US1961094A - Railway vehicle buffer mechanism - Google Patents

Description

May 29, 1934. zouc 1,961,094

RAILWAY VEHICLE BUFFER MECHANISM Filed March 10, 1931 1N VENTOR ,4 TTURNE Y5 Patented May 29, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY VEHICLE BUFFER MECHANISM Application March 10, 1931, Serial No. 521,431

9 Claims.

fer mechanism and has especial reference to mechanism of this character which is particularly adapted for use between coupled engines and tenders.

The general type of buffer construction, furthermore, to which this invention relates, is that in which a plurality of buffer elements such as a buffing part, supporting wedges and resilient or spring devices are mounted or housed at least partially within a buffer pocket structure, the la ter being adapted to be secured to the end of a vehicle frame such, for example, as a locomotive tender.

Generally considered, the present invention has in view the simplification of devices of this character with respect, particularly, to the construction, assembling, inspection and repair thereof.

In addition, it is the object of the present invention to improve the operation of such buffers and to provide an arrangement of the cooperating elements which receive and absorb buffing shocks such that the danger or likelihood of damage or breakage thereof is reduced to a minimum. More specifically, the present invention provides displaceable abutment means for the buffer supporting springs through which the spring reaction is transmitted to other portions of the structure. The pocket structure, further, is preferably apertured adjacent the supporting springs so that, upon displacement of the abutment means, the springs may be removed from or inserted in the pocket structure without disturbing the supporting wedges or the buffing part itself.

How the foregoing or more or less general objects and advantages are obtained, together with others which will occur to those skilled in the art, will be apparent from a consideration of the following description taken with the accompanyin drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a buffer construction embodying the improvements of the present invention, with certain details shown in section and certain portions of the adjacent vehicle frames between which the buffer is mounted, also. included:

Figure 2 is 'a top view partly in section and partly in elevation of the buffer construction illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is aview similar to the sectional showing of Figure 2 but illustrating a somewhat modified construction; and

Figures 4 and 5 are side elevations-1 and sectional views, respectively, of another modified embodiment of various features of the invention herein disclosed, Figure 5 being taken substantially as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the buffer construction indicated in general by the reference numeral 6 is mounted between adjacent engine and tender frames, portions of which are indicated at '7 and 8, respectively. These frames, of course, are interconnected by means of the usual draw bar 9 and cooperating pins 10 and 11.

Mounted on a suitable buffer block 12 which is secured to the engine frame 7, is a chafing block or plate 13 which is adapted to ride or move transversely between the transversely curved block 12 and the cooperating buffer elements, now to be described, which are mounted or supported on the tender frame 8.

The parts associated with the tender include a buffer pocket indicated in general by the reference numeral 14, a backing member 15 disposed at the bottom of the pocket, a bufiing plate or member 16 projecting from the open front face of the pocket and wedge devices 17 interposed between the members 15 and 16. It should be noted that the element 16 cooperates with the chafing plate 13 when the entire buifing construction is in assembled condition ready for operation. In addition, attention is called to the fact that thefront and rear faces of the members 15 and 16 are, generally, of wedge-like form, each having. a pair of oppositely inclined surfaces 18 and 19, respectively. The general arrangement of the foregoing parts is not a part of the present invention per se but is described and claimed in the copending application of Norman I. Edwards, Serial Number 492,933 filed November 19th, 1929, Patent No. 1,929,883, October 10, 1933, and assigned to the assignee of this application.

In accordance with the present invention, springs or spring supporting devices 20, 21 are arranged preferably within the pocket structure to react between each wedge 17 and an annular part 22. The springs, of course, serve to urge the two wedges toward each other against the oppositely inclined faces 18 and 19 of the two members 15 and 16 in order to urge the part 16 outwardly against the cooperating chafing block or plate 13. i

Furthermore each collar 22 is supported as against the reaction of the associated springs by means of a device 23 which'is received in a supplementary pocket structure 24 disposed laterally of the entire bufler mechanism adiacent the wedge 1'! with which the cooperating springs are pocket 14, is apertured as indicated at 25 for the insertion therethrough of the associated springs 20, 21. These openings, furthermore, are

of sufhcient size to permit insertion of the collar 22 so that in assembling the buffer supporting parts, the springs and their cooperating abutment may be inserted after assembly of the elements 15, 16 and 1'7 in the main pocket structure.

