US2023000A - Cushioning mechanism - Google Patents

Description

D. s. BARROWS cUsHroNING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 25, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 iNvENToR v ToRNr-:Y

D. s. BARRoWs '2,023,00

CUSHIONING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 23, 1929 4 sheets-sheet 3 NVENTOR co/7a la7/j'. .5a :Spaan/S @ML 3, i935. D s; BARRQWS v Y ZZEU cUsHIoNING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 25, 1929 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented Dec. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT orifice CUSHIONING MECHANISM Application December 23, 1929, Serial No. 416,113

17 Claims.

This invention relates to draft rigging, and more particularly to spring and friction draft gears especially adapted for use on railway vehicles.

The principal object of my invention, generally considered, is ,to provide friction draft gears or cushioning mechanism especially adapted for railway service and having housings or casings so slotted that they are adapted to receive draft keys for connection with associated sills whereby, if desired, the inner ends of said gears only may be' employed for cushioning draft forces and both ends may be used for cushioning buffing forces.

Another object of my invention is to provide cushioning mechanism comprising an enclosing housing or casing, preferablyopen at both ends, and formed with inclined' friction surfaces at said ends, the angularity of the friction surfaces at one end being normal and that at the other end being greater than normal so as to provide for self-releasing ofthe associated wedges, the wedges at the first-mentioned end being provided with an intermediate follower and release springs, some of said release springs continuing toward the other end of the gear to engage a corresponding follower for the other Wedges to hold said follower thereagainst and avoid the necessity of nibs on the wedge springs and pockets in the wedges for holding said springs in place.

A further object of my invention is to provide friction wedges for use with cushioning mechanism or draft gears and formed with spring retaining lugs on the inner ends and/or with shoe castings interlocking therewith to decrease the abrasive action of the wedges on the associated follower by increasing the engaging areas and retaining the associated wedge springs in proper position.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of friction wedges for railway draft gears or cushioning mechanism each involving a special main wedge and shoe interlc-cked therewith and providing flanges overlying the ends of the associated curved plate springs for holding them in position and preventing them from gouging the associated follower, said flanges increasing the area engaged by said follower for decreasing wear therebetween.

An additional object of my invention is to provide friction wedges for use with railway draft gears and adapted to receive interior or intermediate follower plates in rectangular slots or notches inthe tails thereof, said follower plates being thereby adapted to retain associated curved plate springs in place.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particular arrangement and construction of the various parts will become 5 apparent as the description proceeds.

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

Figure 1 is a partial side elevation and par- 10 tial vertical longitudinal sectional view of a fo-rm of draft gear or cushioning mechanism embodying my invention, the associated front and rear or outer followers being diagrammatically illustrated.

Fig. 2 is a partial end elevation and partial transverse sectional View on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary partial side elevation and partial vertical longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation and partial vertical longitudinal sectionalview of a further embodiment of my invention, the associated coupler, yoke, front and rear followers and connecting key being diagrammatically illustrated.

Fig. 5 is a partial plan and partial horizontal sectional View of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 4.

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are transverse sectional views on correspondingly numbered lines of Fig. 4 looking in the directions of the arrows.

Fig. 10 is a rear end elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. lV with the rear follower removed.

Fig. 11 is a front end elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4 with the front follower removed.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of one o-f the wedge shoes, for the front or outer friction wedges, removed from the gear.

Fig. 13 is an end elevation of said wedge shoe.

Fig. 14 is a side elevation shown partially in vertical section of one of the wedge shoes, of inner or rear friction wedges, removed from the gear.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like parts being designated by like reference characters, and first considering the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a double-ended series friction draft gear or cushioning mechanism I particularly adapted for use on railway vehicles and preferably designed so that it will fit into a draft gear pocket of normal size. In the embodiment shown, it is of a length 55 corresponding with that of a standard size draft gear pocket allowing for the increased coupler travel provided.

The gear preferably comprises a spring barrel or housing 2 with its ends open and formed with outwardly flaring walls 3 providing inclined friction surfaces d. Received between said walls 3 are wedges or wedge blocks 5 having correspondingly inclined friction surfaces 6 normally engaging the friction surfaces 1i on the housing or casing 2. In order to interlock the wedge blocks 5 with the housing, the same are preferably formed with inner shouldered portions 'I which engage correspondingly shouldered portions 8 at the inner ends of the inclined surfaces 4 on the housing, thereby preventing undesired withdrawal of said wedge blocks. Disposed between the wedge blocks 5, for urging them apart and into engagement with the inclined friction surfaces on the housing, are two sets of curved plate or leaf springs 9, each set of which has its concave side preferably disposed toward the corresponding wedge block so that the ends III thereof engage said wedge blocks and urge them into frictional engagement with the inclined portions of the housing, while the convex sides of the spring sets engage one another without danger of slipping out of proper contact.

