US2431736A - Railway car-end buffer - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 2, 1947. I DATH 2,431,736

I RAILWAY CAR-END BUFFER Fil ed Nov. 15, '1944 Patented Dec. 2, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY CAR-END BUFFER George E. Dath, Mokena, Ill.,assignor to W. H.

Miner, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application November 15, 1944, Serial No. 563,493

buffers for railway cars.

One object of the invention is to provide a sim- I ple and efficient buffer mechanism for railway cars having combined spring and frictional resistance for absorbing the shocks to which the car is subjected, wherein the frictional resistance is substantially constant throughout the compression stroke of the mechanism.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a buffer housing secured to the end of the car, a buffer head slidingly telescoped within the housing, spring means yieldingly opposing inward movement of the buffer head with respect to the housing, and means for providing substantially uniform frictional resistance to inward movement of the bufllng head during the entire compression of the mechanism, wherein the friction means comprises friction shoes movable with the buffer head and in sliding contact with the interior of the housing.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view of my improved buffer mechanism illustrating the same mounted in position on the end of a railway car. Figure 2 is a transverse, vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the buffer head employed in my improved mechanism, detached from the other parts of the same.

In said drawing, l indicates the end wall of a railway car, the portion illustrated being at one side of the longitudinal center line of the car and having my improved buffer mechanism mounted thereon. As will be understood by those skilled in this art, the buffer mechanism is duplicated at the other side of the car and the two mechanisms cooperate in a well-known manner with a pair of similar buffer mechanisms on the end of an adjacent car.

My improved buffe mechanism proper, as shown in the drawing, comprises broadly a housing A secured to the end of the car; a buffer head B slidingly telescoped within the housing; a buffer spring C; friction shoes D-D-D in sliding frictional engagement with the housing; a wedge E for holding the shoes spread apart; a spring element F yieldingly pressing the shoes against the wedge E; and a retainer bolt G for holding the mechanism assembled,

The housing A is in the form of a substantially 2 tubular casting of hexagonal, transverse cross section having a vertical, transverse end wall H closing the rear end thereof. The end wall II is laterally extended outwardly beyond the housin thereby providing flanges l2l2 for securing the housing to the end wall of the car. The housing is mounted on the end wall of the car and is secured thereto by any well-known securing elements, such as bolts I3I3 and l3-l3 extending through openings in the flanges l2-l2 and the end wall ID of the car. The wall I l of the housing A has an inwardly extending, central, hollow boss M which serves to center the buffer spring 0 and also serves as an anchorage for the retainer bolt G. At the forward end, the housing A is open and the walls thereof are inwardly thickened, as indicated at l5. The thickened wal1 portion l5 presents three V-shaped, interior friction surfaces i6-I 6|'6, which are parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the mechanism.

The buifer head B includes a tubular shell ll,

of hexagonal, transverse cross section, extending rearwardly from the buffer head proper I 8, which is in the form of a front wall closing the forward end of the tubular shell l'l. The wall l8, which forms the buffer head proper, is extended laterally outwardly beyond the shell i1 and has a convex outer face which is usual in devices of this kind. The shell I! is provided with three rectangular openings l9--l9l9 through the side walls thereof, which accommodate the friction shoes DD-D, as hereinafter pointed out. Rearwardly of the openings i9-l9l9, the shell has three interior, inwardly projecting retaining lugs 20-20-20, which are equally spaced circumferentially of the shell.

- The wedge E is in the form of a hollow block provided with a rearwardly extending, central, hollow boss 2|. The rear end of the wedge E thus presents an annular abutment shoulder 22, At

the forward end, the wedge E is provided with three wedge faces 23 of V-shaped, transverse cross section, which converge forwardly and inwardly toward the central longitudinal axis of the mechanism. At the inner ends of the wedge faces 23, the wedge is provided with three radially outwardly projecting retaining lugs 242424, which are respectively engaged in front of the lugs 20-20-20 of the shell I! of the buffer head B, thereby holding the wedge against inward or rearward movement with respect to the buffer head.

