US2477535A - Pin retainer for draft keys - Google Patents

Description

' July 26, 1949.

o. E. WILSON ET AL PIN RETAINER FOR DRAFT KEYS Filed Feb. 16, 1946 g in the art.

patented July 26, 194

om E. Wilson, Peru, Ind.,and William H. Sale, Sanston, Va., assignors to T-ZRailway Equipment 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 1.6, 1946, Serial No. 648,066 9 Claims. (01. ale-40.5

The invention relates to draft gear for railway cars and more particularly to devices for preventing displacement from the draft key between -the yoke and draw bar, of a retainer pin which holds the key in the draft sill of the car underframe.

One object of the invention is to provide simple and reliable means for preventing displacement of the retainer pin from the draft key.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple device, including an angular slotted plate which is adapted to be permanently secured to the center or draft sill for preventing disconnection of the retainer pin from the key.

Another object of the invention is to provide ;a simple device for preventing displacement of the retainer pin from the draft key, which can be economically fabricated and is eflicient in service.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detailed description. The invention consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig, 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a draft gear with the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the plate for preventing displacement of the retainer pin from the draft key.

Fig. 5 is a perspective of the retainer pin.

The invention is exemplified with draft rigging which comprises a channel shaped center or draft sill In which usually forms a part of the car underframe; a draw bar l2 anda yoke l6 which are disposed and suitably mounted in the sill ID for cushioned movement, all of which may be of standard construction, as well understood A draft key [8 which is usually flat in crosssection with rounded edges extends transversely through draw bar l2, yoke I6, elongated slots l in sill In for permitting movement of the draft gear in the sill for cushioned movement, as well understood in the art. The sides of the sill around slots20 are re-inforced by plates I9 which are usually riveted to the inner faces of the sides of the sill. Key 3 is of sufiicient length to project from the sides of the sill and is provided at one end with an integral head 2! and adjacent its other end with a cylindrical hole 22 for the reception of a retaining pin which includes 55;

a cylindrical shank 24 and an elongated head 26 which is adapted to rest on the top face of the key by gravity for holding the shank 24 in the hole 22 of said key.

The invention comprises a plate, generally designated 21, and stamped from sheet metal, for preventing displacement of the retaining pin from the draft key while the draft gear is in service. Plate 21 includes an upstanding flange or member 28 which is suitably secured by rivets 29 or by welding. to the outer side ,face of one side of draft sill I0 and an integral horizontally extending flange or member 30 which overlies the end portion of key l8 which projects from the sill and has a hole 22 formed therein. The horizontal flange 30 of plate 21 is provided with a longitudinally elongated slot 32 which conforms substantially to the contour of elongated head 26 of the retaining pin and through which said head is adapted to pass only when it is positioned longitudinally of the sill. A transversely extending slot 34 is cut through in flange 30 and communicates with slot 32 and its outer end is open to provide a side opening in plate '21 through which shank 24 of the retaining pin can be shifted laterally toward the sill, While head 26 rests or is positioned over the horizontal flange 30 of plate 21. When head 26 of the retaining pin is in vertical registry with the elongated slot 32 in member 30, head 26 will drop through slot 32 and onto the draft keylB in which it will be held by gravity. The horizontal member .30 of the retaining plate 21 is disposed sufliciently close to draft key [8 so that shank 24 of the retaining pin will be retained in the draft key against upward displacement fromsaid key, except when the head 26 of the retaining pin is in vertical registry with the elongated slot 32 in plate 21.

While the draft gear is in service, keylB and the retaining pin are subjected to movement relatively to sill I0 and plate 21 and the retaining pin is free to rotate in the draft key, which eliminates the likelihood of all portions of head .26 of the retaining pin being vertically aligned with slot 32 in plate 21. For additionally insuring the displacement of the retaining pin from key I8, plate '21 is provided with an upstruck tongue 36- formed along the inner edge of slot 32 in member 30. Tongue 36 is joined at 31 to member 30 and its other end 38 is flexible.

Tongue 36 is normally positionedto permitthe head 26 of the retaining pin to pass through slot 32in placing the pin in draft key I8. After the pin has been: placed in the draft key, the

end 38 of tongue 36 isbent outwardly to form an abutment which will prevent the head 26 of the retaining pin from passing upwardly through slot 32. This effectively insures the retention of the retaining pin in'draft key and prevents its displacement during service. Preferably, plate 21 around member 30 is formed with an integral; depending re4inforcingiflange 40 and is providedwithdndented angular" ribs 4| 'in'and between members 28 and 30 for providing upward flexing of the member 30 of plate 21!. v

The invention exemplifies a slottedlplate which is adapted to be fixedly secured to one side of the draft sill for effectively preventing displacement of the retaining pin from the' key. The plate is simple in construction and can be economically fabricated and installed on railway cars. =In constructions heretofore used, it has been found that cotter pins when usedrto hold the retairiingpin in the key are frequently sheared off and 10st and-, -therefore; are not reliable-"in service.

' The "invention is not to be understood as limited to the details described, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended "claims without departing from the spirit and scope-of the invention.

--H-aving thus described the-*inventioni what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combinationwith a" draft sill having an 30 "elongated slot, a connecting keyfor adraw-bar and yoke, extending through the slot,"and'ha'ving Tone of its ends" provided Witha hole 'and'pro- "je'cting outwardly from the sill, anda retaining 'pin provided withgashank adapted -to' extend "through the'holein the"key,-and aheadforsup- 1" porting the pin "in the key; :of a "plate fixed "at ."one side of'the sill, overlying'the portion of the 1 key which carries the head of the pin, 'and'pro- ""vided with a slot" throughwhichiithe' head is adapted 'to' pass for insertion of the pin in the 'key, and with a side-slotthrough Which'thefshank "ofthe pin is adapted to pass, for positioning'the *headin registry 'with'theslotfor the'head'in "theplate and means on'theplate for obstructing "'thetpassage of the headthroughthe slot after the pin has been'in'serted in the key.