The inner ends of the wedge blocks are engaged by intermediate followers II which are, in turn, engaged by release springs I2 preferably comprising two pairs of spring units, each unitv comprising outer coils I3 and inner coils I4. The inner ends of said release springs preferably engage lXed portions of the housing 2 such as the transverse partition or wall I5. Although only one end of the gear is shown in section, it will be understood that the interior construction of the other end may be identical, as in the embodiment under consideration, or different, as will be described in connection with a succeeding embodiment.

In order to provide for connection of the gear with associated sills so that, if desired, only the rearmost or inner mechanism is stressed under the action of draft forces and all of the mechanism is stressed under the action of bufng forces, as will be more fully explained in connection with a succeeding embodiment of my invention, the housing 2 is preferably formed with a horizontal slot I6 disposed in a portion I'I of the housing extending forwardly and rearwardly from the partition I5 and forming, in effect, a partition dividing the housing into upper and lower compartments and extending transversely between the side walls thereof, said extensions preferably lying between the upper and lower pairs of spring units I2. The gear I may be used with front and rear followers I8 and I9 diagrammatically illustrated, the front follower I3, as will be understood, being normally engaged by the butt of an associated coupler (not shown), and the rear follower normally surrounded by a yoke (not shown) which, in turn, engages an associated back stop (not shown).

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 3, a form of single-ended draft gear is there disclosed which is similar in most respects to the form of double-ended draft gear illustrated in Figs. l and 2. The gear Ia shown in Fig. 3 comprises a housing or casing 2a open at one end and closed by a wall I5a at the other end. The open end, as in the previous embodiment, is provided with inwardly converging walls Se, which walls, however, are, in the present embodiment, shown as formed on separable shoes 20 having lugs or flanges 2i and 22 fitting in corresponding pockets 23 and 2li in the adjacent walls of the housing 2n. The sloping portions 3a of the shoes 20 provide inclined friction surfaces da adapted to be engaged by corresponding surfaces 6a on wedge blocks 5a. In order to interlock the wedge blocks 5a with respect to the housing 2a, the same are preferably formed with inner shouldered portions 'Ia overlying the inner ends of the shoes 2li, thereby preventing undesired withdrawal of the wedge blocks. Disposed between said wedge blocks 5a for urging them apart and into engagement with the inclined friction surfaces la are two sets of curved plate or leaf springs 9a, as in the previous embodiment.

The inner ends of the wedge blocks 5i preferably engage an inner or intermediate follower I ILL which is, in turn, engaged by release springs I2. Between said release springs, as in the previous embodiment, is an extension I'Ia from the wall IBGL slotted as at I6a for receiving a connecting draft key (not shown). The upper and lower walls 25 of the housing may be curved around the release springs, in a manner corresponding to that shown in Fig. 2, to assist in properly guiding them, and in order to maintain the proper relation between the intermediate follower IIa and said springs, said follower is provided with spring-positioning lugs 26 engaging the adjacent ends of the release Referring now to the embodiment of my invenn tion illustrated in Figs. fl to i4, inclusive, there is shown a slotted double-ended series friction draft gear as in the embodiment of Figs. l and 2, but of different construction, that is, with a front orl outer end formed differently from the rear or inner end on account of the difference in use accorded the two ends of the gear. mounted between sills (not shown) and is normally associated with a coupler 21, diagrammatically illustrated, the butt of which is normally in engagement with the front follower I8b. A yoke 28, diagrammatically illustrated, normally surrounds the gear with the closed or looped end thereof in engagement with the rear follower I9". As in the first embodiment, the housing 2b of the gear is provided with a slot Ifb receiving a connecting draft key 29 which is adapted to not only pass through said slot, but through registering slots 3B in the yoke and associated cheek plates and/or draft sills (not shown). The slots 3D in the yoke and cheek plates and/ or sills are rearwardly elongated, as particularly illustrated in Fig. 4 for a purpose to be more fully explained hereinafter.

