Rail car buffer and method

摘要

A rail car buffer includes a standard capsule body and a fluid spring (42) in the body. The fluid spring includes a piston (64) on an end of a piston (48) rod. During collapse of the spring (42), fluid is displaced from a chamber (68) in front of the piston and impact energy is stored for extending the spring (42). The extension of the spring is snubbed by throttling the flow of fluid back into the chamber. During snubbing, stored impact energy is converted into heat to dissipate stored energy and reduce the impact energy returned to the rail car. <IMAGE>