U.S. patent number 3,720,325 [Application Number 05/097,743] was granted by the patent office on 1973-03-13 for end-of-railway-car cushioned draft assembly.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Pullman Incorporated. Invention is credited to Leopold S. Sitko.
United States Patent |
3,720,325 |
Sitko |
March 13, 1973 |
END-OF-RAILWAY-CAR CUSHIONED DRAFT ASSEMBLY
Abstract
An end-of-railway-car cushioned draft assembly reciprocally
mounted on the end of the center sill arrangement of a flat deck
railroad car which arrangement includes a coupler pivotally
connected to a slidable cushioning unit for pivotal horizontal
movement of the coupler wherein the coupler pin is retained in a
vertical position at the end of the cushioning unit housing and
retained from falling therefrom by a coupler pin retainer assembly
including a horizontal plate mounted on a bracket arrangement
connected to the cushioning housing return spring lug used to
connect the return spring unit of the cushioning assembly to the
housing.
Inventors: |
Sitko; Leopold S. (South
Holland, IL) |
Assignee: |
Pullman Incorporated (Chicago,
IL)
|
Family
ID: |
22264914 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/097,743 |
Filed: |
December 14, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
213/8; 213/50.5;
213/69; 213/43; 213/57 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B61G
7/10 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B61G
7/00 (20060101); B61G 7/10 (20060101); B61g
009/02 (); B61g 007/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;213/8.43,50.5,57,64,67,69 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hoffman; Drayton E.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An end-of-car draft appliance for a railroad car comprising:
a coupler,
a cushioning unit adapted to be mounted within the end of the car
center sill for longitudinal movement with respect thereto,
said cushioning unit having a housing positionable for longitudinal
movement with respect to the end of the car center sill,
a vertically mountable coupler pin connecting the housing with the
coupler for pivotal movement of the coupler in a generally
horizontal plane,
return spring means for returning the cushioning unit to a normal
position after a buff impact,
A coupler pin retainer means for supporting the coupler pin in a
generally vertical position comprising:
a coupler pin support member disposed underneath the pin,
bracket means carrying said support member and having connection
means being coupled with said return spring means and said
housing,
said retainer means having a reaction means engageable with said
connection means in supporting said coupler pin,
said connection means including a pin member connecting the housing
and the return spring means with one another,
said bracket means including a pair of upright bracket members
being spaced apart from one another and being apertured for
receiving of the pin member therethrough,
said reaction means including a U-shaped member having a pair of
legs connected by a reaction member, each leg carrying a respective
bracket member therefrom and supporting said coupler pin support
member opposite said reaction member,
said connection means including a lug depending from said housing
for carrying said pin member and said bracket members and return
spring means thereon, said reaction member engaging with said lug
whereby said support member prevents said coupler pin from falling
out of its coupled condition in the housing.
2. An end-of-car draft appliance for a railroad car comprising:
a coupler,
a cushioning unit adapted to be mounted within the end of the car
center sill for longitudinal movement with respect thereto,
said cushioning unit having a housing positionable for longitudinal
movement with respect to the end of the car center sill,
a vertically mountable coupler pin connecting the housing with the
coupler for pivotal movement of the coupler in a generally
horizontal plane,
return spring means for returning the cushioning unit to a normal
position after a buff impact,
a coupler pin retainer means for supporting the coupler pin in a
generally vertical position comprising:
a coupler pin support member disposed underneath the pin,
bracket means carrying said support member and having connection
means being coupled with said return spring means and said
housing,
said retainer means having a reaction means engageable with said
connection means in supporting said coupler pin,
said connection means including an apertured lug depending from the
housing and a pin member extending therethrough and said bracket
means including a pair of vertical bracket members each apertured
to receive said pin member on a respective side of the lug and
supporting said support member thereon,
said reaction means including a reaction cross member connecting
with said bracket members and said connection means including a
spring return element carried by said pin member and disposed
underneath and engaging with said reaction cross member attendant
to the supporting of said coupler pin by said support member.
