Coupler follower with elastomeric wear pad for preventing metal to metal contact between the follower and the center sill side walls

A railroad car coupling system extending into a car center sill structure for connecting adjacent railcar ends, said center sill structure having a longitudinal axis and a first side wall with a flange, a second side wall with a flange and a top wall, each of said walls connected together to form an inverted, generally U-shaped center sill structure that defines a cavity corresponding with said longitudinal axis of said center sill, said coupling system comprising:

• a yoke retained within said center sill cavity, said yoke having a longitudinal axis in alignment with said center sill longitudinal axis and including a top strap and a bottom strap which extend longitudinally and parallel to each other, said straps connected to an internal rear wall to form a yoke pocket;
• a coupler member, said coupler member having a shank with a first end and a second end, a coupler head, and a generally rectangularly shaped butt end, said coupler head attached to one of said first or second shank ends, and said butt end attached to the other of said first or second shank ends, said coupler butt end extending longitudinally into said yoke pocket;
• a draft gear within said yoke pocket and in abutment with said yoke internal rear wall, said draft gear receiving and dissipating external forces experienced by said coupler member, which said forces are transferred from said coupler head to said butt end;
• a follower block retained within said yoke pocket for receiving said forces experienced by said coupler member, said follower block positioned transversely to said yoke longitudinal axis, said follower block having a generally rectangular shape defined by a top wall, a bottom wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, a front face and a rear face, said front face in contact with said coupler member butt end and said rear face in contact with said draft gear biasing element, said follower block transversely travelling within said enter sill pocket while guided between said top and bottom yoke straps;
• and
• means for preventing said follower block from directly contacting said center sill side walls, said means attached to each of said follower block sidewalls and extending outwardly of said yoke pocket for eliminating abrasive metal-to-metal contact between said follower block side walls and said center sill side walls, said means also protecting said follower block side walls from metal-to-metal contact, whereby wear of said center sill and follower block side walls is eliminated when said external forces operating upon said coupling system cause said follower block to laterally travel within said center sill cavity.