Amsted Industries Inc.

Amsted Rail Company, Inc.

Marlin E Clark

Horst T Kaufhold

V Terrey Hawthorne

Jay P Monaco

John J Steffen

Julius I Pershwitz

John F Deppen

Ronald E Barker

Charles E Burkhart

A draft gear assembly for use with railcars having coupler members is provided. The draft gear assembly has front and back ends and comprises a yoke, a coupler follower, a front resilient member, an intermediate stop member, and a back resilient member. The yoke has a back wall, a top wall extending from the back wall toward the front end of the draft gear assembly, and a bottom wall extending from the back wall toward the front end of the draft gear assembly. The coupler follower is positioned between the butt end of the coupler shank and the front end of the draft gear assembly. The front resilient member is positioned between the coupler follower and the intermediate stop member. The back resilient member is positioned between the intermediate stop member and the yoke back wall. The front and back resilient members are compressible.

Railway freight car draft gear assembly

A draft gear assembly is disclosed alone and in combination with a draft sill and a coupler. The draft sill has front and rear stops defining a draft gear pocket. The draft gear assembly has a yoke, a coupler follower, a rear follower, a front resilient member and a back resilient member. The yoke has top and bottom stops. The coupler follower is biased against the yoke top and bottom stops. The draft gear assembly also includes a center rod that extends through the yoke, through the back resilient member and through the rear follower. Prior to installation on a railcar, there is a shortening member on the center rod. The length of the assembly between the shortening member and the front of the coupler follower is slightly less than the longitudinal length of the draft gear pocket. After installation, the rear follower is positioned against rear stops of the draft sill. After installation, the yoke, coupler and coupler follower each have a neutral position and a full buff position. The yoke and coupler also have a full draft position. The draft stroke of the coupler and yoke is 1&frac14; inches forward. The buff stroke of the coupler and coupler follower is at least 4&frac14; inches rearward, while the buff stroke of the yoke is 3 inches rearward. The center rod is free from compression throughout buff movement and free from tension throughout draft movement of the coupler and yoke.

Railcar draft gear assembly and system

Growing community of inventors

Etters, PA, United States of America

Marlin E Clark