US1963068A - Draft rigging - Google Patents

Description

June 19, 1934. o. s. BARROWS 8,

DRAFT RIGGING Filed Sept. 1Q. 1929 Zlvwantoa Patented June 19, 1934 PATENT OFFICE DRAFT RIGGING Donald S. llarrows, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to The Symmgton Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application September 10, 1929, Serial No. 391,594

12 Claims.

This invention relates to cushioning mechanism and, more particularly to spring and friction draft gears especially adapted for use on railway vehicles.

The principal object of my invention, generally considered, is to provide friction cushioning mechanism especially adapted for railway service and constructed to interchange with Farlow two key twin draft gears and associated follower blocks or for supplemental use with other draft gear.

Another object of my invention is to provide cushioning mechanism involving an enclosing housing or casing provided with an intermediate wall or longitudinal partition forming two compartments with a pair of friction elements or wedges in each compartment, one element frictionally engaging the partition, and the other the opposite wall of the compartment with re-.

silient means between said elements for urging them apart, and release springs engaging an intermediate follower associated with the inner ends of said friction elements for efiecting release of the mechanism.

A further object of my invention is to provide cushioning mechanism for railway vehicles involving friction elements, the frictional capacity of said mechanism being increased by employing a partition with inclined friction surfaces and auxiliary friction elements or wedges engaging said partition, in addition to corresponding elements engaging the side walls of said casing.

A still further object of my invention is to provide cushioning mechanism involving twin friction draft gears disposed on either side of a slotted partition in an enclosing housing or casing.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particular arrangement and construction of the various parts will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

Referring to the drawing illustrating my invention, the scope whereof is defined by the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a partial side elevation and partial there is shown a cushioning mechanism or draft gear 1 particularly adapted for use on railway vehicles and preferably designed so that it will fit into a draft gear pocket of usual size, it being understood, however, that I do not wish 0 to be limited to this use. In the embodiment shown, the gear is adapted as a substitute for twin spring gear or as supplemental to other draft gear, but it is obvious that I do not wish to be limited to this use or the exact construction 5 shown.

In the present embodiment, the gear involves a spring barrel or casing 2 adapted to serve not only as a container for resilient means, such as the helical release springs 3, but is also preferably provided with a longitudinal partition or other separating means 4 preferably slotted along with the connected side walls 5 at 6 to provide for the reception of a connecting draft key (not shown). functions as a combined casing and front follower when used with Farlow two key draft rigging. Although no coupler engaging lug, as is customary on the standard front follower used with Farlow rigging, is illustrated, it will be clear 30 that, if desired, such a lug may be employed, especially if the mechanism is used by itself or located immediately adjacent the butt of a coupler. Although the single ended mechanism illustrated has a barrel or casing 2 preferably 5 formed with a wall 7 closing the front or one end thereof on which such a coupler engaging lug may be formed, yet I do not wish to be limited to this disclosure.

The partition 4 in the embodiment shown di-' vides the casing into two compartments 8. Although when used with a horizontal yoke and Farlow attachments, these compartments are upper and lower compartments, it will be clear that the gear may be used in other positions as 5 desired, so that the compartments are not necessarilyin the positions described. In each compartment there is preferably disposed a pair of friction elements, one of which is a wedge 9 with outer inclined, generally fiat, friction surfaces 10 engaging correspondingly inclined, generally flat, surfaces 11 on the corresponding walls 12 of the housing, which walls, in the present embodiment, are upper and lower walls.

