Importance

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Abstract

The present invention provides a slackless rotary drawbar assembly of simple yet rugged construction. The drawbar assembly preferably consists of five parts: a rotary drawbar, a rotary drawbar support housing, a bottom support casting, a rear support block, and a slack adjustment wedge. The rotary drawbar support housing is welded into the center sill of a railroad car and supports the rotary drawbar so as to permit unrestricted universal movement of the drawbar through the range of movement required under normal operating conditions. The rotary drawbar has an enlarged truncated convex spherical end portion which mates with concave surfaces formed in the support housing and the bottom support casting. The bottom support casting is secured to the center sill and holds the drawbar in the support housing. The truncated convex spherical end portion also mates with a concave surface formed in the rear support block. A rear tapering surface of the rear support block is engaged by a mating gravity-activated wedge which is arranged to move vertically to compensate for wear and to maintain a slackless relationship of the parts that interconnect the drawbar with the train car. The assembly of the present invention provides an economy in design by reducing the number of parts required to obtain the advantages of prior art slackless rotary drawbar assemblies. Furthermore, the present invention is less subject to damaging friction and premature part wear and is more easily and accurately assembled and disassembled than prior rotary drawbar assemblies.

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First Claim