Patent ID: 7264130
Filing Date: 2007-09-04
Classification: B61G

Abstract:
1. A housing for a long travel high capacity 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, such buff and draft shocks transmitted by a coupler and a coupler follower of such railway car, such coupler follower having a first predetermined thickness, such draft gear assembly disposed within a center sill of such railway car intermediate a pair of front stops and an axially opposed pair of rear stops, such front and rear stops forming a draft gear pocket having a first predetermined length of 24.625 inch, said housing comprising: (a) a first end having a first portion of a first predetermined cross-section and a second predetermined length, a second portion of a second predetermined cross-section and a third predetermined length being axially aligned with said first portion, said second portion closed by an end wall, and a pair of ledge members having a predetermined width disposed intermediate said first and second portions and abutting a working surface of each of such rear stops; (b) a second end having a forth predetermined length being disposed adjacent said first portion of said first end, said second end being axially opposed to said first end and further being in open communication with said first portion thereof, wherein opposed vertical inner wall surfaces of said second end are disposed in a parallel relationship to one another and disposed in a planar relationship to respective wall surfaces of said first portion of said first end and wherein at least a portion of each of said vertical inner wall surface abuts a respective stationary member of a friction cushioning mechanism of the draft gear; and (c) whereby said pair of ledge members enabling extension of said second portion of said first end into such sill past said working surfaces of such pair of rear stops for disposition intermediate such rear stops, said extension enabling longer travel of such draft gear assembly while retaining an ability of such draft gear to fit into such 24.625 inch pocket.