US2766894A - Selective travel draft gear with separate cushioning elements for buff and draft - Google Patents

Description

5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

S. CAMPBELL ELEMENTS FOR BUFF' AND DRAFT SELECTIVE TRAVEL DRAFT GEAR WITH SEPARATE CUSHIONING Oct. 16,

Filed June 17, 1953 Ofi 13, 1956 D. s. CAMPBELL 2,766,894

SELECTIVE TRAVEL DRAFT GEAR WITH SEPARATE CUSHIONING ELEMENTS FOR BUFF AND DRAFT Filed June 17. 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Od 151 1956 D. s. CAMPBELL 2,766,894

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Y y /e0 VTV/1? 4./ 1MM |111 HHH-4f 615-/ A n I l/ $5 4 l H u 45 Y i $7 W IH 1H" wa United States Patent O snLEcTlvE TRAVEL DRAFT GEAR WITH SEP- ARATE CUSHIONING ELEmNTs FoR BUFF AND DRAFT David S. Campbell, Glen Ellyn, Ill., assignor to Cardwell Westinghouse Company, a corporation of Delaware Application June 17, 1953, Serial No. 362,256

s claims. (c1. 213-46) This invention relates to draft gears for railroad cars, and has for its principal object to provide the travel allowed in relation to the forces in buff and draft and to provide appropriate cushioning for each.

Generally speaking, this is accomplished by providing a draft gear with separate associated cushioning elements, one of which functions chiey in bui and the other functions chiefly in draft.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a horizontal section through familiar parts of a freight car, showing the draft gear applied;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section through the draft gear and portions of the draft yoke, center sills and draft lugs;

Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the gear compressed in buff;

Fig. 5 is a similar View with the draft gear compressed in draft;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the draft gear in full release in the draft gear pocket;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the same compressed in draft;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an end view, looking from the right in Fig. 7; and

Fig. l() is a fragnentary section showing a shear pin for holding the gear partially compressed for handling and shipping.

But these drawings and the corresponding description are for the purpose of illustrative disclosure only, and are not intended to impose unnecessary limitations on the claims.

In Figs. l and 2, the draft gear, indicated generally by 1li, is shown in the familiar surroundings of center sills 11, draft lugs 12, draft yoke 13, coupler butt or shank 14, draft key 15, coupler carrier iron 16, draft gear carrier iron 17, coupler horn 18 and striking plate 19 (all corresponding to Fig. 10.51 of the Car Builders Cyclopedia, 1946, p. 944). These parts are so familiar that no specijic description is thought necessary.

The draft gear housing, generally indicated by 2i?, has a rear chamber 21 for a draft cushioning element, generally indicated by 22, a front chamber 23 for a buff cushioning element, generally indicated by 24, and the chambers are separated by a wall or partition 2S, the ends being substantially open.

A buif follower 26 movable through the front of the buff chamber 23 cooperates with the cushioning element 24 and the coupler butt 14.

A draft follower 27 is movable freely through the rear open end of the draft chamber 21 and cooperates with the cushioning element 22 and the yoke 13. A limit wall 29 within the draft chamber 21 lies in the path of the draft follower 27 and limits the compression of the cushioning element 22.

2,766,894 Patented Oct. 16, 1956 ICC The followers 26 and 27 are provided with four, or more, openings 30 adapted to receive shear pins 31 (Fig. 10) inserted through larger openings or slots 32 in the adjacent portions of the housing 20. '111e arrangement is such that the cushioning elements must be put under initial compression, enough to reduce the overall length of the draft gear to somewhat less than the length 0f the draft gear pocket between the draft gear lugs 12. With the shear pins holding the gear in that condition, it is a commercial unit easily handled, shipped and placed in the draft gear pocket. The first normal operating force in a train shears the pins, and after that the draft gear assumes its normal release position until the contrary is imposed upon it by buff or draft.

The normal release condition is shown in Fig. 3, in which it will be noted that the right or rear end of the housing 21) is spaced from the rear draft lugs 12, in this particular instance by 1/2 Upon receiving a buffing shock, indicated by the arrow B in Fig. 4, the coupler butt 14, acting through the buf follower 26, compresses the cushioning element 24 against the partition 25 and moves the housing 20 toward the rear draft lugs 12, compressing the cushioning element 22 against the follower 27. Hence, in the initial buing action, both cushioning elements resist and furnish energy absorption.

