LONG TRAVEL HIGH CAPACITY FRICTION DRAFT GEAR ASSEMBLY

摘要

A friction clutch type draft gear assembly (10) includes a housing (18) having an open front end (22) and a closed rear end forming a ledge (21) for enabling a longer buff and draft travel while fitting into a 24.625 inch draft gear pocket. A friction clutch mechanism (20) includes a pair of outer stationary plate members (12), a pair of movable plate members (38), a pair of inner stationary plate members (44) having an inner surface (48) which is tapered at an angle of approximately 4.5°, a pair of wedge shoe members (54) having an upper surface (58) which is tapered relative to a longitudinal axis of the friction clutch mechanism (20), and a center wedge member (66) which includes a pair of correspondingly tapered surfaces (68). The tapered upper surface (58) of the pair of wedge shoe members (54) is tapered at an angle of approximately 49.0°-50.0°. The pair of tapered surfaces (68) of the center wedge (66) is tapered at an angle of about 49.5°.