The gear Io comprises a housing or casing 2b open at each end which is formed bell-mouthed or provided with sloping walls 3b, the inner surfaces of which provide inclined friction faces ib normally engaged by corresponding surfaces Gb on wedge blocks 5b. As in the previous embodiment, the wedge blocks 5b have shouldered portions 'Ib engaging correspondingly shouldered portions lib on the housing to limit outward movement of said wedge blocks. The wedge blocks at opposite ends of the gear are of different construction, as will be apparent from a consideration of Fig. and will now be described in detail.

The friction blocks 5b at the iner or rear end of The gear Ib is the gear I b and the correspondingly inclined fric- 76 tion surfaces on the housing are disposed at an angle corresponding with that of the inclined friction surfaces of the embodiments of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 so that the blocks are not self-releasing and are, therefore, necessarily used with release springs. On the other hand, the blocks 5b at the outer or front end of the gear and the inclined walls of the housing have friction surfaces inclined at a steeper angle so that the blocks are self-releasing and do not necessitate the use of release springs for that purpose. On account of this construction, the inner blocks 5b have an inner intermediate follower lib engaging the inner ends of said wedge blocks 5b and preferably fitting in notches 3l therein, the opposite face of said follower being engaged by two sets of helical leaf spring units 12b, each set, as in the first embodi ment, preferably comprising an outer spring lh and an inner spring ib. The inner or opposite end of the outer spring l4b normally engages a transverse web, wall or flange l5b on the housing 2b which iiange is preferably apertured, as indicated at 32, to permit passage of the inner spring lib, Which inner spring preferably extends into engagement with the outer or front intermediate follower Hb, not primarily for the purpose of effecting release of the outer wedges 5b but to hold the follower in place against the ends of the corresponding wedges and thereby avoid the necessity of special means suchas nibs on the springs 9b and corresponding pockets in the wedges 5b for maintaining said springs in proper position with respect thereto. As in the embodiment of Fig. 3, the inner or rear intermediate follower I Ib has spring retaining bosses 261.

In order to retain the springs 9b in place and avoid gouging of the rear follower l9b by said springs and the corresponding ends of the wedges 5b, said wedges are preferably provided with shoes or supplemental portions 33, the outer portions of which form flanges 34 overlying the ends of the shoes and extended beyond the springs 9b, as indicated at 35, said extensions or lugs t5, however, being desirably formed to intert one with the other, as shown particularly in Fig. l0, and thereby permit the closure of the gear. Each shoe 33 is formed with an inwardly extending flange 35 preferably provided with a conical or tapered lug 31 adapted to t in a corresponding pocket 3S in the associated wedge block 5b whereby when the springs Sb are in place, the shoe 33 and associated wedge block 5b are securely held in interlocked relation. The rear follower lib is desirably Ycut out or notched, as indicated at 39, to receive the shoes 33 without increasing the overall length of the gear.

In assembling the springs 9b with the wedges 5b and shoes 33, a flat piece of steel may first be inserted in the notched portion dll in each wedge which receives the flange 36 of vthe shoe 33 with its top flush with the top or inner surface of the wedge` The springs may then be assembled in the usual manner, and upon removal of the piece of steel, the wedge shoes may be driven into the spaces occupied thereby until the lugs 3i thereof interlock in the pockets 38, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4.

The wedges 5b at the outer or front end of the gear may likewise be of special construction and provided with wedge shoes or supplemental wedge portions 4l tting in corresponding depressions or pockets t2 in the wedges 5b, said shoes being preferably provided with inclined or sloping wall portions 43 notched or shouldered, as indicated'rat 44, to receive a corresponding projection or lug 45 on the corresponding wedge 5b whereby each shoe may be assembled with its corresponding wedge by being Vforced into place between the wedge and the associated springs 91D until the lug 45 snaps into interlocking position in the corre- -5 sponding notch or pocket 44. The shoes 4| are provided with outer flanges or lugs 46 which overlie the outer ends of the springs 9b and thereby hold them in position and prevent them from gouging the associated follower lSb, at the same time increasing the wearing area in engagement with said follower and reducing wear on said follower. In order to permit compression of the gear, the flanges 45 are desirably inclined, as

shown in Fig. 11, so as to avoid interference therep5" between while at the same time providing sufficient height to retain the springs 9' in place. The associated follower ith is preferably notched to receive the flanges fifi of the shoes 4l to thereby avoid increasing the overall length of the gear. 21)v- All the wearing surfaces on the wedges may, if desired, be provided with lead inserts 4l to prevent sticking and provide smoothness of operation, and the inner ends of all the wedges may i vv have spring retaining lugs @8 which act as means 2;5 additional to the intermediate followers to hold the springs 9b in place.

