US2109133A - Draft rigging - Google Patents

Description

B. w KADEL -DRAFT RIGGING Feb. 22, 1938.

Fiied March a, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 22, 1938. B, w. KADEL DRAFT RIGGING Filed March's, 1931 fig 2 4 2 Shets-Shget' 2 dbtowa:

Patented Feb. 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE Symington-Gould Corporation,

Rochester,

N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application March 3, 1931, Serial No. 519,840

16 Claims.

enclosed in a housing, shell or column member and operated in series when the associated drawbar is subjected to buffing forces, with only a portion of said devices operative when the drawbar is subjected to draft forces.

Another object of my invention is the provision of draft rigging associated with the center or draft sills of a railway vehicle and involving cushioning means preferably housed in a shell or collar member formed with upper and lower trunnions, lugs or key means projecting from the upper and. lower surfaces of said shell and connected to the coupler or drawbar of the vehicle by yoke-acting means involving upper and lower arms or links connected to the associated drawbar by means of a vertical member or key which allows for relative angling of said drawbar or coupler, the sills being provided with stop means so that a portion of the mechanism is energized when the drawbar is subjected to draft forces, while all is energized when the coupler is subjected to bufling forces.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a plurality of cushioning devices connected to an associated drawbar or yoke-acting means in such a manner that the front or outer device only is energized when the drawbar is subjected to draft forces while all of said devices are energized when the drawbar is subjected to buffing forces.

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 invention the scope whereof is defined by the appended claims:-

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view between the sills of a railway vehicle underframe illustrating one embodiment of my doubleended series draft gear and associated rigging and lugs, said gear being illustrated in side elevation.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the rigging and associated parts shown in Figure 1, portions of the draft gear and parts being shown in plan.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional View on the line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. 5

Figure 4 is a View corresponding to Figure l, but showing a modification.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective of the yoke-acting means shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view corresponding to Figure 1, but showing another modification.

Referring to the drawings indetail, like parts being designated by like reference 1 characters, and first considering the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3, there are shown portions of an underframe adapted for use with railway vehicles and comprising center or draft sills I connected by a back-stop or combined backstop and center filler casting 2 and a striking casting or combined striking casting and sill tie member 3. In the present embodiment, the casting 3 is shown provided with an opening 4 receiving the drawbar or coupler stem 5 with the sill tie portion 6 of said member provided with a wear plate 1 adapted to directly sup- 25 port said drawbar.

Mounted between the sills I is a cushioning device 8 preferably in the form of a double-ended friction draft gear involving a housing or column member 9 open at both ends and formed with upper and lower preferably integral trunnion or lug portions I0 and I I serving for connection with upper and lower links or arms I2 and I3 with the rear ends swiveled on said trunnio-ns and the front ends slotted, as indicated at I l and I5," to receive the upright or vertical member or key I6, which normally extends through a registering slot I! in the drawbar or coupler stem for connecting said links I2 and I3 with said drawbar for the transmission of draft forces therebetween, thereby adapting said links to serve as yoke-acting means.

The drawbar 5 in the present embodiment is shown of the radial type, although I do not wish to be limited thereto. In said embodiment the/ rear end of the drawbar 5 is pocketed, as indicated at I8, and receives a tongue I9 extending from a radial shim 29 and slotted, as indicated at 2I, to receive the key I6, the front face of the shim 20 being desirably cylindrically or spherical-" 1y concave and engaging a correspondinglyformed surface on the coupler to permit angling therebetween when subjected to buffing forces Without any gouging action between the rear face of the shim 20 and the front face of the associated front' 55 follower 22. Radial movement of the drawbar with respect to the vehicle and yoke-acting means is desirably permitted by flaring the side Walls of the slot II forwardly, as shown most clearly in Figure 2, to provide the necessary clearance for angling with respect to the key I6. The lower surface 23 of the front end of the link I2 and the upper surface 24 of the lower link I3 are desirably sloped or flared rearwardly to permit a certain amount of vertical angling between the drawbar and links without spreading of said links.

