Patent ID: 8590717

Claim:
A railroad freight car draft gear, comprising: a hollow housing open at a first end and closed toward a second end, said housing defining a longitudinal axis for said draft gear; a series of friction members radially spaced about said longitudinal axis and arranged in operable combination with the open end of said housing; a wedge arranged for axial movement relative to the open end of said housing and against which an exterior force can be applied, with said wedge being arranged in operable combination with said series of friction members; an elongated spring assembly disposed within said hollow housing for returning energy applied to said wedge during axial compression of said draft gear, with a first end of said spring assembly being arranged in contacting relation with the closed end of said housing; and a multipiece spring seat assembly arranged within said housing, with said spring seat assembly including a spring seat extending generally normal to the longitudinal axis of said draft gear and defining a surface arranged in contacting relation with a second end of said spring assembly, with said spring seat assembly also including a top plate arranged between said spring seat and each friction member, and with said spring seat assembly further including a plurality of elastomeric springs arranged in radially spaced relation relative to each other, with said springs being operably disposed between said spring seat and said top plate.