Patent ID: 6681943
Filing Date: 2004-01-27
Classification: B61G

Abstract:
In combination, a draft gear assembly, a coupler and a draft sill,the draft sill having a pair of front stops and a pair of rear stops; the draft gear assembly having front and back ends and comprising; a yoke having a back wall, a top wall extending from the back wall toward the front end of the draft gear assembly, and a bottom wall extending from the back wall toward the front end of the draft gear assembly; the back wall of the yoke being between the front and rear stops of the draft sill; a coupler follower positioned between the back wall of the yoke and the front stops of the draft sill, the coupler follower including a pair of stop contact surfaces for contact with the draft sill front stops and a coupler bearing surface between the stop contact surfaces, at least a part of the coupler bearing surface being forward of the stop contact surfaces of the coupler follower, a rear follower longitudinally spaced from the yoke back wall; at least one front resilient member filing the longitudinal distance between the coupler follower and the back wall of the yoke; at least one back resilient member filling the longitudinal distance between the rear follower and the back wall of the yoke; a center rod extending through the rear follower, back resilient member and back wall of the yoke; a coupler extending forward from the yoke, the coupler having a neutral position, a full draft position forward of the neutral position and a full buff position back from the neutral position; wherein the rear follower is positioned against the rear stops of the draft sill when the coupler is at the full buff position, at the full draft position and at the neutral position.