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US 12,686,420 B2Granted
Extended travel railcar damping system
AssigneeA. Stucki Company
InventorsJoseph Michael Shoup, James Scott Kennedy, Neil Aaron Brant
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments relate to a damping system, and in particular a clutch mechanism for an extended travel draft gear having components arranged such that movement of clutch mechanism components transforms kinetic energy into thermal energy via friction, while allowing for an extended length of travel. An arrangement of clutch component geometries, lengths, angles, etc. allows for motion along a longitudinal axis of the clutch mechanism to be damped via energy dissipation.
Claims11
A clutch mechanism for a railcar draft gear, the clutch mechanism comprising:
- a center wedge having a wedge front end and a wedge rear end with a longitudinal axis running from the wedge front end to the wedge rear end, the wedge front end configured to mechanically engage a coupler, the wedge rear end configured to mechanically engage a friction shoe assembly, the wedge rear end having a first wedge rear surface that makes a 55-65° angle relative to the longitudinal axis and a second wedge rear surface that makes a 55-65° angle relative to the longitudinal axis;
- the friction shoe assembly, comprising a first shoe configured to mechanically engage the first wedge rear surface and a second shoe configured to mechanically engage the second wedge rear surface, wherein:
- the first shoe has a front shoe surface, a rear shoe surface, and a side shoe surface, the front shoe surface making a 55-65° angle relative to the longitudinal axis and is configured to mechanically engage the first wedge rear surface, the rear shoe surface making a 110-120° angle relative to the longitudinal axis and is configured to mechanically engage with a spring seat, the side shoe surface making a 2-5° angle relative to the longitudinal axis and is configured to mechanically engage with a tapered plate assembly;
- and
- the second shoe has a front shoe surface, a rear shoe surface, and a side shoe surface, the front shoe surface making a 55-65° angle relative to the longitudinal axis and is configured to mechanically engage the second wedge rear surface, the rear shoe surface making a 110-120° angle relative to the longitudinal axis and is configured to mechanically engage with a spring seat, the side shoe surface making a 2-5° angle relative to the longitudinal axis and is configured to mechanically engage with the tapered plate assembly;
- the spring seat having a seat front end and a seat rear end, the seat front end having a first seat front surface configured to mechanically engage the rear shoe surface of the first shoe and a second front seat surface configured to mechanically engage the rear shoe surface of the second shoe;
- the tapered plate assembly, comprising:
- a first tapered plate having a tapered plate front end and a tapered plate rear end defining a length of 6-10 inches, the first tapered plate having a straight side and a tapered side, the tapered side configured to mechanically engage the side shoe surface of the first shoe;
- and
- a second tapered plate having a tapered plate front end and a tapered plate rear end defining a length of 6-10 inches, the second tapered plate having a straight side and a tapered side, the tapered side configured to mechanically engage the side shoe surface of the second shoe;
- a moveable plate assembly, comprising:
- a first moveable plate having a moveable plate front end and a moveable plate rear end defining a length of 12-18 inches, the first moveable plate having a moveable plate inner side and a moveable plate outer side, the moveable plate inner side configured to mechanically engage the straight side of the first tapered plate;
- and
- a second moveable plate having a moveable plate front end and a moveable plate rear end defining a length of 12-18 inches, the second moveable plate having a moveable plate inner side and a moveable plate outer side, the moveable plate inner side configured to mechanically engage the straight side of the second tapered plate;
- and
- an outer plate assembly, comprising:
- a first outer plate having an outer plate front end and an outer plate rear end defining a length of 5.25-10 inches, the first outer plate having an outer plate inner side and an outer plate outer side, the outer plate inner side configured to mechanically engage the moveable plate outer side of the first moveable plate;
- and
- a second outer plate having an outer plate front end and an outer plate rear end defining a length of 5.25-10 inches, the second outer plate having an outer plate inner side and an outer plate outer side, the outer plate inner side configured to mechanically engage the moveable plate outer side of the second moveable plate.
16 more elements
A railcar draft gear, comprising:
- a housing having an open housing front end and a closed housing rear end;
- a clutch mechanism located within the housing front end, the clutch mechanism comprising:
- a center wedge having a wedge front end and a wedge rear end with a longitudinal axis running from the wedge front end to the wedge rear end, the wedge front end configured to mechanically engage a coupler, the wedge rear end configured to mechanically engage a friction shoe assembly, the wedge rear end having a first wedge rear surface that makes a 55-65° angle relative to the longitudinal axis and a second wedge rear surface that makes a 55-65° angle relative to the longitudinal axis;
- the friction shoe assembly, comprising a first shoe configured to mechanically engage the first wedge rear surface and a second shoe configured to mechanically engage the second wedge rear surface, wherein:
- the first shoe has a front shoe surface, a rear shoe surface, and a side shoe surface, the front shoe surface making a 55-65° angle relative to the longitudinal axis and is configured to mechanically engage the first wedge rear surface, the rear shoe surface making a 110-120° angle relative to the longitudinal axis and is configured to mechanically engage with a spring seat, the side shoe surface making a 2-5° angle relative to the longitudinal axis and is configured to mechanically engage with a tapered plate assembly;
- and
- the second shoe has a front shoe surface, a rear shoe surface, and a side shoe surface, the front shoe surface making a 55-65° angle relative to the longitudinal axis and is configured to mechanically engage the second wedge rear surface, the rear shoe surface making a 110-120° angle relative to the longitudinal axis and is configured to mechanically engage with a spring seat, the side shoe surface making a 2-5° angle relative to the longitudinal axis and is configured to mechanically engage with the tapered plate assembly;
- the spring seat having a seat front end and a seat rear end, the seat front end having a first seat front surface configured to mechanically engage the rear shoe surface of the first shoe and a second front seat surface configured to mechanically engage the rear shoe surface of the second shoe, the seat rear end configured to mechanically engage an elastomer pad assembly;
- the tapered plate assembly, comprising:
- a first tapered plate having a tapered plate front end and a tapered plate rear end defining a length of 6-10 inches, the first tapered plate having a straight side and a tapered side, the tapered side configured to mechanically engage the side shoe surface of the first shoe;
- and
- a second tapered plate having a tapered plate front end and a tapered plate rear end defining a length of 6-10 inches, the second tapered plate having a straight side and a tapered side, the tapered side configured to mechanically engage the side shoe surface of the second shoe;
- a moveable plate assembly, comprising:
- a first moveable plate having a moveable plate front end and a moveable plate rear end defining a length of 12-18 inches, the first moveable plate having a moveable plate inner side and a moveable plate outer side, the moveable plate inner side configured to mechanically engage the straight side of the first tapered plate;
- and
- a second moveable plate having a moveable plate front end and a moveable plate rear end defining a length of 12-18 inches, the second moveable plate having a moveable plate inner side and a moveable plate outer side, the moveable plate inner side configured to mechanically engage the straight side of the second tapered plate;
- and
- an outer plate assembly, comprising:
- a first outer plate having an outer plate front end and an outer plate rear end defining a length of 5.25-10 inches, the first outer plate having an outer plate inner side and an outer plate outer side, the outer plate inner side configured to mechanically engage the moveable plate outer side of the first moveable plate;
- a second outer plate having an outer plate front end and an outer plate rear end defining a length of 5.25-10 inches, the second outer plate having an outer plate inner side and an outer plate outer side, the outer plate inner side configured to mechanically engage the moveable plate outer side of the second moveable plate;
- and
- the elastomer pad assembly, comprising a plurality of elastomer pads arranged within the housing rear end.
19 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.