The operation of the gear of the present embodiment as Well as that of the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 may be as follows, although it will 30 be understood that, if desired, the gear may be utilized as an ordinary single-ended gear so that the entire capacity is brought into action under both draft and bufling forces. When draft force is applied to the coupler 2l, said force is transmitted from said coupler to the yoke 28 through the connecting key fig, thereby effecting a compression of the rearmost mechanism oi the gear by forward mo-vement of the rear follower l9b forcing the rear wedges 5zo into the housing 2b, 40 compressing the rear curved plate springs 9b and the release springs iZb, it being understood that the housing 2b is prevented from forward movement by the connecting draft key 29 which passes A through the slot Ib in the housing and corre- 45 sponding slots in the cheek plates and/or draft sills of the car.

Under the action of bufiing force, however, the coupler 2i engages the front follower I8b and pushes the front friction elements 5b into the 5()y housing 2b simultaneously moving said housing rearwardly over the rear friction elements 5b, which rearward movement is permitted on ac count of the rearward elongation of the slots 3Q in the yoke and cheek plates of the car, it being 55 understood that the rear follower 59h is held from rearward movement by means of a usual form of back stop (not shown). It will, therefore, be seen that full compression of the gear is permitted under the action of bufling force not only pro- 60 viding for increased bufling capacity, but for a coupler travel equal to the sum of the travel permitted by the friction elements at each end of the gear. Although, for convenience, the gear is preferably made so that the travel provided by each I It will be seen that on account of the'lsteeper angle of the wedges at the front end of the gear,

the front springs 9b may be stressed to a greater extent, for a given wedge movement, than the rear springs 9b so that if the springs at the two ends are of equal strength, a greater capacity is provided by the front portion of the gear than the rear portion. However, this capacity is modified by the fact that the release spring action provided for the rear wedges is greater than that provided for the front wedges so that the relative capacities of the two ends of the gear may be adjusted within wide limits. The wedges with the greater release spring capacity are desirably disposed at the rear or inner end of the gear as these wedges are always brought into play under both draft and buffing forces, whereas the front Wedges are only used under the action of bufling forces when the gear is employed with draft rigging, as diagrammatically shown in Fig. Il. In this way, there is the certainty of having the usual release spring action for restoring the gear to normal after either draft or bumng action, restoration of the front portion of the gear being more readily effected when the gear has been partly released through the positive action of the rear release springs.

In accordance with the foregoing disclosure, it will be seen that I have devised a form of cushioning mechanism which involves a housing slotted for receiving a connecting draft key and which may be single-ended to interchange with the usual forms of single draft 'gea-rs, all of which may be double-ended for series use giving, if desired, a differential capacity greater under the action of bumng forces than under the action of draft forces, it being well understood that bufling forces are always apt to be greater than draft forces. In accordance with my invention, I have also provided for either doubling the capacity and travel of the gear for absorbing bufng forces as compared with draft forces or for increasing such capacity and/or travel to the extent desired.

Although I have illustrated several preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. Cushioning mechanism adapted for use with railway draft rigging comprising a housing slotted adjacent an intermediate portion thereof for receiving a connecting draft key and open at each end, said open ends having the walls formed with inwardly converging friction surfaces, the surfaces at one end converging at a sharper angle than those at the other end, wedges having correspondingly inclined friction surfaces engaging the friction surfaces of the housing and movable tliereinto, curved leaf springs disposed between said wedges for urging them apart and into engagement with the friction surfaces on the housing, intermediate followers engaging the inner ends of said wedges, and a pair of inner and outer helical release springs disposed in contact with the follower which engages the inner ends of the wedges at that end of the housing having the inclined surfaces disposed at the lesser angularity, the other ends of the outer helical springs engaging fixed portions of the housing, said fixed portions permitting the inner helical springs to pass therethrough and engage the other follower to maintain said follower in contact with the inner ends of the other wedges.