When the housing 20 strikes the rear draft gear lugs 12, further compression is conned to the cushioning element 24 and the parts approach the positions shown in Fig. 4.

Upon receiving a draft force, indicated by the arrow C in Fig. 5, the yoke 13 takes the draft follower 27 toward the left, compressing cushioning element 22 against the partition 25, the housing 20 being prevented from moving to the left by contact with the front draft lugs 12, and the parts approach the position shown in Fig. 5. Upon release, the parts return to the position shown in Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. l, the housing 251 is relieved at 47 to clear the yoke 13 in draft.

As best shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the draft follower 27 is offset at 35, in this instance on the order of 1A. This permits the coupler horn 1S to move a corresponding increased distance from the striking plate 19 in full release as compared with the ordinary arrangement.-

In one embodiment of the invention that has been found satisfactory, the arrangement gives up to 31A" travel in buff `as compared with 25/8 to 2%" in prior devices and gives up to .2 travel in draft-in all, a total travel of 5%, which is still less than 51/2" now allowed by the Association of American Railroads, and leaves 1A travel that makes a great factor of safety with rubber under that state of compression.

The cushioning elements are made up of rubber springs 36 composed of rubber blocks 37 vulcanized to and through plates 38 and separated by spacers 39. A variety of such rubber cushioning elements are known and no detailed description is deemed necessary. Speci fications on the order of those given in Tucker Ser. No. 223,746, tiled April 30, 1951, may be used.

The parts of the cushioning element 22 are of less width than those in the cushioning element 24 in this particular embodiment, and they are also in less number.

However, the cushioning elements may be equal or unequal capacity, in part determined by the design, and in part determined by the initial compression.

The inner rubber springs 36 of each cushioning element 22 and 24 bear on respective spring seats 41 and 42, which bear on the ribs 43 of the partition 25.

Ribs 44, 45, 46 on the sides of the housing guide the cushioning elements and their followers.

The space between the center sills of the car and the distance between the faces of the draft gear lugs is set Va railway car, saidpocket having' front and rear'stops and having -a coupler yoke encircling the gear, va housing whose length is appreciably less thanrthe distance between said stops mounted in the Vpocket for longitudinal movement'therein, apartition wall in said housing dividing it into front and rear chambers, a rear cushioning unit in said rear-chamber having one end thereof abutting said partition wall, a rear follower abutting the opposite end of said cushioning unit, said rear follower and housing having cooperating portions yfor limiting relative movement of said rear follower toward said partition wall and said portions normally being lin longitudinally spaced relation, such thatrsaid rear follower may move Vtoward -said partition wall to cause said rear cushioning unit to Y act in draft, a Afront cushioning unit in said front chamber having one end abutting said partition wall, and a rfront follower abutting the opposite end of said front cushioning unit, said front follower and said housing being'movable toward said rear follower to cause both of Vsaid cushioning Vunits Yto Vact in buff, saidrear follower lreacting against said -rear stops and said front follower Yclearing said front stops such that 'it reacts against the requirements of the Association of American Railsaid front stops to prevent movement thereof vwhen the gear is acting in draft.

2. The arrangement as set forthY in claim 1 and wherein said cooperating'portions consist of an internal xed limit stop formed on said housing within the rear chamber and a front face of the rear follower.

El.V In combination with'the arrangement as set forth in claim 1, releasab'le means holding the draft -gear fassembled with t-he cushioning elementsY compressed to bring the draft gear within the length ofthe draft pocket.V

V4. The arrangement asset forth in claim 1 and wherein thel rear cushioning unit is of lthe rubber springtype and the cooperating portions are normally spaced Vapart a given distance relativeto the travel of said rear cushioning unit such that only substantial ydraft loads are re#V Y lieved by said stop.

coupler yoke and said housing normally abuts -against 5, in combination with the arrangement as set forth Vin claim 1, shear pins securing the followersY to said housing to hold the draft gear assembled with the cushioning elements compressed to bring the draft gear within the length of the draft pocket.

References Cited inthe file Yof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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