Patent ID: 6152042
Filing Date: 2000-11-28
Classification: B61K

Abstract:
A railcar retarder assembly for co-operation with a railroad trackwork railcar rail and with a rail-supported railcar, and comprising:a base plate for mounting in a fixed position relative to the railroad trackwork railcar rail;a vertically-oriented pivot shaft rigidly secured to said base plate;a retarder actuator pivotally mounted on said pivot shaft, having a curved camming surface that is positioned adjacent the railroad trackwork railcar rail, and that is rotated in a horizontal plane when moved by the wheel flange of the railcar passing through the assembly; andan energy-absorbing hydraulics subassembly co-operatively connected to said actuator, and comprising a hydraulic fluid-containing hydraulic cylinder element, a reciprocable piston element positioned within said hydraulic cylinder element and having a connected piston rod extending horizontally outside, a gas-filled accumulator element, and fluid line means for flowing hydraulic fluid as between said hydraulic cylinder element and said gas-filled accumulator element, said reciprocable piston element and connected piston rod having longitudinal axes that are oriented horizontally and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the railroad trackwork railcar rails and have continuous contact with said assembly actuator curved camming surface,said energy-absorbing hydraulics subassembly absorbing energy from said actuator when the wheel flange of the railcar passing through the assembly rotates said actuator horizontally in one direction, and rapidly rotating said actuator horizontally in an opposite direction after the wheel flange of said railcar passes through the retarder assembly.