Abstract: A diagonal strut energy absorbing cushioning assembly for use in a trailer hitch for holding piggyback trailers in place on railway flat cars including an inclined longitudinally extending fixed member attached to the deck of a railway car and an inclined longitudinally extending movable member spaced from said fixed member. The movable member is attached to a kingpin engagement assembly of a railway trailer hitch for holding in place the kingpin of a highway trailer. A resilient assembly is carried by the fixed and movable members. The resilient assembly includes at least one elastomeric member attached to a first surface on the fixed member and a second surface spaced from the first surface attached to the movable member. The elastomeric material is shearable between the first and second surfaces under cushioning loads.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a diagonal strut for a railway trailer hitch is provided including a rubber-in-shear cushioning assembly including a center member and spaced outer members. Elastomeric material is bonded to the center member and spaced outer members. A fixed portion of the diagonal strut is attached to the car deck or to a plate adapted to be attached to the car deck. A movable portion of the strut is attached to the head of the hitch. In one embodiment the center member is movable relative to the spaced side members under buff loads to put the resilient material in shear, and under draft loads the spaced side members are movable relative to the center member to put the resilient material in shear. In another embodiment the center member is movable relative to the spaced side members under draft loads to put the resilient material in shear, and under buff loads the spaced side members move relative to the center member to place the elastomeric material in shear.

Abstract: In an elastomer-in-shear cushioning assembly is provided within the diagonal strut of a railway car trailer hitch. Elastomeric material is bonded to a fixed portion of the strut and to a portion of the strut which is movable relative to the fixed portion. Elastomer-in-shear cushioning is less expensive and has lower maintenance costs than hydraulic units. Elastomer-in-shear units absorb considerably more energy per unit volume than rubber-in-compression units. The elastomeric material may be placed under lateral compression to increase the fatigue life of the elastomeric material. Cover plates may be attached to the cushioning assembly to maximize the amount of energy absorbed per unit length of displacement.

Abstract: A railway hopper car is provided with a mounting bracket assembly which applies the vibrational loads to the car essentially entirely in shear.

Abstract: A method of loading a railway hopper car is disclosed including densifying the lading during loading of the car by vibrating the hopper car with a vibrator mounted in a vibrator bracket assembly which applies the vibrational loads to the car essentially entirely in shear.

Abstract: A vibrator bracket assembly for mounting hopper vibrator equipment on hoppers is provided including at least two spaced apart support members each having a longitudinal axis adapted to integrally engage a structural portion of the hopper. A vibrator mounting bracket having first and second planar surfaces parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support members extends between the support members and is adapted to receive a vibrator to facilitate loading or unloading of the hopper. The vibrational forces are applied to the vibrator mounting bracket and are transmitted to the support members and are applied to the hopper structural portion by the support members essentially entirely as shear loads in the plane of the hopper structural portion. A mounting plate may be provided at right angles to the vibrator mounting bracket. The mounting plate is adapted to apply rotating vibrator loads to adjacent hopper side sheets essentially entirely in shear in the plane of the side sheets.