US2039268A - Draft rigging - Google Patents

Description

April 28, 1936. D. s. BARRows DRAFT RIGGING Filed March 27, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 My m gmc/nto@ DOW/d' AaPPau/.s y

D. S. BARROWS DRAFT RIGGING April 28, 1936.

Filed March 27, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 @u @@@QQQ NN MM km wm N Q5 31a/vento@ ofya/d A5. amvows April 2s, 1936. D. s BARROWS 2,039,268

DRAFT RIGGING Filed MaICh 27, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 In/vento@ D. S. BARROWS DRAFT RIGGING April 28, 1936,

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed MaICh 27, 1930 April 28, 1936. D. s. BARROWS DRAFT RIGGING Filed March 27, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 .www

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afya/d gap/vows l Patented Apr. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES DRAFT BIGGING Donald Barrows, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to The Symington Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application March 27, 193.0, Serial N0. 439,463

11 Claims.

This invention relates to draft rigging, and more particularly to such employing la plurality of draft gears or cushioning mechanism, alll of which are preferably used for cushioning bufling forces and only part for cushioning draft forces.

The principal object of my invention, generally considered, is to provide draft gears adapted to be mounted between the draft sills of a can and separated by a back stop or center filler casting with provision for transmitting bufllng forces between the gears, whereby a greater amount of shock-absorbing capacity is available for bumng forces than for draft forces.

Another object of my invention is to provide draft rigging for railway rolling stock involving a coupler. a yoke, and a friction gear and a resilient rubber cushioning mechanism disposed on opposite sides of a back-stop or center flller casting. with force transmitting means passing pref,- erably through said casting, whereby one of the cushioning elements, preferably the friction draft gear, is acted upon when the corresponding coupler is subjected to both draft and bufiing forces, while thel other cushioning means is only acted upon when the coupler is subjected to buffing forces. i

further object of my invention is the provision of railway draft rigging involving a friction draft gear mounted between associated sills and connected thereto by a key. a yoke surrounding said gear, 4and a coupler connected to said yoke by means of another key for the transmission of draft forces, said sills rearwardly of said draft gear being connected by a combined back stop 35 and center filler casting, and a resilient rubber cushioning device mounted between said sillsand spaced from said friction draft gear by said combined casting, said casting being apertured,

andforce transmitting means extending through 40 said apertures for transmitting bufllng forces from the. friction draft gear to the resilient rubber cushioning means, whereby said friction draft gear is stressed under the action of both draft and bufflng forces, while the rubber cushioning device is stressed only under the action of buiilng forces.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a novel form of cushioning mechanism using resilient rubber units as the cushioning 50 means amd special spacing devices therebetween for acting on said cushioning units in tandem.

An additional object of my invention is the provision of a special form of back stop and center illler casting adapted to function with a full length standard horizontal yoke and apertured for receiving plungers or other force transmitting means whereby buing forces may be transmitted from one side of said casting to the other for increasing the cushioning capacity of the draft gear for the absorption of bufiing energy. 5

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 drawings illustrating my in- 10 vention, the scope whereof is defined by the appended claims:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view through the underframe of a car between the sills thereof illustrating one embodiment of l5 my invention, the extent of the section being from one end of the car to the center-of the king pin aperture in the combined back stop and center filler casting.

Fig. -2 is a corresponding sectional view for .2o completing the showing of the invention illustrated in Fig. l, said view extending from the center of the king pin aperture in the combined back stop and center filler casting .to the rear of the rearmost draft lug for the cushioning mechanism at the end of the car under consideration.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view-on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

Fig. '1 is a transverse sectional view on the'line 1 1 of F1g.2,1ookmg 1n the direction of the ar- 40 rows, the rubber cushioning unit being shown in elevation.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the intermediate followers `or'spacers for the rubber cushioning mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the back stop and center filler casting shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, said casting being illustrated as partly broken away to more clearly 50 show the construction.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2, but showing another embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 11 is a partial plan and partial horizontal 55 sectional view of the embodiment shown in Fig.

Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view on the line I2-I2 of Fig. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view of the rubber cushioning mechanism shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view corresponding to Fig. 3, but showing another modification.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like parts being designated by like reference characters, and rst considering the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, there are shown the sills I of a car which are connected at their adjacent ends (only one end of the car being illustrated) by a combined striking casting and sill tie member 2 and intermediate their ends by back stop castings or combined back stop castings and center filler members 3, (only one of which is illustrated). The sills in the embodiment shown are channelshaped in section with outstanding flanges 4, the upper ones of which are preferably connected by a sill cover plate 5, as is usual. In the embodiment shown, the bolster transoms 6 extend outwardly from the webs 1 of the sills at the combined back stop and center filler casting 3, and the bolster cover plates 3 extend over and under said transoms, the sill cover plate 5, the combined back stop and center casting 3, and continue outwardly to the side sills (not shown), as is customary, said cover plates 8 being preferably disposed so that their axes intersect the axis of the aperture in the king pin thimble 9.

Mounted between the sills I and preferably held in place by carry irons I0 and II is a draft gear I2 which, in the present embodiment, is l1- lustrated as of the friction type, such as shown in the Richards Patent No. 1,236,872, of August 14, 1917, although it will be understood that it is within the broad aspect of my invention to use any type of draft gear or cushioning mechanism in the combination disclosed. Disposed forwardly of the cushioning mechanism I2 is a front follower I3, preferably of standard construction. Interlocked with the associated coupler I4 and embracing the gear I2, follower I3, and the rear portion of the coupler stem I4 is illustrated a horirontal yoke I5 connected to said coupler by a front key I6, the ends of which are received in slots I1 in cheek plates I8 and draft sills I of the car. The front follower I3 is supported on the draft sills in the present embodiment by a second key I9 extending through slots 20 in the cheek plates I3. The yoke may be supported by angular clips 2| riveted to the webs 1 of the sills I, and said yoke may, in turn, support the rear follower 22 of the friction draft gear I2.

Disposed rearwardly of the back stop and center filler casting 3 is an additional cushioning device or draft gear 23 which, in the present embodiment, is shown as having resilient rubber units 24 to provide the shock-absorbing medium, yet it will be understood that within the broad aspect of my invention, any draft gear or cushioning device may be employed. In the present embodiment, the cushioning mechanism or draft gear 23 comprises a front follower 25, a rear follower 26, and a plurality of intermediate followers 21 shown in detail in Fig. 8, each intermediate follower involving a circular disk or filler portion 28 and spaced flanges 29 of a contour corresponding with the space between the circular disks 23 and the draft gear pocket formed by the sills, cover plate and supporting carrier plate 30 exterior thereof. It will be seen that the rubber cushioning units, each of which preferably comprises a series of concentric rubber rings 3| mounted on a plate 32, preferably of steel, are separated by a pair of intermediate followers or fillers 21 so interlocked that the flanges or lugs 29 of each pass between the corresponding lugs of the adjacent follower being adapted to slidably engage said lugs on both sides for guiding purposes, and embrace the rubber unit 24 on the other si'de of said follower, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. From said figure, it will be seen that when force is applied to the front follower 25, the same is transmitted by the engaging flanges 29 to all of the resilient rubber elements 24, and that compression of said rubber elements results in corresponding separation of the disk portions 2B of the adjacent intermediate followers or separators 21.

The rubber cushioning device 23 is normally held in position by having its front follower 25 in engagement with the adjacent end of the combined back stop and center filler casting 3, and its rear follower in engagement with removable draft lug blocks 33 preferably connected to the sill web 1 by means of bolts or the like 34, said blocks being desirably disposed forwardly of sill lug castings 35 which are preferably riveted to the sill webs 1, extended rearwardly and terminate in inwardly extending lug portions 36 providing forwardly facing shoulders adapted to serve as stops for a plate or follower device 31, diagrammatically illustrated, for the purpose of putting the cushioning mechanism under a desired initial pressure before the application of the blocks 33. 'Ihis putting the elements of the cushioning mechanism under initial pressure may desirably be accomplished by positioning a jack (not shown), or other device for conveniently applying a high degree of pressure to the follower 26, between the follower 26 and plate 31, after assembly of all the parts of the cushioning mechanisrn shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and then operating the jack to apply the desired initial pressure until sufficient space is formed between the front shoulders 38 of the sill lug casting 35 and the follower 26 to permit the application of the stop lug blocks 33.

