US2250537A

US2250537A - Spring drawhead and buffer

Info

Publication number: US2250537A
Application number: US219734A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert C Kepner
Original assignee: American Car and Foundry Co
Current assignee: ACF Industries Inc
Priority date: 1938-07-18
Filing date: 1938-07-18
Publication date: 1941-07-29
Anticipated expiration: 1958-07-29

Description

July 29, 1941.

R. c. KEPNER SPRING DRAWHEAD AND BUFFER Filed July 18, 1938 vii/2230201 vll/1, f/////////////////////, n

Patented July 29, 1941 2,250,537 SPRING DRAWHEAD AND BUFFER Robert C.

Kepner, Bloomsburg, Pa., assignor to American Car and' Foundry Company, New

York, N.

Y., a corporation of New J ers ey Application July 18, 1938, Serial No. 219,734 I 12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in drawheads and buffers in general and in particular to such devices intended for use on mine or other industrial cars.

Previously constructed bufling and draft devices for mine and industrial cars have been quite expensive and hard to repair in most cases with the result that the majority of cars of this type are still being built with wood or other cushioning blocks, which are not-satisfactory. It is an object, therefore of the present invention to provide a combined draft andV buffer device which is inexpensive, simple and easily repaired.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a combined draft and buffer device which may be fullyassembled as a unit exterior of the car and then quickly attached to the car or readily removed for repair.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a bumper element which transmits both the builing and draft forces to springs through suitable followers carried by the bumper itself.

A still Vfurther object of the invention is the provision of aibuifer device in which the buer or bump receiving face is strengthened during such times as it is resisting the buflng forces.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a study of the following description and accompanying drawing,in which: Y

Figure 1 is a plan View of the improved device with portions broken away to more clearly disclose the interior construction;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the device with portions broken away to disclose the interior construction;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3 3 of Figure 1, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the mechanism has been illustrated as applied to a car having an end housing A in which the preassembled buing and draft device B is slidably mounted. The end housing is formed in the present instance of two plates, the upper of which is bent to substantially Z-formhaving a long upper flange 2, web 4 and short lower flange 6, while the lower plate 8 is substantially flat and is adapted to be secured to the short flange of the upper member by any suitable means such asjrivets l0. In the present instance the end ofthe car floor l2 is interposedA between the upper and lower plates, while the sides thereof are attached in any suitable manner to the side sills I4 which in the present instance are of inverted bulb angle form. The upper or Z-formed portion of the housing has the top flange extended as at I6 to overlap lthe flange of the side sill for. attachment thereto by any suitable means, such as I8,y while the lower plate is securely attached to the web of the sills by angle means 20. It will thus be seen that an extremely rigid housing is formed which may be easily attached to the car structure leaving an open pocket facing outwardly of the car for reception of the combined 4bufiing and draft device later to be described.l In case a rigid end wall is desired, this may beattached to the end housing by means of angle 2.2 welded or otherwise secured to the top flange of the upper housing member. The web of the upper housing member is braced and stiifenedby means of buttressing gussets 24 welded or otherwise secured to the web and short flange immediately v,behind the most heavily stressed sections.. VIn forming the upper member of the end housing the outer central portion of the flange 2 is ,removed as at 26 in order-,to receive a draftr member laterto be referred to. and is also pierced on either side thereof as at 28 to receive bolts later to be referred to Yand which are adapted to extend into holes 36 pierced `in the lower plate.

