US2118298A - Draft and buffer gearing - Google Patents

Description

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May 24, 1938. G. E. EDMUNDs 2,118,293

DRAFT AND BUFFER GEARING l Filed April l2r 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l May 24, 193,8. G. E. EDMuN-Ds 2,118,298

DRAFT AND BUFFER GEARING Filed April 12. 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2' May 24, 1938. G, E. EDMuNDs l 2,118,298

` DRAFT AND BUFFER GEARING Filed. April l2, I1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 l JJ4 /JUQ 108 4- mwmmmmmw May 24, 1938. G. E. EDMUNDSW 2,118,298

' y DRAFT AND BUFFER GEARING Filed AprlvlZ, 1954 4-SheetS-Sheet 4 w//f////////////la Patented May 24, 1938 UNITED lSTATES DRAFT AND BUFFER GEARING Glenn E. Edmunds, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Bonney-Floyd Company, Columbus, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application April 12, 1934, Serial No. 720,323

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to draft and buffer gearing utilizing friction means for resisting movements, under draft and bufi'lng forces, of movable Adraft and buffer elements.

According to the invention, in its preferred ernbodiment, cooperating friction surfaces enter into- `action both under draft and bufng forces and the friction surfaces in each instance are engaged through common yieldable means, the latter being preferably in the form of a compression spring or springs. The buiiing means may take the form of a plurality of separate bufling heads or of a single bumper, and, while the invention is of general application, it is particularly well adapted for use in mine cars and in mine and industrial locomotives or the like.

In order that the underlying principles and the scope of the invention may be readily understood, I have shown several illustrative embodi- 20 ments in the accompanying drawings. In these embodiments, friction transmission means come into action both under draft and buffng forces. The invention is not limited in this respect, however, since the friction buflng means may be used in conjunction with fixed or positive draft means or the friction draft means may be used in conjunction with a solid bumper. That is to say, the invention embraces friction draft means per se and friction bufng means per se.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan View, partly in section of one practical embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of the embodiment of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a section substantially one line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view, partly in section, of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 5 is a plan view partly in section of another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6 is a section substantially on the line 6--6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a plan view, partly in section, of still another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 8 is a section substantially on line 8--8 of Figure 7 Figure 9 is a section substantially on line 9-9 of Figure 7 Figure 10 is a plan view of a stlll'further embodiment of the invention, partly in section;

Figure 11 is a section substantially on line of Figure 10;

Figure l2 is a plan View, partly in section, of another form which the invention may take and Figure 13 is an elevation, partly in section, of the embodiment of Figure 12. l

Referring first to Figures l to 3, reference .numeral 2|] designates generally a bracket or housing, preferably an integral casting, comprising top and bottom webs 2| and 22 connected by end walls 23 and 24 which are rearwardly prolonged into arms 25 and 26 adapted to be secured to longitudinal sill members, not shown, of a car. The top and bottom webs and side walls are connected by a rear wall 21 which, as here shown, is of angular form toprovide a pocket 28 having an apex on the central longitudinal line of the bracket. Centrally, web 2| is interrupted by a recess 29 and therebelow the lower web 22 has a downwardly offset portion 30. A draft member in the form of a bar 3| is of substantially the same form as the similar bar shown in my Patent No. 2,060,052, granted November 10, 1936, and has similarly connected thereto a draft hook or other suitablecoupling element 32.r The end portions of bar 3| have fiat vertical walls as at 33, each being provided with a vertically extending lug or rib as at 34, Figures 1 and 3.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the use of a pair of separate buffer heads 35 and 36 is contemplated, although the invention is by no means limited in this respect since it is readily adaptable to the requirements of a single bufling means in the form of a single bumper extending from side to side of the bracket. Heads 35 and 36 are identical in form and mounting so that a description of one will suice.

Referring particularly to head 35, the same is of substantially box-like form, rectangular in cross section, and comprises top and bottom Walls 31 and 38 and side walls 39 and 40, the top and bottom walls being so spaced as to be slidable between bracket webs 2| and 22. Preferably, but not necessarily, the head is an integral casting and comprises also a forward bufiing face 4| which is laterally rounded 01T in each direction.