The friction shoes D are three in number and are in the form of solid blocks. Each shoe is provided with a longitudinally extending friction surface 25 of V-shaped, transverse cross section on the outer side thereof. The friction shoes D--DD are disposed within the tubular shell H of the buifer head B and project through the openings I9--|9l9 of said sleeve and have the V-shaped friction surfaces thereof respectively engaging the V-shaped friction surfaces |6-l6 it of the h u A.- On the i ne sid at the rear end thereof, each shoe has a wedge face '26 of V-shaped, transverse cross section engaging the corresponding wedge face 23 of the wedge E.

The spring F is in the form of a light helical coil, which is under initial compression and is disposed within the shell Hand has its frontand rear ends bearing respectively on the end wall I8 of the sleeve and the front ends of the friction shoes DDD.

The buffer spring C is in the form of a heavy helical coil, which is disposed within the housing A. The spring C bears" at its front end on the u 2 -2.e 2e o the s e l H and on t in e end of the w d e E, t at s the annu a abla h h sho der 22 ereof. he a end of the eries bee s n the ert eelre r ell H of th hou in A, a d c nte ed hr the bees M of the h usi g- The ai e elt Gene er h edge .E to the ous g A, h n t he d eee e i in the hellew boss o he edge d e nut t er of see-ted in the hollow boss IA of the housing A.

h a sem ling he mec nism, he s n th s s D D- -D, and the we sw t the be G a t hed h o a firs a emb ed h t shell ll of the heife heed B the be t bein at a h t9 the w d e E by entering h sh k o t e ewe heueh the esehhe rovide the on nd of the edge for this p o e h dg i hter ee ed, w t th buf e h ed B y en a in t ess 4 th e f in front o the lu s 20 of the buffer h ad. As will be evident, the shoes D-D-.D y be sprea apa t du th operation of s e b ing; h et e w th the buf er head, inasmuch as the shoes are free to move laterally outwardly through the openings l.9-,-- l 9-? [9 of the shell -I If After the parts have been thus a emb ed. a Clamp i the fe a o a hand or e h s a l me ns, wh c urrei vhe th e is app ed e re s he sh e inwardly so that the assembled unit may be telescoped within the housing A The sprin .Q is then placed with? in h h usi A and the assembled unit compr i g he he 13 th ea i i he he D. D, h W d e d the belt e te es neel i in th hellne The mechanism s then com r s ed nd t e out ehel e to he et ner bolt G.

Tit e epe et e o imp oved buf e mechamet-. i as follow: linen nwa d movement of h he f r h d .13 h -eueh pressur e ert d thereon by y e'hieet such as th lend r head of an adjac t h i tion sh s ar forced n e dly o th h us n A with the bufi'er head, thereby providing fri tion l resistance as the shoes slide inwardly on the friction surfaces I-,- i6- I. ,h he s in I" is under inial empreeeieh the frietiehel esistance provided remains substantially constant during the entire compression stroke. inward movement of the buifer head is yieldingl resisted by the buffer spring which reacts between the housing A and the lugs 29-13-20 ,of the shell I] of the buffer head B and also reacts between the housing Aan'd the wedge E. Inward movement of the uffer head B is limited: by engagement of the head proper 18 thereof with the front end of the 4 housing A. When the actuating force is removed, the spring C returns all of the parts to the normal full release position shown in Figure 1, outward movement of the wedge E being limited by the retainer bolt G and outward movement of the buffer head B, in turn, being limited by engagement of the lugs 24 0f the wedge with the lugs 20 o he u e e dx -I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and. I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto,

1 claim:

1. In a buffer for railway cars, the combination with a housing secured to the end of the car; of a buffer head slidingly telescoped within said housing; an expandible friction clutch carried by said buffer head and having sliding frictional engagement with the interior walls of the housing, said clutch including friction shoes having direct shouldered engagement at their outer ends with the buffer head to be moved inwardly thereby, and a spreading wedge member engaging said shoes; spring means under constant uniform compression reacting between the buffer head and shoes for pressing the same against the wedge member and holding said clutch expanded; and spring means y-ieldingly opposing movement of the buffer head and wedge inwardly of the housing.

in a buffer for railway cars, the combination with a housing secured to the end of the car, saidhousing having interior friction surfaces extending lengthwise of the same; of a lender head slidingly telscoped within the housing, said buffer head having a stop shoulder thereon; friction shoes movable with the buffer head and having sliding engagement with the interior friction surfaces of the housing; a separate wedge member shouldered on the forward side of the shoulder of the buffer head to hold said wedge member against inward movement with respect to the buffer head, said wedge member having wedging engagement with the shoes; a spring under initial compression reacting between said buffer head and shoes to press the latter against the wedge member; and a second spring bearing on the rear of said shoulder of-the buffer head yieldingly opposing movement of the buffer head and wedge member inwardly of the housing.