The combined buffer and draft device itself consists of a bumper element having an upper flange 32 and lower flange V34 extending rearwardlyfromv a connecting web or buing face 36 curved to any desired radius. 'I'he upper and lower flanges are of considerable depth and are provided adjacent theirfrearv edges with follower lugs 38 of substantially U-form having the legs 40 extending forwardly `toward thev buing face. These follower lugsv are securely weldedror otherwise fastened to the rear portion of the bumper flanges in such a. position as to receive therebetween backvstop blocks 42 secured to the web of the end housing by any suitable means such as countersunk rivets 44;` In order to reinforce the builing face and transfer' bufng forces to the springs a reinforcing and stiffening plate 45 is provided having its fr'ontportion curved in conformity with the buing face, whileits rear portion is lwelded 'or followers .48 carrying on their rear faces short sections of'tubing welded thereto to form spring centering lugs 50. 'I'he rear portion of thestiffenng plate is slotted as at 52 in orderl that it may move inward relative to bolts 54 extending through the holes 28'and. 30 of the top and bototherwisev secured to front tom housing plates. These bolts will prevent outward movementl of the front followers and the attached reinforcing and bump transferring plate. It will be necessary, ofcourse, in order to permit inward and outward motion of the bumper for slots 55 to be out in the top and bottom flanges as clearly shown in Fig. 3. In some instances where the bumping strains will be excessive blocks may be welded to the top and bottom flanges of the bumper on either side of the slots and ahead of the front followers, thus causing the top and bottom bumper flanges to transfer strains to the front follower and assist the stiffening plate. In order to provide increased bearing area for coupling pin 56 a plate 58 is welded to the central portion of the top bumper ange immediately ahead of angular coupler bar 66 which has its rear portion extending through the top ange of the bumper to which it is fastened. The coupler bar reinforcing plate and top and bottom flanges of the bumper have openings therein adapted to receive the coupling pin, while*v the stiffening plate has a slot 62 formed therein in order that the coupling pin may move outward relative thereto. It is to be noted that the reinforcing plate 58 and coupler bar 60 are of such width as to t between the sides of slot 26 in the top flange of the end portion, thus not only providingdraft portions but guiding the bumper element and relieving the bolts 54 of any material side shear which they otherwise vmight receive from angular buing strains. 1n order to resiliently absorb the buing and draft shocks springs 64are provided having their front ends bearing against the front follower plates, while their rear ends bear against rear follower plates 68 adapted to have .bearing on follower lugs and back stop blocks. The springs are maintained in properrelation upon the back followers by suitable centering means such as a section of tubing 'i0 welded or otherwise secured to the rear followers.

The combined bumper and draft unit may be readily assembled by inserting the stiffener plate with its attached front followers into the bumper member, after which the springsfare placed in position and put under suicient compression to permit insertion of `the rear followers 68 -ahead of the follower lugs which have been welded to the flanges of .the bumper cap. It is, of course, obvious that if under certain yconditions this compression necessary for assembly is excessive, the outer ears or legs 40 of the follower 'lugs may be made removable and attached after the insertion of the rear followers. The unit may also be as-` sembled of course, by weldingthe follower lugs in position as a final step in the assembly operation. As soon as the unit is assembled then the entire unit may be bodily inserted into the end housing and bol-ts 54 dropped int-o position retaining the unit in the end housing.

The operation of the improveddevice is as follows: Assuming a bumping force be imparted to the bumping face, this force will be transferred through stiffening plate 46 to the front foll-owers 48, thence through the springs to the rear followers B8 which are held Vagainst inward movement by the stop blocks 42. During this inward movement of the bumper capY and reinforcing plate. the follower lugs 38 will move away from the rear followers, while the reinforcing plate will move inward relative to the fixed bolts 54 with the inward movement of the coupling pin `and coupler bar being permitted due to the slots formed inthe upper and lower housingplatesas well as in the stiifening plate. Upon application of a draft for-ce to the coupling pin the entire bumper cap assembly will move outward with the draft strain being transferred through the bumper flanges to the follower lugs, thence through back followers 68 `and springs 64 to the front followers 48 which are held in position by means of the bolts 54 extending through the top and bottom members of the end housing. During the outward moti-on of the bumper the bumper cap will move away from the stiffening vplate and such movement is permitted by the slot 62 in the stufen-ing plate. It will thus be seen that a unit `has been provided whi-ch may be preassembled and quickly attached to the car or removed therefrom yand that if any parts are damaged they may be easily replaced or repaired without in any way affecting the other parts of the unit. It should also be noted that the stiffening plate will back up the bumping 4face of the bumper during such times as buffer forces are being received, thereby lessening the possibility -of damage being done to the bufling face.

