Draft gear pocket adapter

Claim 2

Adapter structure for modifying an existing draft gear pocket of a railway car to receive a relatively smaller replacement hydraulic cushioning device having a fixed assembly adapted to be held in fixed position Relative to the car, a movable assembly including a coupler and return spring means for returning said movable assembly to a normal position, said adapter structure reducing the cross-sectional size and changing the shape of the pocket, and comprising a base plate adapted to be secured in fixed relation to the side of the pocket, guide means on said base plate for guiding the movable assembly as it moves longitudinally in the draft gear pocket, and stop means on said base plate for engaging and limiting the longitudinal travel of the movable assembly of the hydraulic cushioning device and also holding the fixed assembly of the hydraulic cushioning device from moving longitudinally in a draft direction, said stop means including a first stop block on the draft end of said base plate for limiting the travel of the movable assembly in a draft direction and a second stop block on the buff end of said base plate for limiting the travel of the same movable assembly in a buff direction, said second stop block also holding the fixed assembly from moving longitudinally in a draft direction, said first and second stop blocks being spaced apart a distance equal to the travel of the movable assembly.

Claim 3

Adapter structure as in claim 1, further comprising a pair of upper and lower longitudinal blocks located between said spaced blocks, said longitudinal blocks guiding said movable assembly as it slides in the draft gear pocket.

Claim 4

Adapter structure as in claim 2, wherein said movable assembly has a sidewardly extending projection for engaging said spaced blocks to limit the travel of the movable assembly, said lower longitudinal block having an opening therein to permit the projection to pass therethrough for installation and removal of the movable assembly from the car.

Claim 5

Adapter structure as in claim 1, wherein the movable assembly includes a piston member relatively slidable in a cylinder forming part of the fixed assembly, a yoke secured to the piston member and located in the draft gear pocket, the yoke having a coupler secured thereto, the yoke having a smaller cross section than the draft gear pocket and being slidable in the draft gear pocket between buff and draft positions, said stop means on said base plate engaging the yoke and limiting the travel thereof, and the guide means on the base plate guiding the yoke as it slides through the draft gear pocket.

Claim 6

Adapter structure as in claim 4, wherein said stop means comprises a block, said block holding the cylinder from moving in a longitudinal draft direction.

Claim 7

Adapter structure as in claim 1, comprising a pair of prefabricated assemblies adapted to be secured to opposite sides of the draft gear pocket.

Claim 8

Adapter structure for modifying an existing large draft gear pocket of a railway car to receive a relatively smaller cushioning device, the car including a sill located adjacent the draft gear pocket, the draft gear pocket having a larger cross section than the sill, the device including a hydraulic cylinder adapted to be held in a fixed position relative to the car, a piston relatively slidable in the cylinder and having a piston rod extending from one end into the draft gear pocket, a yoke secured to the piston rod and located in the draft gear pocket, the yoke having a coupler secured thereto and having sidewardly extending projections thereon, and return spring means for returning the coupler, yoke and piston rod to a normal position, the yoke having a smaller cross section than the draft gear pocket and being adapted to slide in the draft gear pocket between buff and draft positions, said adapter structure changing the size and shape of the pocket, and comprising a pair of fabricated assemblies, each assembly having a flat base plate abutting side walls of the draft gear pocket and extending rearward toward the end of the sill, a first stop block secured to one end of said base plate having one face for engaging the projection on the yoke and limiting the travel of the yoke in a draft direction, and a second stop Block secured to the other end of said base plate having a face for engaging the projection on the yoke and limiting the travel of the yoke in a buff direction, said second stop block having a second face for holding the cylinder from moving in a longitudinal draft direction, said first and second stop blocks being spaced apart a longitudinal distance equal to the travel of the device, and a pair of upper and lower longitudinal blocks located between said first and second stop blocks, said stop blocks and longitudinal blocks engaging and guiding said yoke as it slides, said lower longitudinal blocks having openings therein to permit the projections to pass therethrough for removal of the yoke from the car.

