US2056269A - Locking means for retainers of draft keys - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 6, 1936. v. H. HARBERT LOCKING MEANS FOR RETAINERS OF DRAFT KEYS Filed Dec. 8, 1934 Im/en or /#W$/.M,

ditto vie? Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOCKING MEANS FOR RETAINERS OF DRAFT KEYS Application December 8, 1934, Serial No. 756,657

4 Claims.

My invention relates to means for locking in place the usual retainer of the draft keys of the draft rigging of railroad cars whereby the losses, inconvenience and dangers heretofore encountered will be eliminated, while in no way interfering with required freedom and movement of the draft key.

My invention has for an object the provision of a construction wherein the locking means is not likely to come into forcible contact with the center or draft sills of the car during car operation and adapted, if it should contact with the draft sills to withstand the impulses encountered without becoming sheared or batl5 tered off as, however, is the case with the cotterpin method at present employed to hold the retainer pin against upward creeping tendency.

My invention contemplates locking means adapted to be used with the standard type or sized retainer pin at present employed and jointly with the retainer pin to be inserted in a sufiiciently sized hole in the draft key, namely a hole of larger diameter than that usually employed in the draft keys; the means contemplating, in conjunction with the retainer pin, an element adapted to be extended longitudinally of the retainer pin and through an oversized hole in the draft key.

The objects and advantages of my invention will be readily comprehended from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one end of a draft key and of a retainer to which my invention is shown applied; a portion of the head of the retainer being broken away.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the draft key with my improved locking means as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one element of the locking means shown in Figures 1 to 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the other element of said locking means.

My invention contemplates locking means adapted to be used with the usual draft key of the draft rigging of a railroad car; the draft key to be provided with an oversized hole for receiving a standard sized retainer in conjunction with my improved locking means which is intended to take the place of cotter pins that have heretofore been used and which, in practice, have frequently become battered and broken,

thus permitting the retainer pin to gradually work upwardly and out of the draft key.

My improved retainer locking means is to be employed with a standard sized retainer pin or plug and an oversized hole in the usual draft 5 key.

The draft key of which only'a portion of the tail end is shown at 11, has an enlarged or oversized hole 2i which is adapted to receive the cylindrical shank of the standard sized retainer 10 pin or plug 20 having an elongated head 2i) which rests on the upper surface of the draft key II.

The locking means involves a member 21 whose body portion 28 is made arcuate to con 15 form with the curvature of the shank of retainer pin 20 and to extend partly thereabout as shown in Figures 1 and 3; this body portion 28 in conjunction with the shank of the retainer pin or plug 20 practically filling the oversized hole 2i in the draft key.

The lower end of this member 21, on the convexed side, is provided with an outwardly disposed lobe or ear 23 adapted to extend beyond the perimeter of the hole 2!; while the upper end of the arcuate portion 28. on the convexed side, is provided with an outwardly disposed slotted portion 30 having upstanding and spaced apart parallel wings 3|, whereby an inverted T-shaped slot 32 is provided. The upstanding wings are arranged between the vertical planes I of the opposite sides of portion 30; and these wings are shown provided with apertures 33, see Figure 4.

The portion 30 and lobe 29 are spaced apart slightly greater than the thickness of the draft key 11. see Figure 3, thus permitting the portion 30 to overlap the draft key.

The inverted T-shaped slot 32 is intended to receive the rectangular base portion 34 of member 35, shown in detail in Figure 5. Disposed upwardly and laterally beyond one end of the base 34 is the right angularly disposed finger 36, shown provided with a reenforcing rib 31.

Member 35 is intended to have its base 34 slide into the slotway 32, while a. portion of the reenforcing rib 31 will extend between the upstanding wings 3i; member 35 being inserted in slotway 32 so as to have the finger 36 disposed over the head 20 of the retainer pin or plug 20. as shown in Figure 3.

The locking means may be a casting of preformed elements. In practice, the arcuate body portion 23 of the member 21 is first inserted into the draft key hole with lobe 23 arranged on the bottom of the draft key as shown in Figure 3. The standard retainer pin 20 with its cylindrical shank is then inserted into the hole and in contact with the concaved side of the portion 28. This will cause member 21 to be held in place. while the head 20 will hold the retainer pin in place. The finger element 35 is then inserted through the outer end of the slotway 32 in member 21 until the base of member 35 engages a longitudinal side of the pin-head 20 and the finger portion 3'! overlaps the pin-head as shown in Figure 3. This will lock the retainer pin against upward travel; the finger member 35 being held in its proper position by a suitable cotter pin disposed through the holes 33 in the upstanding wings 3|, 31, as shown at 38 in Figures 1 and 2; the cotter pin being disposed transversely of the rear end of the reenforcing rib 31 of the finger 36 thereby preventing the latter backing away from the retainer pin head; the latter preventing movement of member 35 in the opposite direction.

I have shown a form of my invention wherein that portion of the locking mechanism which extends within the hole of the key is disposed adjacent the perimeter of a standard sized retainer pin; the pin and mechanism being arranged in an oversized hole in the draft key; and this structure has been described in terms employed ior purposes of description, as variations may be possible without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. Locking means of the character described comprising a concave-convex member adapted to fit into the round retainer pin receiving hole in a draft key and to extend about the shank oi the retainer pin, the lower end or the member terminating in a laterally extending lobe on the convexed side, while the upper end is enlarged toward the convexed side and provided with a transversely extending slotway, and a retainer engaging finger removably secured in said slotway.

2. Locking means of the character described comprising a concave-convex member adapted to fit about the cylindrical shank of a retainer pin. the lower end of the member being disposed laterally on the convexed side of the member, while the upper end is enlarged and disposed laterally on the convexed side of the member, said enlarged portion being provided with a transversely extending undercut slot open toward the convexed and the concaved sides of the member, a retainer engaging finger element slidably mounted in said undercut slot and adapted to engage one side of the head of the pin and to extend over the head oi the pin. and means whereby movement 01' said finger element away from the retainer pin is prevented.

3. Locking means of the character described comprising a concavo-convex member adapted to fit about the cylindrical shank of a retainer pin, the convexed side being provided with draft key engaging portions. the upper end of the member having a transversely movable portion disposed toward the concaved side and adapted to overlap the head of the retainer pin, and means whereby said movable portion is held against movement.

4. Locking means of the character described comprising a member having a concave-convex portion adapted to be inserted in the retainer receiving hole of a draft key. the convexed side of the member having laterally disposed portions adapted to extend above and below the draft key, a retainer-head overlapping portion removably secured to the upper end of the concave-convex portion, means whereby the portions are slidably secured together. and means whereby the retainer-head overlapping portion is held against movement.

VICTOR H. HARBERT.

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