While the improved device has been -described m-ore or less in detail, it is obvious that various modifications, rearrangements of parts and changes in manner of assembly will be apparent to persons after a study o-f lthe construction and all such modifications, rearrangements of parts and changes in assembly are contemplated as fall within the sc-ope of the following claims.

what is claimed is: l

l. A spring Ibumper for a vehicle comprising' in combinationl a transverse housing secured to the vehicle and having an opening directed out` ward the end of the vehicle, a bumper member' slidable longitudinally of the vehicle and enclosed in par-t by said housing,. resilient mean-s resisting the longitudinal sliding ofthe bumpermember, and bumper reinforcing means extending laterally substantially the width of said bumper land lstiffening substantially lthe entire central portion thereof and transferring buing shocks therefrom to said resilient means, said bumper reinforcing means being free of attachment to said bumper and effective only during application of bufng forces. c

2. A spring bumper for a vehicle comprising in combination, a transverse housing secured to the vehicle and having an opening directed outward vtoward the end of thevehi-cle, a, bumper member consisting of agvertically disposed buff- -ing face 'and rearwardly -directed flanges, said bumper flanges extending into said housing and being slidable longitudinally thereof, resilient means opposing the longitudinal 4sliding of the bumper member, and bumper reinforcing means extending' laterally substantially the width Vof said bumper substantially parallel to said anges and stiffening the buliing face' intermediate said flanges and transferring bufng shocks from ythe buffing face to said resilient means, said bumper reinforcing means being Ifree of attachment to said bumper and effec-tive only during applicaltion of buing forces.

3. A spring bumper and draft device for a vehicle comprising in combination, a transverse housing secured to the vehicle `and having an opening directed -outward .toward the end of the vehicle, a combined bumper 'and draft member slidable longitudinally of the vehicle andV enclosed in part by said housing, sai-d member consisting 1n part of a bufiing face and rearwardly directed,

flanges, at lea-st oneof which-isrprovided with coupler receiving mean-s, resilient1 means. resisting theV longitudinal Asli-ding *of .the bumper member,- bumper reinforcing means extending Vlaterally substanti-ally the width of said bumpersubstantially parallel to said flanges and stiifening the central portion of the bung f-ac'e'and transferring buiiing shock-s to the resilient means, and follower lugs secured to said rearwardly directed flanges for transferring :draft forces from said flanges to the resilient means.

4. A spring bumper and ydraft device for a vehicle comprising in combination, a transverse housing secured to the vehicle and having an opening directed outward toward the end of the Vehicle, -a combined bumper and draft member slid-able longitudinally of the vehicle` and enclosed in part by said hou-sing, said member consisting in part of a bufflng face and rearwardly directed flanges, at least one of which is provided with coupler receiving means, anchor means carried by said end housing and retaining said 'member within the housing, follower lugs secured to said rearwardly directed flanges, a rear follower normally engaging said lugs, a front follower normally engaging said anchor means, resilient means urging said followers apar-t, bumper reinforcing means stiifening the bu-fn-g face and transferring bufting shocks to the front follower independently of said anchor means during inward movement of the bumper, and a back stop carried by said end housing to prevent inward movement of the rear follower.

5. A spring bumper and draf-t device for a vehicle compri-sing in combination, a transverse housing secured lto the vehicle and having an opening directed outward toward the end of the vehicle, a combined bumper yand draft member slidable longitudinally of the vehicle and enclosed in part by said housing, said member consisting in part of a bufling face and rearwardly directed flanges, at least one of which is provided with coupler receiving means, anchor means carried by Isaid end housing and retaining said member within the housing, follower lugs secured to said rearwardly directed flanges, a rear follower normally engaging said lugs, a front follower norm-ally engaging said anchor means, resilient means urging said followers apart, bumper reinforcing means stiffening the buftlng face and transferring fbuiling shocks to the front follower during inward movement of the bumper, and 'a back stop carried by said end housing .to prevent inward movement of the rear follower, said back stop being interposed between said follower lugs and being operative to guide the bumper during its sliding movements.