Claim 9

Adapter structure for modifying an existing large draft gear pocket of a railway car to receive a relatively smaller cushioning device, the car including a sill located adjacent the draft gear pocket, the draft gear pocket having a larger cross section than the sill, the device including a hydraulic cylinder adapted to be held in a fixed position relative to the car, a piston relatively slidable in the cylinder and having a piston rod extending from one end into the draft gear pocket, a yoke secured to the piston rod and located in the draft gear pocket, the yoke having a coupler secured thereto and having sidewardly extending projections thereon, and return spring means for returning the coupler, yoke and piston rod to a normal position, the yoke having a smaller cross section than the draft gear pocket and being adapted to slide in the draft gear pocket between buff and draft positions, said adapter structure changing the size and shape of the pocket, and comprising a pair of fabricated assemblies, each assembly having a flat base plate abutting side walls of the draft gear pocket and extending rearward toward the end of the sill, a first stop block secured to one end of said base plate having one face for engaging the projection on the yoke and limiting the travel of the yoke in a draft direction, and a second stop Block secured to the other end of said base plate having a face for engaging the projection on the yoke and limiting the travel of the yoke in a buff direction, said second stop block having a second face for holding the cylinder from moving in a longitudinal draft direction, said first and second stop blocks being spaced apart a longitudinal distance equal to the travel of the device, and a pair of upper and lower longitudinal blocks located between said first and second stop blocks, said stop blocks and longitudinal blocks engaging and guiding said yoke as it slides, said lower longitudinal blocks having openings therein to permit the projections to pass therethrough for removal of the yoke from the car.

Claim 10

Adapter structure for modifying an existing large draft gear pocket of a railway car for a relatively smaller hydraulic cushioning device having a piston member, a cylinder member, one member of the hydraulic cushioning device being adapted to be held in a fixed position relative to the car, the other member of the hydraulic cushioning device having a coupler carrying portion extending into the draft gear pocket, said coupler carrying portion having an extending projection thereon, the other member and the coupler carrying portion being adapted to slide between buff and draft positions, and return spring means for returning the other member and the coupler carrying portion to a normal position, the coupler carrying portion having a smaller cross-sectional size than that of the draft gear pocket, said adapter structure changing the size and shape of the pocket, and comprising an assembly having a flat base plate abutting a wall of the draft gear pocket and extending rearward toward the end of the pocket, a first stop block secured to the front end of said base plate and having a rear face thereof for engaging said projection on the coupler carrying portion and limiting the travel of the coupler carrying portion in a draft direction, and a second stop block secured to the rear end of said base plate and having a front face for engaging the same said projection on the coupler carrying portion and limiting the travel of the coupler carrying portion in a buff direction, said second stop block having a rear face for holding the one member from moving in a longitudinal draft direction.

Claim 11

Adapter structure for modifying an existing large draft gear pocket of a railway car for a relatively smaller hydraulic cushioning device having a piston member, a cylinder member, one member of the hydraulic cushioning device being adapted to be held in a fixed position relative to the car, the other member of the hydraulic cushioning device having a coupler carrying portion extending into the draft gear pocket, said coupler carrying portion having an extending projection thereon, the other member and the coupler carrying portion being adapted to slide between buff and draft positions, and return spring means for returning the other member and the coupler carrying portion to a normal position, the coupler carrying portion having a smaller cross-sectional size than that of the draft gear pocket, said adapter structure changing the size and shape of the pocket, and comprising an assembly having a flat base plate abutting a wall of the draft gear pocket and extending rearward toward the end of the pocket, a first stop block secured to the front end of said base plate and having a rear face thereof for engaging said projection on the coupler carrying portion and limiting the travel of the coupler carrying portion in a draft direction, and a second stop block secured to the rear end of said base plate and having a front face for engaging the same said projection on the coupler carrying portion and limiting the travel of the coupler carrying portion in a buff direction, said second stop block having a rear face for holding the one member from moving in a longitudinal draft direction.