' 2: The combination with 'a'dra'ft'sill having an :e'long'ated'slot, a c'onnecting key' for adraw-bar .landyoke, extending through the slot, and,hav-

ing one or itsends provided with/a.liole and projecting outwardly from thefsill, andfla retaining fp'in provided with a shank adapted to; extend ilthrough the hole invthe key and aheadfor-supporting the pin in the key, of a plateifixed at one siderof the sill, overlying the portion oi-the-key which carries therpin and provided with a slot through which the head is adaptedto pass for insertion of the pin inthe key," and means on the plate for obstructing the upward passage of the head through the slot after thepinwhasasbeen inserted in the-key.

-3. The combination with a draft-isilli-havingaan elongated slot, a connecting key "for a adraw-bara and yoke, extending through :thaslot, and having -one of itsends provided with a hole and. projecting outwardly. fromthe sill and azretaining; pin

provided with ai-shank adapted-.toextend through the pin in the key, of a plate fixed at one side of the sill, overlying the portion of the key which -=carries the-head of the pin, and provided with a slot through which the head is adapted to pass for insertion of thepin in the key, and with a side-slot through which the shank of the pin is adapted to pass, for positioning the head in registry with the .slotlfor the head in the plate, and means on the plate for obstructing the upward passage of the head through the plate after the pin has been inserted .in the key.

- 51 The combination-with:axdraftssilli having an elongated slot, a' connecting keyi forzafdrawebar .and yoke, extending through: the. islot,.-i'andl.having e one of' its ends provided with a hole. and; prpj ectingpoutwardly from the. .si1l,. and a retaining pin provided with a shank adapted to extend through the hole in the key: and aheadtior supporting the pin inthe key, of an angleieplate integrally:includ ing a vertical memberfixd to .andiprtojectin'gmut- :warclly from one side; of :thee-sill; and'ra r-laterally .pr'oj ecting member overlying-the portion offthe :key which carries the pin tandrprovided :with a slot through whichthe head istadapted to pass for insertion-of :the pin: in the key and with a 35 side-slot through whichLthe-shankptIthe' pin is ,adapted toipass into "thee-slot forv-the headand means on the plate fort obstructing the=passage :nf.theuhead'ithrough=the islot after-the pin has been inserted in the key.

40 ;-'6.'Theicombination with a draft' sill having an elongated slot, a connecting 'keyfor a draw bar 1 and yoke extending through the -'sl'ot, -andhav- --ing..one.-of its ends providedwith a hole and projecting: :outwardly from the =sil1',- and *a' retaining pin provided with a shank -adapted to ex- I tend through-thehole'inthe key and a head for supporting .the pin inithe'key, ofan an-gle plate integrally including-a vertical --member fixed to and projecting outwardly from one side of" the V sill, and: a laterally projecting-memberoverlying the portion of the 'key' which carries thepin and provided with aslot-throughwhic'sh theihead is adapted to pass for insertion of the pin--in the key, and-with: a side-slot through --whieli :the

.55 shank of the pin-is adaptedto pass intctheslot elongated slot, a"connectingkeyfor' a.,dra'w- -bar and yoke; extend-ing through-the; geanand through the slot and having one of its ends"pro- -vided-with-a-holeoutwardly of the. jsi1l,"and a retaining pin provided-with a shank adapted. to

pass through the hole in the-key and 1anfelon- "gated-head for-supportingthe pin in' the ik'ey,"0f a plate fixed to the outside "of 'one side of, theilsill and including a horizontally extending member overlying the-portion of the key which carries .the hole inthe keyzand'ahead for supporting the -VO the pin and provided-with a longitudinallyjelonpin-in the key, of. a plate fixed'at one side of the ries the: pin, landuprovidedcwith a slot through which the headis adaptedto spassfor*-insertion of theapmsinithe key, and: integral means=on'-"-the =-'pin-=has been inserted'in' the key.

i gated =slot through which the'iheadlis adapted to 'pass for insertion 'of. the pin in" the manna means on Jtheplate' .ioriohstructingithe. upward passage Offthfi head throughjthe "plateeafterl the 8. The combination with a draft sill having an elongated slot, a connecting key for a draw-bar and yoke extending through the gear and through the slot and having one of its ends provided with a hole outwardly of the sill, and a retaining pin provided with a shank adapted to pass through the hole in the key and an elongated head for supporting the head in the key, of a plate fixed to the outside of one side of the sill and including a horizontally extending member overlying the portion of the key which carries the pin and provided with a longitudinally elongated slot through which the head is adapted to pass for insertion of the pin in the key and with a side opening through which the shank may be inserted in the slot and means on the plate for obstructing the passage of the head through the slot after the pin has been inserted in the key.

9. The combination with a draft sill having an elongated slot, a connecting key for a drawbar and yoke extending through the slot and having one of its ends provided with a hole and projecting outwardly from the sill, and a retaining pin provided with a shank adapted to extend through the hole in the key and a head for supporting the pin in the key, of a plate integrally including a vertical member fixed to and pro- REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,248,586 Wood Dec. 4, 1917 1,268,991 Nash June 11, 1918 1,410,479 Ladd Mar. 21, 1922 1,680,330 Geiger Aug. 14, 1928 1,761,266 Johnston et a1 June 3, 1930 1,864,842 Lounsbury June 28, 1932 1,994,707 Hodges Mar. 19, 1935

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