The present invention provides a variable displacement swash plate type compressor that reduces wear of cylinder bores and the amount of blow-by gas. Each piston of the compressor has a piston main body, which has a distal portion located at an end corresponding to the compression chamber. A tapering portion and an arcuate portion are formed in the distal portion. The arcuate portion is continuous with an end of the tapering portion that is closer to the compression chamber. The tapering portion and the arcuate portion each have a diameter that increases toward the skirt. The tapering portion has a tapering angle that is in a range from 0.45 degrees to 1.5 degrees. The distance between the distal end of the piston main body and a starting point of the tapering portion on an end closer to the skirt is set in a range from 1.5 mm to 5.0 mm.

A leak-proof damper with a self-diagnostic feature. An auxiliary oil reservoir body is disposed externally with respect to the damper cylinder and generally adjacent the rod seal, wherein the auxiliary oil reservoir body is concealed by an end cap. The maximum volume of oil retainable by the auxiliary oil reservoir body is predetermined to coincide with a volume of oil which may be lost from the interior of the damper cylinder and yet the damper will still function properly. The auxiliary oil reservoir body may be a seal body having an internal cavity providing an oil retention volume or an absorbent body having an absorbency capacity that provides an oil retention volume.

Disclosed is a wobble plate type variable displacement compressor that uses a constant velocity universal joint mechanism, which comprises an inner ring and an outer ring, balls that are held between guide grooves of the inner ring and the outer ring to transmit power, wherein a wobble plate is connected and fixed to the outer ring. In the compressor, the wobble plate is provided with a cylindrical part which extends in the axial direction of a swash plate, and in the relative rotation structure between the swash plate, and the wobble plate and the outer ring, the swash plate is supported to be able to relatively rotate only in relation to the wobble plate via a bearing interposed at least between the cylindrical part and the inner diameter portion of the swash plate, without being supported to be able to rotate relative to the outer ring. With this wobble plate type variable displacement compressor using the specified constant velocity universal joint mechanism, the relative rotation structure between the wobble plate and the outer ring, and the swash plate, can be improved, workability and productivity can be improved, and the cost and weight can be reduced.

A hydraulic actuator system including an actuator and a valve assembly configured for bi-directional regeneration. The actuator may include a hollow body and a rod disposed within and extending outwardly from the hollow body. The rod may include a first chamber within the rod and a piston disposed at one end of the rod, defining a second chamber and a third chamber within the hollow body. A valve assembly may be in fluid communication with a first conduit, a second conduit, the first chamber, the second chamber, and the third chamber, wherein the valve assembly is configured to selectively couple one of the first conduit and the second conduit to one or more of the first port, the second port, and the third port, wherein one of the first conduit and the second conduit is configured as a pressure source.

To improve productivity and increase seizing resistance and abrasion resistance of a sliding surface of a tilt adjustment cylinder, a plurality of pistons are arranged cirumferentially in a cylinder block configured to rotate with a rotating shaft. Tip end portions of the pistons slide along the swash plate, and the pistons reciprocate. The swash plate is supported to tilt with respect to the rotating shaft. Further, a tilt adjustment driving portion is included. The tilt adjustment driving portion includes tilt adjustment large- and small-diameter cylinder chambers and tilt adjustment large- and small-diameter pistons configured to slide in the cylinder chambers to change the tilt angle of the swash plate. A sliding surface of the inner peripheral surface of each of the cylinder chambers includes a quenched portion formed by quenching using laser light, the sliding surface being a surface on which the tilt adjustment piston slides.

High pressure pump systems with reduced pressure ripple for use with waterjet systems and other systems are described herein. A pump system configured in accordance with a particular embodiment includes four reciprocating members operably coupled to a crankshaft at 90 degree phase angles. The reciprocating members can include plungers operably disposed in corresponding cylinders and configured to compress fluid (e.g., water) in the cylinders to pressures suitable for waterjet processing, such as pressures exceeding 30,000 psi.

A support for supporting a structure on a surface, comprising at least one support element, each support element comprising a piston, a cylinder in which the piston is moveable, and a brake for maintaining the piston in a position that is stable relative to the cylinder, wherein the piston and the cylinder are arranged so that a loading associated with the structure effects an adjustment of the support element, and wherein an increase in hydraulic pressure within the cylinder, effected by the loading associated with the structure, activates the brake.