In order to provide for the support of the key I6, a carry iron 25 extends between the sills I and not only serves for supporting the link I3 and, through it, the associated cushioning mechanism 8 and link I2, but is also provided with a depending apertured portion 26 receiving the rear end of a supporting pin 21 on which the lower end of the key I6 is adapted to slide upon movement thereof with the drawbar 5. The front end of the supporting pin 21 is desirably received in a pocket 28 formed in a rearward extension from the sill tie or coupler carrier portion 6 of the striking casting 3, so that said pin 21 bridges the space between the carrier. portion 6 and the carry iron 25'. Undesired removal of the pin 21 maybe prevented bya cotter orpther locking means 29, the rear end of said pin '21 also desirably normally engaging a shouldered portion 30 on the carrier 25, so that even without the locking means 29 the pin 21 will tend to stay in position. The lower end of the key I6 is desirably notched to fit over the pin 21, as shown most clearly in Figure 3. It will thus be seen that the vertical connecting key I6is slidably mounted on a longitudinally extending normally horizontal pin 21, the ends of which are, in turn, supported on a plurality of spaced carriers and desirably locked in place against movement.

The rearward portion of the housing 9 is desirably supported on a carrier 3|, said carrier being desirably formed with a 'rearwardly extending shelf 32 disposed below the level of the main supporting portion to provide a notch 33, said shelf 32 serving to support the rear follower 34, which is disposed loosely between the cushioning mechanism 8 and backstop 2, in the sense that it is not secured to either, and the shoulder 33 serving to prevent forward movement of said follower when the cushioning mechanism is pulled away under the action of draft forces. The upper portion of said follower 34 is stopped in a similar manner as by means of lugs'or plates 35 connected to the sills in any desired manner, as by means of rivets 36.

The'housing 9 of the cushioning device 8 may enclose spring and friction elements of various forms, the elements of the present embodiment involving friction wedges 31 formed with inclined friction surfaces 38 engaging corresponding surfaces 39 on the side walls of the housing 9, said inclined surfaces being desirably supplemented by inwardly disposed friction surfaces 40 on the wedges engaging corresponding surfaces M on the housing, said surfaces being separated from the main friction surfaces by shouldered portions 42 on the wedgesand 43 on the housing which serve to interlock the wedges with respect to the housing and to prevent undesired removal. Each pair of wedges at each end of the housing are desirably urged apart and into engagement with the friction surfaceson the housing by curved plate springs 44.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that under the action of draft forces, the front follower 22 is held stationary against the front stop lugs 45 which, in the embodiment shown, are formed as integral extensions on the combined striking casting and sill tie member 3, and the coupler stem or drawbar 5 pulls the yoke-acting means I2 and I3 forwardly through the connecting key I6 which, in turn, pull the housing 9 through the trunnions I0 and II, causing the housing to push forwardly over the front friction elements 3|, and thereby force them together against the resistance of the springs 44, actuating only the front cushioning mechanism, whereby the cushioning effect on draft is only one-half the total capacity of the double-ended gear illustrated, and the travel of the drawbar on draft with respect to the sills is only one-half the total permissible compression of the gear. Under the action of draft forces, the rear follower 34 is left behind, as held between the stop portions 33 and 35 against the backstop 2, whereby displacement or disarrangement of the follower with respect to the cushioning mechanism is obviated.

Under the action of buffing forces, the drawbar 5 engages the front follower 22, pushing the front friction elements 31 into the front opening of the housing 9 and simultaneously moving said housing rearwardly over the rear friction elements 3, so that a full compression of the gear on buff may be effected. Compression of the front friction mechanism on buff is effected by the rearward elongation of the slots I4 and I5 in the links I2 and I3 permitting rearward movement of the connecting key I6. In this way, increased relative capacity and drawbar travel equal to the aggregate capacity and travel of the front and rear cushioning devices is provided for the absorption of bufling forces. Although, for convenience and economy in manufacture, the gear is preferably made symmetrical so that the travel and capacity provided by each end is equal, yet this is not essential, and the capacity and travels of the two ends of the gear may be either equal or diiferent, as desired.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, a construction is there disclosed involving sills I a between which is mounted a double-ended cushioning device 8 comprising a housing 9. The cushioning device 8 of the present embodiment may correspond with that of the first embodiment, except that instead of having integral trunnions for connection with the yoke-acting means I2 the housing is formed with registering slots 46 and 47 through the upper and lower walls receiving a vertical connecting member or key 48 which passes through registering slots 49 and 5,0 in the rear portions of the yoke-acting means I 2'. The ends of the housing 9 and the associated friction elements 3! and actuating springs may; correspond with the first'ernbodiment.

