US2063058A - Vehicle end construction - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 8, 1936. w. M. SHEEHAN VEHICLE END CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 3, 1932 rd y M f w z Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE William M. Sheehan, Merion, Pa., assignor to General Steel Castings Corporation, Granite City, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application October 3, 1932, Serial No. 635,904

16 Claims. (01. 213-9) This invention relates to railway cars and parlink into position during the coupling operation. ticularly cars for mine, quarry, or similar serv- These objects and others are attained substanice, and consists in improvements in the contially by the structure illustrated in the accomstruction of the underframe end members for panying drawing in which this type of vehicle. Figure 1 is in part a top view and in part a hor- 5 In certain types of cars, such for instance as izontal section on the line ll of Figure 2 and those used in mining operations, it is desirable illustrating the invention.

to obtain the maximum loading capacity with- Figure 2 is in part an end elevation and in part out increasing the external dimensions of the a vertical transverse section taken on the line car, these dimensions being restricted by the 22 of Figure 1. 10

height and width of the passage through which Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken the car passes, by the length of elevator cages in on the line 33 of Figure 1, portions of an adwhich car must be moved, and by the sharpness joining vehicle being shown in broken lines.

of curves in the track where the vehicle is oper- Figures 4 and 5 are similar views taken on the ated on rails. It has been suggested to increase corresponding section lines of Figure 1. 5 the capacity of mine cars by lowering the floor, The draft and buffing device illustrated in the suitable pockets and depressions being provided figures embodies many of the features of the defor wheels and other under equipment. Mine vice shown in my copending application Serial cars at present in use frequently utilize draft and No. 602,925 and includes spaced transversely disbuifing devices which extend a substantial disposed draft and buffer members I and 2, respec- 2O tance along the center line of the car and prevent tively, having opposed spring seats 3 and 4. The lowering of this portion of the floor. draft member 5 is normally seated against the My copending application, Serial No.. 602,925, Vertical wall 5 of the end sill 6, to be described filed April 4, 1932, illustrates a novel draft and hereafter, and has a restricted outwardly probuffing device which is located substantially outjecting bifurcated portion 1 extending within 25 side the end wall of the car. However, such a debuffer member 2 between the spring seats 4. The vice must be shaped and positioned in a manner buffer member has restricted intermediate porto be used with cars having the present type of tions 8 overlying the draft member between the draft and buffing equipment. spring seats 3 and vertically spaced lugs 9 pro- One object of the present invention is to projecting sidewardly from the transverse extremi- 30 vide a housing suitable for mounting a draft and ties thereof adjacent spring seats 4. The draft buffing device generally similar to that illustrated and buffer members are yieldingly held apart by in the above-mentioned copending application. means of coiled springs 10 and the movement Another object is to provide a housing that thereof longitudinally of the vehicle is limited will allow the draft and buffing device to extend by the wall 5 and anchoring bolts or pins H. 35 within the line of end lading limit of the car but Projecting outwardly from the buffer member at the same time permit a substantial part of the is a restricted buffer plate part 12 having a front lading floor to be below the level of the device. opening I3 for receiving the draw bar i4 secured Another object is to provide a car underframe between the projecting jaws I of the draft memend sill having an intermediate hollow boxber by a draw bar pin l5 extending through alined 40 shaped part suitably reinforced for accommodatelongated openings IS in the buffer beam and ing such a device. through closely fitting openings in the draft beam.

Another object is to provide a housing for a Figure 3 shows adjacent vehicles each equipped draft and bufiing device arranged to receive with the novel draft and buffing device. Howdraft forces at points spaced substantially transever, the flanges lZa on the buffer member are 45 versely of the structure. disposed to cooperate with other types of buffers Another object is to provide means for decreasat present in use. The sides of member I2 are ing shear stress concentration upon the bolts p n asllificient distance TearWardly 0f flange w which anchor the buffer beam to the end sill. to permit draw bar [4 to be swung sidewardly in Still another object is to provide a car end conopening l3 to clear the buifer member on the ad- 50 struction in which the connecting draft link can jacent car during coupling and following contactbe swung clear as the buffer faces are brought ing of buffers to be swung into coupling position, together and then moved into its proper coupling thus avoiding the hazardous necessity of guiding position, thus increasing the safety factor by the draw bar into place during the coupling opavoiding the necessity of guiding the connecting eration. 55'

