Abstract: An ergonomic hand wheel for use on a hand brake system on a railway car in which a hand wheel includes a planetary gear system to provides a mechanical advantage to significantly reduce the effort and force required to turn the hand wheel. The planetary gear system includes a sun gear rigidly interconnected to the hand wheel and a hub member rotatably interconnected to the hand wheel which is independently rotatable relative to the hand wheel. The hub member further including a socket at the axis for attaching the hub member to a rotatable drive member of a hand brake system on a railway car, as well as a plurality of planetary gears rotatably secured thereto to mesh with and engage the sun gear. A fixed ring gear attached to a structural element independent of the hand wheel and the hub member, encircles, meshes with and engages the planetary gears.

Abstract: A friction clutch for a draft gear assembly includes two outer stationary plates having outer surfaces engageable with the inner surfaces of a gear housing. A slot formed in each outer stationary plate receives a lubricating insert to prevent clutch sticking after closure and during a release of such gear. A pair of movable plates have outer surfaces frictionally engaged with inner surfaces of such outer stationary plates for absorbing energy during closure of such gear. A pair of inner stationary plates have outer surfaces frictionally engaged with inner surfaces of such pair of movable plates for absorbing energy during such closure. An inner surface of each inner stationary plate is tapered. Another slot formed in each tapered stationary plate adjacent an outer surface receives another lubricating insert which prevents clutch sticking during release of the gear.

Abstract: A railway car brake mechanism is comprised of a hand wheel on a shaft and a housing with a rotatable gear wheel and square chain winding disposed within. A ratchet wheel rotatable with the hand wheel shaft and a freely rotatable pinion which engages the gear wheel is also provided. The rotatable pinion has a flange with a disengageable driving connection with the gear wheel and a disengageable connection between flange and ratchet wheel. The main gear wheel and chain winding drum comprise a main gear wheel assembly. The assembly is attached by a chain end link through an interconnection of the main gear wheel and outwardly extending section of the chain winding drum. To prevent kinking or slippage of the chain, a spiral groove is formed in the square chain drum. The groove enables the chain to be wound within the drum with alternate links seated on a concave surface and intermediate links, which rest on the outer surface of the drum, to be at right angles to the aforementioned alternate links.