Patent ID: 7383961
Filing Date: 2008-06-10
Classification: B61G

Abstract:
1. A draft gear assembly to cushion shocks encountered in railroad rolling stock, said draft gear assembly comprising: (a) a housing closed at one end and open at the opposed end, said housing having a rear portion adjacent said closed end and a front portion adjacent said open end, said front portion being in open communication with said rear portion; (b) at least one horizontal rib within said housing, said at least one horizontal rib having a top and bottom surface; (c) at least one of a spring and a hydraulic compressible cushioning element centrally disposed within said rear portion with one end thereof abutting at least a portion of an inner surface of said closed end of said housing, said compressible cushioning element extending longitudinally from said one end; (d) a positioning means on said inner surface of said closed end of said housing for maintaining said one end of said compressible cushioning element centrally positioned in said rear portion of said housing during compression and extension of said compressible cushioning element; (e) a seat means having at least a portion of one surface thereof abutting the opposite end of said compressible cushioning element during application and release of a force on said draft gear assembly; (f) a friction cushioning means positioned at least partially within said front portion of said housing for absorbing energy during a compression of said draft gear assembly, said friction cushioning means including (i) a pair of laterally spaced outer stationary plates having an outer surface for engaging said housing and an opposed inner friction surface, (ii) a pair of laterally spaced movable plates having an outer friction surface and an inner friction surface and at least one substantially flat edge intermediate said outer friction and inner friction surfaces, said one edge engaging said seat means, at least a portion of said outer friction surface movably and frictionally engaging said-inner friction surface of said outer stationary plate, (iii) a pair of laterally spaced tapered plates, said tapered plates having an outer friction and an inner friction surface and a lug which comes into contact with said top surface of said at least one horizontal rib within said housing, at least a portion of said lug contacting said at least one horizontal rib within said housing having a tapered surface, said outer friction surface of said pair of tapered plates movably and frictionally engaging at least a portion of said inner friction surface of said movable plate, (iv) a pair of laterally spaced wedge shoes having at least a portion of an outer friction surface movably and frictionally engaging at least a portion of an inner friction surface or said tapered plate, and at least a portion of one edge engaging said seat means, (v) a center wedge having a pair of matching predetermined tapered portions for engaging said tapered portion of said wedge shoe to initiate frictional engagement of said friction cushioning means and thereby absorb energy; and (g) a spring release means engaging and longitudinally extending between said seat means and said center wedge for continuously urging said friction cushioning means outwardly from said compressible cushioning means to release said friction cushioning element when an applied force compressing said draft gear is removed.