3. An end-of-car draft appliance for a railroad car comprising:
a coupler,
a cushioning unit adapted to be mounted within the end of the car
center sill for longitudinal movement with respect thereto,
said cushioning unit having a housing positionable for longitudinal
movement with respect to the end of the car center sill,
said housing having an upright bore with a bottom opening and a
depending lug,
a vertically mountable coupler pin disposed within said bore in a
vertical position, said coupler extending in said bore and said
coupler pin extending through said coupler for pivotal movement of
the coupler in a generally horizontal plane,
return spring means mounted on the underside of the center sill and
connecting with the housing lug for returning the cushioning unit
to a normal position after a buff impact,
coupler pin retainer means mounted on said lug for supporting the
coupler pin in a generally vertical position comprising:
a coupler pin support member disposed underneath the bottom opening
and supporting said pin from falling out of said bore,
bracket means carrying said support member and having connection
means being coupled with said return spring means and said housing
lug,
said retainer means having a reaction means reactively associated
with said lug in supporting said coupler pin,
said connection means including a pin member connecting the housing
and the return spring means with one another,
said bracket means including a pair of upright bracket members
being spaced apart from one another and being apertured for
receiving of the pin member therethrough,
said reaction means including a U-shaped member having a pair of
legs connected by a reaction member, each leg carrying a respective
bracket member therefrom and supporting said coupler pin support
member opposite said reaction member,
said reaction member engaging with said lug whereby said support
member prevents said coupler pin from falling out of its coupled
condition in the housing.
4. An end-of-car draft appliance for a railroad car comprising:
a coupler,
a cushioning unit adapted to be mounted within the end of the car
center sill for longitudinal movement with respect thereto,
said cushioning unit having a housing positionable for longitudinal
movement with respect to the end of the car center sill,
said housing having an upright bore with a bottom opening and a
depending lug,
a vertically mountable coupler pin disposed within said bore in a
vertical position, said coupler extending in said bore and said
coupler pin extending through said coupler for pivotal movement of
the coupler in a generally horizontal plane,
return spring means mounted on the underside of the center sill and
connecting with the housing lug for returning the cushioning unit
to a normal position after a buff impact,
a coupler pin retainer means mounted on said lug for supporting the
coupler pin in a generally vertical position comprising:
a coupler pin support member disposed underneath the bottom opening
and supporting said pin from falling out of said bore,
bracket means carrying said support member and having connection
means being coupled with said return spring means and said housing
lug,
said retainer means having a reaction means reactively associated
with said lug in supporting said coupler pin,
said connection means including a pin member extending through the
lug and said bracket means including a pair of vertical bracket
members each apertured to receive said pin member and supporting
said support member thereon,
said reaction means including a reaction cross member connecting
with said bracket members and said connection means including a
return spring element coupling with said return spring means and
carried by said pin member and disposed underneath and engaging
with said reaction cross member attendant to the supporting of said
coupler pin by said support member.
5. An end-of-car draft appliance for a railroad car comprising:
a coupler,
a cushioning unit adapted to be mounted within the end of the car
center sill for longitudinal movement with respect thereto,
said cushioning unit having a housing positionable for longitudinal
movement with respect to the end of the car center sill,
a vertically mountable coupler pin connecting the housing with the
coupler for pivotal movement of the coupler in a generally
horizontal plane,
return spring means for returning the cushioning unit to a normal
position after a buff impact,
a coupler pin retainer means being pivotally mounted on the housing
and return spring means for supporting the coupler pin in a
generally vertical position comprising a coupler pin support member
disposed underneath the pin and bracket means carrying said support
member and having connection means being coupled with said return
spring means and said housing,
said retainer means having a reaction means on the bracket means
and engageable with said connection means in supporting said
coupler pin,
said connection means including pivot pin means connecting the
housing and the return spring means and the retainer means with one
another,
said pivot means including a lug portion and a pivot pin carried by
said lug portion and coupling the housing with the return spring
means and the cushioning unit, said bracket means including a pair
of arms and said reaction means including a reaction member being
carried by said arms and engaging said lug portion to prevent said
support member from pivoting away from said coupler pin.