2. Cushioning mechanism adapted for use with railwaydraft rigging comprising a housing having an open end formed with inclined walls providing converging friction surfaces, wedges with correspondingly inclined friction surfaces engaging the friction surfaces of the housing and movable thereinto, curved leaf springs disposed between said wedges for urging them apart and into engagement with the friction surfaces on the housing, an intermediate follower engaging the inner ends of said wedges, and springs engaging said follower for effecting release of the wedges, said wedges being provided with pockets adjacent the outer ends of the curved leaf springs and shoe l castings formed with projections interlocking in said pockets and providing flanges overlying the ends of said springs and wedges to increase the bearing area with respect to an associated follower and retain the springs in proper position. 3. Cushioning mechanism adapted for use with railway draft rigging comprising a housing open at one end, said open end having opposite walls formed with inwardly converging friction surfaces, wedges having correspondingly inclined 20 friction surfaces engaging the friction surfaces of the housing and movable thereinto, curved leaf springs disposed between said wedges for urging them apart and into engagement with the friction surfaces on the housing, an intermediate follower 2 engaging the inner ends of said wedges, and release springs engaging said follower for holding it in contact with said wedges, the outer ends of said wedges being formed with pockets having outwardly flaring sides and shoes with wedge 3 shaped projections fitting said pockets and interlocked with the wedges, the outer ends of said shoes having flanges overlying the ends of the curved plate springs for holding them in proper position and providing increased area for engage- 3 ment with an associated follower.

4. Cushioning mechanism comprising a housing slotted adjacent the center thereof for receiving a connecting draft key, the ends of said housing flaring outwardly to provide inclined friction 4 surfaces, the angularity between the friction surfaces at one end being greater than that at the other end, friction elements received in each end of said housing and presentingcorrespondinglyinclined friction surfaces for engagement with the 4 friction surfaces on the housing, resilient means disposed between said elements for urging them into engagement with the friction surfaces on the housing, and release springs for said friction ele ments, some of said springs serving for the elements at both ends of the housing and others acting on the elements at only one end thereof.

5. Cushioning mechanism comprising a housing slotted adjacent the center thereof for receiving a connecting draft key, a transverse partition 55 adjacent said slotted portion dividing said housing into two parts, the ends of said housing flaring outwardly to provide inclined friction surfaces, friction elements received in each end of said housing and presenting correspondingly inclined friction surfaces for engagement with the friction surfaces of the housing, intermediate followers engaging the inner ends of said friction elements, and release springs disposed between said intermediate followers and the partition.

6. In railway draft rigging in combination with draft sills, a coupler and yoke acting means, a friction draft gear comprising a housing open at both ends and formed with inclined friction surfaces, friction elements with correspondingly inclined friction surfaces cooperating with said housing at each end, the inclination of the friction surfaces at the front or coupler engaging end beingh greater than that at the other end, said yoke acting means embracing said housing and friction 7 elements for actuating the rear elements on draft, and a key received in a slot in said housing and slots in said sills, sm'd sill slots being elongated rearwardly to permit rearward movement of the housing on buff while holding it stationary on draft whereby the friction elements at both ends are operated on buif but only those at the rear end are operated on draft, said friction eieinents at the rear end having release springs comprising inner and outer coils, the inner coils of said release springs being continued to act on the friction elements at the other end of the housing.

7. Cushioning mechanism adapted for use with railway draft rigging comprising a housing open at each end, walls at said open ends formed with inwardly converging friction surfaces, the friction surfaces at one end converging at a sharper angle than those at the other end, friction elements having correspondingly inclined friction surfaces engaging the friction surfaces of the housing and movable thereinto, resilient means disposed between said wedge means for urging them apart and into engagement with the friction surfaces on the housing, intermediate followers engaging the inner ends of said wedges, and a plurality of release springs, all of said springs acting on one `of said intermediate followers and only some of said springs acting on the other intermediate followers.

8. Cushioning mechanism adapted for use with railway draft rigging comprising a housing open at one `end and formed at said open end with converging walls providing friction surfaces, wedges with correspondingly inclined friction surfaces engaging the friction surfaces of the housing and movable thereinto, resilient means disposed between said wedges for urging them apart and into engagement with the friction surfaces on the housing, said wedges being provided with pockets adjacent their outer ends, and shoe castings formed with portions fitting in said pockets, said shoe castings having flanges for increasing the bearing area in respect to an associated follower.

9. Cushioning mechanism adapted for use as railway draft rigging comprising a housing having an open end formed with inwardly converging friction surfaces, wedges having correspondingly inclined friction surfaces engaging the friction surfaces of the housing and movable thereinto, resilient means disposed between said wedges for urging them apart and into engagement with the friction surfaces on the housing, the outer ends of said wedges being formed with pockets, and shoes with projections fitting said pockets and interlocked with said wedges, the outer ends of said shoes having flanges for holding the resilient means in position and adapted to engage an associated follower for increasing the effective frictional area.