6. A vspring bumper and draft device for a vehicle comprising in combination, a transverse hou-sing secured to the vehicle and having an opening directed outward .toward the end of the vehicle, a combined bumper and draft member slidable longitudinally of the vehicle and enclose-d in part by said housing, said member consisting in par-t of Ia builing face and rearwardly directed flanges, at leas-t one of which is provided with coupler receiving means, anchor means carried by said end housing and retaining said member within the housing, follower lugs secured to said rearwardly directed flanges, a rear follower normally engaging said lugs, a front follower normally eng-aging said anchor means and retained against outward movement thereby but independently thereof, and resilient means urging said followers apart, said follower lugs carrying said rear -follower forward to compres-s the resilient 3 means during outward movement of the bumper member under draft forces, 1 f

7. A Vspring bumper an-d draft device'for a `vehicl-e comprising in combination, a housing-'arranged at the end portion of the vehicle and having upper and lower plates arranged in spaced relation, and :a combined bumper and draft member slidably mounted in saidf housing, said bumper and-draft member compri-sing a bufrlng` face and rearwardly directed upper and lower flanges., at least Yone of said vflanges being providedv with coupler receiving means, a front follower within the bumper and rvdraf-t member, a stationary element exten-ding betweenV .the upper and lower plates and through the flanges of said bumper and draft member and against which the front follower 'is norm-ally engaged, 4said stationary member constitu-ting an abutment for limiting movement of said front follower in one direction, a rear follower, resilient means urging said followers apart, and means on vsaid upper an-d lower 'il-anges engaging the rear `follower to move the latter longitudinally in the housing to compress the resilient means under draft forces.

8. A spring bumper and draft device for a vehicle comprising in combination, a transverse end housing secured to the vehicle and having an opening directed outward .toward Ithe end of the vehicle, a combined bumper and draft member slidable longitudinally of the vehicle and enclosed in part by said housing, said member consi-sting in part of a buing face and rearwardly directed flanges, at least one of which is provided with coupler receiving means, a bolt extending across said end housing for retaining said bumper member within the hou-sing, a front follower normally engaging said bolt, resilient means urging said follower `against the bolt, means carried by said end housing providing a seat for said resilient means, and bumper reinforcing means extending substantially parallel to said flanges and. engaging the central porti-on of said bumper face to stiifen the same and transfer buing shocks to said front follower rand resilient means independently of said bolt. Y

9. A combined spring bumper and draft unit comprising in combination, a bumper member having a web providing a bumping face and rearwardly directed flanges, follower lugs secured to said flanges, a rear follower engageable with said lugs, a front follower, resilient means urging sai-d followers apart, Iand bumper reinforcing means engageable with the intermedi-ate portions of said web and front follower, said bumper reinforcing means being secured to the front follower and free of attachment .to sai-d web.

10. A combined spring bumper and draft unit comprising in combination, a bumper member having a web providing a bumping face and rearwardly directed flanges, follower lugs secured to the rear edges of said flanges, a rear follower engageable with said lugs, a front follower, resilient means urging sai-d followers apart, and bumper reinforcing means engageable with said web and front follower, 4an end housing having an outwardly directed opening defined in part by upper and lower flanges, said unit being insertable as a whole into said housing, and retaining means extending through said upper and lower flanges into engagement with the front follower to prevent outward movement thereof.

llll. A combined spring bumper and draft uni-t comprising in combination, a bumper member having a web providing a bumping face and rearwardly directed flanges, follower lugs secured to the rear edges of said, flanges, a rear follower engageable with said lugs, -a front `follower, resilient means urging said followers apart, and bumper reinforcing means engageable with said web and front follower, yan end housing having an outwardly ldirected opening ydefined in part by upper and lower flanges, a stop carried by said housing at the rear of the opening, said unit `being insertable yas a whole into said housing with the rear follower engaging the stop, and retaining means extending through said upper yand lower flanges into engagement with the front follower to prevent outward movement thereof.

l112. A combined springgbumper and draft unit comprising in combination, abumper member having a web providing a bumping face and rearwardly directed flanges, follower lugs secured to said flanges, a rear follower engageable with said lug-s, a front follower, resilient means urging said followers apart, bumper reinforcing means eng'ageable with the intermediate portions of said web Vand front follower, lsaid bumper reinforcing means being secured to the front follower and free of attachment to said web, an end housing having an outwardly directed opening defined in part by upper and lower flanges, a stop carried by said housing at the rear of the opening, said unit being insertable as a Whole into said housing with the rear follower engaging the stop, and retaining mean-s extending through said upper and lower flanges into eng-agement with the front follower to prevent outward movement thereof.

ROBERT C. KEPNER.