Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
YOKE FOR COUPLING RAILWAY CARS UTILIZING A DRAWBAR ASSEMBLY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates, in general, to a yoke used
in a railway car coupling arrangement for connecting adjacent ends
of a pair of railway cars together and, more particularly, this
invention relates to an improved yoke for use in a slackless
drawbar coupling arrangement which connects such adjacent ends of
the pair of railway cars together in a substantially semi-permanent
manner.
BACRGFtOUND OF THE INVENTION
In the railroad industry, prior to the introduction of
the more powerful and efficient diesel engine in locomotives, such
railroad locomotives were generally underpowered. Consequently, in
order for these underpowered locomotives to start a train consist,
having several cars, in motion, it was necessary to provide each
end of a railway car with a draft gear assembly. These draft gear
assemblies provided a requisite amount of slack required in the
coupling arrangement between adjacent ends of the several cars
making up the train consist. As is generally well known, in the
railway art, this slack enabled start-up movement of the lead car
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and each of the following cars in succession. In other words,
during start-up the locomotive would begin taking up the slack
between it and the lead car first, then the slack in each following
car in turn would be taken up. This start-up procedure enabled the
lower powered locomotive to gain sufficient momentum to start the
train consist in motion.
In addition, it is equally well known, in the railway
art, that the buff and draft forces generated and applied to the
railroad cars in such a coupling arrangement, during in track
operation of the train consist were normally absorbed by these
draft gear assemblies. Such draft gear assemblies were mounted in
a draft gear pocket located in a yoke positioned within the center
sill member of the railway car. The railway car coupler mechanism
is connected to the yoke by means of a striker plate casting.
Nevertheless, these prior art coupling arrangements resulted in
undesirable dynamic loading on both the car bodies and their
contents. These dynamic loadings usually result in considerable
wear of the various coupling components on the car and depending
upon the contents of such car they can even result in damage to
such contents. It is obvious that wear of the coupling required
considerable maintenance.
Since the introduction of the more powerful diesel
locomotive in the modern railroad industry, it has been discovered
the slack is no longer necessary to start the train consist in
motion. In other words, a diesel locomotive provides the
capability of starting the movement of a train consist, containing
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multiple cars, without the need for considerable amounts of slack
being provided by the draft gear assemblies in the car coupling
arrangements. As a result, slackless drawbar assemblies have come
into widespread use in the railroad industry as the connecting
means for joining together adjacent ends of a pair of railway cars.
It has been demonstrated that these slackless drawbar assemblies
enables the buff and draft forces generated by in-track movement to
be distributed throughout the car center sill member to all of the
railway cars in the train consist with less damage to both the car
components and cargo.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved yoke for use
in a railway car equipped with a slackless drawbar coupling
arrangement. A slackless drawbar coupling arrangement is used to
connect the adjacent ends of a pair of railway cars together in a
substantially semi-permanent manner. The invented yoke includes a
rear end portion which has a front face that forms~a rear seat for
a blockout device. There is a top strap portion having a first end
thereof connected to a first end of such rear end portion. The
top strap portion extending forwardly of the front face of such
rear end portion of the yoke for a first predetermined length.
Further, a bottom strap portion has a first end thereof connected
to a radially opposed second end of such rear end portion of the
yoke. This bottom strap portion extends forwardly of the front
face of the rear end portion of such yoke for a second
predetermined length. Such yoke also has a top forward portion in
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which a first end thereof is connected to a radially opposed second
end of the top strap portion. Such top forward portion includes a
portion thereof which is thicker than a predetermined thickness of
the top strap portion. There is also a bottom forward portion
having a first end thereof connected to a radially opposed second
end of such bottom strap portion. The bottom forward portion also
includes a portion thereof that is thicker than a predetermined
thickness of the bottom strap portion. Each of such top forward
portion and such bottom forward portion of the yoke terminates in
a reduced thickness nose portion. Each of the reduced thickness
nose portions has an outer surface disposed substantially parallel
to a longitudinal centerline of the yoke and an inner surface
inclined outwardly of such longitudinal centerline. A first
generally round aperture is formed through such portion of the top
forward portion which is thicker than the thickness of such top
strap portion. This first generally round aperture having a
predetermined diameter. Received in the first generally round
aperture is a first portion of a drawbar connecting pin. In
addition, a second generally round aperture is formed through such
portion of the bottom forward portion which is thicker than such
predetermined thickness of the bottom strap portion. This second
generally round aperture having a predetermined diameter. The
second generally round aperture receives therein a second radially
opposed portion of such drawbar connecting pin. There is a first
side post member connected at a first and thereof to an inner
surface of such top strap portion adjacent a first outer edge
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thereof and intermediate the first and the second end thereof and
connected at a radially opposed second end thereof to an inner
surface of such bottom strap portion adjacent a first outer edge
thereof and intermediate the first and the second end thereof. A
second side post member is positioned radially opposite the first
side post member. This second side post member is connected at a
first end thereof to the inner surface of the top strap portion
adjacent a second outer edge thereof and is connected at a radially
opposed second end thereof to the inner surface of such bottom
strap portion adjacent a second outer edge thereof. Finally, an
aperture is formed through at least one of the top strap portion
and the bottom strap portion for receiving therein an adjusting
means used to adjust a length of an axially adjustable blockout
device when such adjustable blockout device is mounted within a
yoke pocket defined by the front face of such rear end portion, the
inner surface of the top strap portion and the inner surface of
such bottom strap portion and an inner surface of each of the first
and the second side post members.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the
present invention to provide an improved yoke for use in a
slackless drawbar coupling arrangement which can be easily and
quickly retrofitted into an existing coupling arrangement or it can
be used to advantage in new railcar construction utilizing a
slackless drawbar coupling arrangement.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an
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improved yoke for use in a slackless drawbar coupling arrangement
which can be easily produced as a single piece casting, such as, a
steel casting.
