摘要:
An energy absorption system for a railcar having an elongated sill with front and rear stops defining a pocket therebetween. To facilitate use of known railcar structures, the energy absorption system can be used in combination with a railcar also having a sill with center stops disposed between the front and rear stops. A coupler having a head portion and a shank portion is arranged in operable combination with the energy absorption system. The energy absorption system also includes a first cushioning assembly positioned in the sill pocket. A first follower is urged toward and engageable with the front stops under the influence of the first cushioning assembly and is operably engageable with a free end of the shank portion of the coupler. A second cushioning assembly is positioned in generally axial alignment with first cushioning assembly. A second follower is positioned and normally urged by the energy absorption system toward and configured to engage with the center stops. An axially elongated yoke encompasses the first and second cushioning assemblies, terminates in an open forward end, and is coupled to the shank portion of the coupler. The first and second cushioning assemblies act in series relative to each other to absorb and cushion impact forces directed against them when the energy absorption system operates in a buff direction. Advantageously, the second follower acts in concert with the center stops and the second cushioning assembly to minimize excessive system cycles while better dissipating train action energy when the energy absorption system operates in a draft direction.
摘要:
A railroad freight car coupling system utilizing purely mechanical cushioning assemblies at opposed ends of the car. Each cushioning assembly includes an elongated draft gear assembly including two individually operable and axially spaced assemblies for absorbing both buff and draft forces. Each draft gear assembly includes an axially elongated and hollow metal housing with a first open end and a second open end disposed in longitudinally spaced relation relative to each other. The draft gear assembly is provided with first and second spring biased assemblies at opposed open ends of the housing for absorbing, storing and returning energy directed against a railroad freight car with which the draft gear assembly is arranged in operable combination.
摘要:
A method for influencing gravitational discharge of material from a railcar gate assembly is arranged in material receiving relation relative to a hopper on the railcar. The gate assembly defines a discharge opening and includes a slide gate for controlling the discharge of material from the hopper car. A first portion of the gate assembly is operably disposed above the slide gate and a second portion of the gate assembly is disposed below the slide gate. An adapter is releasably suspended below the discharge opening for influencing the discharge of material from the second portion of the gate assembly.
摘要:
A cushioning assembly designed to be installed in a draft gear pocket of a railroad car and function as a draft gear. The cushioning assembly has an elongated housing with one closed end wall and a plurality of cylindrical passageways extending lengthwise from the closed end wall. A damped spring unit is slidingly mounted in each of the cylindrical openings with its piston in abutting engagement with the closed end wall. The other end of the damped spring units project outwardly of the housing and are in abutting engagement with a force transfer member extending crosswise to the axis of the cylindrical housing.
摘要:
A friction draft gear having a housing closed at one end, resilient means in the housing, and a friction clutch in the open end of the housing which is adapted to provide both a relatively smooth or constant friction action and a highly efficient, substantially square-wave work curve. The friction clutch has a friction bore with an inward taper which may vary from a few degrees to zero degrees, at least one set of friction shoes disposed circumferentially in the friction bore, non-metallic friction material disposed intermediate the friction shoes and the friction bore, and a wedge member engageable with the friction shoes and adapted to receive impact forces.
摘要:
A friction shock absorber having a thin wall cylinder filled with compressible solid, an outer sleeve fitted over and slidably engaging the thin wall cylinder, with the wall thickness of the outer sleeve being approximately three times greater than the wall thickness of the thin wall cylinder, and a piston rod extending into the thin walled cylinder having a piston head in engagement with the inner surface of the cylinder, with the piston head being provided with a multiplicity of axially disposed orifices. When subject to relatively high impact forces, the wall of the cylinder expands radially into tighter frictional engagement with the wall of the outer sleeve and a peripheral orifice is thus obtained for additional throttling of the compressible solid, thereby increasing the shock dissipating capacity of the shock absorber.
摘要:
A railroad hopper car gate assembly is disclosed. The gate assembly includes a frame configured for attachment to a hopper body of a railroad hopper car in material receiving relation relative to an outlet on the railroad car and defines at least one discharge opening. A door assembly is mounted on the frame for generally vertical sliding movements between open and closed positions relative to the discharge opening on said frame. A driver is operably coupled between the frame and the door assembly for selectively effecting sliding movements of the door assembly relative to said discharge opening between the open and closed positions. The driver develops a 2000 lb. opening force on the door assembly and a speed of at least about 1.8 inches per second and about 2.1 inches per second as the door assembly moves from said closed position to the open position and includes a direct current electric motor which draws less than about 30 amperes from a power source as the door assembly is moved from the closed position to the open position. A method for operating the gate assembly is also disclosed.
摘要:
A discharge gate assembly for a railroad hopper car is disclosed. The gate assembly includes a frame defining a discharge opening and a gate or first element slidably carried on the frame for controlling the discharge of material from the hopper car through the discharge opening. The gate assembly further includes a second slidable element carried by the frame in vertically spaced relation relative to the first element and extending across the discharge opening. A first drive mechanism including a first operating shaft assembly is mounted on the gate frame for slidably moving the first element relative to the frame. A second drive mechanism including a second operating shaft assembly is also mounted on the gate frame for slidably moving the second element relative to the gate frame. The operating shaft assemblies are mounted for rotation about independent fixed axes and in horizontally adjacent relation relative to each other. A single lock assembly is also provided for releasably but separately holding the first and second element in a closed position. The second slidable element is preferably configured as an open top pan assembly having outlet tubes extending laterally therefrom. A closure assembly including an end cap or cover is provided in combination with a free end of each outlet tube allowing for one-handed operation of the closure assembly.