In order to provide for interlocking between the wedges 9 and the casing 2, the inclined friction surfaces ,11 on the casing preferably have shoulders 13 at their inner ends and each wedge is desirably formed with a lug 14 engaging the corresponding shoulder for limiting outward move- In this way, the casing or housing 2 75 ment of the wedge with respect to the housing. The associated friction element or wedge is desirably thinner than the corresponding wedge 9 and has an inclined, generally fiat, friction surface 16 engaging the correspondingly inclined, generally flat, friction surface 17 on the partition 4. These engaging friction surfaces are desirably longitudinal and slightly converging toward one another as they approach the adjacent end of the casing 2. Outward movement of the friction element or wedge 15 with respect to the partition 4 is preferably limited in a similar manner to the movement of the wedge 9 as by means of a shoulder 18 cooperating with a lug 19 on the inner end of the wedge 15. In order to hold the friction elements or wedges 9 and 15 in frictional engagement with the corresponding portions of the casing, resilient means such as curved plate springs 20 are provided between each pair of friction elements 9 and 15.

To effect release of the mechanism, an inter- I mediate follower 21 is preferably disposed between the inner ends of the wedges 9 and 15 at the adjacent ends of the release springs 3, two of which are preferably provided in each compartment 8. In order to provide for properly positioning the springs 3, the walls 12 of the casing are preferably inwardly embossed or corrugated, as indicated at 22, to more closely engage the sides of said springs. In order to provide for smoothness of operation and avoid sticking, some or all of the friction elements and friction portions of the casing are provided with lead inserts 23 or other means for effecting the purpose.

Associated with the ends of the friction elements 9 and 15, which normally extend out of the casing 2, is a follower 24 of any usual or desired character. Movement of the follower toward the casing effects closure of the gear and compression of the springs as will be understood. This movement is not only limited by engagement with the side walls of the casing, but also preferablyby engagement with the partition 4.

From the foregoing disclosure, it will be seen that I have devised cushioning mechanism in which the housing or barrel thereof is also adapted to function as a front follower and receive a connecting draft key. 'The partition, which is slotted for receiving such a key, not only functions to strengthen the casing, but also to provide additional inclined friction surfaces for increasing the frictional capacity of the gear. The partition is preferably extended to approximately the end of the casing to assist the side walls thereof in limiting closure of the gear. The relatively movable friction elements are desirably formed with shoulders interlocking with corresponding portions on the casing. In assembling the gear, the intermediate follower is slipped into place over the release springs, the friction elements or wedges being then placed in position and the plate springs finally inserted therebetween when the wedges will be locked in place, as illustrated.

Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has been disclosed, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims. Although the friction surfaces on the wedges 15 are shown inclined at a smaller angle than those on the wedges 9, it will be understood that the inclination of these friction surfaces may be varied within the broad scope of the invention.

Having now described my invention, I claim:'

1. Cushioning mechanism for use with railway walls being disposed at a different angle to the eeaoes draft rigging comprising a casing, a longitudinal partition dividing said casing and provided with outwardly converging, generally flat, friction surfaces, one end of said casing being formed with generally flat, friction surfaces on side walls thereof, said surfaces diverging outwardly and disposed at an angle to one another different than the angle between the friction surfaces of the partition, wedges engaging said surfaces, resilient means disposed between said wedges, and intermediate wedges disposed between said resilient means and the inclined friction surfaces on said partition.

2. Cushioning mechanism for use with railway draft rigging comprising a casing closed at one end and open at the other, said open end being provided with generally fiat friction surfaces on a pair of opposite side walls and on an intermediate wall, the friction surfaces on the side axis of the casing than those on the intermediate wall, wedges engaging all of said surfaces, and resilient means disposed between adjacent wedges on opposite sides of said intermediate wall.

3. Cushioning mechanism for use with railwaylOO draft rigging comprising a casing, a longitudinal partition dividing said casing into compartments, 2. pair of wedges in each compartment with friction surfaces inclined at different angles and respectively engaging generally flat surfaces on an outer wall and the partition thereof, and resilient means disposed between the wedges in each compartment for holding said members in frictional contact with said casing.

l. Cushioning mechanism comprising a casing, a partition dividing said casing into two transversely spaced compartments, a pair of friction elements in each compartment, said elements and the engaging portions of the casing having correspondingly inclined, generally fiat, friction surfaces, the inclination of the friction surface at one side of each compartment being different from that at the other side, and resilient means disposed between said friction elements in each compartment.