The invention is an accumulator system in which multiple elastomeric accumulators are attached in series or parallel in order to generate total differential pressure in excess of that generated in a non-series system. Also disclosed is a “stacked” accumulator system. The system stores energy when the accumulators deform from their original shape in response to the flow of a pressurized fluid. The stored energy is available for use when the fluid is released from the accumulators and the accumulators return to their original shape.

The invention relates to a rotary machine with pistons (22) and a turret (25), including: —a frame (2), through which a shaft (1) extends, having a geometrical axis x-x' and mounted in a stationary manner relative to the frame (2); —a thrust plate (9) rotatably mounted on the shaft (1); —an oscillating plate (15) bearing on the thrust plate (9); —a torsion bar (18), a first end of which is pivotably connected to the frame (2) and a second end of which is pivotably connected to the oscillating plate (15); —a spherical female bushing (14) rigidly connected to the oscillating plate (15) and pivotably connected around a spherical male knuckle centered on the shaft (1), the knuckle including a spherical male bushing (10) rotatably mounted relative to the shaft (1), characterized in that the rotary machine includes a means for rotating the spherical male bushing (10) about the geometric axis x-x'.

Provided is a reciprocating compressor having a structure in which friction losses between a shaft and a bearing can be reduced without impairing the ability of the bearing to support the shaft. A reciprocating compressor (100) includes a cylinder (5), a piston (4), a connecting rod (6), a shaft (1), and a bearing (2). The shaft (1) has a journal portion (28) as a portion covered by the bearing (2). The journal portion (28) has a first journal portion (7) located closer to the connecting rod (6) with respect to a midpoint M of the journal portion (28) in a direction parallel to a rotational axis and a second journal portion (8) located farther from the connecting rod (6) with respect to the midpoint M. The bearing (2) has a first sliding portion (10) for supporting the first journal portion (7) and a second sliding portion (11) for supporting the second journal portion (8). The first sliding portion (10) has a first recessed portion (29) in at least one range selected from a range of 0° to 180° and a range of 270° to 360° in a rotational direction of the shaft (1) from a reference position.

A brake cylinder for pneumatic vehicle brakes, especially for commercial vehicles, includes in addition to a pneumatic locking mechanism, a manual release mechanism for manually releasing the spring brake section, and a device designed to visually recognize the manual release condition of the spring brake section outside of the housing.

An active mount structure may include an actuator coupled to an actuator plate coupled to an orifice plate within a housing, wherein the actuator includes a plunger coupled to the actuator plate, a first rod rotatably coupled to a bottom of the plunger and rotated by a first motor unit, wherein the first rod includes a rotating shaft rotatably coupled to the plunger, one side of the rotating shaft extending to form an extending portion, and a rotation retention portion formed at the extending portion, a swash plate defining a center hole therein and having shaft protrusions, wherein the first rod may be disposed in the center hole and the rotation retention portion may be engaged to the swash plate, and a second rod engaged at the swash plate and raised or lowered by a second motor unit, wherein the shaft protrusions may be rotatably coupled to the housing.

A device for the pulsed release of an amount (3) of fluid that is stored in a storage housing (2) includes a piston (5) biased by a first spring (4) and movable within the storage housing (2) to dispense the fluid by the spring bias, when triggered by an actuator (6) to release a lock holding the piston in place (7). The lock (7) has individual catches (8) keeping the piston (5) in its pretensioned position and, when actuated by the actuator (6), releases the piston (5).

Provided is a vehicle front structure including a front bumper and a lower grille. The front bumper includes a front-bumper lower surface extending in a vehicle rear direction, the front-bumper lower surface having a pair of bottom surface portions at respective side portions and a recessed surface at a center portion, the recessed surface extending from the pair of bottom surface portions and being recessed in an upper direction. The lower grille includes an annular portion arranged at the lower side of a rear end of the recessed surface and forming an opening, a protruding portion protruding from a lower portion of the annular portion so as to protrude in a front direction and oppose to the recessed surface, and a reinforcing portion extending from an upper portion of the annular portion to a back surface of the recessed surface and reinforcing the front-bumper lower surface.

There is provided a vehicle body structure that can improve collision performance at the time of a rear collision. The vehicle body structure includes first and second crash boxes that are provided at rear ends of rear side members. Further, the second crash boxes are disposed at positions different from the positions of the first crash boxes in a vertical direction of the vehicle. The second crash boxes, which are disposed at the positions different from the positions of the first crash boxes, can absorb a load applied from bumper reinforcement of another vehicle. Since a load at the time of a rear collision is absorbed by the second crash boxes, it is possible to suppress the deformation of a trunk that is provided at the rear portion of a vehicle body.