The top and bottom walls 31 and 38 are connected by means of vertical webs 42 and 43 which rearwardly and, at least throughout their major portions, have forwardly convergent opposed friction faces, the forward ends of these webs merging into the front wall 4|. The top and bottom walls 3l and 38 are provided with registering openings 44, 45 and 46, 41, these openings being in the form of slots extending in the fore and aft direction and forwardly enlarged as shown in Figure 1, these slots lying between wall 39 and web 42 and wall 40 and web 43, respectively. Bracket webs 2| and 22 are provided with aligned apertures and pins 48 and 49 are passed through these apertures and the registering slots in head S5. Thus, due to the provision of the slots in the head, the latter has the capability of limited movement toward and away from the bracket in the fore and aft direction and it may also pivot about either one of pins Q8 and 49 due to the clearance provided by the enlarged forward ends of the slots. The head is sufficiently inwardly spaced from wall 23 so as not to interfere therewith.

A compressible wedge comprising shoes 5t and 5l has inclined friction faces engagingthe opposed faces of webs Q2 and L33. The wedge shoes or portions are provided withopposed centering bosses 52, 53 and 54, 55, which position compression springs 56 and 5l, which are interposed between the shoes, to force the latter against the cooperating friction faces of the head. The base portion of the wedge bears against the forward face 33 of bar 3l and the lug or rib 3d extends between the wedge portions. A plate 5S bridges the forward ends of the wedge portions and provides a seat for the rear end of a compression spring 5s whose forward end abuts the rear surface of wall 4| and is centered thereon by means of a boss 5i). It will oe understood that head 3% has exactly the same provisions as those just described withreference to head 35.

The assembly of the parts described is readily accomplished. The draft member 3l is inserted to positions and the hook 32 connected therewith in the manner described in the application above mentioned. The compressible wedge, together with plate 58 and spring 59, are assembled in head 35, whereupon the latter is inserted to position and pins i8 and 49 are dropped in place and secured in any suitable manner.

Upon application of draft to hook 32, bar 3l may be moved forwardly, or outwardly,`relative to bracket 2i?. This movement tak-es place against the force of spring 5S, the f'rictional resistance between the wedge and webs l2 and i3 being of a magnitude dependent upon the strength of springs 5B and El. The strength of these springs may be chosen as required, and under some conditions only one of these springs may be necessary to secure the desired results.

When draft tension is relieved or released, spring 59 acts to return the drawbar into abutment with wall 2l' and to hold the drawbar and buffer head in maximum spaced relation as shown in Figure l. It will be understood that, under buing forces, rearward movements of the heads relative to the housing are similarly resisted by the springs as at 59 and the friction faces, return of the heads being effected by the said springs.

As here shown, the friction faces of the wedge are related at a very acute angle so that return means such as spring 59 is required. Under some circumstances, as when the friction faces of the wedge are sufciently obtusely related, spring may be dispensed with, inasmuch as the action of springs 56 and 5l will then sufce for all purposes. The wedge parts are sufficiently spaced at the base of the wedge so as not to interfere with lug 34 which serves, through cooperation with these parts, to maintain the proper relation of the drawbar and wedge. Bar Si is automatically centered when in abutment with'wall 2l. Also, plate 58 is of suchv lateral dimensiones not to interfere with webs 42 and i3 and these may be parallel at their forward portions as here shown. The arrangement is extremely flexible so that under eccentric forces the draft and buffer parts may readily swing relative to each other.

According to Figure 4, the bracket 6l is generally similar to the bracket Zil above described with the principal exception that its rear wall 62, as here shown, is rectilinear. A drawbar 63 has a flat rear surface adapted to abut the front surof wall fifi and centrally has a pair of forwardly'projecting vertically spaced ears as at S4 between which the shank of a draft hook 65 is receivable to be connected thereto by means of a bolt fit which passes through the top and bottom webs of the bracket in the manner shown in my above mentioned application, although in a somewhat more forward position outside'of the adjacent end wall of the car, not shown, due to the absence of the angular, rearwardly extending pocket. The ends of the drawbar 63 are forwardly turned as at El and provided with forwardly convergent friction faces as at $8 and 69 which lie opposite a similar, spaced, wedge formation formed on the rear of the front wall 10 of a buffer head ii, this latter wedge formation providing friction faces 'i2 and 73. The head 'Il is connected to the bracket 5l by means of pins 14 and '55 in a manner which will be understood from what has gone before.