After such application of the springs and 00-- operating abutment collars for each of the two wedges, a bolt or the like such as indicated at 26 is inserted therethrough, suitable apertures being provided in the wedges as well as in the annular abutment parts for this purpose. Upon drawing up the nut 2'7 on the threaded end 28 of the bolt 26, the springs are compressed and the collars 22 drawn together suiiiciently to permit the insertion of the abutment devices 23 above referred to. These devices in their preferred form have depending leg portions 29 (see Fig. 1) between which the bolt 26 is adapted to be received. The, devices 23, furthermore, are extended sufliciently in their leg portions 29 as well as in the upper portions thereof to engage the-walls of the supplementary pocket structure 24 below as well as above the opening 25 therein, sothat upon release of the nut 27 the force of the springs 20, 21 is transmitted to the pocket structure by engagement of the devices 23 therewith as well as with the collars 22. In this way, all normal buffing shocks and the like are transmitted through the supporting wedge devices and the associated springs to the pocket structure and, at no time, need the bolt 26 or the associated nut 27 (with its threaded engagement with the bolt) be relied upon to resist such buffing shocks.

The bolt and nut structure 26, 27, therefore, may, if desired, be entirely removed from the buffer construction after assembly in this manner and need not be reapplied unless and until it becomes necessary to alter the adjustment of the spring pressure or replace any of the parts. If desired, however, this bolt may be retained in position for purposes of ready inspection and the like, it being necessary only to loosen the associated nut 2'7 suiliciently to permit the above described reaction of -the springs against the pocket structure 24.

Further in connection with the form of buffer illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, attention is called to the fact that it is preferable to provide openings 25 in the side walls of the main and supplemental buffer pockets of sufficient size lengthwise of the coupled vehicles to permit insertion and removal of the springs 20, 21 and the associated parts, after certain wear occurs, in which case.

these parts move closer to the vehicle ,frame. It is also desirable, of course, to provide this freedom of movement fore and aft of the vehicle for the purpose of permitting insertion and removal of the parts after wear has been taken up or compensated for as by means of the insertion of shimming between the member 15 and the bottom of the pocket. This may be accomplished, for example, as disclosed in the copending application above identified, by the provision of an aperture 30 in the side wall of the pocket adjacent the base thereof.

For purposes of convenience in assembly, the bufier pocket structure as well as the projecting buffing plate 16 may be provided with suitably elongated openings 31 arranged to permit the insertion of a pin 32., This pin, however, it should be noted, serves only to retain the various buffer parts in assembled position in the pocket and does not perform any supporting or like function during normal operation after insertion of the spring devices 20, 21.

In accordance with the showing of Figure 3, the various parts above described are entirely similar with the exception of the bolt structure employed in compressing the springs for purposes of assembly. In this view, separate or individual bolts -33 are applied to each wedge, its associated springs 20, 21 and abutment 22, the inner or small end of each wedge being configured to receive the bolt head 34. The operation of this particular construction is quite similar to that of Figures 1 and 2, although it should be noted that in addition to the advantages afforded by the construction of Figures 1 and 2, in accordance with Figure 3, the assembling bolts 33 may be employed individually or separately to permit inspection or replacement of springs or the like.

