Hydraulic cushioning apparatus for railway cars

Claim 3

An apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein: said cylinder means includes relatively high pressure containing, inner side wall means; relatively lower pressure containing, outer side wall means; and compression limiting means operable to prevent the transmission of excessive compressive forces through said relatively lower pressure containing outer side wall means when said piston means and cylinder means are in a full buff condition.

Claim 8

A railway cushioning apparatus comprising: outer cylinder means; said outer cylinder means to define an annular space; piston means mounted for axial sliding movement within and relative to said inner cylinder means; hydraulic impedance means operable to impede, but permit, a flow of fluid from the interior of one end of said inner cylinder means to and through said annular space and into the interior of another end portion of said inner cylinder means; means operable to connect one of said piston means and outer cylinder means with coupling means; means operable to transmit mechanical, buff shock longitudinally through said inner cylinder means and substantially prevent the transmission of said mechanical buff shock through said outer cylinder means; said last named means comprising cylinder head means closing one end of said inner cylinder means, slidably mounted within said outer cylinder means, and operable in response to buff shock transmitted thereto, to transmit buff shock to said inner cylinder means, said cylinder head means being further operable in response to buff shock induced, axial contraction of said inner cylinder means to move longitudinally of and relative to said outer cylinder means; stabilizing means operable to telescopingly receive said means operable to connect said coupling means and said piston means; and antideflection means operable to engage said stabilizing means and prevent substantial lateral deflection thereof.

Claim 9

A railway cushioning apparatus comprising: outer cylinder means; said outer cylinder means to define an annular space; piston means mounted for axial sliding movement within and relative to said inner cylinder means; hydraulic impedance means operable to impede, but permit, a flow of fluid from the interior of one end of said inner cylinder means to and through said annular space and into the interior of another end portion of said inner cylinder means; means operable to connect one of said piston means and outer cylinder means with coupling means; means operable to transmit mechanical, buff shock longitudinally through said inner cylinder means and substantially prevent the transmission of said mechanical buff shock through said outer cylinder means; said last named means comprising cylinder head means closing one end of said inner cylinder means, slidably mounted within said outer cylinder means, and operable in response to buff shock transmitted thereto, to transmit buff shock to said inner cylinder means, said cylinder head means being further operable in response to buff shock induced, axial contraction of said inner cylinder means to move longitudinally of and relative to said outer cylinder means; stabilizing means operable to telescopingly receive said means operable to connect said coupling means and said piston means; and antideflection means operable to engage said stabilizing means and prevent substantial lateral deflection thereof.

Claim 10

A railway cushioning apparatus comprising: cylinder means having well means including side wall means, first end wall means, and second end wall means, said first and second end wall means being connected with and spaced longitudinally of said side wall means; mounting means operable to secure said cylinder means in generally fixed position within a railway car sill; piston means slidably disposed within said cylinder means and including, piston body means telescopingly mounted within said side wall means of said cylinder means, and piston rod means telescopingly projecting through each of said first and second end wall means of said cylinder means; interior impedance zone means located within said cylinder means, said impedance zone means containing liquid, and being operable to impede movement of said piston body means relative to said side wall means of said cylinder means, with said piston body means in combination with said cylinder side wall means defining buff and draft ends of said impedance zone means located on longitudinally opposite sides of said telescopingly mounted piston body means; generally annular return flow passage means comprising a continuous chamber surrounding said first and second end wall means and side wall means of said cylinder means by generally encircling at least said side wall means and at least portions of said first and second end wall means of said cylinder means and operable to receive fluid expelled from said impedance zone means in response to movement of said piston body means relative to said cylinder side wall means; generally fluid-tight housing means comprising generally mutually sealed side and end wall portions operable to house said cylinder means and return flow passage means, with the chamber of said return flow passage means being disposed between said housing means and said cylinder means; socketed coupling means operable to interconnect said piston rod means and a drawbar of a railway car; said socketed coupling means including enlarged head means carried by said piston rod means, yoke means operable to be connected with said drawbar, and socket means defined by said yoke means and operable to support said enlarged head means in socketed relation with said yoke means; port means in said cylinder means disposed at said buff and draft ends of said cylinder means and providing communication between said buff and draft ends of said interior impedance zone means of said cylinder means and said continuous chamber and operable to impede a flow of fluid out of said impedance zone means in response to buff and draft force induced movement of said piston body means relative to said cylinder side wall means; relatively high capacity check valve means carried by said cylinder means and operable to permit a flow of fluid from said continuous chamber into at least one of said buff and draft ends of said impedance zone means of said cylinder means; and relief valve means operable to relieve pressure in said at least one of said buff and draft ends of said impedance zone means and carried by said cylinder means; said relief valve means and said relatively high capacity check valve means each including passage means defining a continuation of said at least one of said buff and draft ends of said interior impedance zone means; scavenging means including generally annular fitment means telescopingly receiving a portion of said piston rod means, generally annular scavenging passage means carried by said fitment means, generally encircling said piston rod means, and operable to receive fluid passing between said fitment means and said portion of said piston rod means, first transverse passage means extending through said fitment means generally outwardly of an axis of reciprocation of said piston rod means and communicating with said generally annular scavenging passage means, and second passage means defining a continuation of said return flow passage means, and providing communication between said first transverse passage means and a portion of said return flow passage means generally adjacent one of said first and second end wall means; said relief valve means and said check valve means each including valve seat means and valve means valvingly cooperable with said valve seat means, with each said valve seat means and valve means being contained inside said cylinder means and housed within a continuation of said impedance zone means which is contained within body means of said wall means of said wall means of said cylinder means; said cylinder means including compression limiting means operable to prevent the transmission of excessive compressive forces through said relatively lower pressure containing outer side wall means when said piston means and cylinder means are in a full buff condition; stabilizing means operable to telescopingly receive said socketed coupling means; and antideflection means operable to engage said stabilizing means and prevent substantial lateral deflection thereof.