A pair of opposed wedge blocks 'iii and 'il are loosely strung on a rod i8 which, as here shown, has an integral head 19 and a removable head tit' at its ends, compression springs 8| and 82 being also strung on rod 18 and respectively abutting with their ends, block l5 and head I9 and block ll and head S@ so that the faces of the wedge blocks are forced against the faces B8, 12 i and (it, i3 of the drawbar and buffer head. The blocks l@ and 'il may be considered as providing forwardv shoe portions yieldingly urged against faces 112 and i3 by means of the compression springs 3i and 82. The wedge blocks are of such top and bottom webs of head il and are slidably supported on the bottom web. Thus, a floating support is provided so that the blocks readily adjust themselves to conditions. It will be understood that'the other buffer head 83 is associated with the bracket 5i and with Vthe drawbar 63 in exactly the same manner as has been described with reference tohead l l When the drawbar moves away from the bracket under draft, the wedge blocks 'i6 and il are moved apart against the frictional resistance cf their faces with faces 63, .|59 and '12, T3 and this action is the same under bufng action. Normally the wedge blocks hold the parts in their maximumrspaced relation as shown, the springs Y8l and 32 being enabled to act as return means view of the angular relation of the cooperating friction faces. The wedge blocks serve to maintain the centered portion of drawbar 63, although primarily this is maintained by bolt E6, as is also the case in the embodiment first described and as will be understood from the prior application referred to.

In Figures 5 and 6, the bracket 54 is generally 4bumper is provided with vertical webs as at 9i,

the opposed faces of these webs being forwardly 140 height as to be readily receivable between the convergent. The lower wall of the bumper is out away as at 92 to provide clearance foran upstanding wall 93 integral with the lower web 99 of the bracket. A pair of wedge blocks of which one is shown at 91| is disposed inwardly of wall 93 and have their bases bearing thereagainst adjacent the ends thereof, the opposed faces of the blocks lying in vertical planes which are rearwardly convergent at an angle which is symmetrical relative to the central longitudinal axis of the bumper. The top web 39 of the bracket is centrally interrupted and provided with upwardly offset guide flanges as at 95 in the manner described in the copending application of Edmunds and Cawthon, Serial No. 664,260, filed April 3, 1938. A slide 96 rests on the top wall of bumper 86 and has its marginal portions engaged under the offsets as at 95 so that the slide is guided for movements in the fore and aft direction. The slide is equipped with a tongue 9'! thereabove, the two being provided with vertically aligned apertures to receive a coupling pin 98 whose lower end may project into an opening S9 in the bumper top wall so that the pin does not interfere with the relative movements of the bumper and slide. A wedge block Ii has forwardly convergent faces engaging the opposed faces of the blocks as at The wedge block |99 has an upward projection I9| pivoted to the rear portion of slide 96 by means of a bolt I 92. The block also has a lower projection |93 projecting through an opening IM in the bottom wall 9G of the bracket and adapted to bear against the thickened rear edge |65 of this opening. Interposed between bumper web 9| and block 92 is a compressible wedge |95, a compression spring |91 being interposed between the forward end of this wedge and the rear 'face of the bumper front wall. It will be understood that a similar wedge Ici? is provided at the other side of the bracket in engagement with the other wedge block as at 94 and the other bumper web as at 9|.

Upon application of draft to the slide 96, wedge block |99 is swung forwardly, as its lower extension |93 rolls on edge |95, and forces the blocks as at 94 apart against the force of the compressible wedges and against the frictional resistance of their engaged portions and of the base faces of the wedge blocks as at 91| with the cooperating surfaces of wall 93, draft being transmitted to the associated car through the latter wall. When draft is relieved, the expansion of the compressible wedges returns the wedge block |99 to normal position. Under puffing action, the bumper moves toward the bracket against the frictional resistance offered by the cooperating faces of the wedges and the bumper webs as at 9|, the parts being returned by means of the springs as at |01.