Furthermore, the structure of Figures 4 and 5 also closely resembles that of Figures 1 and 2 as to the general arrangement of buffer parts. In this instance, however, in place of the removable and bifurcated abutment devices 23, the side walls of the bufier pocket' are provided with openings having alternate lips and recesses 35 which are arranged to cooperate with complementary lips or projections 36 peripherally disposed around a collar or ring structure 37 (see Fig. 5) after the manner of a bayonet connection. If desired, in this modification, the abutment collar 22 of Figures 1 to 3 inclusive may also'be employed to transmit the reaction of the springs 20, 21 to the bayonet ring 37. It will also be apparent that the assembling bolt or bolts 40 employed in this construction may either be formed of sufllcient length to extend throughout the entire buffer construction (as shown in Figures 1 and 2) or may be shortened (as illustrated in Figure 3) and applied to the wedges and associated parts individually. It might be noted in this connectionthat with the bayonet type of interconnection between the pocket structure and the spring reaction abutment means, the relative movement of the spring supporting devices and the bar structure, lengthwise of the vehicle, is provided for by forming the central opening 38 of the member 37 considerably larger in diameter than the outside diameter of the shank or cylindrical portion 39 of the collar 22. In this way considerable relative movement of the collar 22 and the ring 37 is afforded (see Fig. 4).

The structure of Figures 4 and 5 has the distinctive advantage of being capable of assembly or the like entirely from the sides of the pocket,

it being noted that in this form no upwardly projecting or removable parts are employed.

I claim:

1. A railway vehicle buffer mechanism including a pocket structure having an opening at one side thereof, a bufling element mounted to move into and out of said structure through said opening during buffer operation, wedge means between a normally fixed part of the pocket structure and said element, said wedge means being movable laterally of the vehicle behind said element during buffer operation, spring means acting between the wedge means and another normally fixed portion of the pocket structure, the pocket structure being provided with an aperture adjacent the spring means to permit removal thereof, and a displaceable abutment interposed between the ing a supporting pocket structure at the end of thevehicle having an opening atthe front thereof, a bufling part adapted to work or move in said opening during buffer operation, wedge means interposed between said part and a normally fixed portion of the bufler pocket structure, said wedge means and the buifing part being provided with complementary wedge surfaces, spring means acting on the wedge means to urge the latter in a direction to advance the bufiing part out of said opening, said spring means being adapted to act on or bear against a normally fixed part of the pocket structure, a displaceable abutment operatively interposed between the spring means and the portion of the pocket structure last mentioned and normally serving to transmit the tension or pressure of the spring means to the pocket structure, and means for relieving said abutment of the spring tension or pressure, whereby to facilitate displacement of the abutment and relieve spring tension or pressure for purposes of adjustment, repair, assembly or the like.

3. A buffer mechanism adapted for use between coupled railway vehicles including a supporting pocket structure at one end of one vehicle having an opening facing the associated or coupled vehicle, a bufling element projecting into the pocket structure through said, opening and adapted to receive the buifing forces during operation, a pair of oppositely arranged or opposed wedge devices interposed between said element and;a normally fixed part of the pocket structure, said wedges and said element being provided with complementary wedge or inclined surfaces whereby to provide for movement of the wedge devices in a path extended generally at right angles to the path of movement of said element, a spring associated with each wedge device and exerting pressure thereon in a direction to urge the builing element outwardly away from the vehicle on which it is mounted, the pocket structure being apertured at the sides thereof to permit removal and insertion of the springs and further being provided with means, adjacent each aperture, for engaging a displaceable abutment, displaceable abutments interposed between the means last mentioned and the springs and servingto transmit the spring tension or pressure to the pocket structure, and'a common means for relieving said abutments of the spring tension or pressure, whereby to facilitate displacement of the abutments for purposes of assembly, disassembly, adjustment and the like.