A structure for absorbing frontal collision energy of a vehicle absorbs frontal collision energy of a vehicle using both front side members configured to support a bumper beam disposed at a front side of a vehicle body, a shock absorber housing panel disposed outside the front side member, and a fender apron member disposed outside the shock absorber housing panel, and the structure includes: an enlarged member installed to be inclined between an outer surface of the front side member and a rear surface of the fender apron member so as to be spaced forward and apart from the outer surface of the front side member; and an enlarged frame engaged between a lower side of the fender apron member and a front mounting portion of a sub-frame.

An adjustable air diffuser is disposed in an airflow channel into which a travelling wind is directed through an opening provided in a bumper face. The diffuser opens and closes the channel by movable louver blades driven by an actuator. An upper part of the diffuser is disposed to face a rear wall of the bumper face and is attached to a bumper beam extending along a vehicle width direction. A lower part of the diffuser is attached to a vehicle body structural member. The attachment structure includes a column that is disposed behind the adjustable air diffuser. A lower end of the column is attached to a lower end of the adjustable air diffuser. Weak portions are provided on the column such that the column breaks when the column interferes with another member behind the column.

A pedestrian-friendly forward structure of a motor vehicle includes a grill opening reinforcement (GOR), a front fascia located forward of and spaced from the GOR, and a support bracket extending transversely to the vehicle forward of the GOR and rearward of the front fascia. The support bracket has a transverse cross-bar and left and right legs extending rearward from a cross-bar adjacent opposite ends thereof. The legs are attached to respective outboard positions on the GOR, and the cross-bar has an upper flange underlying an upper rear panel of the front fascia. If a pedestrian strikes the forward structure, the fascia and support bracket yield rearward in an injury-reducing manner.

A grill opening reinforcement (GOR) assembly of a vehicle is provided. The GOR assembly includes a shutter body formed to define a first opening, a front fascia and a seal. The shutter body includes a top portion, first and second side support members and a bottom portion. The front fascia is formed to define a second opening and is supportively attachable to the shutter body. The seal is disposable on a leading edge of at least one of the first and second side support members and the bottom portion and is configured to define an airflow path from the second opening to the first opening.

A bumper structure, that can mitigate impact when a collision body collides with a vehicle transverse direction end portion of an impact absorbing member, is obtained. A bumper structure has a bumper reinforcement that extends along a vehicle transverse direction at a vehicle front-rear direction end portion; an impact absorbing member that is provided at a vehicle front-rear direction outer side of this bumper reinforcement, and at which an outer side surface of a vehicle transverse direction end portion is made to be an inclined surface that is inclined toward a vehicle transverse direction outer side, from a vehicle front-rear direction outer side toward a vehicle front-rear direction inner side; and a plate-shaped member that is provided along the inclined surface, and whose rigidity is higher than the impact absorbing member.

A structure for absorbing energy from impacts thereon, the structure being plastically deformable by an impact, with, if appropriate, the possibility that it is at least to some extent disrupted. The structure can include a) ribs for reinforcement, the ribs arranged with respect to one another at an angle with respect to the axial direction such that on failure of a rib a force acting on the structure is immediately absorbed axially by another rib, b) ribs running axially, the ribs being in essence corrugated or of zigzag shape, c) at least one rib running axially in a first plane and connected to at least two ribs running axially in a second plane rotated with respect to the first plane. The structure includes, in the direction of impact, at least two layers, each of which has different compressibility properties and different failure properties.

A vehicular crash sensing system includes a bumper cap for contacting a bumper. A chamber fits into a side rail attached to the bumper, the chamber being sealed by the bumper cap. A stop element limits movement of the chamber into the side rail. A pressure sensor detects an increased chamber air pressure during crushing of the chamber resulting from movement of the bumper with respect to the stop element.

A bumper reinforcement structure capable of achieving a weight reduction while still securing required bending strength in a bumper reinforcement structure with closed cross-section structure configured by joining together an inside member and an outside member. A bumper reinforcement is formed with two closed cross-sections configured by joining together three top-to-bottom flanges of an inner panel to three top-to-bottom flanges of an outer panel. The flanges of the inner panel are disposed in the same front-rear direction position as that of the wall portions that configure the closed cross-sections.