Still another object of the present invention is to
provide an improved yoke for use in a slackless drawbar coupling
arrangement which can withstand in track forces of more than
1,000,000 pounds being exerted thereon.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide
an improved yoke for use in a slackless drawbar coupling
arrangement which can be used with a blockout device that is
capable of being adjusted in length as wear occurs in the various
components in the coupling arrangement.
A further object of the present invention is to provide
an improved yoke for use in a slackless drawbar coupling
arrangement which is relatively light weight.
It is an additional object of the present invention to
provide an improved yoke for use in a slackless drawbar coupling
arrangement which will require a minimum amount of maintenance
during the useful life thereof.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to
provide an improved yoke for use in a slackless drawbar coupling
arrangement in which the yoke can be rather easily and readily
removed when maintenance on the yoke or another car component is
required.
It is a further object of the present invention to
provide an improved yoke for use in a slackless drawbar coupling
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arrangement which will reduce the wear on the car coupling
components.
In addition to the several objects and advantages of the
present invention discussed above, various other objects and
advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent to
those persons who are skilled in the railway car coupling art from
the following more detailed description of the invention,
particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with
the attached drawings and with the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a presently
preferred embodiment of the yoke according to the present
invention;
Figure 2 is a top plan view, partly in cross-section, of
the yoke illustrated in Figure 1, taken along line II-II of Figure
1,
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional elevational view of the
yoke according to the present invention, taken along line III-III
of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a top plan view of the inventive yoke, partly
in cross-section, wherein an adjustable blockout device is mounted
in the draft gear pocket of the yoke which is shown connected to a
slackless drawbar; and
Figure 5 is a side elevation cross-sectional view of the
yoke and contained blockout device and attached slackless drawbar,
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taken along line V-V of Figure 4.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of
the instant invention it should be noted that, for the sake of
clarity, identical components having identical functions have been
identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several
views illustrated in the drawings.
Now reference is made, more particularly, to Figures 1,
2 and 3. Illustrated therein is a presently preferred embodiment
of the yoke, generally designated 5, according to the present
invention. The yoke 5 is designed for use in a slackless drawbar
coupling arrangement which connects the adjacent ends (not shown)
of a pair of railway cars (not shown) together in a substantially
semi-permanent manner.
The yoke 5 includes a rear end portion 8 which has a
front face 9. The front face 9 forms a rear seat or bearing
surface for a blockout device, generally designated 29 (Figure 5).
The blockout device 29 illustrated is axially adjustable.
According to the presently preferred embodiment of the invention,
the rear end portion 8 will include at least one cavity 11 and
preferably four cavities 11 for reducing the weight of the yoke 5.
Such cavities 11 being formed in the vertical side portions of the
rear end portion 8.
Yoke 5 includes a body portion, generally designated 10
(Figure 2 ) . The body portion 10 includes a top strap portion 6
which is connected at a first end thereof to a first end of such
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rear end portion 8. This top strap portion 6 extends forwardly of
the front face 9 of such rear end portion 8 for a first
predetermined length. The top strap portion 6 has a predetermined
thickness. In addition, the body portion 10 of the yoke 5 includes
a bottom strap portion 7. A first end of the bottom strap portion
7 is connected to a radially opposed second end of such rear end
portion 8. This bottom strap portion 7 extends forwardly of the
front face 9 of the rear end portion 8 of such yoke 5 for a second
predetermined length. Such bottom strap portion 7 also has a
predetermined thickness. According to the presently preferred
embodiment of the invention the first predetermined length of the
top strap portion 6 will be substantially identical to the second
predetermined length of such bottom strap portion 7. It is also
preferred that the thickness of the top strap portion 6 and the
bottom strap portion 7 will be substantially identical. In
addition, each of the top strap portion 6 and the bottom strap
portion 7 have a predetermined configuration as best seen in Figure
2.
