Abstract: A railway car yoke having a rear end portion, a body portion, a top forward portion and a bottom forward portion. Each of the top forward portion and the bottom forward portion include a thickened portion through which one aperture is formed to receive a connecting pin therein. A bottom strap portion of such body portion includes an aperture therein to enable adjustment of a blockout device contained within such yoke.

Abstract: A railway car yoke having a rear end portion, a body portion, a top forward portion and a bottom forward portion. Each of the top forward portion and the bottom forward portion include a thickened portion through which one aperture is formed to receive a connecting pin therein. A bottom strap portion of such body portion includes an aperture therein to enable adjustment of a blockout device contained within such yoke.

Abstract: A drawbar for a slackless drawbar system comprises an elongated bar having a load support portion adjacent its one end for connection to one of a pair of adjacent cars in a train, a pin receiving opening extending through the load support portion, a hemispherical recess extending partially around the pin receiving opening and a pin bearing having a hemispherical outer surface receivable in the hemispherical recess and a cylindrical inner surface to receive a pin. The pin bearing preferably is constructed of two symmetrical halves retained in the hemispherical recess by a retaining clip of spring material and the pin receiving opening is provided with a recess to receive the pin bearing retaining clip. The drawbar is provided with a second load support portion at its other end which may be the same as the load support portion at its one end or which may be different if required to connect to a railway car with a different form of coupling.

Abstract: A slackless drawbar system includes a support member comprising a top plate, a bottom plate and a pair of spaced apart side plates joining the top and bottom plates to form a hollow rectangular member closely fitting inside the rectangular longitudinal opening of a railway car center sill. A back wall joins the top and bottom plates and the pair of side plates at a point spaced from one end of the support member and the top and bottom plates are provided with aligned bores each of which has a bushing therein, one of which bushings receives one end of a cylindrical pivot pin and the other of which bushings receives the other end of the pivot pin. The side plates of the support member are secured to the railway car center sill through weld slots in the center sill and at weld chamfers provided at each end of each of the side plates. The support member also includes reinforcing ribs connecting the back wall to the side plates and to the top and bottom plates.

Abstract: An axially adjustable blockout apparatus positionable in a draft gear pocket of a yoke to allow equipping a railway car with a slackless drawbar coupling arrangement. The apparatus has a pair of spaced end blocks, a pair of spaced wedge members disposed between such end blocks and a threaded member engageable with each of the wedge members for adjustable securing a confronting pair of wedge members together a slidable connection provided to connect the wedge members with the end blocks.

Abstract: An adjustable securing device for securing spaced wedge members to provide for movement of the wedges together or apart comprises a threaded bore in one wedge that has threads opposite in direction from a threaded bore in the second wedge. A threaded member has threaded portions engageable with the threaded bores of the wedge members and upon engagement therewith, rotation of the threaded member in one direction moves the wedges apart while rotation in the other direction moves the wedges together. The wedge members preferably have tongues which fit complementary members, such as flanges, on blocks so that engagement of the wedge members with the blocks and movement of the wedges together or apart will either push the blocks apart or pull the blocks together.

Abstract: The present invention provides a castable pedestal-type support apparatus for a cargo shipping container. Such support apparatus includes a body member having a pair of side wall portions and a connecting wall portion disposed midway between the side wall portions. A generally rectangular end wall portion is disposed at a first end of the side wall portions. At least one aperture is formed through the end wall portion. A pivot pin receiving portion having an aperture formed therethrough is disposed intermediate the side wall portions closely adjacent a second end thereof. A counterweight is disposed intermediate the pair of side wall portions to provide a predetermined force required to pivot the support apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a weldable cast insert that enables a particular style locking mechanism to be used in securing a container to a support pedestal on a transportation vehicle. Such cast insert includes a plate-like portion having at least one lug-like portion extending outwardly from an outer edge of the plate-like portion and at least one leg-like portion which depends from a first surface of the plate-like portion at least one aperture having a predetermined configuration is formed through a predetermined portion of the plate-like portion and at least one cut-out portion and such at least one leg portion adjacent a predetermined surface thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a castable pedestal-type support apparatus which supports a cargo shipping container on a transportation vehicle in a position to be secured thereto by a particular style locking mechanism. Such apparatus includes a body portion with a pivot pin receiving portion extending outwardly from a portion of an outer surface of each of a pair of side wall portions of such body portion. An aperture is formed through the pivot pin receiving portion. The apparatus further includes a box-like member formed at one end of the body portion to receive a locking mechanism therein. There is a counterweight disposed at the other end of the body portion to provide a minimal force being required to pivot the apparatus from an inoperative container supporting position into an operative container supporting position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a combination rear draft stop and bolster spacer plate apparatus which includes a rear wall portion, a pair of side wall portions connected along a rear edge thereof to a respective outer edge of the rear wall portion. There is top wall portion formed adjacent the upper edge of each of the rear wall portion and the pair of side wall portions. A first cavity is formed through the top wall portion. A bottom wall portion is formed adjacent a bottom edge of each rear wall portion and the pair of side wall portions. A second cavity is formed through this bottom wall portion. The final essential element is a pair of front wall portions which have an outer surface thereof engageable by a draft gear to limit rearward movement of such draft gear when a buff load is exerted thereon.