6. An end-of-car draft appliance for a railroad car comprising:
a coupler,
a cushioning unit adapted to be mounted within the end of the car
center sill for longitudinal movement with respect thereto,
said cushioning unit having a housing positionable for longitudinal
movement with respect to the end of the car center sill,
a vertically mountable coupler pin connecting the housing with the
coupler for pivotal movement of the coupler in a generally
horizontal plane,
return spring means for returning the cushioning unit to a normal
position after a buff impact,
a coupler pin retainer means being pivotally mounted on the housing
and return spring means for supporting the coupler pin in a
generally vertical position comprising a coupler pin support member
disposed underneath the pin and bracket means carrying said support
member and having connection means being coupled with said return
spring means and said housing,
said retainer means having a reaction means on the bracket means
and engageable with said connection means in supporting said
coupler pin,
said connection means including pivot pin means connecting the
housing and the return spring means and the retainer means with one
another,
said bracket means including a pair of arms, said pivot pin means
including a lug connecting with the housing and a return spring
clevis connecting with the return spring means and a pivot pin
connecting the clevis and lug with the bracket arms, said reaction
means including a reaction member on the arms and engaging with the
clevis to prevent said support member from pivoting away from said
coupler pin.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of end-of-railroad-car draft
units or appliances of the cushioning type and, in particular, with
the coupler or drawbar connection with the cushioning unit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore it has been common practice to hold the coupler pin of
the draft appliance for connecting of the coupler to the cushioning
unit by means of a threaded plate or plug in the opening in the end
of the cushioning unit housing. The threads in the housing and the
threads on the plug may easily become damaged. Further, the
threaded plug can become unthreaded from the coupler pin bore in
the housing and be lost. The subject invention provides for a
retainer unit that prevents the vertically extending coupler pin
from so falling out.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the general purpose, advantage and objective of this
invention to provide for an improved coupling arrangement between
the cushioning unit housing of the end of railroad car draft
appliance and the coupler of the draft appliance wherein the
coupler pin is retained in a generally vertical position, and
cannot become misaligned from its normal position, by a novel
coupler pin retainer unit. This novel coupler pin retainer unit is
attached to the return spring attachment on the housing portion of
the cushioning unit and serves to cover the coupler pin opening in
the housing bore so that the coupler pin cannot fall out of the
coupler pin bore in the housing of the cushioning unit. In one
embodiment, the coupler pin retainer unit is designed to provide
for a U-shaped yoke member that reacts against the cushioning unit
housing lug that connects with the return spring unit of the
cushioning assembly to hold the vertical coupler pin in place and
in another embodiment the coupler pin retainer unit is provided
with a horizontal cross member that reacts against the return
spring clevis of the return spring unit to retain the coupler pin
at a given position. By such an arrangement the coupler pin is
maintained in its desired vertically aligned position in the end of
the cushioning unit housing and the coupler pin retainer unit
cannot be removed from the cushioning unit housing bore until the
return spring unit pin is removed and the return spring moved away
from the cushioning unit housing and then the coupler pin retainer
unit may be moved away from the bore in the cushioning unit to
permit the coupler pin to fall down out of the cushioning unit
housing.
These and other advantages and objects will become apparent from
reference to the following description, attached drawings and
appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the draft appliance or gear of
a flat deck railroad car and has parts in section;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1 and
showing the coupler pin retainer unit in top plan view;
FIG. 3 is an end view of the coupler pin retainer unit with a part
of the coupler pin extending upward therefrom;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG.
3;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the coupler pin retainer unit;
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a modified form of the coupler pin
retainer unit that is attached to the return spring unit;
FIG. 7 is an end view of the modified retainer unit shown in FIG.
6;
FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken generally along line 8--8 of FIG.
7; and
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the modified coupler pin retainer
unit shown in FIG. 6.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference to the drawings and in particular with reference to
FIG. 1, there is shown an end-of-car draft assembly or appliance 1
which is attached to each end of the fixed center sill 2 which
supports the flat deck 7 (partially shown) of a flat deck railroad
car. The draft assembly 1 includes the usual coupler 4 pivotally
connected with the end of the cushioning unit housing 9a of the
cushioning unit 9. The coupler extends through the center sill
bellmouthed opening portion 3 of the center sill 2 and has a
coupler head 5 and a coupler shank 6. The inner end of the coupler
shank 6 is pivotally connected to the outer end of the housing 9a
by the coupler pin 8. The cushioning unit housing 9a defines the
end of the cushioning unit cylinder 11 in which is located the
cushioning unit piston assembly 10. The return spring assembly 12
is connected to the end of the movable housing 9a and to the fixed
center sill 2. This general type of arrangement is shown, for
instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,944,681 to Blake where the return
spring of the cushioning unit is mounted on the outside of the
center sill and is connected with the movable draft gear or
assembly 1 at the end of the railroad car. In the instant
application the coupler pin is in a vertical position and the
return spring unit is mounted underneath the center sill. Buff
forces imparted to the head 5 of the coupler are transmitted via
the coupler shank 6 into the end of the cushioning unit housing 9a
with the coupler and the cushioning unit housing and cylinder
moving while the piston assembly 10 remains fixed and the return
spring assembly is placed under compression by being attached to
the movable housing 9a through means of downward depending lug 14
fixed on the housing of the movable cushioning unit and to the
spring return bracket 15 fixedly attached to the fixed cushioning
unit carrier plate 16 fixedly attached to the fixed center sill 2
with resultant compression of both return springs 17 and 18 of
return spring unit 12.
