US1852142A - Draft rigging - Google Patents

Description

April 5, 1932.

DRAFT D S BARROWS RIGGING Filed March 28, 1925 Patented Apr. 5, 1932 STATS PATNT orifice DONALD S. BARROWS, F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE SYMINGTON COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND DRAFT BIGGING Application led March 28, 1925. Serial No. 18,994.

This invention aims primarily to provide an improved draft rigging for railway cars. One object of the invention is to combine a hooded vertical yoke with a two-part coupler stem so that the coupler stem and yoke move together on draft, whereas the stem moves independently of the yoke on bu. The two-'part coupler stem comprises a coupler shank terminating short of the cushioning mechanism and a swivel block interposed between the shank and the cushioning mecha` nism. This swivel block is articulated by a tongue and socket joint with the coupler shank, whereby the latter may pivot or angle relatively to the swivel block, without interfering with the transmission of stresses directly to the cushioning mechanism. The yoke is connected to the coupler stem during draft movement by key means which may include a vertical key member interconnecting the constituent lparts of the stem, in order that both said parts partake of both draft and bufing movements, and having portions projecting beyond the stem which are disposed in relative motion relationship with the top and bottom walls of the yoke hood, whereby the coupler stem moves independently of the yoke on buff.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for preventing accidental dis# placement in service and loss of the vertical key member by which the coupler shank and swivel block are interconnected to form a two-part coupler stem.

In addition to the general objects just stated, the invention has for further objects such other improvements and advantages in structure and operation as may be attained by the improved draft rigging hereinafter described or claimed. y

In the drawings which illustrate a structural embodiment of the invention in a preferred form:

Figure l is a top plan view, partly in section, showing a two-part coupler stem and hooded vertical yoke connected according to stituent parts of the stem to opposite walls `of Y the yoke hood, whereby the stem and yoke move together on draft, whereas the `stem moves independently of the yoke on buff. As shown inrFigure l, the draft rigging is positioned betweenthe draft or center sills 4, which are provided with longitudinally elongated slots 5 to receive the horizontalkey member hereinafter described. Cheek plates 6 having companion slots may be secured to the inner faces of the sills. The registered slots of the sills and cheek plates are long enough to permit full draft and bufing movements of the rigging. The laterally-enlarged rear portions of the cheek plates function as stops or abutments during the compression of the cushioning mechanism on draft.

The vertical yoke 2 is formed with forwardly extending top and bottom yoke arms 9, which provide a pocket for the cushioning mechanism, indicated diagrammatically by dot and dash lines in Figure 2. At its rear end, the yoke may be of any desired form, for eXample,-it may be provided with the usual vertical portion connecting the spaced top and bottom arms 9 to provide a U-shaped yoke. In the front, the yoke 2 projects be-V yond the cushioning mechanism, and is provided with a hood 36 which may be formed integrally with the top and bottom yoke arms 9. This yoke hood comprises the top and bottom walls 37 and 38 connected by the side walls 10 and 11. The walls of the yoke hood are located respectively above and below and at the opposite sides of that portion of the twokpart coupler stem which is inserted within the hood. In the side walls and 11 are provided key slots 12 and 13, which are elongated endwise and along'the line of move- V ment of the draft rigging, to receive the hori- .zio

zontalkey member 3, hereinafter described. During draft movement, the key member 3 contacts with the side walls of the yoke at forward extremities of the slots 12 and 13, for the transmission of draft forces from the coupler stem to the yoke. The slotsV 12 and 13 extend rearwardly beyond the horizontal key member, so that the coupler stein may `move independently of the yokev on-bu. In the form shown, the top and bottom walls 37 and 38 of the yoke hood are substantially hori- Zontal and are each provi-ded with lopenings 39 and 40, receiving respectively the projecting endsof .a vertical key member 8, hereinafter described, which interconnects the constituent parts of the coupler stein. As .shown in Figure 1, the openings 39 and A40 in the yoke hood may take the form of recesses having rearwardly converging sides and extending rearwardly a distance suiiicient to permit rearward movement of the vertical key member concurrently with the coupler stem .on buff.