The draft and bufiing device is housed within a hollow box-shaped part of the end sill 6, which part includes the vertical inner wall 5 and side walls I! merging with the inner wall 5 in substantial curves i8. Extending along the top wall I9 of the housing is an upright rib 2B for mounting the car end wall 2|, the rib 29 being located outwardly of wall 5 between the same and the buffer flanges [2a. Pads or ribs 22 are provided on the inner surfaces of the top web l9 and the bottom web 23 for limiting the vertical play of the draft and bufiing device within the housing. The space 32 between the edges of the spring seats 3 and 4 is preferably less than the sum of the normal distances between the individual spring coils so that the springs cannot go solid and this space is also less than the space 33 between the outer ends of the draft beam projections l and the flanges I211 50 that these latter-mentioned parts will not contact when the springs are compressed.

A portion of the flooring 24 of the car adjacent the end sill inclines dagonally upward, as at 25, and merges with the top web it of the end sill adjacent its intersection with the vertical inner wall 5. The construction shown is particularly adapted for fixed ends and rotary dumping, but where end dumping is desired, an end door can be substituted for wall 2! and flange 29 and incline 25 would be made less abrupt in order to allow easier discharge through the end door. Diagonal portion 25 and wall 5 are braced by flanged ribs 25 in substantial alinement with spring seats 3 and 4 on the draft and buffer beams and these members cooperate to form a rigid angular reinforcement extending along the rear surface of the end sill. The outer wall 21 of the end sill has portions 28 extending diagonally outward and merging with each side wall II. The bottom web of the sill extends downwardly at an angle adjacent portions 28 of the front wall to merge with the deepened bottom web 23 of the housing.

Extending inwardly from the side walls I! be tween the lugs 9 of the buffer beam are ribs or lugs 29 which are reinforced by ribs 30 extending in alinement therewith from walls H to diagonal portions 28 0f the end sill outer wall. Anchoring elements H are secured in the top and bottom walls of the housing and extend through elongated openings 3| in the lugs S and through the interposed lugs 29. These interposed lugs serve to decrease the shear stress concentration upon the bolts, these being subjected to quadruple shear instead of double as would be the case if the intermediate lugs were eliminated. Draft forces are distributed through the transversely spaced bolts i l to the end sill, these forces being carried by the flanged ribs 26 and by the'floor 24 of the car. Bufling forces are carried through the wall 5 and the flanged ribs 26 to the vehicle floor.

I have illustrated the invention as applied to an integral mine car underframe structure, but it will be understood that many of the features thereof may be used advantageously with a builtup underframe. The novel end sill housing may be utilized for either a draft or a bufiing device, or a device for transmitting all longitudinal forces, as shown.

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle end structure including a substantially box-like part for housing a longitudinal force transmitting device, the top, bottom and sides of said part forming end sill elements, and a superstructure end wall member extending along the top wall of the structure and located outwardly of the inner wall of said box-like part, the

portion of said top wall inwardly of said member forming a portion of the vehicle floor.

2. A dump car underframe end structure including flooring, and an end sill having a boxshaped part forming a housing for a longitudinal force transmitting device, said flooring being inclined upwardly adjacent said sill and merging with the top wall thereof and cooperating with the rear wall of said box-shaped part to form an angular reinforcement along the rear surface of said sill.

3. In combination, a vehicle underframe structure including an end sill having a box-shaped hollow part, flooring inclined upwardly adjacent said sill and merging with the top wall thereof adjacent the inner wall of said hollow part, and ribs extending between said inclined flooring and said inner wall, and a longitudinal force transmitting device in said hollow part and including spring seats in alinement with said ribs, said inclined flooring, rear Wall and ribs forming a rigid reinforcement for said end sill.

4. A vehicle end sill structure including a part for receiving a draft and bufling device, vertically spaced members in said part arranged to receive an element for anchoring a draft and buifing device, and a lug projecting from a wall of said part between said members and arranged to engage said element, said lug serving to decrease shear stress concentration in said element.

5. A vehicle end sill structure including a boxshaped part for housing a draft and buffing device, transversely spaced pins extending between the top and bottom walls of said part for anchoring said device, and lugs projecting from said part between said walls and engaging said pins, said lugs serving to decrease shear stress concentration in said pins.