Claim 12

Adapter structure as in claim 8, further comprising a pair of upper and lower longitudinal blocks located between said first and second stop blocks, said stop blocks and longitudinal blocks engaging and guiding said coupler carrying portion as it slides between its buff and draft positions.

Claim 13

Adapter structure as in claim 9, wherein said lower longitudinal block has an opening therein to permit the projection of said coupler carrying portion to pass therethrough for removal of said portion from the car.

Claim 14

Adapter structure as in claim 10, wherein there are two of said adapter structures, one being mounted on each side wall of the draft gear pocket.

Claim 15

Adapter structure as in claim 11, wherein the piston member is relatively slidable in the cylinder member which is fixed to the car assembly, said device including a yoke forming said coupler carrying portion and being secured to the piston member, the yoke having a smaller cross-sectional size than that of the draft gear pocket and being slidable in the draft gear pocket between buff and draft positions, said stop blocks on said base plate engaging the yoke and limiting the travel thereof and engaging one end of the cylinder member to prevent its travel in a draft direction, and the base plate guiding the yoke as it slides in the draft gear pocket.

Claim 16

Adapter structure as in claim 12, comprising a pair of prefabricated assemblies adapted to be secured to opposite sides of the draft gear pocket.

Claim 17

Adapter structure for modifying an existing large draft gear pocket at the end of a railway car sill for a relatively smaller hydraulic cushioning device, the draft gear pocket having a larger cross-sectional size than that of the sill, said hydraulic cushioning device having a piston member, a cylinder member and return spring means, one of said members forming a fixed assembly adapted to be held in fixed relation to the sill, the other of said members forming a movable assembly including a coupler and being movable between buff and draft positions, said return spring means returning said movable assembly to a normal position, a portion of said movable assembly extending into said draft gear pocket, said portion of movable assembly having a cross-sectional size substantially smaller than that of said draft gear pocket and about the same cross-sectional size as that of said sill, said adapter structure reducing the cross-sectional size of the draft gear pocket to about that of said sill and changing the shape of the pocket, said adapter structure comprising a pair of base plates adapted to be secured in fixed relation to the inside walls of the draft gear pocket, the base plates having a combined thickness generally equal to the difference in the cross-sectional sizes of the draft gear pocket and said portion of the movable assembly, the inside walls of said base plates forming guide means for guiding the movable assembly as it moves longitudinally in the draft gear pocket, and stop means on said base plate for engaging and limiting the longitudinal travel of said portion of the movable assembly.

Claim 18

Adapter structure for modifying an existing large draft gear pocket at the end of a railway car sill for a relatively smaller hydraulic cushioning device, the draft gear pocket having a larger cross-sectional size than that of the sill, said hydraulic cushioning device having a piston member, a cylinder member and return spring means, one of said members forming a fixed assembly adapted to be held in fixed relation to the sill, the other of said members forming a movable assembly including a coupler and being movable between buff and draft positions, said return spring means returning said movable assembly to a normal position, a portion of said movable assembly extending into said draft gear pocket, said portion of movable assembly having a cross-sectional size substantially smaller than that of said draft gear pocket and about the same cross-sectional size as that of said sill, said adapter structure reducing the cross-sectional size of the draft gear pocket to about that of said sill and changing the shape of the pocket, said adapter structure comprising a pair of base plates adapted to be secured in fixed relation to the inside walls of the draft gear pocket, the base plates having a combined thickness generally equal to the difference in the cross-sectional sizes of the draft gear pocket and said portion of the movable assembly, the inside walls of said base plates forming guide means for guiding the movable assembly as it moves longitudinally in the draft gear pocket, and stop means on said base plate for engaging and limiting the longitudinal travel of said portion of the movable assembly.