It is believed that the manner of assembly will be perfectly obvious and needs no explanation. These parts are shown as being separate, since ordinarily it will be desirable for ease of manufacture to have the two wedge parts of identical form.

The arrangement shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9 is very similar to that shown in Figures 5 and 6.

In this case, however, the rear wall l of the bracket |09 is centrally and rearwardly offset as at H9 to provide a pocket whose side walls H2 and IIS, Figure 9, are approached at their lower portions. A slide I Ill has a pair of ears I I5 and H8 depending into the pocket and loosely pivotally connected by a pin Hl with an ear I8 formed at the rear of a wedge block H9. An ear |29 also formed with the wedge block I I9 lies between the lower portions of walls I2 and H3 and is engaged by a pivot pin I2| which also passes through apertures formed in the walls. Wedge blocks, of which one is shown at |22, have their bases arranged against the rear face of a bracket wall A|23 and rest on the bottom wall of the bracket. These blocks, as contrasted to the blocks as at 94, Figures 5 and 6, have their opposed faces lying in upwardly, as well as rearwardly, convergent planes, these faces being engaged by complementary faces on the wedge block ||9. Upon the application of draft to the slide IM, the block ||9 is swung forwardly about pin I2! and exerts a downward and outward action on the wedge blocks as at |22 which is resisted by the compressible wedges of which one is shown at |24. In this case, frictional resistance is developed not only between the blocks as at |22 and the upright bracket wall |23, but also between the blocks and the lower wall of the bracket. Resistance is, of course,.a1so developed between the interengaged blocks themselves.

In assembling this arrangement, the slide is first inserted part way to position, whereupon ear ||8 is positioned between ears H5 and IIS and pin |I'I inserted. |The slide is then moved to its rearward limit position and pin Il inserted. Pin III is held in position by the overlying portions of walls H2 and I I3. rI'he blocks, as at |22 are now positioned behind wall |23, the compressible wedges are put in place, the bumper inserted to position,and the retaining pins dropped into place.

'I'he bracket |25 of Figures 10 and ll has a rearwardly bowed wall |25 against which lies the mating rear surface of a drawbar |21. The drawbar |2'I has formed therewith or secured thereto a slide |28 which overlies the central portion of the bumper |29 and is slidably guided in' the manner above described. At each end, the -drawbar IZ'I has formed thereon a web as at |30 having a rearwardly and centrally inclined friction face which lies opposite a forwardly and centrally inclined friction face on a web ISI integral with the bumper. The two friction faces are engaged by the faces of a wedge |32 through which is loosely passed a rod |33 which is pivoted at one end to the bumper on a vertical pin |34. A washer |35 is held on the other end of rod |33 between a stop collar It` and a nut I3? and between the washer and the wedge block |32 are interposed a pair of metal compression springs |38 and |39. The friction faces at the other side of the drawbar and bumper are engaged by a similarly mounted wedge block on a rod pivoted to the bumper at that side. It is believed that theY assembly and operation of this form will be entirely evident without explanation. It will be understood that the wedge block under the influence of the springs normally serve to hold the drawbar and bumper in maximum spaced relation and frictionally resist movements of the two toward each other.