The constituent elements of the two-part coupler stem are the coupler shank 1, and the swivel block'7. AAt its front end, the shank 1 `isprovided with the usual coupler, not shown. At its 'rear end, the shank is bifurcated, so that it .has top and bottom rearwardly projecting branches or flanges 14 :and 15, which terminate short of the cushioning mechanism and are formed. at their rear ends withlconvexl'y curved bearing` faces 42 and 43. The branches 14 and 15 also function as the top and bottom walls of a sock-et 41 comprising one element of a tongue and socket joint by which the coupler shank is articulated Vwith the swivel block. If desired, the coupler shank may be formed with vertically projectingflange portions 21 and 22 located .at the front ends of the branches 14 and 15 of the bifurcation and having rearwardly facing concavely curved bearing faces oo-axial with the bearing faces 42 and A43.' The front inner wall of the socket 41 may be "provided likewise with a co-axial concavely curved bearing` face 25. The swivel block 7, `forming the other part of the two-part couplerstem, partakes of both the draft and buffing movements of the shank 1. j It performs the dual function of an abut-- ment for the swivelling or angling of the "I shank and a transmitting element by vwhich vstresses are -directed from the shank to the cushioning mechanism. In structure, the swivel block`7 1s formed with a rear substantially plane, verticahbufling face adaptioning mechanism, and is provided also with forwardly facing top and bottom, concavely curved, co-axial bearing faces 19 and 20, which are mutually companionate with the bea-ring faces 42 and43 of the shank and are engaged thereby for `the transmission of stresses directly to the cushioning mechanism during bufing movement. Between the bearing faces 19 and 20, the swivel block is formed with a forwardly projecting tongue 17 constituting the other element of the tongue and socket joint, and extending within the socket 41 of the shank. The front end of the tongue 17 may be formed with a convexly curved `bearing face 23 companionate tothe bearing face 25 at the inner end of the socket 41. In the illustrative structure, the swivel block is provided also with forwardly projecting top and bottom flanges 16 and 18, which overlie and underlie respectively the top and bottom branches 14 and 15 of .the bifurcated coupler shank.v These flanges '16 and 18 may be formed .at their front ends with curved bearing lfaces compa-monate to the rearwardly facing bearing faces pro- .vided by the vertical flanges 21 and 22rof the coupler shank. Y 'Y Y The constituent parts of the coupler stem are interconnected so lthat they move in unison both on draft and on buffgfanid areY connectedto the yoke by key means whereby the yoke is connected to the coupler stem during draft movement, but the coupler stem moves independently Vof the yoke on buff.

The illustrative key means includes: a vertical key member 8 by which the constituent elements of the shankfare connected so as to operate as a unit and whichlserves as the guide for the pivotal kmotion of the shank 1 relatively `to the swivel block 7, vand a hori-I zontal key member 3 by which the -coupler stem is connected to the yoke during draft movement. As shown in Figure 2,- the vertical key member 8 may be in the form of a pivot pin intersecting the swivel block and shank through registering holesV provided in the branches-14 and 15 of the shank and `in the tongue 17 and flanges 16 and 18 of .the swivel block. The top and bottom extremities of the pin 8 project beyond thetop and bottom of the coupler stem and into the 'openings 39 and 40 in the top and bottom'w'alls 37 and 38 of the yoke hood.

The horizontal key member '3, which connects the two-part coupler stem to the hood 'l-1 of the vertical yoke, passes through a key slot 44, one part of which is provided in the shank 1 and the -o ther in the tongue 17 ofthe swivel block 7 The key member 3 passes through a recess 45 in the vertical key meniber 3 partially to intersect the latter. In order to connect the yoke to the coupler Istem during draft movement, the key'member 3 is inserted through the key slots 12 and 13 in the side walls of the yoke. However, the il" key member 3 is made relatively narrower than the lengthwise dimensions of the slots 12 and 13, whereby the coupler stem may move independently of the yoke on buff. Beyond the side walls of the yoke, the key member projects into the registering openings in the draft sills and cheek plates, as shown in Figure 1.

