Abstract: A rail road car has draft sills, and draft gear mounted in the draft sills, by which loads are passed along the train line of cars. The draft gear is mounted to the drafts sill webs between front and rear draft stops. The front and rear draft stops have portions that protrude beyond the plane of the inner face of the draft sill webs. The rear draft stops have a boss that extends past the plane of the inside face of the draft sill web, such that the peripheral weld about the boss may tend to be placed in stress in the plane of the web.

Abstract: A method of preassembling a slackless type drawbar assembly prior to installation into an end portion of a center sill member secured to a railway freight car. The method comprising the steps of providing a carrier plate member having a means for securing such carrier plate member to a flange portion of such center sill member. Securing a pair of radially opposed and axially aligned shaft support members to a top surface of the carrier plate member. Positioning a drawbar assembly on top of the shaft support members and securing in place. Positioning at least one crushable wedge support member on the top surface of such carrier plate member adjacent the shaft support members. Setting a pair of radially opposed locking wedge members on such at least one crushable support member. Securing the locking wedge members to such at least one crushable support member and the carrier plate member without distorting such at least one crushable support member.

Abstract: A railroad car coupling mechanism is described as having a yoke which is disposed within, I) a carsill which is attached to the underside of a railroad car adjacent each of the opposing ends of the car, and II) a striker which is secured to the subsill and railroad car. The striker and carsill carry front and rear stops between which the yoke extends and engages the front stops. At least one resilient load cushing device is disposed between the straps of the yoke for cushioning loads impacting the car coupling mechanism. At least one wedging device is disposed within the yoke straps, in tandem, with the load cushioning device, for taking up any slack which develops from worn parts within the yoke. At least one wedging mechanism is disposed outside the yoke between the back end of the yoke and the rear stops to, likewise, take up slack and insure that the yoke remains firmly, in place, between the front and rear stops.

Abstract: Slack-free or slackless coupling systems have application in various types of coupling arrangements such as drawbars, articulated connectors, and E and F type couplers. The gravity wedge that takes up any slack developed when the system components wear, maintains a constant longitudinal force on the follower block and coupler member butt-end interface. However, under high buff loading, that mated interface develops high friction forces during curving and angling. It has been found that the lateral component of these friction forces can become great enough to cause wheel lift at the wheel/rail interface. The present invention reduces that component of friction by greatly reducing the coefficient of friction at the coupler/follower block interface by supplying a lubricant between these surfaces.

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: A railroad car having an improved draft gear assembly including a center sill structure terminating at one end in a draft center sill section having a yoke mounted therewith. The yoke includes first and second yoke members extending longitudinally. An interlocking coupler member including a head portion and a shank portion is mounted with the yoke. A connector assembly holds the interlocking coupler member in position in the yoke. The interlocking coupler member includes a rear butt portion positioned internally of the connector assembly for engaging a follower block mounted substantially between the first and second yoke members. A resilient member is mounted between the follower block assembly and the end of the yoke.

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: An articulated railcar connector assembly includes improved wedge shim and follower block components that are shaped for improved early service life, the wedge shim having laterally spaced vertical lands to contact the assembly end wall and the follower block having a compound curvature bearing surface to receive the end of a male connector member; and both wedge and follower block may have abutting chevron-like concave and convex bearing surfaces wherein the included angle of the convex bearing surfaces exceeds the included angle of the concave bearing surfaces.

Abstract: An improved articulated railcar connection and wedge shim wherein the wedge shim has a plurality of steps formed in the sides thereof upwardly from the narrow wedge bottom to present successive lifting surfaces accessible from inspection portals formed in the connection.

Abstract: In a railway coupler connection, an improved slackless connection in which an arcuate conical surface is provided about the butt end of a vertically restrained coupler member which is seated within the pocket of a self-adjusting follower member having a corresponding arcuate conical surface about a pocket therein. The corresponding arcuate conical surfaces interface in mated alignment in order to permit horizontal angling of the coupler member while restraining the butt end of the coupler member in a lateral and longitudinal position within the center sill. As in-service wear occurs, the self-adjusting follower member will drop with respect to the coupler member to maintain this zero-slack arrangement. The coupler member may be placed in the upper portion of the center sill permitting a lower center sill height while staying within the coupler height range specified by the American Association of Railroads.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a drawbar railway coupler connection. The drawbar contacts a follower block which in turn contacts a wedge shaped shim. Such shim provides an essentially slackless feature to the coupling connection. Further, surfaces of the follower block and the shim or of the shim and the rear cavity wall are modified such that alignment of the shim within the cavity is assured despite any angling or slight rotation of the drawbar.