Abstract: A castable draft gear pocket blockout apparatus for use in retrofitting slackless drawbar coupler assemblies to existing railroad cars having draft gear pockets, the blockout apparatus being a cast metallic structure having a web, a top flange and a bottom flange connected along the upper and lower sides of the web, and the first and second end flanges connected to the first and second vertical sides of the web.

Abstract: A coupler yoke for an E-Type coupler is constructed with a blunt nose by foreshortening the length of the nose. The nose length is 3 inches as measured from a point at the forward most part of a semicircular end of the keyslot to the forward most end of the nose portion. The walls of the nose portion are solid with a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape. The nose wall extend rearwardly where they merge with keyslot ribs at each side of the keyslot in the head portion of the yoke.

Abstract: A drawbar coupler for a railway car having a center sill is disclosed for connecting two railway cars together in a slackless arrangement and provide uni-train service. The drawbar coupler is particularly characterized by a quick disconnect feature. The coupler includes a drawbar having at each end a vertical pin hole to receive a cylindrical pin that is held at its top and bottom end portions in a drawbar support casing that is in turn connected by weld to the center sill. Draft loads are imposed on a bearing block having curved bearing surfaces and fitted in the pin hole between the drawbar and the pin. Buff loads are transferred from the butt portion of the drawbar to a bearing block that is acted upon by a gravity actuated wedge placed between the bearing block and end wall of the support casing. Two support plates extend across the bottom of the casing and can be removed to permit removal of the vertical pin as well as the bearing block.

Abstract: The present invention provides a slackless rotary drawbar assembly of simple yet rugged construction. The drawbar assembly preferably consists of five parts: a rotary drawbar, a rotary drawbar support housing, a bottom support casting, a rear support block, and a slack adjustment wedge. The rotary drawbar support housing is welded into the center sill of a railroad car and supports the rotary drawbar so as to permit unrestricted universal movement of the drawbar through the range of movement required under normal operating conditions. The rotary drawbar has an enlarged truncated convex spherical end portion which mates with concave surfaces formed in the support housing and the bottom support casting. The bottom support casting is secured to the center sill and holds the drawbar in the support housing. The truncated convex spherical end portion also mates with a concave surface formed in the rear support block.

Abstract: An improved knuckle design for railway couplers wherein the knuckle pin is supported midway between its ends to prevent premature failure of the pin. The kidney core which forms the hollow cavity in the throat portion of the knuckle is isolated from the core which forms the pivot pin hole during casting and is provided with a lateral projection which forms an opening in the side wall of the hollow knuckle throat portion. This insures that under severe stress conditions, the coupler will fracture at the throat portion of the knuckle rather than possibly at the coupler head itself.

Abstract: A striker carrier assembly for a railway coupler is constructed to engage and support the shank of the coupler at an adjustably established elevation. For an E-type coupler, the striker carrier assembly includes a spacer retained on the stirker carrier by an overlying wear plate which includes downwardly extending lugs on opposite sides of the wear plate. For an F-type coupler, the striker carrier includes a striker casting supported by springs against a stop in a carrier basket. A spacer is held on top of the striker casting by a wear plate through the use of prongs which extend downwardly from the plate through openings in both the spacer and striker casting.

Abstract: A knuckle for a railway coupler in which an annular knuckle pin support wall is located between upper and lower knuckle pin holes. The knuckle pin support wall in one embodiment is an annular rib and in another embodiment, a continuous wall is formed between knuckle pin holes to prevent fatigue fracture of the pin due to bending fatigue.

Abstract: A slackless drawbar arrangement for unit train service and the like including a drawbar having enlarged butt end portions each provided with essentially spherical buff and draft load bearing surfaces on the rear and forward surfaces thereof. The enlarged butt end portions are supported by a front draft block and a rear buff block within a center sill. The front draft block is supported against a curved surface of a wear block which is, in turn, supported by keys welded to the sill. The rear buff block is supported against a gravity-activated wedge which is, in turn, supported by rear draft lugs welded to the center sill. A bottom plate retains the various blocks inside the cavity of the center sill.

Abstract: The drag pattern and the cope pattern for a standard AAR coupler yoke are each mounted on a pattern plate to form an oblique angle of about 1.degree. between the mounting surface of the pattern plate and a plane parallel to a longitudinal center plane of the pattern. The patterns each include core print surfaces for establishing the position of one unitary core which is used in a sand mold to form surfaces in the coupler yoke at the front end portion thereof. The drag pattern includes pattern surfaces to mold sand to form the surfaces surrounding the draft gear pocket on the upper and lower straps and the rear draft gear seat at the rear end portion of the yoke. The draft gear seat is generally planar and perpendicular with each inside wall of top and bottom straps.

Abstract: The present invention provides a slackless rotary drawbar assembly of simple yet rugged construction. The drawbar assembly preferably consists of five parts: a rotary drawbar, a rotary drawbar support housing, a bottom support casting, a rear support block, and a slack adjustment wedge. The rotary drawbar support housing is welded into the center sill of a railroad car and supports the rotary drawbar so as to permit unrestricted universal movement of the drawbar through the range of movement required under normal operating conditions. The rotary drawbar has an enlarged truncated convex spherical end portion which mates with concave surfaces formed in the support housing and the bottom support casting. The bottom support casting is secured to the center sill and holds the drawbar in the support housing. The truncated convex spherical end portion also mates with a concave surface formed in the rear support block.