Railroad car draft gear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9828008-B2
Application number	US-201514738321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2015
Priority date	Jun 12, 2015
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A railroad car draft gear is provided which includes a housing. The housing is a unitary structure, having an open end and a closed end. Compressible spring elements are located inside the housing, with an end of the spring element located against the interior side of the closed end. A friction assembly is also located within the housing, near the open end. The friction assembly provides energy absorption during compression cycles. The spring element restores the friction assembly to its fully extended position after a compression event.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A draft gear comprising:
a housing comprising an elongated, generally rectangular structure having external walls with internal surfaces forming an internal cavity,
the housing further comprising a front end having edges forming an opening into the internal cavity, and a rear end forming a closed end of the internal cavity,
the housing further comprising two integral edge supports, each edge support extending from a location about halfway between the front end and the rear end on an external wall of the housing to an intersection with an edge of the rear end,
the housing further comprising two center ribs, each center rib being on an external wall of the housing and extending from a location about halfway between the front end and the rear end to a location about one fourth the length of the housing from the rear end and splitting into two laterally spaced center rib base supports to intersect with the rear end,
a friction wedge within the cavity of the housing, the friction wedge comprising a head extending from the opening in the front end of the housing, the friction wedge further comprising at least one friction wedge shoe on the outer surface of the friction wedge, a friction wedge bearing extending from an outer surface of each friction wedge shoe, the friction wedge bearing being in contact with the internal surfaces of the housing,
and further comprising a series of stacked compression springs comprised of a plurality of elastomer pads with adjacent elastomer pads separated by a circular plate,
and wherein at least one circular plate has a locating protrusion,
and wherein the housing rear end includes at least one hole to receive one of the locating protrusions on one of the circular plates.

2. The draft gear of claim 1
wherein the front end of the housing is formed into a six sided closed structure, and three friction wedge shoes are provided each with a friction wedge bearing in contact with the internal surfaces of the housing.

3. The draft gear of claim 2
wherein each friction wedge bearing is in contact with two internal surfaces of the housing.

4. A draft gear housing having an elongated structure having external walls with internal surfaces forming an internal cavity, the draft gear housing comprising:
a front end having edges forming an opening into the internal cavity, and a rear end forming a closed end of the internal cavity;
two integral edge supports, each edge support extending from a location about halfway between the front end and the rear end on an external wall of the housing to an intersection with an edge of the rear end;
two center ribs, each center rib being on an external wall of the housing and extending from a location about halfway between the front end and the rear end to a location about one fourth the length of the housing from the rear end and splitting into two laterally spaced center rib base supports to intersect with the rear end;
wherein the housing is configured to receive a friction wedge within the cavity of the housing, the friction wedge further comprising at least one friction wedge shoe on the outer surface of the friction wedge, a friction wedge bearing extending from an outer surface of each friction wedge shoe, the friction wedge bearing being in contact with the internal surfaces of the housing,
wherein the housing is configured to receive a series of stacked compression springs comprised of a plurality of elastomer pads with adjacent elastomer pads separated by a circular plate,
wherein at least one circular plate has a locating protrusion, and
wherein the housing rear end includes at least one hole to receive one of the locating protrusions on one of the circular plates.

5. The draft gear of claim 4
wherein the front end of the housing is formed into a six sided closed structure, and three friction wedge shoes are provided each with a friction wedge bearing in contact with the internal surfaces of the housing.

6. The draft gear of claim 5
wherein each friction wedge bearing is in contact with two internal surfaces of the housing.

7. The draft gear of claim 4
wherein each integral edge support is comprised of a generally triangular structure that has a top portion that extends from a location about halfway between the front end and the rear end on an external wall of the housing and a bottom portion that intersects with an entire edges of the rear end.

Assignees

• Amsted Rail Co Inc

Inventors

• Keener Scott A

Classifications

• B61G9/06

  with rubber springs · CPC title

• B61G9/10 Primary

  with separate mechanical friction shock-absorbers · CPC title