In order to provide for the transmission of bufng forces, to which the coupler 4 is subjected, to the cushioning mechanism 23, the combined back stop and center filler casting 3 is preferably formed with a plurality of apertures 39 receiving a corresponding number of force transmitting members or plungers 40 of corresponding size. The upper member may rest in corresponding notches 4I rather than being completely surrounded by the casting 3, if desired, and as illustrated most clearly in Fig. 9. Force is desirably transmitted to the front ends of the plungers 40 by a ller block 42 disposed between the rear follower 22 and the front ends of the plungers 40, said block being desirably pocketed to receive said front ends and thereby assist in maintaining the proper relation between the parts by preventing relative transverse movement of the plungers, as would occur if the upper plunger 40 were to jump out of the supporting notches in the casting 3. The block 42 is preferably notched, as indicated at 43, to straddle the closed end of the yoke I5 and directly engage the rear follower 22, and is also desirably provided with outstanding flanges 44 normally engaging stop lugs 45 on the sill webs 1 for holding the block in proper position. The front end of the block 42 may rest on the rear edge of the carry iron II, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1. The front face of the follower may be pocketed, as indicated at 46, like the follower-acting means 42, and for a similar purpose, to receive the rear ends of the plungers shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 4.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, it will be seen that the normal space between the block 42 and the front face ofthe casting 3 may be suiciently greater than the normal maximum travel under buff of the auxiliary cushioning elements 24, illustrated in Fig. .2, in order to avoid metallic contact atr that point, it being desired that the elements 24 shall develop their full cushioning capacity without limitation by other elements.

It will, therefore, be understood that the rear lug castings are desirably suitably proportioned to withstand and transmit to the sills I the maximum reaction under builing loads, and that, by reason of the space between block 42 and the front face of casting 3, referred to above, the said casting may not be required to withstand and transmit any part of said reaction under buillng loads.

From the foregoing disclosure, it will be seen that under the influence of draft forces the draft gear or cushioning mechanism I2 only is acted upon, the force being transmitted from the coupler I4 to the key I6, and through thel yoke I5, and rear follower 22 to force the 'friction elements 41 in the friction casing 48, said casing being stopped by the front follower I3 and key I9 held in place against the front e'dge ofthe slots 20 in the cheek plates I8. Under the influence of bufng forces, however, the coupler transmits such forces through the front follower I3, cushioning mechanism I2, rearfollower 22, filler block 42, and plungers to the resilient rubber spring cushioning mechanism 23 which is limited in rearward movement by the rear follower 26 engaging the stop blocks 33. It will be clear that the action of the gears under the action of buflng forces is in series and a greater amount of movement is thereby permitted than when the coupler is subjected to draft forces. The energy absorption, therefore, not only takes place in the front draft gear I2, but also in the rear gear 23. Although a preferred arrangement of the gears is illustrated, it will be understood that said gears may be transposed.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13, a construction is there disclosed which is quite similar to that of the preceding figures, and, therefore, only that part which is different is illustrated. As in the previous embodiment, a front or outer gear I2 may be employed and disposed between sills I which are connected by a center filler casting 3. As in the previous embodiment, the draft gear is embraced by a yoke I5, said yoke also embracing the associated rear follower 22, said draft gear and follower being supported by a carry iron II.

Instead of employing an auxiliary resilient rubber cushioning mechanism in which the rubber elements are stressed in parallel or tandem, as in the rst embodiment, I provide a resilient rubber cushioning mechanism 23, in the present embodiment, in which the elements 24a are disposed one after the other and separated merely by plain plates 21, so that when vthe gear is compressed, all the rubber elements thereof are stressed in series rather than in tandem. In the present embodiment, the rubber elements are shown as involving rectangular plates 32a having mounted thereon oval or elongated curved rubber strips or wings Sla, as shown most clearly in Fig. 12, although it will be understood that' circular rubber elements may be employed, if desired, as in the first embodiment. As in the preceding embodiment, the rubber elements are desirably placed under initial stress as by being confined between a front follower 25 and a rear follower 26 held together by top and bottom retainers 49 and 50. The gear is desirably supported on a carrier plate 3D and housed in an extension 351 on the center filler casting 3a, said extension desirably having a back stop portion 38 acting as a stop for the rear follower-.26 anda horizontal web portion 5I overlying the retainer 49 for holding it in place.