The yoke-acting means I2 5 in the present embodiment, preferably takes the form of a pair of arms 5I and 52 connected at their front ends by side walls 53, as shown most clearly in Figure 5, thereby providing a 'hooded'portion receiving the drawbar 5 which may be identical with that of the first embodiment. As in the previous embodiment, a vertical key I6 desirably serves to connect the drawbar 5 with the yoke-acting means I2 and said keymay be supported, as in the previous embodiment, but in the present embodiment is shown supported directly from the yoke acting means, as by having a supporting pin 21.. the ends of which are received in a pocket 28 adjacent the front end of the yokeacting means and in an aperture 26 in an extension from the lower arm 52 of said yoke-acting means, said pin 26*, as in the previous embodiment, being desirably disposed with its rear end against a shouldered portion 30*, cotter or other locking means 29 being desirably provided for preventing loss or undesired removal.

As in the previous embodiment, the rear portion of the housing 9 is supported on a carrier 3W formed with shelf and shouldered portions 32 and 33 respectively, for engaging the rear follower 3%, upper stop means 35 being desirably provided for said follower, as in the previous embodiment, whereby it is held immovable against the front end of the backstop Z at all times;

The action of the arrangement of. Figures 4 and 5 under the action of draft and buffing forces may be identical with that of Figures: 1, 2, and 3. A slight modification, however, is illustrated which permits vertical angling between the butt or rear face of the shim 20 and the front face of the associated follower 22 without gouging of said follower. In other words, as indicated at 5 5, the front face of the follower 22 may be spherically or cylindrically concavely curved, and the rear face of the shim 20 correspondingly curved to provide the desired angling therebetween without gouging.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figure 6, a construction is there disclosed which isidentical, with one of the previous embodiments except that between the rear follower 34 for the cushioning mechanism 8 is an auxiliary cushioning device or draft gear involving a housing 56,-the rear face of which abuts a backstop and/or center filler casting 2* provided With a forwardly extending ledge 5'! supporting the rear end of the housing 56, the front end of said housing and the follower 34 being desirably supported on a carry iron or carrier 58 separate from the carrier 30, the stop means for said follower 34 being provided by the rear face or edge 33 of the carrier 3l I'he construction of the spring and friction cushioning elements in the housing 56 may be of any desired character and, in the embodiment shown, correspond with those of the main cushioning device 8* which, inturn, corresponds with cushioning devices of the previous embodiments. In other words, the upper and lower walls of the housing 56 are desirably provided with inclined friction surfaces engaged by corresponding surfaces on friction wedges 59 pressed apart by curved plate springs 60 and interlocked with respect to the housing 55 in a manner corresponding with the interlock of the wedge blocks of the main gear. Except as specifically described in connection with the present embodiment, the same may correspond With that of one of the previous embodiments. Theaction of the mechanism of the present embodiment on draft corresponds with that of one of the previous embodiments, and the action on buff is the same as that of one of. the previous embodiments, except that the cushioning effect and drawbar movement is increased by the capacity and compressive movement of the auxiliary cushioning device 55. It will be understood, of course, that the normal clearance between the horn 5| of the coupler or drawbar 5 and the casting 3 should be increased, as by providing a coupler with a 3 longer stem, to correspond with the increased travel provided by the auxiliary gear 55.

' From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have devised a form of draft rigging and associated cushioning devices arranged in series to provide for a greater travel of the drawbar and greater energy absorbing capacity for buffing forces than for draft forces.