In the modication shown in Figures l2 and 13, substantially the same bracket, drawbar, and bumper arrangement is employed as in the arrangement of Figures 19 and 11 and the operation is substantially the same. In this case, however, the friction faces as at I 49 and IM on the drawbar and bumper, respectively, are engaged by a wedge |42 into which freely projects one end of a rod |43 whose other end projects into a similar wedge block at the other side of the bracket. The blocks are urged against the cooperating friction faces by means of compression springs interposed ltherebetween and between abutments as at |44 formed on the rod. As here shown, the central portion 145 of the rod M3 is rearwardly offset in order to provide clearance for the lower end of a coupling pin (see Figure 6). In order that portion 145 of the rod may be maintained to the rear of the end portions of the rod, as shown in Figure 12, the abutments as at IM have rectilinear top and bottom edges adjacent the top and bottom webs of the'bufer and, through cooperation therewith, prevent Vthe rod from turning. It will be noted that the forward portions of the wedge blocks as at 14| constitute an arrangement which is the same in effect as that shown in a single buffer head in Figure 1, the forward surfaces of the wedge blocks. in Figures 12 and 13 corresponding to the outer faces of the shoes 50 and 5l, Figure 1.

While various embodiments have been shown, it will be understood that these are susceptible of variation with out departure from the scope-of the invention. The shoe elements may be 'of alloy, heat treated steel, cast iron, etc., and the faces may be ground or machined smooth, or they may be cast smooth. In short, the invention is not limited as to the specific form and material of the parts nor does it exclude the use of expedients commonly practiced in the art.

I claim:

1. Car draft and buffer gearing comprising buer means and a draft member, said buffer means comprising top and bottom webs and a forward buiing wall, webs extending rearwardly of said forward wall and between said top and bottom webs and providing convergently related friction faces, said rearwardly extending webs being integral with said forward Wall and said top and bottom webs, means supporting said buffer means and draft member for movements toward and away from each other, said forward bufng wall projecting beyond said supporting means so as to take buff directly, means connecting the side portions of said buffer means with said supporting means and limiting movement of the buffer means away from the draft member, said connecting means comprising abutment ele ments directly carried by said supporting means, the buffer means being pivotal about either of said conecting means, friction shoes engaging said convergently related friction faces, and spring means urging said shoes against said friction faces, said supporting means providing means limiting movement of said draft member away from said buffer means, said draft member enV gaging said friction shoes and the latter normally acting to hold the buffer means and draftV member in engagement with their respective limiting means.

2. Car draft and buffer gearing comprising buffer means and a draft member, said buer means comprising top and bottom webs and a forward bufiing wall, vertical webs adjacent the ends of said buing member extending rearwardly of said forward wall and between said top and bottom Webs and providing forwardly convergent opposed friction faces, said rearwardly extending webs being integral with said forward wall and said top and bottom webs, means supporting said buffer means and draft member for movement toward and away from each other, said forward buiiing wall projecting beyond said supporting means so as to take buff directly, means connecting the side portions of said buffer means with said supporting means and limiting movement of said buffer means away from said draft member, said connecting means comprisingabutment elements directly carried by said supporting means, the buifer means being pivotal about either of said connecting means, friction shoes engaging said friction faces, compression spring means disposed between said shoes and urging the latter apart and against said friction faces, said sup- Vporting means limiting movement f said draft member away from said buier means, said draft member engaging said friction shoes and the latter normally acting to hold the buffer means and draft member in engagement with their respective limiting means.

3. Car draft and buffer gearing comprising buffer means and a draft member, said buffer means comprising top and bottom webs anda forward bufiig wall, vertical webs adjacent the ends of said buiiing member extending rearwardly of said forward wall and between said top and bottom webs andk providing forwardly convergent opposed friction faces, said rearwardly extending webs being integral with said forward wall and said Atop and bottom webs, means supporting said buffer means and draft member for movement toward and away from each other, said forward Y bumng wall projecting beyond said supporting means so as to'take buff directly, means connecting the side portions of said buifer means with said supporting means and limiting movement of said buffer means away from saiddraft member, said connecting means comprising abutment elements directly carried by said supporting means, the buffer means being pivotal about either of said'connecting means, friction shoes engaging said friction faces, compression spring means disposed between said shoes and-urging the latter apart and against said friction faces, said supporting means limiting movement of said draft member away from said buffer means, said friction shoes being in the form of wedges having their bases in engagement with said draft member, said shoes normally acting to hold the buffer means and draft member in engagement with their respective limiting means.