In the present embodiment, thev means for transmitting buffing forces from the follower 22 to the auxiliary cushioning mechanism 23a involves a U-shaped casting 40a, the front face of which abuts the yoke I5, the arms of which extend through corresponding apertures 39a in the casting 3, and the ends of which abut the front face of the follower 25, as shown most clearly in Figs. 10 and 11. In order to prevent separationl of the force transmitting member 40 and the follower 25, said follower is desirably provided with lug or hook portions 52 which underlie and engage in corresponding notches 53 in the ends of the arms 54 of the force transmitting member 4U, as shown most clearly in Figs. 10 and 11. l

From the foregoing disclosure, it will be seen that the mechanism of Figs. 10, 1l, 12 and 13 operates like that of Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, except that the rubber cushioning elements are in series rather than in tandem, thereby permitting a correspondingly greater compressive movement 1 and necessitating the provision for a corresponding excessive movement of the key corresponding to that designated I9 in the rst embodiment, and the auxiliary rubber cushioning device is housed in an extension from the back stop and center filler casting rather than disposed between said casting and a separate casting connected to the center sills. It will also be seen that the force transmitting member in the present embodiment is a U-shaped hollow cast member, the arms of which extend through corresponding apertures in the center filler casting into engagement with the front follower of the auxiliary draft gear, while the closed end is engaged directly by the rear end of the yoke I5.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 14, a construction-is there disclosed which is similar to that of Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, except that a double-ended gear I2b of the type described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 362,832, filed May 13, 1929, is substituted for the gear I2, front follower I3 of the first embodiment and the filler casting 42. This necessitates changing the cheek plates I8 or substituting cheek plates I8b, either with three slots or with a rearwardly disposed slot20b for receiving a connecting draft key I9b which passes through the gear housing 48b and holds said housing against forward movement while permitting limited rearward movement under the action of buing forces. The gear I2,

as fully described in my referred to application,

involves a housing 48b open at both ends and receiving friction wedges or elements 41h urged apart by curved plate springs, such as those ilaosaaes .t g. i, between the friction blocks Said friction blocks 41h may be interlocked with the followers I3b and 22D,

It will be clear that under the action of bunng forces from the coupler u, the cushioning units or mechanism at both ends of the housing 48h and the auxiliary rubber cushioning mechanism on the other side of the center ller casting 3b are compressed, while under the action of draft forces only the cushioning unit or mechanism at the rear end of the housing 48h is compressed through the embracing yoke I 5b connected to the coupler I 4b in any usual or desired manner, as by a key (not shown) like the key I6 of the first embodiment, as the housing 48h is prevented from forward movement by the key I9". The cushioning capacity of the arrangement is augmented for buffing, not only by the auxiliary rubber gear, as in the rst embodiment, but also by the front mechanism of the housing 48. It will also be understood that such a friction gear l2b may be applied without the key I9b, and in combination with a front follower, such as that designated I3, and other elements substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 illustrating the first embodiment of my invention.

Although I have shown a construction comprising resilient rubber as the cushioning means for the auxiliary gear, with the units arranged, first, in tandem and, second, in series, it will be understood that, if desired, I may use such for the main gear as well, or for the main gear and substitute a spring or friction draft gear for the present auxiliary gear, it being understood, however, that the arrangement shown is preferred. By using rubber, at least in part, as the cushioning medium, the shock of any force is efficiently absorbed with a reduction of the recoil, because resilient rubber has desirable energy-absorbing properties when compressed. It will also be understood that although I have only shown one end of the underframe of the car and cushioning mechanism contained therein, yet the mechanism at the other end is desirably, though not necessarily, similar to that shown.

It will be noted that by having Vrubber disposed between a series of plates or intermediate followers rather than inthe form of a large mass, said rubber is retained in the desired shape without being squeezed or distorted to a destructive extent, while, at the same time, when the mechansm is compressed, a considerable part of the energy applied thereto is dissipated internally as heat, thereby materially reducing the recoil without the use of metal-to-metal friction elements.

The advantage of using resilient rubber to supplement the action of the friction draft gear, or means forwardly of the center ller casting, is on account cf the following characteristics of draft gears. A normal mechanical draft gear, when consisting only of springs, has a capacity line which is practically straight and extends diagonally because spring capacity is in direct proportion to deflection. When friction elements are added, a capacity line is produced which curves upward because the friction resistance increases faster than the deflection.. Resilient rubber is a substance which acts to some extent as a liquid of high viscosity and yields very freely to the first pressure, but builds up'resistance according to laws which mechanical means cannot follow. One of the purposes of the present invention is, therefore, to harness together the individual characteristics of two distinct modes of absorbing energy, so that when the mechanicaI or friction gear has done its best, or gone solid. then the peculiar characteristics of the rubber appear, and the curve produced by the mechanical gear is extended strictly in accordance with the laws which governs rubber under high unit compression.