A top forward portion, generally designated 14 (Figure
2), of the yoke 5 has a first end thereof connected to a radially
opposed second end of such top strap portion 6. This top forward
portion 14 includes a portion 17 thereof which is thicker than the
predetermined thickness of such top strap portion 6.
Similarly, a bottom forward portion, generally designated
16 (Figure 1), of the yoke 5 has a first end thereof connected to
a radially opposed second end of such bottom strap portion 7. The
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2~9~4Q3
bottom forward portion 16 also includes a portion 18 thereof which
is thicker than the predetermined thickness of such bottom strap
portion 7. Each of the top forward portion 14 and the bottom
forward portion 16 of the yoke 5 terminates in a reduced thickness
nose portion 19 and 21 (Figure 1), respectively.
Extending forwardly of the thickened portions 17 and 18
are an upper nose portion 19 and a lower nose portion 21 formed by
a step 20 extending from the outer surfaces of the thickened
portions 17 and 18 to substantially horizontally extending outer
surfaces of the respective nose portions 19 and 21. As best seen
in Figure 2, the step 20 comprises an arcuate portion 15 spacing
the thickened portion of this part of the yoke 5 away from
apertures 24 and 25 thus providing extra strength in this area to
resist the forces exerted on the yoke 5 through means connecting
the yoke 5 with a drawbar. Spaced from and extending forwardly of
apertures 24 and 25 are inclined inner surfaces, denoted
respectively by numerals 22 and 23, of the respective nose portions
19 and 21. The inner surfaces 22 and 23 are inclined outwardly of
the longitudinal centerline of the yoke 5 at an angle thereto to
accommodate entry of the end of a connecting drawbar into the
forward portion of the yoke 5.
Each nose portion 19 and 21, has an outer surface
disposed substantially parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the
yoke 5 and an inner surface 22 and 23, respectively, inclined
outwardly of such longitudinal centerline. In the presently
preferred embodiment of the invention the thicker portion 17 of the
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top forward portion 14 will have a thickness substantially
identical to the thickness of the thicker portion 18 of the bottom
forward portion 16. Further, it is presently preferred that the
forwardmost extremity of each nose portion 19 and 21 ,
respectively, of each of the top forward portion 14 and the bottom
forward portion 16 will have a generally arcuate configuration
which is preferably semicircular.
There is a first generally round aperture 24 formed
through the thickened portion 17 of the top forward portion 14 of
the yoke 5. The first generally round aperture 24 has a
predetermined diameter. Received in such first generally round
aperture 24 is a first portion of a drawbar connecting pin member
42. Such drawbar connecting pin member 42 is illustrated in
Figures 4 and 5. The first generally round aperture 24 has a
predetermined diameter.
A second generally round aperture 25 is formed through
such portion 18 of the bottom forward portion 16 which is thicker
in cross-section than the cross-sectional predetermined thickness
of the bottom strap portion 7. This second generally round
aperture 25 has a predetermined diameter which preferably
substantially identical to the predetermined diameter of the first
generally round aperture 24. Received within the second generally
round aperture 25 is a second radially opposed portion of such
drawbar connecting pin 42. The yoke 5 further includes a first
side post member 12. A first end of the first side post member 12
is connected to an inner surface of such top strap portion 6
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adjacent a first outermost edge thereof and intermediate the first
and second end of such top strap portion 6. The second radially
opposed end of the first side post member 12 is connected to an
inner surface of the bottom strap portion 7 adjacent a first
outermost edge thereof and intermediate the first and second end of
such bottom strap portion 7. Positioned radially opposite to the
first side post member 12 is a second side post member 13. Such
second side post member 13 is connected at a first end thereof to
the inner surface of the top strap portion 6 adjacent a second
outermost edge thereof . The second radially opposed end of the
second side post member 13 is connected to the inner surface of
such bottom strap portion 7 adjacent a second outermost edge
thereof .