Claim 11

A railway cushioning apparatus comprising: cylinder means having well means including side wall means, first end wall means, and second end wall means, said first and second end wall means being connected with and spaced longitudinally of said side wall means; mounting means operable to secure said cylinder means in generally fixed position within a railway car sill; piston means slidably disposed within said cylinder means and including, piston body means telescopingly mounted within said side wall means of said cylinder means, and piston rod means telescopingly projecting through each of said first and second end wall means of said cylinder means; interior impedance zone means located within said cylinder means, said impedance zone means containing liquid, and being operable to impede movement of said piston body means relative to said side wall means of said cylinder means, with said piston body means in combination with said cylinder side wall means defining buff and draft ends of said impedance zone means located on longitudinally opposite sides of said telescopingly mounted piston body means; generally annular return flow passage means comprising a continuous chamber surrounding said first and second end wall means and side wall means of said cylinder means by generally encircling at least said side wall means and at least portions of said first and second end wall means of said cylinder means and operable to receive fluid expelled from said impedance zone means in response to movement of said piston body means relative to said cylinder side wall means; generally fluid-tight housing means comprising generally mutually sealed side and end wall portions operable to house said cylinder means and return flow passage means, with the chamber of said return flow passage means being disposed between said housing means and said cylinder means; socketed coupling means operable to interconnect said piston rod means and a drawbar of a railway car; said socketed coupling means including enlarged head means carried by said piston rod means, yoke means operable to be connected with said drawbar, and socket means defined by said yoke means and operable to support said enlarged head means in socketed relation with said yoke means; port means in said cylinder means disposed at said buff and draft ends of said cylinder means and providing communication between said buff and draft ends of said interior impedance zone means of said cylinder means and said continuous chamber and operable to impede a flow of fluid out of said impedance zone means in response to buff and draft force induced movement of said piston body means relative to said cylinder side wall means; relatively high capacity check valve means carried by said cylinder means and operable to permit a flow of fluid from said continuous chamber into at least one of said buff and draft ends of said impedance zone means of said cylinder means; and relief valve means operable to relieve pressure in said at least one of said buff and draft ends of said impedance zone means and carried by said cylinder means; said relief valve means and said relatively high capacity check valve means each including passage means defining a continuation of said at least one of said buff and draft ends of said interior impedance zone means; scavenging means including generally annular fitment means telescopingly receiving a portion of said piston rod means, generally annular scavenging passage means carried by said fitment means, generally encircling said piston rod means, and operable to receive fluid passing between said fitment means and said portion of said piston rod means, first transverse passage means extending through said fitment means generally outwardly of an axis of reciprocation of said piston rod means and communicating with said generally annular scavenging passage means, and second passage means defining a continuation of said return flow passage means, and providing communication between said first transverse passage means and a portion of said return flow passage means generally adjacent one of said first and second end wall means; said relief valve means and said check valve means each including valve seat means and valve means valvingly cooperable with said valve seat means, with each said valve seat means and valve means being contained inside said cylinder means and housed within a continuation of said impedance zone means which is contained within body means of said wall means of said wall means of said cylinder means; said cylinder means including compression limiting means operable to prevent the transmission of excessive compressive forces through said relatively lower pressure containing outer side wall means when said piston means and cylinder means are in a full buff condition; stabilizing means operable to telescopingly receive said socketed coupling means; and antideflection means operable to engage said stabilizing means and prevent substantial lateral deflection thereof.