When two friction gears are combined in service, one of them does not close before the other if they are of the same capacity. They close simultaneously and the compound curve for the two can be predicted by simply multiplying the vertical ordinates of the curve of the single gear by two, if they are used in tandem or parallel, and this affects the combined curve from the outset. If the gears are used in series, the energy absorption is twice that for a single gear, but the increase is in the travel and not in the ordinates of the curve or static capacity.

When a friction gear and a resilient rubber gear are used in series, a point is finally reached at which the friction gear goes solid, while the rubber gear has not been stressed to the fullest extent. If the force on the gears increases beyond that point, the resistance of the rubber gear builds up very speedily with the provision of no definite solid point, so that even with exceedingly great bufflng' forces, the rubber serves to greatly defer or substantially eliminate the exhaustion of cushioning effect. It will, therefore, be seen that we are not dealing with what might be considered as mechanical equivalents in combining resilient rubber and friction gears, but with different characteristics, so that the friction gear may serve to provide for the desired normal energy absorption over a limited coupler movement, while the rubber gear serves to supplement the action of the friction gear in providing a cushioning backing or over-solid supplement to said friction gear.

A further characteristic of resilient rubber which makes it a very good supplement to a friction draft gear is that rubber will stand without damage momentary loads greatly in excess of its static carrying capacity. The characteristic of a friction draft gear in this respect is just the reverse in that it can carry a static load which, if repeated through impact, would shortly ruin the gear. Rubber will stand momentarily five times its normal static carrying capacity. For i this reason, it will be seen that by providing for the combination of the characteristics of rubber draft gears and friction draft gears, a valuable combined cushioning arrangement is provided which not only furnishes the desired amount of travel, whereby excessive forces are not built up during the cushioning action at normal times, but also provides for eliminating the sudden shock cn the associated railway vehicle due to the friction gear suddenly going solid under excessive buflng forces.

Although I have disclosed certain preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that the same are merely illustrative, and that modifications may be made Within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:-

l1. Cushioning mechanism comprising a series of cushioning units, each unit consisting of a plurality of concentric resilient rubber rings mounted on a generally circular metal plate, a pair of intermediate followers disposed between each pair of adjacent units, each intermediate follower comprising a generally circular disk with one flat side and lugs. beyond the circular portion, ex-

said lugs being intercalated with and adapted to slidably engage on both sides and guide the lugs of the adjacent intermediate follower to substantially fill a draft gear pocket generally square in section, the lugs of each intermediate follower straddling the disk portion of the adjacent follower and extending, to overlap the cushioning unit therebeyond, into engagement with the at side of the follower at the other side of said cushioning unit, and a follower at each end of said mechanism engaging'the outer face of the adjacent cushioning unit and the lugs of the intermediate follower which overlap said unit, whereby all of the units are actuated in tandem upon the application of buiiing force to the outer followers.

2. Cushioning mechanism comprising a series of cushioning units, each unit consisting of a series of resilient rubber elements mounted on a metal plate, a pair of intermediate followers disposed between each pair of adjacent units, each intermediate follower comprising a disk with one flat side and lugs extending in one direction, said lugs being snuglyintercalated in mutual guiding relation with respect to the lugs of the adjacent intermediate follower, the lugs of each intermediate follower straddling the disk portion of the adjacent follower and extending, to overlap the cushioning unit therebeyond, into engagement with the fiat side of the follower at the other side of sa`id cushioning unit, and a follower at each end of said mechanism engaging the outer face of the adjacent cushioning unit and the lugs of the intermediate follower which overlap said unit.

3. A resilient rubber draft gear comprising a series of cushioning units, each unit consisting of a plurality of resilient rubber elements mounted on a metal plate, a pair of intermediate followers disposed between each pair of `adjacent units, each intermediate follower comprising a disk with one flat side and lugs extending in one direction, said lugs being intercalatedy with the lugs of the adjacent intermediate follower, the lugs of each intermediate follower straddling the disk portion of the adjacent follower and extending to overlap the cushioning unit therebeyond into engagement with the fiat side of the follower at the other side of said unit, and a follower at each end of said mechanism engaging the outer face of the adjacent cushioning unit and the lugs of the intermediate follower which overlap said unit.

4. A bolster center filler casting comprising side walls adapted for connection with associated draft sills, a vertical aperture adapted to receive a king pin, a transverse wall connecting the front edges of said side walls, a plurality of longitudinal apertures through said casting, a plurality of plungers longitudinally slidable in said apertures, and a plunger mounted on said casting above said first-mentioned plungers and disposed directly over said king pin aperture.

5. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, a center filler casting connecting said sills, a coupler, a friction draft gear disposed forwardly of said casting and connected to said coupler for cushioning draft and bufllng forces, a resilient rubber gear disposed rearwardly of said casting, and plungers slidably mounted on said casting, with the normally horizontal planes of their axes disposed in vertically spaced relation, and serving to transmit bufling forces from the rear end of said friction gear to the forward end of said rubber gear, said rubber gear being of such a capacity that it acts simultaneously with the friction gear during the buiiing movement.

6. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, a center filler casting connecting said-sills, a coupler and a pair of draft gears, one of said draft gears being of the friction type and the other being of the resilient rubber type, one of said gears being disposed forwardly of said casting and connected to said coupler for cushioning draft and bumng forces, the other gear being disposed rearwardly of said casting, and plunger means slidably mounted on said casting, spaced at a plurality of elevations, and serving to transmit bufiing forces from the rear end of the forward gear to the .forward end of the rearward gear, said gears being of such capacity that they act simultaneously during buiiing movement.

'7. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, a center filler casting connecting said sills and comprising a king pin thimble, a coupler and a pair of draft gears, one of said draft gears being of the friction type and the other being of the resilient rubber type, one of said gears being disposed forwardly of said casting and connected to said coupler for cushioning draft and bufllng forces, the other gear being disposed rearwardly of said casting, and plunger means slidably mounted on said casting, comprising elements extending rearwardly from, and held against relative transverse movement by, follower-acting means at their forward ends, at least some of them laterally spaced `so as to extend on both sides 0f the king pin thimble, and serving to transmit bufilng forces from the rear end of the forward gear to the forward end of the rearward gear, said gears being of such capacity that they act simultaneously during bufllng movement.

8. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, a center filler casting connecting said sills, a coupler, a draft gear disposed forwardly of said casting, means connecting said coupler to said gear for the transmission of draft forces thereto, another gear disposed on the other side of said casting, and plunger means slidably mounted on said casting, comprising elements extending rearwardly from, and held against relative transverse movement by, follower-acting means at their forward ends, at least some of them laterally spaced and serving to transmit buiiing forces from the rear end of said first-mentioned gear to the forward end of said other gear, whereby said gears act simultaneously during bufling movement.

9. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, a center filler casting connecting said sills, a. coupler, a plurality of cushioning units arranged in series, one in advance of another, the rearmost of said units being disposed on the opposite side of said center filler casting from said other umts, one of said units being disposed intermediate other units, means for transmitting draft forces from said coupler to said intermediate unit, stop means cooperating with one of said units to permit compression thereof under draft, stop means cooperating with the rearmost unit to permit compression thereof under buff, and means for causing bufiing force imparted by said coupler to the foremost of said cushioning umts to be transmitted through said intermediate unit to said rearmost unit, said means comprising laterally spaced elements acting as plungers and slidably mounted on said casting for transmitting bufflng forces from the rear end of an intermediate unit to the front end of said rearmost unit, whereby the total cushioning capacity of the units may be utilized for buiiing forces and only a portion thereof for draft forces.

10. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, a center filler Vcasting connecting said sills, a coupler, a double draft gear, comprising a housing with friction cushioning mechanism at each end mounted between said sills and connected thereto by a key permitting rearward movement while preventing forward movement, means connecting said coupler and double gear for transmitting draft forces thereto, another gear disposed rearwardly of said casting, and plunger means slidably mounted on said casting, comprising elements laterally spaced and serving to transmit bufilng forces from the rear end of the double gear to the forward end of the rearmost gear, whereby said gears act together for cushioning bufiing forces and only a portion of the double gear is utilized for cushioning draft forces.

11. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, a center filler casting connecting said sills, a coupler, and a plurality of draft gears, one of said gears being of the resilient rubber type and the remainder being of the friction type, said rubber gear being disposed on the opposite side of the casting from the remainder of said gears, a gear forwardly of said casting being connected to said coupler for cushioning draft and bumng forces, and plunger means slidably mounted on said casting, comprising laterally spaced elements, and serving to transmit bumng forces through said casting to the gear rearwardly thereof, the gear adjacent the front of said casting having a rear follower and that adjacent the rear of said casting having a front follower, said followers having their adjacent sides pocketed to receive the respective ends of said spaced elements to hold them against relative transverse movement, said gears being of such capacity that they act simultaneously during buing movement, and the rubber gear providing cushioning means with no definite solid point for improving the operating characteristics of the arrangement.

DONALD S. BARROWS.

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