The Westinghouse Friction Draft Gear

On the removal of the pulling stress at the coupler, the springs, C and O, are restored grad- ually to their normal length. The preliminary release spring, L, then pushes the wedge back and away from the segmental carriers, and in this condition the main release spring, K, bearing upon the projections, N, of the segmental carriers, presses them to the left, which, when accomplished, withdraws all of the wedge bars from their positions in the grooves at the small end of the cylin- der, constituting a complete release of the friction device. The carriers, E, are arranged in pairs with interlocking outer ends, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in order to prevent them from being put together in wrong order. Each carrier contains two of the loose wedge bars, and the slots in the carriers in which the lugs of the wedge bars envase are of different lengths. In a set of two bars the first lug fits the slot, the second has A of an inch play, the third 1 of an inch play, and the fourth A of an inch play, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. This is also clearly shown in the four sectional sketches, Figs. 11 to 14. If this is understood it will be clear that under the influence of the spring, K, the top wedge bar, Fig. 11, will be released first, and the others in succession as the space in the slots is taken up. Four bars are represented by Fig. ii, and when these are released the spring, K, releases four more represented by Fig. 12, and so on. Since there are eight carriers in all, or four sets of two each, it is only necessary for the spring, K, to release the wedge bars four at a time until all are free. The operation of buffing is exactly similar to that of pulling, in that the follower plates are moved towards each other, but of course the load comes first upon the outer follower in this case. The application of the spring and friction resistances and the manner of fractional release are the same for pulling and buffing. co