Claim 12

A railway cushioning apparatus comprising: cylinder means having well means including side wall means, first end wall means, and second end wall means, said first and second end wall means being connected with and spaced longitudinally of said side wall means; mounting means operable to secure said cylinder means in generally fixed position within a railway car sill; piston means slidably disposed within said cylinder means and including, piston body means telescopingly mounted within said side wall means of said cylinder means, and piston rod means telescopingly projecting through each of said first and second end wall means of said cylinder means; interior impedance zone means located within said cylinder means, said impedance zone means containing liquid, and being operable to impede movement of said piston body means relative to said side wall means of said cylinder means, with said piston body means in combination with said cylinder side wall means defining buff and draft ends of said impedance zone means located on longitudinally opposite sides of said telescopingly mounted piston body means; generally annular return flow passage means comprising a continuous chamber surrounding said first and second eNd wall means and side wall means of said cylinder means by generally encircling at least said side wall means and at least portions of said first and second end wall means of said cylinder means and operable to receive fluid expelled from said impedance zone means in response to movement of said piston body means relative to said cylinder side wall means; generally fluid-tight housing means comprising generally mutually sealed side and end wall portions operable to house said cylinder means and return flow passage means, with the chamber of said return flow passage means being disposed between said housing means and said cylinder means; socketed coupling means operable to interconnect said piston rod means and a drawbar of a railway car; said socketed coupling means including enlarged head means carried by said piston rod means, yoke means operable to be connected with said drawbar, and socket means defined by said yoke means and operable to support said enlarged head means in socketed relation with said yoke means; port means in said cylinder means disposed at said buff and draft ends of said cylinder means and providing communication between said buff and draft ends of said interior impedance zone means of said cylinder means and said continuous chamber and operable to impede a flow of fluid out of said impedance zone means in response to buff and draft force induced movement of said piston body means relative to said cylinder side wall means; relatively high capacity check valve means carried by said cylinder means and operable to permit a flow of fluid from said continuous chamber into at least one of said buff and draft ends of said impedance zone means of said cylinder means; and relief valve means operable to relieve pressure in said at least one of said buff an draft ends of said impedance zone means and carried by said cylinder means; said relief valve means and said relatively high capacity check valve means each including passage means defining a continuation of said at least one of said buff and draft ends of interior impedance zone means; scavenging means including generally annular fitment means telescopingly receiving a portion of said piston rod means, generally annular scavenging passage means carried by said fitment means, generally encircling said piston rod means, and operable to receive fluid passing between said fitment means and said portion of said piston rod means, first transverse passage means extending through said fitment means generally outwardly of an axis of reciprocation of said piston rod means and communicating with said generally annular scavenging passage means, and second passage means defining a continuation of said return flow passage means, and providing communication between said first transverse passage means and a portion of said return flow passage means generally adjacent one of said first and second end wall means; and said relief valve means and said check valve means each including valve seat means and valve means valvingly cooperable with said valve seat means, with each said valve seat means and valve means being contained inside said cylinder means and housed within a continuation of said impedance zone means which is contained within body means of said wall means of said cylinder means; stabilizing housing means connected with said cylinder means; said stabilizing housing means including connection stabilizing means telescopingly receiving said socket means and stabilizing said socket means against lateral deflection caused by buff force acting on said piston means; said yoke means being operable to abuttingly engage a draft end of said cylinder means in response to said buff force acting on said piston means; draft means connected with said yoke means; first stop means operable within a sill means within which said cylinder means is positioned to engage said cylinder means and prevent buff force induced movement of saId cylinder means and said stabilizing housing means; second stop means operable within said sill means to be spaced from said cylinder means and engage said stabilizing housing means and prevent draft movement of said cylinder means and said stabilizing housing means; and antideflection means operable within said sill means to prevent substantial lateral deflection of said stabilizing housing means, said antideflection means extending between said stabilizing housing means and said sill means at a location spaced from said cylinder means and located between a draft extremity of said cylinder means and a coupling portion of said draft means.