4. A buffer mechanism adapted for use between coupled railway vehicles including a supporting pocket structure at one end of one vehicle having an opening facing the associated or coupled vehicle; a buffing element projecting into the pocket normally fixed part of the pocket structure, said wedges and said element being provided with complementary wedge or inclined surfaces whereby to provide for movement of the wedge devices in a path extended generally at right angles to the path of movement of said element, a spring associated with each wedge device and exerting pressure thereon in a direction to urge the bufling element outwardly away from the vehicle on which it is mounted, the pocket structure being apertured at the sides thereof to permit removal and insertion of the springs and further being provided with means, adjacent each aperture, for engaging a displaceable abutment, displaceable abutments interposed between the means last mentioned and the springs and serving to transmit the spring tension or pressure to the'pocket structure, and, for each spring, a device for relieving its associated abutment of spring tension or pressure, whereby to facilitate displacement of the abutment for purposes of assembly, disassembly, adjustment and the like.

5. A buffer mechanism adapted for use between coupled railway vehicles including a supporting pocket structure at one end of one vehicle having an opening facing the associated or coupled vehicle, a buffing element projecting into the pocket structure through said opening and adapted to receive the bufling forces during operation, a wedge device interposed between said element and a normally fixed part of the pocket structure, the wedge device and said element bevehicle on which it is mounted, the pocket structure being apertured at one side thereof to per- 1 mit removal and insertion of the spring means, and a displaceable abutment for transmitting the spring tension or pressure to the pocket structure having a bayonet connection with the pocket structureadjacent said aperture.

6. A buffer mechanism adapted for use between coupled railway vehicles including a supporting pocket structure at one end of one vehicle having an opening facing theassociated or coupled vehicle, a bufling element projecting into the pocket structure through said opening and adapted to receive the buffing forces during operation, a wedge device interposed between said element and a normally fixed part of the pocket structure, the wedge device and said element being provided with complementary wedge-surfaces providing for generally-lateral wedge movement during bufier operation, spring means associated with said wedge device and exerting spring pressure on the wedge device in a direction to urge the bufling element outwardly away from the vehicle on which it is mounted, the pocket structure being apertured at one side thereof to permit removal and insertion of the spring means, a displaceable abutment for transmitting the spring tension or pressure to the pocket structure having a bayonet connection with the pocket structure adjacentsaid aperture, and a normally inoperative device for removing spring tension or pressure from said abutment, whereby to facilitate engagement and disengagement of said bayonet connection.

7. In a railway vehicle buffer of the type having a bufling element, supporting wedges and spring means for the latter, a pocket structure adapted to at least partially house said element, the wedges and the associated spring means, said pocket structure having an aperture at one side for the bumng element and further having an aperture at another side thereof to permit ina .eTu

sertion and removal of the spring means for purposes of assembly, disassembly, adjustment and the like, and a displaceable abutment normally serving as the means through which the spring tension or pressure is effective to urge the wedges to support the bufling element, said abutment, the spring means, the wedge devices and the pocket aperture for the spring means all being relatively positioned and arranged to proside thereof to permit insertion and removal of the spring means for purposes of assembly, disassembly, adjustment and the like, a displaceable abutment normally serving as the means through which the spring tension or pressure is efiective to urge the wedges to support the buifling element, said abutment including a bayonet lock member arranged for access through said aperture in the pocket, the bayonet lock member, the spring means, the wedge devices and the pocket aperture all being relatively positioned and arranged to provide for insertion and removal of the spring means through said aperture upon displacement of the bayonet member, and normally inoperative means for removing the spring pressure or tension from said bayonet member to facilitate v ture at one side for the bufling element and fur-' ther having an aperture at another side thereof to permit insertion and removal of the resilient mechanism for purposes of assembly, disassembly, adjustment and the like, and a displaceable abutment normally serving as the means through which the tension or pressure of the resilient mechanism is eflective to urge the wedges to support the bufling element, said abutment, the resilient mechanism, the wedge devices and the pocket aperture for said mechanism all being relatively positioned and arranged to provide for insertion and removal of the resilient mechanism through the aperture last mentioned upon displacement of the abutment, the resilient mechanism including an element having a surface accessible from the exterior of the pocket and adapted to cooperate with a normally inoperative means for removing the spring pressure or tension from said abutment to facilitate displacement thereof.

GEORGE H. ZOUCK.

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