Abstract: A shock absorbing tow bar for connecting between a drive trolley and a load carrying trolley of a conveyor system. The tow bar includes a pair of tubes that reciprocate relative to each other. A plunger is located within a first of the tubes and attached to a second tube. Mounted on the plunger are a pair of brake surfaces that frictionally engage the first tube. The brake surfaces are biased toward the first tube by springs and the force applied to the brake surfaces is adjustable through an adjustment mechanism including a pair of wedges upon which the springs are located. An adjustment rod is joined with the adjustment mechanism and extends outwardly from the tow bar to allow an operator to adjust the friction produced by the brake surfaces without disassembly of the tow bar.

Abstract: A draft gear assembly having a variable angle friction clutch mechanism is provided. Such assembly includes a housing member having a compressible cushioning element disposed adjacent a closed end thereof. A seat is disposed between one end of the compressible cushioning element and an open end of the housing member. A friction cushioning mechasim is positioned at least partially within the open end of the housing member and includes a plurality of friction surfaces disposed on a plurality of friction elements with at least one wedge member being engageable with the plurality of friction surfaces. At least one resilient member is provided to enable the friction cushioning mechanism to exhibit a variable angle. Such resilient member is engageable with at least one of the friction elements and exerts a lateral force on the friction cushioning mechanism which is at least sufficient to maintain all of the friction surfaces in frictional engagement during the useful life of the draft gear assembly.

Abstract: A draft gear assembly having a variable angle friction clutch mechanism is provided. Such assembly includes a housing member having a compressible cushioning element disposed adjacent a closed end thereof. A seat member is disposed between one end of the compressible cushioning element and an open end of the housing member. A friction cushioning member is positioned at least partially within the open end of the housing member and includes a plurality of friction surfaces disposed on a plurality of friction elements with at least one wedge member being engageable with the plurality of friction surfaces. At least one resilient member is provided to enable the friction cushioning mechanism to exhibit a variable angle. Such resilient member is engageable with at least one of the friction elements and exerts a lateral force on the friction cushioning mechanism which is at least sufficient to maintain all of the friction surfaces in frictional engagement during the useful life of the draft gear assembly.

Abstract: A draft gear assembly having a variable angle friction clutch mechanism is provided. The assembly includes a housing member having a compressible cushioning element disposed adjacent a closed end thereof. A seat member is disposed between one end of the compressible cushioning element and an open end of the housing member. A friction cushioning mechanism is positioned at least partially within the open end of the housing member and includes a plurality of friction surfaces disposed on a plurality of friction elements with at least one wedge member being engageable with the plurality of friction surfaces. At least one resilient member is provided-to enable the friction cushioning mechanism to exhibit a variable angle. The resilient member is engageable with at least one of the friction elements and exerts a lateral force on the friction cushioning mechanism which is at least sufficient to maintain all of the friction surfaces in frictional engagement during the useful life of the draft gear assembly.

Abstract: A draft gear to absorb and cushion impacting forces on a railroad car coupler system includes a spring package in an inner section of a housing of the gear. The spring package connects with a set of friction shoes carried in friction shoe seats formed in an outer friction bore section of the housing. The shoes in turn engage with a wedge which extends from the housing outer end. In each friction shoe seat is a grooved recess having an inner, outer, and connecting groove portion arranged in an H-like shape. In each grooved recess in turn is a metallic insert to provide a film of lubricant between the shoes and friction shoe seats respectively. During operation the impacting forces on the coupler system drive the wedge and shoes inward to compress the spring package. This movement is restrained by friction between the shoes and friction shoe seats.

Abstract: An improved draft gear for transmitting draft forces in railway vehicles. The invention includes a housing with a closed end and an open opposite end provided with a tapered internal friction surface. A wedge is mounted for axial movement in the open end of the housing and friction shoes are positioned within the housing between the wedge and adjacent portions of the internal friction surface. A follower member is positioned adjacent the friction shoes and springs are positioned between the closed end of the housing and the follower member to urge the follower member against the shoes. Each of the shoes has a beveled outer surface in engagement with a beveled inner surface of the wedge, the beveled inner and outer surfaces being formed at a first selected angle with respect to the axis of the housing.