3. In a buffer for railway cars, the combination with a housing secured to the end of the car, said housing having longitudinally extending, interior friction'surfaces; of a buffer head slidingly telescoped within the housing; friction shoes movable in unison with said buffer head and slidingly engaging the friction surfaces of the housing; retaining lugs at the inner .end of said head; a wedge block interposed betweensaid shoes and lugs .of the buffer head and seated against the forward sides of said lugs, said wedge having wedging engagement with the shoes; a spring reacting between the buffer head and shoes for forcing the latter against the wedge; and a second spring yieldingly opposing movement of the buffer head inwardly of the housing.

4. In a buffer for railway cars, the combination with a housing having longitudinally extending, interior friction surfaces; of a buffer head movable toward and away from said housing, said head including arearwardly extending sleeve integral therewith and slidingly telescoped within the housing; a plurality of friction shoes carried by said sleeve and extending through the walls thereof and having sliding frictional engagement with the friction surfaces of the housing; interior stop lugs on said sleeve rearwardly of said shoes; 9. central wedge block interposed between said shoes and stop lugs and having shouldered engagement with the lugs, said wedge block and shoes having interengaging wedge faces; spring means under predetermined initial compression within said sleeve reacting between said buffer head and shoes for forcing the latter against said wedge; and a spring opposing movement of the buffer head inwardly of the housing.

5. In a buffer for railway cars, the combination with a housing secured to the end of the car, said housing having lengthwise extending, interior friction surfaces; of a buffer head including a buffer plate and a tubular sleeve extending rearwardly from said plate, said sleeve being slidingly telescoped within the housing; a plurality of laterally inwardly projecting, interior, retaining lugs at the rear end portion of said sleeve; a wedge block having a plurality of laterally outwardly projecting retaining lugs shouldered against the forward sides of said first named retaining lugs; wedge faces at the forward end of said wedge block; a plurality of friction shoes within said sleeve, said shoes having wedge faces at their rear ends engaging the wedge faces of the wedge, said shoes projecting through the side Walls of said sleeve and having outer friction surfaces engaging the interior friction surfaces of the housing; a spring under initial compression within said sleeve interposed between the buffer plate and said shoes and bearing at opposite ends on said plate and shoes; and a spring within said housing yieldingly opposing inward movement of the buffer head, the front end of said last named Spring bearing on the retaining lugs of the sleeve and the inner side of said wedge.

6. In a buffer for railway cars, the combination with a housing secured to the end of the car, said housing having an interior friction surface; of a buffer head slidingly telescoped within the housing; a wedge block having shouldered engagement with the buffer head to hold said wedge block against movement rearwardly of the head; a friction shoe carried by said buffer head in wedging engagement with the block and in sliding frictional engagement with the interior friction surface of the housing; means reacting between the buffer head and shoe for yieldingly forcing the shoe against said wedge block; means yieldingly opposing inward movement of the buffer head with respect to the housing; and a retainer bolt anchored to the housing and wedge for limiting outward movement of the wedge with respect to the housing.

7. In a buffer for railway cars, the combination with a housing secured to the end of the car, said housing having longitudinally extending, interior friction surfaces; of a buffer head slidingly telescoped within the housing; friction shoes movable in unison with said buffer head and slidingly engaging the friction surfaces of the housing; retaining lugs at the inner end of said head; a wedge block interposed between said shoes and lugs of the buffer head and seated against the forward sides of said lugs, said wedge having wedging engagement with the shoes; a spring reacting between the buffer head and shoes for forcing the latter against the wedge a second spring yieldingly opposing movement of the buffer head inwardly of the housing; and a retainer bolt for holding said buffer head assembled with the housing, said bolt being anchored at its inner end to the housing and at its outer end to the wedge.

GEORGE E. DATH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 990,293 Rimailho Apr. 25, 1911

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