The coupler shank 6 is provided on its underside with a coupler
wear plate 6a and the center sill 2 at each of its outer ends of
the car is provided with a bellmouthed end part 2a which carries a
cross member or coupler carrier 2b on which is mounted a carrier
wear plate 2c for frictional engagement with the coupler wear plate
6a. The bellmouthed end part of the center sill is provided with
the usual striker means 2d. The coupler pin 8 is provided with a
top cap 8a which has a top flange portion 8b welded to the deck 7
(on the top 2e of the center sill 2) which has an opening 7a
communicating with the pin 8 and a plug part 8c of the cap 8a
extends into the opening 7a above the coupler pin 8. This cap
prevents the pin from being withdrawn upwardly from the cushioning
unit 9. The outer end of the housing 9a is against the front draft
lug means 27 affixed to the insides of the center sill limiting
outward travel of the draft appliance 1.
In addition to FIG. 1, reference now should also be made more
particularly to FIGS. 2-5 which depict a first embodiment of the
invention employing the novel coupler pin retainer unit 13. As
shown in FIG. 4, the coupler pin 8 is held in a vertical position
in housing bore 19 at the end of the housing 9a of the cushioning
unit 9. The coupler pin 8 extends through the bore 20 in the end of
the coupler shank 6 which extends into the opening 9b in housing
9a. The coupler pin lower end 21 rests on top of the horizontal
upper retainer plate or member 22 which is mounted on top of the
U-shaped member or retainer unit yoke 23. Upright generally
rectangularly shaped longitudinally extending brackets 24 are
attached to the insides of the respective yoke legs 23a of the yoke
23 which is also provided with a back reaction member or portion
23b. Each bracket 24 is provided with a bore 25 for reception of
return spring unit clevis bolt 26 which also extends through the
return spring attachment lug 14 which is in the form of a depending
arm extending down from and fixed to the lower outer end portion of
the cushioning unit housing 9a. The return spring clevis 28
includes a pair of apertured ear parts 29 on opposite sides of the
lug 14 and connected therewith by means of the bolt 26 and a
respective bracket 24 is outwardly of a respective ear part 29. The
clevis 28 of the return spring unit 12 couples with each return
compression spring 17 and 18. Thus, it is seen, the invention
resides in the novel coupler pin retainer unit 13 and its
relationship with the return spring assembly, the coupler and the
cushioning unit housing whereby the retainer unit 13 supports the
coupler pin 8 in an upright position and prevents the same from
falling from the cushioning unit housing and the retainer unit 13
is coupled to the bolt 26 which also carries the return spring
assembly and which is connected to the lower end of the cushioning
unit housing. In such a manner the coupler pin retainer assembly
cannot become easily detached and lost. The coupler pin retainer
assembly supports the coupler pin on its shelf or plate member 22
with the coupler pin being supported so that the reaction is taken
up in member 23b and transmitted to the back of the reaction lug 14
fixedly connected to the housing 9a.
A modified form of the invention is seen in FIGS. 6-9 where there
is shown a coupler pin retainer assembly 13' provided with a shelf
or horizontal plate 22' to support the coupler pin. Apertured side
bracket members 24' are coupled to the bolt 26 as in the first
embodiment, the main difference in the modification being that a
reaction cross member 30 is mounted on the underside of the shelf
22' and between brackets 24' and reacts against the top of the
clevis ears or legs 29 of the clevis 28 instead of being provided
with a reaction back collar part 23b as in the first embodiment.
The leg portions 24a' of the brackets 24' carry the shelf 22'.
The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and
illustrate the invention and the invention is not limited thereto,
except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those
skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able
to make modifications and variations therein without departing from
the scope of the invention.
* * * * *