5. Cushioning mechanism comprising a casing,

a longitudinal partition dividing said casing into two compartments, opposite side walls of said casing at one end having outwardly diverging friction surfaces, the corresponding end of said partition being formed with friction surfaces outwardly converging at an angle different than the angle of the outwardly diverging surfaces, a pair of wedges in' each compartment respectively engaging the friction surfaces on the side walls and partition of the casing, said wedges being formed with lugs adjacent their inner ends engaging corresponding shoulders on said casing and partition. to limit outward movement of said wedges, and resilient means disposed between each. pair of wedges in the compartments for holding them in frictional engagement with the corresponding portions of the casing.

6. Cushioning mechanism comprising a casing having side walls providing inclined friction surfaces, and a longitudinal partition dividing said casing into compartments, one end portion of the partition .bein tapered toward the end of the casing having said inclined friction surfaces for increasing the frictional capacity of the mechanism, the inclination of the friction surfaces on the partition being less than the inclination of the corresponding'friction surfaces on the casing.

7. Cushioning mechanism comprising a housing provided with a wedge-shaped partition providing friction surfaces inclined at a relatively small angle, the walls of said housing opposite said inclined friction surfaces being inclined to provide other friction surfaces disposed at a greater angle with respect to the longitudinal center line of the mechanism.

8. A housing for cushioning mechanism comprising a pair of side walls with inner inclined friction surfaces, and a wall dividing the space between said side walls into two compartments,- said wall having surfaces inclined at a smaller angle than, and disposed opposite to the friction surfaces of, the side walls and formed with a slot passing through said housing inwardly of said friction surfaces.

9. Cushioning mechanism comprising a 'casing, a longitudinal partition dividing said easing into two compartments, a pair of wedges in each compartment, the wedges of each pair comprising a thin solid wedge having a friction surface disposed at a small angle to the longitudinal axis of the mechanism and a thicker hollow wedge having a friction surface disposed at an angle greater than that of the solid wedge friction surface and one engaging a generally flat friction surface of corresponding angularity on the partition and the other engaging the opposite. wall of the compartment having a friction surface disposed at a corresponding angle, an intermediate follower in. each compartment normally engaging the inner ends of said wedges,.a set of plate springs disposed between a pair of wedges on one side of thepartition, and curved -concavely toward the hollow wedge, for holding them in frictional engagement with the corresponding parts of the casing, a set of plate springs disposed between the other pair of wedges and curved concavely' toward the hollow wedge for holding them in frictional engagement with the corresponding parts of the casing, and release spring means engaging said intermediate followers for urging said wedges outwardly of said casing.

10. Cushioning mechanism comprising a casing one end of which is formed with inclined friction surfaces, a longitudinal partition integral with and dividing said easing into compartments for substantially the full length thereof, one end of said partition being provided with inclined, generally flat, friction surfaces, longitudinally converging at an angle different from that of the casing friction surfaces, said casing being slotted with the slot extending through that portion of said partition inwardly of the friction surfaces for the reception of a connecting draft key.

11. Cushioning mechanism comprising a casing, one end of which is formed with inclined, generally flat, friction-surfaces, friction elements engaging said surfaces, resilient means engaging said elements to hold them in contact with said surfaces, friction wedges, thinner than the friction elements, disposed on the other sides of said resilient means from said friction elements, and separator means between said wedges formed with friction surfaces inclined at anangle dif- .ferent from that of the friction surfaces on 'th casing and movable with said casing. 12. Cushioning mechanism comprising a casing closedat' oneend and open at the other, said open end being provided with outwardly flaring portions, wedge means normally disposed in engagement with generally flat surfaces ofsaid portions, resilient means disposed between said wedge means, and other wedges holding said resilient means and spaced apart by an element having frictionsurfaces outwardly converging at an angle different from that of the flaring portions and movablewith said casing.

DONALD s. 'BARROWS.

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