6. In combination, a vehicle end sill structure including a hollow part, and a longitudinal force transmitting device housed in said part and including a buffer beam having lugs projecting from the transverse extremities thereof and pins anchored in the top and bottom walls of said part and extending through said lugs.

7. In combination, a vehicle end sill structure including a hollow part, a draft and buffing device housed in said part and including a buffer beam having vertically spaced lugs projecting from each transverse extremity thereof, a lug projecting from said part between adjacent buffer beam lugs, and anchoring pins extending through the top and bottom walls of said part and through said lugs, said lugs serving to divide shear stresses in said pins.

8. In combination, a vehicle end sill structure including a hollow box-like part and a superstructure end wall member extending above the top wall of the sill and located outwardlyof and above the rear wall of said hollow part, a draft and bufiing device in said part and including a transversely disposed buffer beam having a restricted bufiing plate part projecting outwardly of the sill, and a drawbar pin in said projecting part.

9. A vehicle end sill structure including an outwardly projecting box-like intermediate part for housing a draft and buffing device, portions of the outer wall of said structure extending diagonally outwardly and merging with the side walls of said box-like part to form angular reinforcements for said part.

10. A vehicle end sill structure including an outwardly projecting box-like intermediate part for housing a draft and bufling device, portions of the outer wall of said structure extending diagonally outwardly and merging with the side: walls of said box-like part to form angular reinforcements for said part, transversely spaced elements in the top and bottom walls of said part near said side walls for mounting pins for anchoring said device, and lugs projecting from said side walls between said elements and arranged to engage said anchoring pins to decrease shear stress concentration therein.

11. A vehicle end sill structure including a hollow box-like intermediate part for housing a draft and buffing device, portions of the outer wall of said structure extending diagonally outwardly and merging with the side walls of said box-like part, elements in the top and bottom walls of said part near said side walls for mounting pins for anchoring said device, and a rib extending from each of said diagonal portions through the adjacent side wall of said part and having a portion located between said elements for engaging said anchoring pins to decrease shear stress concentration therein.

12. As a new article of manufacture, an integral cast metal structure comprising a vehicle underframe end sill member including a hollow box-like part forming a housing for a draft and buffing device, and a floor member sloping diagonally upwardly and merging with the upper surface of said sill and the rear wall of said box-like part, said flooring member and rear wall constituting a rigid reinforcement for said sill.

13. In a combined draft and buffing gear for a car, the combination with a housing open at its forward end; of a bufiing head telescoped within the housing, said head being longitudinally slotted to accommodate a coupling pin; stop means for limiting outward movement of the bufiing head with respect to said housing; a yoke within the housing; means within the yoke yieldingly opposing relative movement of the yoke and bustfing head; and a coupling pin extending through the yoke and held against longitudinal movement with respect to the yoke, said pin extending also through the slots of said buffing head and being movable in said slots in a direction lengthwise of the car.

14. In a combined draft and buffing gear for a car, the combination with a supporting casing on the car; of a yoke extending into said casing, said yoke having top and bottom arms; a hollow buffing head telescoped within the casing and enclosing said arms, said head having means thereon for guiding the yoke arms for sliding movement; cushioning means yieldingly opposing relative movement of said bufiing head and yoke; and means connected to the yoke arms for coupling the car to another car.

15. In a combined draft and buffing gear for a car, the combination with a supporting member; of a movable buffing head slidable with respect to said supporting member; means for limiting outward movement of said buffing head and holding the same assembled with the supporting member; a yoke slidable with respect to the supporting member, said yoke having top and bottom arms guided within said buffing head; a coupling pin extending through the buffing head and arms of the yoke for limiting outward movement of the yoke with respect to the buffing head; and means within the yoke yieldingly opposing rela tive movement of the yoke and buffing head.

16. A vehicle underframe structure including an end sill with its members constructed and arranged to form a pocket for housing a. draft and buffing device, a lading carrying floor member inclined upwardly from a point at the level of the bottom of said pocket and at the rear thereof to a point at the level of the top of said pocket and extending over the same, and an element of said member for mounting a superstructure end wall above said pocket, said element being located outwardly of the inner end of said pocket.

WILLIAM M. SHEEHAN.

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