US1709895A - Draft gear - Google Patents

Description

April 23, 1929. I J. R. CARDWELL DRAFT GEAR Filed Dec. 51, 1925 Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

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JAMES R. CARDWELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO "UNION DRAFT GEAR COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

. DRAFT GEAR.

, Application filed December 31, 1925. Serial 1510. 78556.

This invention relates to cushioning devices and more particularly to draft gears for railway cars. 7

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of new and improved means for .frictionally and resiliently absorbing shocks and the like incident. to butting and travel of railway cars.

' Another object of the invention is the provision of new and improved means for limiting the relative movement of the different parts of the shock absorbing elements upon each other during their operation.

,A still further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved shock absorbing element that is simple and rugged in construction, cheap to manufacture, ef-

that is not likely to become broken or get out of order.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a horizontal section of the device shown in position between the center sills of a railway car, with parts'broken away Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on an enlarged scale of a portion of the shock absorbing element.

On the drawings, the reference characters 7 10 and 11 designate the center sills of a rail- I absorbing element 21 which may be termed way car which are provided with the draft lugs 12 and 18 and the buffer lugs 14 and 15 between which the draft gear 19 is adapted to be inserted in the usual manner.

A rear follower 17 is adapted to engage the buffer lugs 14 and 15, and a front follower 18 is adapted to engage the draft lugs 12 and 13.

The draft gear 19 is mounted between said followers and comprises essentially the shock a ring spring. This element is'made up of a plurality of sets of metallic rings22 and 23. I Each of the rings 23 is beveled on'its periphery from the center inwardly as at 24' and 25 for forming a double cone for telescopically engaging the correspondingly beveled inner surfaces 26 and 27 respectively on the adjacent rings 22, see Fig. 3.

rings 23 and of the cooperating bevel sur faces'flfi and 27 on the rings 22 is less than.

The angle of the beveled surfaces 24, 25 on the the angle of repose for the metal composing the rings, whereby when they are compressed they will resume their original position when the compressive force is relieved.

' The shock absorbing function of the element is due to the elasticity of therings and their frictional contact between the cooperating beveled surfaces. Due to the great forces to which theyare subjected, there is always danger that the rings will be expanded or compressed beyond their limits of elasticity and thereby become distorted or broken 'unless means be provided for limiting the relative movement of said rings. In the form of i.

the device selected to illustrate one embodiment of the invention, steps or shoulders'are 1 provided on one set of rings for engaging the ficlent in operation, easily assembled, and

other set to limit their telescopic movement. Since the rings that are expanded are more likely to be distorted than the rings that are compressed, the outer rings are each shown as being provided with an internal rib, shoulder or flange 28. These flanges are not only adapted to engage the ends of the inner rings to limit the telescopic action of the rings, but also act as reinforcing ribs for the outer rings. The provision of these stops to limit the telescopic movement ofthe rings is considered an important featureof this invention. I

In order to obviate too much strain on the flanges or stops 28 the parts are preferably so arranged that the distance between the shoulder 28 and the ends of the ring 22 is substantially equal to the length of one of l During compression of the gear, the-frietional resistance between the rings will vary,

but the stops 28 will prevent any abnormal telescopic movement between any two rings,

consequently none of the rings will be overstrained during compression. Ifit were not for the stops 28 one of the rings 22 might telescope one of the rings 23 beyond the center of said ring, as when there is less frictional resistance to its movement than the opposed ring 22 and result inabroken or distorted 7 With the stops none eftbe rings 22 i ring need be employed at each end of the gear in order that the compression and expansion of all the rings shall be uniform throughout the gear. In other words, a full ring employed at eachend of the gear would offer twice the resistance to compression as one ofthe intermediaterings since it is acted upon at one endonly by the compressive force, and consequently the telescopic action instead. of con'ipressing the end rings to the Same extent as the intermediate ones would tend to abnormally expand the adjacent rings 22, which might result in rupture or permanent distortlon of said ad acent rings. By

the use of half rings at the ends of the gearv the'gear itself 18 somewhat shortened.

Suitable means are provided for holding the rings 22 and 23 in assembled relation.

As shown, a, plate 29 having a circular depression 31is provided at one end of the device, and a plate 32 having a central depression 33 is provided at the other end of the device, The rings are'adapted to engage about the projections which are preferably circular, for positioning said rings. A bolt 34: extends axially through the depressions 29 and 33 and is provided with a nut 35 having a flange forming a spring seat 36. A spring 37 is mountedon the bolt 34 between the bottom of the depression 33. and the spring seat The head 42 of the bolt is housed in the recess formed by the depressed portion 29 and the spring seat 35, is housed in the other depression 33. By means of this arrangement the telescopic rings 22 and 23, are held in assembled relation by the bolt 34audspring 37 and the head and nut of the bolt areprotected by the depressed portions during compression of the gear.

In the operation of the device, any sudden jerks or buffs of the coupler'head are transmitted through the yoke 41 to the draft gear and cause the metallic rings to telescope each other. The resiliency of the rlngs will per- 1111t only a slight telescopic action, between any two rings, but the aggregate-movement is suflicient. The resiliency of the rings and the friction. of their engaging surfaces are suflicient to absorb the shocks incident to the voases which is adapted to engage the depression 31,.

and the follower 17 is provided with a similar flange 39 for engaglng the depression 33.

The yoke 41 of the coupler extends about the followers and gear in the usual manner.

- While I have shown the shock absorber ele- .ment 21 as being employed in connection with a draft gear, it is understood that it maybe employed in other relations.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanylng drawings, that the construction and operation of my device will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that various changes in size, shape, proportion and details of construct on may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 1. A shock absorbing member comprising a plurality of telescopic closed rings, certain of said rings having inclined peripheral wedging faces for frictionally engaging 00- at each side thereof flaringoutwardly,a plurality ofclosed metallic rings having coneshaped peripheral surfaces for frictionally and telescopically engagingsaid openings and projections on one of said members for limitingthev telescopic movement of the adjacent members.

4:- In combination, a pair of center sills,

draft and bufier lugs on said sills, followers engaging said lugs, shock absorber mechanism between said followers, a draft yoke about said mechanism, said mechanism comprising a plurality of telescopically arranged inner and outer closed rings, said inner rings being provided with peripheral wedging faces for frictionally engaging internal frictionjfaces on said outerrings and pro ections on certain of said rings for limiting the telescopic movement of said rings.

5.. A shock absorbing element comprising an inner and an outer set of closed metallic rings telescopically arranged, and reinforcing ribs on one of said rings for limiting the telescopic movement of said rings during the compression of the same.

6. A shock absorbing element for railway draft gears comprising an outer set of closed metallic rings each having an internal conical face at each side thereof, an inner set of closed metallic rings each having an external conical face at each side for telescopically engaging the internal conical faces of the adjacent outer 5 rings, the angle of said conical faces being less than the angle of repose and shoulders on one set of said rings for limiting the in- Ward movement of the other set of rings.

7. A shock absorbing mechanism for rail- 10 Way draft gears, comprising a pairof plates having depressed portions, a plurality of telescopically arranged closed rings engaging said depressed portions, a bolt extending through said depressed portions, a nut forming a spring seat on the inner end of said bolt and a spring between said seat and one of said depressed portions-for holding said rings in assembled relation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. JAMES R. CARDWELL.

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