Yoke for locomotive draft gear

Abstract

A yoke for use in a railway locomotive draft gear assembly is provided. The yoke includes a back wall, a front wall and top and bottom straps that extend from the front wall to the back wall. The front wall includes two side sections and a bottom section and a top section. The top strap and bottom strap are tapered to a reduced width along their respective outer edges. The top strap and bottom strap have a reduced lateral extent from their respective intersections with the front wall and the back wall.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A yoke for use in a railway locomotive draft gear assembly, the yoke comprising:
 a front wall, a back wall, a top strap extending from the front wall to the back wall, a bottom strap extending from the front wall to the back wall,   the front wall comprising two side sections, each side section extending vertically between the top strap and the bottom strap, the front wall further comprising a bottom support section, a center support section and a top support section, each of the bottom, center and the top support sections having a convex edge and extending laterally between the two side sections, and wherein the center support section has a thickness greater than the thickness of the bottom support section or the top support section,   the top strap extending from the front wall to the back wall, the top strap having an outer surface that is indented inwardly from an intersection of the top strap with the front wall and from a second intersection of the top strap with the back wall, such inward indentation resulting in the top strap having a uniform reduced thickness along its length from a first location inward from the intersection of the top strap with the front wall and to a second location inward from the intersection of the top strap with the back wall,   the top strap having an inner surface that is not indented from the intersection of the top strap with the front wall to the intersection of the top strap with the back wall,   the bottom strap extending from the front wall to the back wall, the bottom strap having an outer surface that is indented inwardly from an intersection of the bottom strap with the front wall and from a second intersection of the bottom strap with the back wall, such inward indentation resulting in the bottom strap having a uniform reduced thickness along its length from a first location inward from the intersection of the bottom strap with the front wall and to a second location inward from the intersection of the bottom strap with the back wall,   the bottom strap having an inner surface that is not indented from the intersection of the bottom strap with the front wall to the intersection of the bottom strap with the back wall,   the back wall having at least one indented section on an inner surface extending from near the top strap to near the bottom strap.   
     
     
         2 . The yoke of  claim 1  wherein
 the top strap having a first lateral extent at the intersection of the top strap with the front wall, the top strap lateral extent tapering to a lesser lateral extent at the intersection of the top strap with the back wall. 
 
     
     
         3 . The yoke of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the lateral extent of the top strap at the intersection of the top strap with the back wall is about 67 per cent of the lateral extent of the top strap at the intersection of the top strap with the front wall.   
     
     
         4 . The yoke of  claim 1  wherein
 the bottom strap having a first lateral extent at the intersection of the bottom strap with the front wall, the bottom strap lateral extent tapering to a lesser lateral extent at the intersection of the bottom strap with the back wall. 
 
     
     
         5 . The yoke of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the lateral extent of the bottom strap at the intersection of the bottom strap with the back wall is about 67 per cent of the lateral extent of the bottom strap at the intersection of the bottom strap with the front wall.   
     
     
         6 . The yoke of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the lateral extent of the top strap adjacent the front wall is about 14.4 inches, and the lateral extent of the top strap adjacent the back wall is about 8.25 inches,   and wherein the lateral extent of the bottom strap adjacent the front wall is about 14.4 inches, and the lateral extent of the bottom strap adjacent the back wall is about 8.25 inches.   
     
     
         7 . A yoke for use in a railway locomotive draft gear assembly, the yoke comprising:
 a front wall, a back wall, a top strap extending from the front wall to the back wall, a bottom strap extending from the front wall to the back wall,   the front wall comprising two side sections, each side section extending vertically between the top strap and the bottom strap, the front wall further comprising a bottom support section, a center support section and a top support section, each of the bottom, center and the top support sections having a convex edge and extending laterally between the two side sections,   the top strap extending from the front wall to the back wall, the top strap having an outer surface that is indented inwardly from an intersection of the top strap with the front wall and from a second intersection of the top strap with the back wall, such inward indentation resulting in the top strap having a uniform reduced thickness along its length from a first location inward from the intersection of the top strap with the front wall and to a second location inward from the intersection of the top strap with the back wall,   the top strap having an inner surface that is not indented from the intersection of the top strap with the front wall to the intersection of the top strap with the back wall,   the bottom strap extending from the front wall to the back wall, the bottom strap having an outer surface that is indented inwardly from an intersection of the bottom strap with the front wall and from a second intersection of the bottom strap with the back wall, such inward indentation resulting in the bottom strap having a uniform reduced thickness along its length from a first location inward from the intersection of the bottom strap with the front wall and to a second location inward from the intersection of the bottom strap with the back wall,   the bottom strap having an inner surface that is not indented from the intersection of the bottom strap with the front wall to the intersection of the bottom strap with the back wall,   the back wall having at least one indented section on an inner surface extending from near the top strap to near the bottom strap.   
     
     
         8 . The yoke of  claim 7  wherein
 the top strap having a first lateral extent at the intersection of the top strap with the front wall, the top strap lateral extent tapering to a lesser lateral extent at the intersection of the top strap with the back wall. 
 
     
     
         9 . The yoke of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the lateral extent of the top strap at the intersection of the top strap with the back wall is about 67 per cent of the lateral extent of the top strap at the intersection of the top strap with the front wall.   
     
     
         10 . The yoke of  claim 7  wherein
 the bottom strap having a first lateral extent at the intersection of the bottom strap with the front wall, the bottom strap lateral extent tapering to a lesser lateral extent at the intersection of the bottom strap with the back wall. 
 
     
     
         11 . The yoke of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the lateral extent of the bottom strap at the intersection of the bottom strap with the back wall is about 67 per cent of the lateral extent of the bottom strap at the intersection of the bottom strap with the front wall.   
     
     
         12 . The yoke of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the lateral extent of the top strap adjacent the front wall is about 8.25 inches, and the lateral extent of the top strap adjacent the back wall is about 5.5 inches,   and wherein the lateral extent of the bottom strap adjacent the front wall is about 8.25 inches, and the lateral extent of the bottom strap adjacent the back wall is about 5.5 inches.