stem, rather than forwardly thereof as heretofore. Although these points of engagement are disposed slightly rearward of the axis of the pivot pins 6 and 7 they are so close to said axis` that, in the present embodiment, they may be considered as approximately alined therewith.

The pins or pivot members 6 and 7 are in the presentembodiment relatively short and their head ends, or those ends protruding beyond the adjacent faces of the svvivel block 11 are, in the present embodiment, formed with peripheral grooves 18 around the full circumference of the pins or, if desired, around only enough thereof to receive the retaining means. The collars 19 beyond said grooves may be straight axially, asY

illustrated, or bevelled.

Instead of having the outer ends enlarged or headed to limit inward movement of the pins into the slot 15 and prevent interference with the key 16, said pins are prevented from axial movement in either direction when in place by locking or retaining means which, in the present embodiment, are shown as rivets 20; although it will. be understood that pins, cotters or other similar means may be employed as desired.

The ends of the rivets 20 are held in correspondingly apertured portions in outstanding lugs 21 on the corresponding faces of the swivel block 11, said lugs being disposed on either side of the apertured portions in the swivel block whereby the rivets therebetween engage in the correspondingly grooved portions 18 in said pins 6 and '7 and prevent undesired movement in either direction.

In order to support intermediate portions of said pins or rivets 20, lugs 22 are desirably provided between each pair of lugs 21 and disposed so as to engage intermediate portions of the rivets 20 and particularly those portions of said rivets where the same engage the grooved portions 18 in the pins 6 and 7. This construction greatly strengthens the rivets 20 particularly as to their function of holding the pins 6 and 'l in place by efficiently preventing said rivets from being forced outwardly of the grooves 18 in said pins under any ordinary usage.

From the foregoing it will be seen that l'. have devised a swivel butt coupler in which the swivel block or butt portion thereof is longitudinally elongated to particularly adapt it for vehicles having relatively long overhang, such as electrical locomotives or other service with electrical equipment, although it will be understood that it is not limited to such use. Such elongation of the swivel block or butt portion of the coupler not only makes it possible to form the draft key slot with a closed front end entirely in said swivel block or butt portion, thereby providing for key protection on buff, but moves the points of application of draft force, i. e. the points oi engagement between the front edge of the key and the corresponding slotted ends of the yoke, or other force transmitting device to a position rearwardly of or substantially alined with the pivotal axis between the coupler stem and swivel block or butt portion thereof rather than, as heretofore, forwardly of said pivotal axis.

Although I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I do not Wish to be limited to the exact details, as modications may occur to those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A swivel butt coupler adapted for use with a railway vehicle having center sills provided with standard front follower stop and coupler key slots, comprising a coupler shank and an elongatedfblock interposed between said shank and a front follower, vertical pivot means operatively connecting said block and shank to permit the coupler to angle horizontally, said block being provided with a key slot immediately rearward of the axis of said pivot means, the length of said block and the position of said slot being such as to aline said slot with intermediate portions of said slots in the center sills in normal position of the parts and thereby position said pivotal axis forwardly of said key.

2. A swivel butt coupler adapted for use with a railway vehicle having center sills provided with standard front follower stopand coupler key slots, comprising a coupler shank with rearwardly `extending portions and an elongated block provided with .a slot adapted to receive a coupler key passing through said coupler key slots in said sills, the rear portion of said block being adapted to engage follower-acting means and the forward portion of said block being notched to receive the rearwardly extending portions of said shank, vertical pivot means operatively connecting said block and shank to permit the coupler to angle horizontally, the length of said block being such that the axis of said pivot means is positioned forwardly of the forward edge of said coupler key receiving slot.

ARTHUR E. HEFFELFINGER.

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