Lastly, an aperture 26 is formed through at least one of
the top strap portion 6 and the bottom strap portion 7. In the
presently preferred embodiment, the aperture 26 will be formed as
an elongated slot in the bottom strap portion 7 of the yoke 5. The
aperture 26 is provided for receiving therein an adjusting means 36
(Figure 5) used to adjust a length of an axially adjustable
blockout device, generally designated 28. This assumes of course
that such adjustable blockout device is used and is mounted within
a yoke 5 pocket defined by the front face 9 of the rear end portion
8, the inner surface of the top strap portion 6, the inner surface
of the bottom strap portion 7, the inner surface of the first side
post member 12 and the inner surface of the second side post member
13. According to the presently preferred embodiment of
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this invention, the rear end portion 8 of the yoke 5 has an
arcuately shaped surface disposed radially opposite such front face
9. Further, it is preferred that the rear end portion 8, the top
strap portion 6, the bottom strap portion 7, the top forward
portion 14, the bottom forward portion 16, the first side post
member 12 and the second side post member 13 are formed as a single
piece casting. Such single piece casting is preferably a steel
casting. Additionally, if desired, the weight reducing cavities
11, the aperture 26 and the apertures 24 and 25 can be
simultaneously cast with the yoke 5. Further, in the presently
preferred embodiment of the invention the outer surface of the nose
portion 19 and 21 of the top forward portion 14 and the bottom
forward portion 16, respectively, of the yoke 5 will be disposed in
a plane which lies substantially parallel to the longitudinal
centerline of such yoke 5. Finally, as seen in Figure 2, each of
the top strap portion 6 and the bottom strap portion 7 will
preferably have a predetermined configuration which will include
at least two tapered portions disposed in a horizontal plane of the
yoke 5.
The manner of mounting the yoke 5 within a center sill
member 27 of a railroad car, and the general structure and manner
of mounting an axially adjustable block-out device within the yoke
pocket and of connecting the yoke 5 to a drawbar 44 is
illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. As shown in those Figures, a
block-out assembly 28 includes an adjustable blockout apparatus,
denoted generally by the number 29, and comprising a first
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adjustable block 31, a second adjustable block 32, a first
adjusting wedge 33, a second adjusting wedge 34 and an adjusting
means 36 in the form of a threaded bolt registrable with the slot
26. The blockout assembly 29 further comprises a first adjustable
wedge 37, a second adjustable wedge 38 and a follower plate 39. A
striker element 43 is connected to the center sill member 27 by
means of mounting member 40. The yoke 5, the nose portions 19 and
21 which are designed to fit within and extend into the striker
element 43, is connected to a drawbar 44 shank by means of a
drawbar connecting pin 42 extending through the apertures 24 and 25
in the thickened portions 17 and 18 of the top and bottom forward
portions 14 and 16 of the yoke 5. A drawbar connecting pin bearing
block 41 is provided between the pin 42 and the inside of an
extremity 46 of the shank of the drawbar 44.
It can be seen from the above description that, in
summary, the present invention provides a yoke for use with a
slackless drawbar coupling arrangement used to connect the adjacent
ends of a pair of railway cars together in a substantially semi-
permanent fashion. Such yoke has a body portion that incudes a
pair of substantially parallel upper and lower straps and a pair of
vertical side post members interconnecting the upper and the lower
straps. A rear end portion is spaced rearwardly of such vertical
side posts in a direction of a longitudinal centerline of the yoke
and is connected to rearward extremities of the upper and lower
straps. The rear end portion provides a rear draft blockout seat.
Forwardly extending portions of such upper and lower straps provide
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an upper forward portion of the yoke and a lower forward portion of
the yoke. Each of the upper forward portion and the lower forward
portion includes an aperture thickened portion and a nose extending
forwardly of such apertured thickened portion. An inner surface of
each nose is inclined outwardly of the longitudinal centerline of
the yoke. At least one of the upper and lower straps in such body
portion of the yoke has a slot registrable with and adapted for
reception therein of an elongated adjusting means to adjust a
position of an adjustable blockout device when such blockout device
is mounted within a pocket of the yoke. The yoke pocket is defined
by the rear draft blockout seat, the upper and lower straps and the
side post members. The forwardly extending extremities of each of
the upper and the lower straps are thickened in a direction
inwardly toward the longitudinal centerline of such yoke. The nose
portions are reduced in thickness as compared to corresponding
thickened portions by means of a step in an outer surface of the
nose portions and extending across a width of the nose. Each of
the nose portions have a laterally extending arcuate component
retaining a thickened portion between the aperture in the thickened
portion of the forward portion of such yoke and such reduced
thickness nose portion.
While both the presently preferred and alternative
embodiments of the yoke of the present invention have been
described in detail above, it should be obvious that various other
modifications and adaptations of such invention can be made by
those persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit
~~9~~~3
and scope of the appended claims.
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