Railroad freight car coupling system

A draft gear assembly adapted to be accommodated in a pocket defined by a railcar centersill, with said centersill having front and rear stops with a distance of about 38 inches to about 50 inches longitudinally separating said stops, said draft gear assembly comprising:

• an axially elongated and hollow metal housing adapted to fit between said stops and defining first and second longitudinally spaced open ends, with each end of said housing defining a series of longitudinally tapered and extended inner surfaces opening to and extending from each open end of said housing;
• a first friction clutch assembly arranged in operable combination with the first open end of said housing and a second friction clutch assembly arranged in operable combination with the second open end of said housing, with each friction clutch assembly including a series of friction members equally spaced about a longitudinal axis of and extending toward a longitudinal center of said housing, with each friction member having axially spaced first and second ends and an outer surface extending between the ends, with the outer surface on each friction member being operably engaged and associated with one of the longitudinally tapered and extended inner surfaces on said housing so as to define a first angled friction sliding surface therebetween for each clutch assembly, with each friction clutch assembly also including a wedge member arranged for axial movements relative to and having a free end extending beyond the respective open end of said housing and to which an external force is applied during operation of said railcar, with the wedge member of each friction clutch assembly defining a series of outer tapered surfaces equally spaced about the longitudinal axis of said housing, with each tapered outer surface on each wedge member being operably engaged and associated with an inner surface on each friction member so as to define a second angled friction sliding surface therebetween for each clutch assembly and such that the wedge member of each friction clutch assembly causes the respective friction members to move longitudinally and radially inward upon movement of the wedge member inwardly of the housing, and with each friction clutch assembly further including a follower arranged within the housing, with one surface of the follower being arranged in operable engagement with the second end of each friction member of the respective clutch assembly;
• an elongated spring assembly disposed and guided within the housing between the first and second friction clutch assemblies for storing, dissipating and returning energy imparted to the draft gear assembly, with the spring assembly including an axial stack of at least ten individual springs, with each spring including an elastomeric pad;
• and
• wherein the spring assembly is configured to function in operable combination with the disposition of said first and second angled sliding surfaces of said first and second friction clutch assemblies such that said draft gear assembly consistently and repeatedly absorbs energy imparted to either end of the draft gear assembly over a combined range of travel of the wedge members of the friction clutch assemblies in an inward axial direction relative to the housing ranging between about 6.25 inches and about 9.5 inches.

An energy absorption system for a rail car having a centersill defining a pocket having front and rear stops with a longitudinal distance of about 38 inches to about 50 inches longitudinally separating said stops, and a coupler having a head portion longitudinally extending beyond a free end of said centersill and a shank portion connected to and extending from said head portion, with said energy absorption system further including a draft gear assembly comprising:

• an axially elongated and hollow metal housing defining first and second longitudinally spaced open ends with at least the first open end of said housing defining a series of longitudinally tapered and extended inner surfaces opening to and extending from the open end of said housing toward a longitudinal center of said housing;
• a friction clutch assembly arranged in operable combination with the first open end of said housing with said friction clutch assembly including a series of friction members equally spaced about a longitudinal axis of and extending toward a longitudinal center of said housing with each friction member having axially spaced first and second ends and an outer surface extending between the ends, with the outer surface on each friction member being operably engaged and associated with one of the longitudinally tapered and extended inner surfaces on said housing so as to define a first angled friction sliding surface therebetween for said clutch assembly, with said friction clutch assembly also including a wedge member arranged for axial movements relative to and having a free end extending beyond the first open end of said housing and to which an external force is applied during operation of said railcar, with the wedge member of said friction clutch assembly defining a series of outer tapered surfaces equally spaced about the longitudinal axis of said housing, with each tapered outer surface on each wedge member being operably engaged and associated with an inner surface on each friction member so as to define a second angled friction sliding surface therebetween for said clutch assembly and such that the wedge member of said friction clutch assembly causes the respective friction members to move longitudinally and radially inward upon movement of the wedge member inwardly of the housing, and with said friction clutch assembly further including a follower arranged within the housing, with one surface of the follower being arranged in operable engagement with the second end of each friction member of the respective clutch assembly;
• a member arranged for limited reciprocating axial movements within and relative to the second open end of said housing, with said member being biased outwardly of said housing by a spring assembly, and with said member having a free end extending beyond the second open end of said housing and to which an external force is applied during operation of said railcar;
• with the spring assembly being disposed and guided within said housing between said friction clutch assembly and said member for storing, dissipating and returning energy imparted to the draft gear assembly, with the spring assembly including an axial stack of at least ten individual springs, with each spring including an elastomeric pad;
• and
• wherein said spring assembly being configured to function in operable combination with the disposition of said first and second angled sliding surfaces of said friction clutch assembly and said member such that said draft gear assembly consistently and repeatedly absorbs energy imparted to the draft gear assembly over a combined range of travel ranging between about 625 inches and about 9.5 inches.