E-type yoke for a selective cushioning apparatus

Abstract

A selective cushioning apparatus for a railway car comprises an E-Type yoke having a stack of elastomeric units assembled in the interior space in the yoke absorbing draft and buff loads applied to a coupler of a railway car. The yoke is provided with butt support protruding from the top wall of the yoke to prevent the coupler from drooping after prolonged use.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An end-of-car cushioning apparatus for a railway car, comprising:
 a yoke adapted to receive a coupler shank, the yoke having a length, a front end, and a rear wall opposite the front end, a top wall and a bottom wall opposite the top wall, a first side wall connecting the top wall and bottom wall, and a second side wall opposite the first side wall, the first and second side walls each having an aligned key slot toward the front end of the yoke adapted to receive a coupler key laterally, the top and bottom wall each having an interior surface facing the coupler shank;   a coupler follower adapted to move inside the yoke in response to forces on the coupler;   a first stack of elastomeric units positioned between the coupler-receiving member and the vertical wall of the yoke, wherein said first stack of elastomeric units is compressed in response to buff and draft loads on the coupler;   a butt support protruding from the interior surface of the top wall and retaining the coupler shank when an end of the coupler extending from the railway car is subjected to a downward force.   
     
     
         2 . The end of car cushioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising holes in the top wall of the yoke receiving fasteners to attach a block to the interior surface of the top wall to form the butt support. 
     
     
         3 . The end of car cushioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the butt support is integral with the wall of the yoke. 
     
     
         4 . The end of car cushioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a second stack of elastomeric units positioned behind the rear wall of the yoke, wherein said second stack of elastomeric units is compressed in response to buff loads on the coupler. 
     
     
         5 . The end of car cushioning apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first stack of elastomeric units comprises a set of similarly shaped and sized rigid metal plates adapted to be aligned in front of the rear wall of the yoke between the top wall and the bottom wall of the yoke, each metal plate having at least one elastomeric pad thereon, adapted so that each metal plate contacts an adjacent metal plate at full compression of the first stack;   and wherein full compression of the first stack of elastomeric units, allows travel in a range of about 3 to 3.5 inches.   
     
     
         6 . The end of car cushioning apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the second stack of elastomeric units comprises a set of rigid metal plates, each metal plate having at least one elastomeric pad thereon, adapted so that each metal plate of the second stack of elastomeric units contacts an adjacent metal plate at full compression of the second stack; and wherein full compression of the first stack and the second stack permits buff travel in a range of about 6-18 inches.