4. Car draft and buffer gearing comprising buffer means and a draft member, said buffer means being in the formV of a bumper designed to extend substantially from side to side of Vthe car at the end of the latter and comprising top and bottom webs and a forward bufiing wall, webs extending rearwardly of 'said forward wall and between said top and bottom webs and providing convergently related friction faces, said rearwardly extending webs being integral with said forward wall and'said top and bottom webs, means supporting said buffer means and draft member for movements toward and away from each other, said forward bufiing wall projecting beyond said supporting means Vso as to take buff directly, means connecting the side portions of said buifer means with said supporting means and limiting movement of the buifer means away from the draft member, said connecting means comprising abutment elements directly carried by said supporting means, the buffer means being pivotal about either of said connecting means, friction shoes engaging said convergently related friction faces, and spring means urging said shoes against said friction faces, said supporting means providingr means limiting movement of said draft member away from said buffer means,said draft member engaging said friction shoes and the latter normally acting to hold the buffer means and draft member in engagement with their respective limiting means.

5. Car draft and buffer gearing comprising buffer means and a draft member, means supporting said buffer means and draft member for movements toward and away from each other, said buffer means comprising a pair ofseparate horizontally spaced hollow heads having forward buiiing faces and said draft member having end portions extending behind said heads, said forward bufng faces projecting beyondsaid supporting means so as to take buff directly, each of said heads having at its rear side integral portions providing a pair of faces convergently related with respect to the fore and aft direction, means connecting the side portions of each of said heads with said supporting means and limiting movement of said heads away from the draft member, said connecting means comprising abutment elements directly carried by said supporting means, each of said heads being pivotal about either of said connecting means, said supporting means providing means limiting movement of said draft member away from said buffer means, a pair of friction shoes interposed between each of said heads and the respective end portions of said draft member, each pair of said shoes having faces engaging the friction faces of its associated head, and means yieldingly urging the shoe faces against the said last-named faces.

6. Car draft and buffer gearing comprising buffer means and a draft member, means supporting said buffer means and draft member for movements toward and away from each other, said buffer means comprising a pair of separate horizontally spaced hollow heads having forward buing faces and said draft member having end portions extending behind said heads, said forward bufling faces projecting beyond said supporting means so as to take buff directly, each of said heads having at its rear side integralportions providing a pair of forwardly convergent opposed friction faces, means connecting the side portions of each of said heads with said supporting means and limiting movement of said heads away from the draft member, said connecting means comprising abutment elements directly carried by said supporting means, each of said heads being pivotal about either of said connecting means, said supporting means providing means limiting movement of said draft member away from said buffer means, wedges respectively interposed between each of said heads and the respective end portions of said draft member, each of said wedges having portions with friction faces engaging the friction faces of its associated head and the base portion of each of said wedges bearing against an end portion of said draft member, and means yieldingly urging the wedge portions apart.

'7. Car draft and buffer gearing comprising buffer means and a draft member, means supporting said buffer means and draft member for movements toward and away from each other', said buffer means comprising a pair of separate horizontally spaced hollow heads having forward buffing faces and said draft member having end portions extending behind said heads, said forward bufiing faces projecting beyond said supporting means so as to take buff directly, each of said heads having at its rear side integral portions providing a pair of forwardly convergent opposed friction faces, means connecting the side portions of each of said heads with said supporting means and limiting movement of said heads away from the draft member, said connecting means comprising abutment elements directly carried by said supporting, means each of said heads being pivotal about either of said connecting means, said supporting means providing means limiting movement of said draft member away from said buffer means, wedges respectively interposed between each of said heads and the respective end portions of said draft member, each of said wedges having portions with friction faces engaging the friction faces of its associated head and the base portion of each of said wedges bearing against an end portion of said draft member, means yieldingly urging the wedge portions apart and yieldable means interposed between the leading ends of said wedges and their associated heads.