The illustrative draft rigging also provides means for preventing accidental displacement of the vertical key member 8 while the rigging is in service. Extending below the bottom flange 18 of thec swivel block 7 is a supporting ledge portion 34. This ledge 34 projects into a notch 35 provided in the front of the vertical key member 8 at the lower end thereof, thereby preventing the key member from dropping out and causing a separation of the constituent elements of the two-part coupler stem. The ledge and notch construction also prevents the key member 8 from turning, thereby eliminating unnecessary wear. rEhe key member may be locked also at its upper end against displacement and turning. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the top flange 16 of the swivel butt is formed with an upwardly projecting lug 3l having a horizontal key-way portion 29 and the vertical key member 8 is formed with a companionate horizontal key-way portion 30. A flat retaining key 28 may be inserted through the key-way provided bythe portions 29 and 30. After insertion, the ends of the retaining key 28 are preferably bent up as shown at and 33, for preventing loss thereof. The retaining key 28 prevents accidental withdrawal of the pivot pin 8 even when the horizontal key member 3 has been removed and also prevents turning of key member 8.

Describing the assembly and operation of the rigging: The constituent parts of the coupler stem, namely, the coupler shank 1 and the swivel block 7, may be assembled with or without the vertical key member 8, and inserted as a unit into the hood of the vertical yoke 2. After the parts have been assembled so that the holes which receive the vertical key member 8 are in registration, the vertical key member or pin 8 is dropped into position to connect the swivel block to the coupler shank. Thereafter, the retaining key 28 may be inserted and locked inposition as shown in Figures 2 and 3. Finally, the horizontal key member 3 is inserted through 'the slot 44 in the coupler stem and recess #i5 in the vertical key, and through the key slots in the yoke hood, cheek plates and draft si ls. 'When the p-arts are so assembled, the coupler shank 1 may angle relatively to the swivel block 7, and yet both constituent elements of the two-part stem partake of both draft and buii'ing movements. During draft moveY ment, the forces are transmitted by the swivel block to the horizontal key member 3 which in turn transmits the forces to the yoke. The vertical key member 8 is placed under quadruple shear on draft. During buiing movement, the two-part coupler stem moves relatively to the yoke and the buliing stresses are transmitted directly through the interengaged mutually companionate bearing faces to the cushioning mechanism, irrespective of the angle assumed `by the coupler shank relatively to the swivel block. rlhe vertical key member 8 is relieved substantially from strain on bud.

Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has been illustrated, it will be understood that modications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

l. 1n a draft rigging, the combination with a yoke member, of a two-part coupler stem, means for pivotally connecting the parts of the stem adjacent the butt thereof, means intersecting said coupler stem and pivotal means, for preventing separation thereof, and connecting means between couplerv stern and yoke.

2. 1n a draft rigging, the combination with a coupler, of a yoke, a swivel block interposed between said coupler and yoke, means connecting said swivel block and yoke, a pin intersecting said coupler and swivel block, and key means intersecting said swivel l block and pin for preventing separation thereof, the ends of said key means being bent over for preventing loss of said key.

3. In a draft rigging, the combination with a coupler, of a yoke with forwardly extending arms embracing the rear end of the coupler, a swivel block interposed between said coupler and yoke, means connecting said swivel block and yoke, pivotal means intersecting said coupler and swivel block, and key means intersecting said swivel block and pivotal means for preventing separation thereof.

e. 1n a draft rigging, the combination with a coupler, of a yoke, a swivel block interposed between said coupler and yoke, means connecting said swivel block and yoke, pivotal means intersecting said coupler and swivel block, key means intersecting said swivel block and pivotal means for preventing separation thereof, and means eXtending from said swivel block and below said pivotal means for supporting the same.

5. A coupler stem comprising a plurality of members, pivotal means connecting said members and extending above the upper face of said stem, saidmeans and one of said members being provided with cooperating key-ways in the extended upper end of said means and a corresponding extension from the upper face of said stem, and a key eX- tending therebetween in said key-ways for preventing removal of said pivotal means.

6. A coupler-stem-comprsng a plurality of members, pivotal means Connecting said members, said means and one of said members being previded With cooperating key- WzL-ys', a key .extending therebetween in said key-Ways for preventing :removal of said Y plvotal means, and means extending from one of said members` below said pivotal means for supporting the same.

In testmon;T `whereof I ax my signature.

DONALD S. BARROWS..

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