10. Cushioning mechanism comprising a housing formed with a slot adjacent the center thereof for receiving means for connection with associated car sills, the ends of said housing having iiaring walls providing inclined friction surfaces, the angularity between the friction surfaces at one end being greater than that at the other end, friction wedges received in each end of the housing and having inclined friction surfaces in engagement with the friction surfaces on the housing, resilient means disposed between said elements for urging them into engagement with the housing, and resilient means for effecting release of said elements, portions of said resilient means only acting on the elements at one end of the housing and all of said resilient means acting on the elements at the other end.

11. Cushioning mechanism adapted for use with railway draft rigging comprising a housing having open ends formed with relatively fixed 5 inwardly converging friction faces, wedges with friction faces engaging the friction faces of the housing and movable thereinto, curved leaf springs disposed between said wedges to oppose movement thereof toward each other, said housing having a normally vertical partition uniting opposite walls, a normally horizontal partition forming a reinforcement uniting opposite walls of the housing, and merging into said vertical partition, said walls being provided with a slot defined by upper and lower elements of said normally horizontal partition and adapted to receive a connecting draft key, rele-ase springs disposed on either side of said partitions, and an intermediate follower disposed between said springs and the inner ends of said wedges.

12. Cushioning mechanism comprising a housing open at both ends, a set of friction elements and associated followers cooperating with said housing at each end, resilient means urging the `elements of each set into engagement with the housing, the engaging surfaces between said friction elements and housing converging inwardly and the inclination of the surfaces at one end being greater than that at the other, and the inclinations being such, that the friction elements at one end are self-releasing while those of the other are not, and resilient means for effecting release of the friction elements having the friction surfaces of lesser inclination, a portion of said resilient means being extended to hold the follower of the other friction elements in place.

13. Cushioning mechanism adapted for use with railway draft rigging comprising a housing having an open end formed with relatively fixed inwardly converging friction surfaces, wedges with friction faces engaging said friction surfaces and movable into said housing, and resilient means disposed between said wedges to oppose movement thereof toward each other, the inner ends of said wedges having lugs directed toward one another and the outer ends of said wedges having pockets and supplemental portions fitting in said pockets, said supplemental portions being provided with lugs at their outer ends directed toward one another, all of said lugs being adapted to engage adjacent portions of said resilient means for preventing undesired movement thereof. 55

14. Cushioning mechanism comprising a housing with open ends and outwardly diverging walls adjacent said ends providing inclined friction surfaces, a transverse normally vertical partition dividing said housing into two compartments disposed one in front of the other, a normally horizontal partition, comprising vertically spaced webs connected at their ends, intersecting said vertical partition and dividing the compartments into upper and lower parts, a slot through said housing, and defined, intermediate the side walls, by said webs of the normally horizontal partition, for receiving a connecting draft key, friction elements received in each compartment and presenting correspondingly inclined friction surfaces for engagement with the friction surfaces of the housing, curved plate springs at each end of the housing disposed between and acting on the friction elements, intermediate followers engaging the inner ends of said friction elemexjLs, and

release springs disposed in the upper and lower parts of said compartments between said intermediate followers and partition.

15.' Cushioning mechanism comprising a housing open at both ends and formed With inclined friction surfaces at each end, friction elements with correspondingly inclined friction surfaces and associated followers cooperating with said housing at each end,theinclination of the friction surfaces at one end being greater than that at the other end, so that the friction elements at said end, with friction surfaces of greater inclination, are self-releasing, while those at the other end are not, and resilient means for effecting release of the elements which are not self-releasing, a portion of said resilient means acting on the follower for the self-releasing elements.

16. Cushioning mechanism comprising a housing slotted adjacent its center for receiving a connecting draft key, a transverse web portion adjacent said slotted portion and serving to divide said housing into two parts, the ends of said housing aring outwardly to provide inclined friction surfaces, friction elements received in each end of said housing and presenting cori respondingly inclined friction surfaces for engage-i ment with the friction surfaces of the housing', an intermediate follower engaging the friction elements at one end of said housing, and a release spring disposed between said intermediate follower and said transverse web portion. 4

17. Cushioning mechanism comprising an outer friction member with normally upright side wall portions formed with receptacles to accommodate a connecting draft key, said member having another pair of walls comprising portions converging inwardly from both ends toward a central part and. providing interior inclined friction surfaces, friction elements positioned between the converging portions of said walls and formed with correspondingly inclined friction surfaces directly engaging said interior inclined friction surfaces, followers engaging the inner ends of said friction elements, and springs acting longitudinally and engaging said followers for holding them in place and assisting in the release of the mechanism.

DONALD S. BARROWS.

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