8. Car draft and buffer gearing comprising buffer means and a draft member, means supporting said buffer means and draft member for movements toward and away from each other, said buffer means comprising a pair of separate horizontally spaced hollow heads having forward bufling faces and said draft member having end portions extending Ybehind said heads, said forward bumng faces projecting beyond said supporting means so as to take buff directly, each of said heads having at its rear side integral portions providing a pair of forwardly convergent opposed friction faces, means connecting the side portions of each of said heads with said supporting means and limiting movement of said heads away from the draft member, said connecting means comprising abutment elements directly carried by, said supporting means, each of said heads being pivotal about either of said connecting means, said supporting means providing means limiting movement of said draft member away from said buffer means, wedges respectively interposed between each of said heads and the respective end portions of said draft member, each of said wedges being longitudinally split to form two parts and having yieldable means interposed between said parts, the side faces of each of said wedges frictionally engaging the friction faces of its associated head and the base portion of each of said wedges bearing against an end portion of said draft member, plates respectively bridging the forward ends of the portions of each Wedge, and yieldable means interposed between said plates and said heads respectively.

9. Car draft and buffer gearing comprising buffer means and a draft member, means supporting said buffer means and draft member for movements toward and away from each other l relative to said supporting means, said buffer means projecting forwardly beyond said supporting means so as to take buff directly, means connecting the side portions of said buffer means with said supporting means and limiting movement of said buffer means away from the draft member, said connecting means comprising abutment elements directly carried by said supporting means, said buffer means being pivotal about said connecting means, said supporting means providing means limiting movement of said draft member away from said buffer means, means integral with said buffer means providing opposed forwardly convergent friction faces, means integral with said draft member providing convergent friction faces, wedge means interposed between the friction faces of said buffer means and draft member respectively and having friction faces engaging the same, and means yieldingly urging the friction faces of said wedge means against said engaged faces.

10. Car draft and buffer gearing comprising buffer means and a draft member, means supporting said buffer means and draft member for movements toward and away from each other relative to said supporting means, said buffer means projecting forwardly beyond said supporting means so as to take buff directly, means connecting the side portions of said buffer means with said supporting means and limiting movement of said buffer mea-ns away from the draft member, said connecting means comprising abutment elements directly carried by said supporting means, said buffer means being pivotal about said connecting means, said supporting means providing means limiting movement of said draft member away from said buffer means,

means integral with said buffer means providing opposed forwardly convergent friction faces, means integral with said draft member providing opposed rearwardly convergent friction faces opposite said first-named friction faces, a pair of wedges of which one has its sides frictionally engaged between each pair of said opposite friction faces, and means urging said wedges apart.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the wedges are provided with aligned apertures, a bar is provided whose ends are in said wedge apertures, and the urging means is constituted by compression spring means encircling said bar and bearing against said wedges.

12. Car draft and buer gearing comprising buffer means and a draft member, means supporting said buffer means and draft member for movements toward and away from each other relative to said supporting means, said buffer means projecting forwardly beyond said supporting means so as to take buff directly, means connecting the side portions of each of said buffer means with said supporting means and limiting movement of said buffer means away from the draft member, said connecting means comprising abutting elements directly carried by the supporting means, said buffer means being pivotal about either of said connecting means, said supporting means providing means limiting movement of said draft member away from said buffer means, said draft member having a portion extending behind said buier means and carrying a forwardly faced wedge, a rearwardly faced wedge on said buffer means opposite the first-mentioned wedge and spaced therefrom, a pair of opposed wedges engaging the faces of the first-mentioned Wedges, and means urging said pair of wedges t0- gether whereby to normally maintain said bumng means and draft member in maximum spaced relation.

13. Car draft and buffer gearing comprising buffer means and a draft member, means supporting said buffer means and draft member for movements toward and away from each-other relative to said supporting means, said supporting means comprising vertically spaced horizontally extending walls Xed to a car end and between which the buffer means is slidable, abutment means between said walls and engaging the end portions of the buffer means to limit outward movement of the latter, the buffer means being pivotal about either of said abutment means, said draft member including a portion disposed behind the buffer means, means limiting movement of the draft member away from the buffer means, said buffer means having a forward portion projecting beyond said walls so as to take buff directly and having rear portions xed thereto and providing convergently related friction faces, friction shoes engaging said friction faces, and spring means urging said shoes against said faces.

= GLENN E. EDMUNDS.

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