Railway draft appliances – Couplings – Glass table
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-29
2001-01-23
Le, Mark T. (Department: 3617)
Railway draft appliances
Couplings
Glass table
C105S003000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176379
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates, in general, to a ball and race assembly and, more particularly, this invention relates to a ball and race assembly having a one piece race assembly integrally formed onto the ball. This invention has particular utility in the railway coupling industry for use in connection assemblies which are utilized in articulated coupling arrangements and slackless drawbar assemblies.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Articulated coupling arrangements and slackless drawbar assemblies have been well known in the railroad industry for several years as a means to connect together the adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway freight cars in a substantially semi-permanent fashion. In other words, these railway freight cars do not require frequent separation during service. Normally they will only be separated during a required repair and/or routine maintenance being performed on one or more of them.
These railway cars are particularly adapted for what is most commonly referred to, in the railroad industry, as piggyback service and/or dedicated service wherein the cars which are joined in such semi-permanent fashion are also commonly referred to in the railroad industry as either a “5-pack” or “10-pack” unit. These 5-pack or 10-pack units do not require the use of a standard coupler except between units. The primary reason such standard couplers are not required is because these units are only broken periodically. Normally, this occurs when maintenance and/or replacement of an individual component on one of the cars must be carried out.
Obviously, considerable cost-savings are achieved by this semi-permanent coupling arrangement. These cost savings are mainly derived from lower car weight, fewer railway trucks, reduced maintenance and generally lower equipment cost being achieved by elimination of draft gears and a reduction in the number of trucks required.
With the use of these semi-permanent coupling arrangements and with the higher loads presently being carried by modern railway trains, it is of the utmost importance that a close-buttoned relationship be maintained between the numerous coupler draft components. Such a close-buttoned relationship is required to reduce the effects of the impact forces which are encountered by a car under buff conditions of train operations.
One prior type of articulated coupling device used for the purpose of connecting adjacent ends of a pair of railway cars, in a semi-permanent manner, is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,819, the teachings of such patent hereby being incorporated into the present application by reference thereto.
This particular articulated coupling device includes a male connection member secured to one end of a first railway car body and a female connection member secured to an adjacent end of a second railway car body. The male connection member includes an aperture therein. A bearing assembly, including a substantially spherical member, is positioned within this aperture for joining the male connection member with the female connection member. A race assembly, formed by at least two members, is provided within the aperture and is positioned around a predetermined portion of the substantially spherical member.
The race assembly enables requisite movement of the male connection member in relation to the female connection member in each of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction over a predetermined range of angles measured from each of a centerline of the spherical member disposed in a vertical direction and a longitudinal axis of the articulated coupling arrangement disposed in a horizontal direction.
A securing means is provided which is engageable with each of the race assembly and the male connection member for securing the race assembly and the spherical member to the male connection member.
A typical slackless type drawbar assembly using a ball and race connection assembly comprises the following elements: a car connection member or female connection member engageable with a railway vehicle, a spherical member securable with the car connection member, a male connection member having a curved butt end and an aperture which is disposed around the spherical member secured within the car connection member and a two piece race assembly secured within the aperture of the male connection member and disposed between the spherical member and such aperture and a drawbar connected to such male connection member.
A disadvantage of the articulated coupling arrangements and slackness drawbar assemblies discussed above is the provision of at least two separate members to form the race assembly. Not only do these prior arrangements require careful machining of the separate pieces which form the race members to the correct size, but care must be taken to secure these two separate members within the aperture of the male connection member around a predetermined portion of the spherical member. These requirements add additional materials cost, assembling time and labor to the manufacture of the connection assembly of the articulated coupling arrangement and/or slackless drawbar assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, and in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the ball and race assembly comprises a ball member having a substantially spherical shape with a predetermined diameter and a one piece race member which is formed integrally with at least a portion of this ball member in a manner so as to enable rotational movement of the ball member with respect to the one piece race member. Preferably the one piece race member is formed integrally with the ball member by filament winding the race material onto the ball member.
The connection assembly of the present invention comprises a substantially spherical member having a predetermined diameter and a one piece race member formed integrally with the spherical member in a manner so as to enable rotational movement of the spherical member with respect to the one piece race member. A male connection member and a car, or female, connection member for the railway coupling device is provided. The male connection member includes an aperture at one end. The race member and the spherical member are inserted within this aperture of the male connection member enabling movement of the male connection member in relation to the car or female connection member in both a vertical direction and a horizontal direction over a predetermined range of angles. A means is provided for securing the race member within the aperture. Also, a means for joining the spherical member to the female connection member is provided so as to facilitate the connection of adjacent ends of a pair of railway vehicles.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a ball and race assembly having a one piece race member which is integrally formed with the ball portion of such ball and race assembly.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a ball and race assembly having a one piece race member filament wound onto the ball.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a connection assembly including a ball and race assembly having a one piece race member integrally formed with the ball for use in an articulated coupling arrangement and/or a slackless drawbar assembly to connect together the adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway type freight cars in a substantially semi-permanent fashion.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a filament wound race member which is formed integrally with a spherical member for use in a connection assembly utilized in railway coupling devices.
A further object of the present invention is to replace the two piece race assembly with an integrally formed spherical member/race member in a connection assembly utilized in railway coupling devices.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a connection assembly that is easily assembled thus providing a significant reduction in time and labor.
Still yet another object of the p
James Ray & Associates
Le Mark T.
Westinghouse Air Brake Company
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