Patent ID: 7419065
Filing Date: 2008-09-02
Classification: B61G

Abstract:
1. A railway car friction-type draft gear assembly which enables the cushioning of buff and draft shocks that are usually encountered in such railway car rolling stock during a coupling operation of such railway car to a train consist and during normal operation of such train consist on a track structure, said draft gear assembly comprising: (a) a housing member closed at a first end thereof by an end wall and open at an axially-opposed second end thereof, said housing member having a rear portion adjacent said first end and a front portion adjacent said axially-opposed second end and being in open communication with said rear portion, said front portion having a pair of laterally spaced and axially opposed inner friction surfaces, said pair of inner friction surfaces having a predetermined Brinell hardness, said housing member having a predetermined length; (b) a compressible cushioning element centrally disposed within said rear portion of said housing member, one end of said cushioning element abutting at least a portion of an inner surface of said end wall closing said first end of said housing member, said compressible cushioning element extending longitudinally from said inner surface of said end wall; (c) a positioning means adjacent said inner surface of said end wall at said first end of said housing member for centrally maintaining said one end of said compressible cushioning element in said rear portion of said housing member during compression and extension of said compressible cushioning element; (d) a seat means having at least a portion of one surface thereof abutting an axially-opposite end of said compressible cushioning element and mounted to move longitudinally within said housing member for respectively compressing and releasing said compressible cushioning element during application and release of a force exerted on said draft gear assembly; (e) a friction cushioning means positioned at least partially within said front portion of said housing member for absorbing energy during a compression of said draft gear assembly, said friction cushioning means including: (f) a spring release means engaging and longitudinally extending between said seat means and said center wedge member 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 assembly is removed.