Buckeye Steel Castings Company

Buckeye International, Inc.

James E Solomon

An articulated connector for railroad cars comprises first and second connector members pivotally connected to each other at inner ends through a pin to permit vertical, rotational and horizontal pivoting of the connector members. The connector members have opposed ends proportioned to each welded to a railroad car sill. The articulated connector may be attached to a railroad truck which holds the connector and the ends of both connected cars. Pin bearing block means are carried in the articulated connector and abut the pin. Preferably, slack adjusting wedges are used to urge the pin against the pin bearing block, with the slack adjusting wedge means being laterally positioned in the connector. Side apertures are then provided for access from the exterior to the slack adjusting wedge means. Also, the inner end of the first connector may define a downwardly facing, spherical face which rests on a spherical recess area defined in the second connector inner end, with the connecting pin extending horizontally through the first and second connector member inner ends. By this and other improvements, improved wear resistance can be provided.

Articulated railroad car connector

A drawbar assembly for interconnecting railcars comprises a drawbar having enlarged ends, each of which is positioned in a socket formed in a railcar sill having outer side walls. A drawbar pin is retained in the sill and passes through an aperture in the enlarged drawbar end, retaining the drawbar in the socket. Pin bearing block means are carried in the drawbar and are in abutting relation with the pin. Slack adjusting wedge means urge the pin against the bearing block means. In accordance with this invention, the slack adjusting wedge means are positioned in the sill outer side walls. Thus, the slack adjusting wedge means can be inspected and maintained without disassembling the drawbar assembly.

Slackless drawbar

A damping mechanism for a truck assembly employing a resiliently mounted wedge to cooperate with a bolster in a manner to prevent wear. The damping assembly is biased outwardly and a friction plate employed between the wedge and bolster, further reducing frictional contact with the side frame.

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Lithopolis, OH, United States of America

James E Solomon