The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 21, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 16, 1998
Michael E. Ring, Crown Point, IN (US);
David W. Daugherty, Jr., Plainfield, IL (US);
Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation, Wilmerding, PA (US);
Abstract
An improved ball and race connection assembly for use in connecting together adjacently disposed ends of railway vehicles is provided. This ball and race connection assembly is particularly useful as a connection member in slackless type drawbar assemblies. The improved ball and race connection assembly includes a race member which is formed from a polymeric and/or composite material, specifically a resin impregnated filament wound material which is wound on a polytetrafluoroethylene/polyester mesh sleeve and cured. The use of these materials enables the race member to have sufficient strength and to be self-lubricating, thus eliminating the costs of providing a lubricating material at the ball and race interface, as is necessary when using a metal race, as well as reducing the amount of friction at this interface resulting in lower L/V ratios. Also, the filament wound race member is light-weight, resulting in an overall weight reduction of the railway vehicle connection assembly, easier to manufacture than currently used metal race members, and has excellent corrosion resistance.