Claim 13

A railway cushioning apparatus comprising: cylinder means having well means including side wall means, first end wall means, and second end wall means, said first and second end wall means being connected with and spaced longitudinally of said side wall means; mounting means operable to secure said cylinder means in generally fixed position within a railway car sill; piston means slidably disposed within said cylinder means and including, piston body means telescopingly mounted within said side wall means of said cylinder means, and piston rod means telescopingly projecting through each of said first and second end wall means of said cylinder means; interior impedance zone means located within said cylinder means, said impedance zone means containing liquid, and being operable to impede movement of said piston body means relative to said side wall means of said cylinder means, with said piston body means in combination with said cylinder side wall means defining buff and draft ends of said impedance zone means located on longitudinally opposite sides of said telescopingly mounted piston body means; generally annular return flow passage means comprising a continuous chamber surrounding said first and second eNd wall means and side wall means of said cylinder means by generally encircling at least said side wall means and at least portions of said first and second end wall means of said cylinder means and operable to receive fluid expelled from said impedance zone means in response to movement of said piston body means relative to said cylinder side wall means; generally fluid-tight housing means comprising generally mutually sealed side and end wall portions operable to house said cylinder means and return flow passage means, with the chamber of said return flow passage means being disposed between said housing means and said cylinder means; socketed coupling means operable to interconnect said piston rod means and a drawbar of a railway car; said socketed coupling means including enlarged head means carried by said piston rod means, yoke means operable to be connected with said drawbar, and socket means defined by said yoke means and operable to support said enlarged head means in socketed relation with said yoke means; port means in said cylinder means disposed at said buff and draft ends of said cylinder means and providing communication between said buff and draft ends of said interior impedance zone means of said cylinder means and said continuous chamber and operable to impede a flow of fluid out of said impedance zone means in response to buff and draft force induced movement of said piston body means relative to said cylinder side wall means; relatively high capacity check valve means carried by said cylinder means and operable to permit a flow of fluid from said continuous chamber into at least one of said buff and draft ends of said impedance zone means of said cylinder means; and relief valve means operable to relieve pressure in said at least one of said buff an draft ends of said impedance zone means and carried by said cylinder means; said relief valve means and said relatively high capacity check valve means each including passage means defining a continuation of said at least one of said buff and draft ends of interior impedance zone means; scavenging means including generally annular fitment means telescopingly receiving a portion of said piston rod means, generally annular scavenging passage means carried by said fitment means, generally encircling said piston rod means, and operable to receive fluid passing between said fitment means and said portion of said piston rod means, first transverse passage means extending through said fitment means generally outwardly of an axis of reciprocation of said piston rod means and communicating with said generally annular scavenging passage means, and second passage means defining a continuation of said return flow passage means, and providing communication between said first transverse passage means and a portion of said return flow passage means generally adjacent one of said first and second end wall means; and said relief valve means and said check valve means each including valve seat means and valve means valvingly cooperable with said valve seat means, with each said valve seat means and valve means being contained inside said cylinder means and housed within a continuation of said impedance zone means which is contained within body means of said wall means of said cylinder means; stabilizing housing means connected with said cylinder means; said stabilizing housing means including connection stabilizing means telescopingly receiving said socket means and stabilizing said socket means against lateral deflection caused by buff force acting on said piston means; said yoke means being operable to abuttingly engage a draft end of said cylinder means in response to said buff force acting on said piston means; draft means connected with said yoke means; first stop means operable within a sill means within which said cylinder means is positioned to engage said cylinder means and prevent buff force induced movement of saId cylinder means and said stabilizing housing means; second stop means operable within said sill means to be spaced from said cylinder means and engage said stabilizing housing means and prevent draft movement of said cylinder means and said stabilizing housing means; and antideflection means operable within said sill means to prevent substantial lateral deflection of said stabilizing housing means, said antideflection means extending between said stabilizing housing means and said sill means at a location spaced from said cylinder means and located between a draft extremity of said cylinder means and a coupling portion of said draft means.

Claim 14

A railway cushioning apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein: said apparatus includes: compression limiting means operable to prevent the transmission of excessive compressive forces through said housing means when said piston means and cylinder means are in a full buff condition.