Although I have illustrated certain 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:

1. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a drawbar, yoke-acting means having vertically alined openings, a member extending through said openings and drawbar for communicating draft forces from the latter to said yoke-acting means, a carrier extending under and engaging said yoke-acting means, a second carrier spaced from that first mentioned for supporting said drawbar, and means supported by both of said carriers, bridging the space therebetween and extending under said vertically extending member for supporting the latter with capability of sliding in response to draft and bufiing movements of the drawbar.

2. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a drawbar, yoke-acting means comprising upper and lower portions with vertically alined openings, a member extending through said openings and a registering opening in said drawbar for communicating draft forces from the latter to said yoke-acting means, a plurality of spaced carriers disposed below said associated members for supporting said yoke-acting means and drawbar, and means extending between said carriers and supported thereby for supporting said member.

3. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a drawbar, and vertically spaced links disposed above and below said drawbar, means connecting said drawbar and links, a cushioning device comprising a housing resting on said lower link, cushioning means cooperating with said housing at each end, stop means for preventing forward movement of the front cushioning means while permitting rearward movement thereof, and stop means preventing rearward movement of the rear cushioning means, said housing being provided with trunnions extending from the upper and lower surfaces thereof, the rear ends of said links being pivotally mounted on said trunnions for actuating only the front cushioning means on draft, the means connecting said links and drawbar being relatively movable with respect to said links whereby said drawbar actuates both front and rear cushioning means on buff.

4. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a drawbar and vertical yoke-acting means, means connecting said drawbar and yoke-acting means, a cushioning device, means connecting said cushioning device and yoke-acting means, a follower normally engaging the rear end of said cushioning device, an auxiliary cushioning device disposed rearwardly of said follower, a backstop connecting said sills, normally engaging the auxiliary cushioning device and supporting the rear end thereof, and means performing the double function of supporting the rear end of said firstmentioned cushioning device and preventing forward movement of said follower.

5. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a drawbar having a curved rear face and a rearwardly opening pocket, vertically spaced links disposed above and below said drawbar, a cushioning device disposed between said links rearwardly of said drawbar and'comprising a housing, cushioning means cooperating with said housing at each end, stop means for preventing forward movement of the front cushioning means on draft, and stop means for preventing rearward movement of the rear cushioning means on buff, said housing being provided with trunnions extending from the upper and lower surfaces thereof, the rear ends of said links being pivotally connected to said trunnions for pulling the housing forwardly on draft and actuating only the front cushioning means, said trunnion connection permitting angling of said links, and means for permitting angling of said drawbar, said means comprising a shim with a flat rear face engaging said cushioning device, a curved front face engaged by the curved rear face on said drawbar, and a tongue extending forwardly and received in said rearwardly opening pocket, and upright means extending through the forward portions of said links, the rear portion of said drawbar and said tongue for simultaneously connecting said parts while permitting relative angling thereof.

6. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a drawbar, yoke acting means comprising elements with vertically aligned openings at front and rear ends, a cushioning device disposed between the rear portions of said elements, and

means extending upwardly and downwardly therefrom and received in the rearward aligned openings of said elements for connecting the parts, connecting means extending through said forward aligned openings and said drawbar for the transmission of draft forces from said drawbar to said yoke-actingmeans, a carrier extending under and engaging said yoke-acting means, a second carrier spaced from that first mentioned for supporting said 'drawbar, and means supported by both of said carriers, bridging the space therebetween, and extending under said connecting means for the support thereof,

'7. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a drawbar, yoke-acting means with vertically aligned openings at front and rear ends, a cushioning device disposed between the rear portions of said means, and means extending upwardly and downwardly therefrom and received in the rearward aligned openings of said yoke-acting means for connecting the parts, connecting means extending through said forward aligned openings and said drawbar for the transmission of draft forces from said drawbar to saidyokeacting means, longitudinally extending supporting means disposed under said connecting means for the support thereof, and longitudinally spaced carriers holding the ends of said supporting means.

8. A friction draft gear comprising a column member, a set of friction elements cooperating with said member at each end, and integral trunnions extending from opposite walls of said column member between the friction elements at the ends thereof for an equalizing connection with yoke-acting means, whereby said draft gear,

when used with front and rear stops and connected to a drawbar through such yoke acting means, may be fully compressed by bufling forces and the column memberpulled forwardly to operate only the friction elements at the front end thereof on draft.

9. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a coupler, a yoke-device having a plurality of pairs of vertically aligned openings, pivot means extending through said coupler and one pair of said openings for operatively connecting said coupler to said yoke device for the transmission of draft forces, a column member positioned to the rear of said coupler, force-transmitting means projecting above and below the upper and lower surfaces of said column member and extending through another pair of aligned openings, the openings of one of said pairs being elongated so that the coupler may move rearwardly with respect to said column member. I

10. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a coupler, a yoke device comprising a plurality of vertically spaced arms connected adjacent their forward ends by-substantially parallel webs and receiving the rear end of said coupler between said'webs and the connected portions of said arms, pivot means extending through vertically aligned apertures in said arms and lying approximately midway between said webs for connecting said coupler and yoke device, a column member positioned to the rear of said coupler and disposed between the rearward portions of said vertically spaced arms, force-transmitting means projecting above and below the upper and lower surfaces respectively of said column member, said arms having slots adjacent the rear ends thereof to receive said force-transmitting means.

11. In railway draft rigging, in combination with a coupler, a yoke device comprising a plu-, rality of vertically spaced arms connected adjacent their forward ends, said coupler having its rear end partially housed in the forward portion of said yoke 'device, pivot means extending through said coupler, and openings in the forward portion of said yoke device for connecting said coupler and device, a column member positioned to the rear. of said coupler and disposed between rearward portions of said arms, a connecting key intersecting and projecting above and below said column member, said arms having a pair of vertically aligned openings receiving the end portions of saidkey, some of the openings in the yoke device, receiving the connecting means, being elongated so that the coupler'may move rearwardly with respect to said column member, said key having lateral projections adjacent its upper end supported on the upper arm, and means intersecting the lower end portion of said'key for preventing undesired upward movement.

12. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, a backstop connecting intermediate portions, and a combined striking casting and coupler carrier member connecting end portions of said sills, a coupler received in said I combined casting and with its stem disposed between said sills, draft lugs mounted on said sills on opposite sides of saidstem, a yoke device having a pair of vertically spaced arms, said arms having forward and rearward pairs of vertically aligned openings, pivot means extending through said shank and the forward pair of openings,

normally registering with an aperture through a said column member between said friction ele ments, and a key extending through said aligned arm apertures and column aperture for connecting said yoke device and column, one of the pairs of arm apertures being elongated so that the coupler may move rearwardly with respect to said column member, the forward friction elements acting on said draft lugs, and the rearward friction elements acting on said backstop, and means underlying the intermediate portions of said lower arm and the rearmost end portion of said column for supporting the mechanism.

13. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, a backstop connecting said sills, a drawbar, a draft gear comprising a housing, a rear follower for said gear, loosely disposed between the latter and backstop, means connecting said drawbar and housing for moving the latter forward independently of said rear follower, and an integral carrier underlying the rear end of said housing and said follower, said carrier having a portion offset to provide a shoulder immediately forward of said rear follower for holding the same in engagement with said backstop.

14. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, a backstop connecting said sills, a coupler, a draft gear, a rear follower for said gear, loosely disposed between the latter and backstop, means connecting said coupler and gear for moving the latter forward independently of said rear follower, and an integral carrier underlying, and provided with a shoulder disposed immediately forward of, said follower for holding it in engagement with said backstop.

15. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, a backstop connecting said sills, a coupler, a draft gear, a rear follower for said gear, loosely disposed between the latter and backstop, means connecting said coupler and gear for moving the latter forward independently of said rear follower, an integral carrier underlying said follower and provided with a shoulder disposed immediately forward of said follower, and stop means secured to said sills forwardly of the upper part of said follower, said stop means and shoulder serving to hold said follower in engagement with the backstop.

16. In railway draft rigging, in combination with draft sills, a backstop connecting said sills, and an integral draft gear carrier secured to said sills and disposed forwardly of, and below, said backstop and having a rear portion offset downwardly to provide a shoulder parallel to and forward of the front face of the backstop for holding an associated rear follower in position in front of said backstop.

BYERS W, KADEL,

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