A fascia support structure and aerodynamic shutter assembly for a vehicle includes a fascia support structure, comprising: a top portion comprising a substantially U-shaped body comprising a top fascia support member, a first side fascia support member and a second side fascia support member, the first side fascia support member having a first side baffle, the second side fascia support member having a second side baffle; and a bottom portion comprising a bottom baffle, the bottom portion attached to the first and second side fascia support members, the top portion and the bottom portion comprising a fascia support structure opening, at least one of the first side baffle, second side baffle or bottom baffle having a seal member disposed on a leading edge. The assembly also includes an aerodynamic shutter system comprising a shutter frame having a shutter frame opening and a plurality of rotatable shutters disposed therein.

A vehicle bumper system comprises a bumper reinforcement beam and an energy absorber with top and bottom rows of similarly-shaped spaced-apart crush lobes in alternating relation for uniform impact resistance across the bumper system. The illustrated top row of crush lobes provides a high first force-deflection curve for high impact forces, and the bottom row of crush lobes provides a lower second force-deflection curve, for pedestrian reduced injury. An elongated sensor is positioned under shear walls of the top and bottom crush lobes, and is retained by tabs on the energy absorber. This positively retains the sensor in position on the bumper system, with few (or zero) separate fasteners, while facilitating quick assembly and reliable operation of the sensor tube.

A countermeasure assembly for an automotive vehicle includes a front side rail extending in a generally longitudinal direction; a bumper having a main bumper member and a bumper extension forming an end portion of the bumper; and a pivot link having front and rear mounting portions. The front mounting portion is pivotably engaged with the bumper extension member to define a front pivot joint, and the rear mounting portion is pivotably engaged with the front side rail to define a rear pivot joint. The rear pivot joint is located rearward and inward from the front pivot joint. The bumper extension is bolted to the forward end of the front side rail. The bumper extension has a front member and a rear member, of which the rear member is bolted to the front side rail. The front member and the rear member of the bumper extension define a hollow box structure.

A bumper (10) created using a resistive implant welding process. The bumper includes a mounting plate portion (12) and a composite bumper portion (14). The mounting plate portion (12) is connected to the composite bumper portion (14) using a resistive implant welding process. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a bumper for a vehicle having a mounting plate (12) and a bumper portion (14). The bumper portion (14) includes at least one flange (24) formed as part of the bumper portion (14), a first contact area (28) formed as part of the mounting plate (12), and a second contact area (30) formed as part of the flange (24). A connection point is used to bond the first contact area (28) and the second contact area (30) such that the mounting plate (12) is connected to the bumper portion (14).

A panel member having a U-shaped cross section includes step portions at an upper face portion and a lower face portion, and a distance, in a vehicle longitudinal direction, of the step potions from a panel member formed substantially in a flat-plate shape, is configured such that the distance at a central portion, in the vehicle width direction, of a bumper reinforcement is the maximum and the distance decreases gradually toward an outward direction of the vehicle. Accordingly, the vehicle-body structure which can properly ensure the bending strength and also attain the light weight of the bumper reinforcement, improving the load transmission from the bumper reinforcement to crash cans, can be provided.

When a collision load is transmitted to a gusset, the load is transmitted to an inner side in a vehicle width direction via an inclined wall. Accordingly, moment that causes a front side member to be projected and bent inward to the inner side in the vehicle width direction with an intersection being a starting point acts on the front side member. Then, the front side member, which has been projected and bent inward, collides with a power unit that is disposed in an engine compartment from an outer side in the vehicle width direction. Accordingly, a lateral force to the inner side in the vehicle width direction can be obtained for a vehicle.

A sensor assembly for a motor vehicle adapted for sensing impacts including pedestrian impacts. The sensor assembly includes first and second energy absorbing elements formed of differing materials which couple an applied force to the vehicle to a compressive force acting on a compressive sensor element. The first and second energy absorbers are combined in a manner to tune the response between the applied force and forces acting on the compressive sensor to provide desired response characteristics. The first and second energy absorbers can be configured to produce force flow paths which further aid in response tuning. Another embodiment utilizes an energy absorber having a shaped cross section which focuses and balances impact force is applied to the compressive sensor.

A first projection portion projecting outward, in a vehicle width direction, from a front side frame is provided. A front end of the first projection portion is located at the same position, in the vehicle longitudinal direction, as a connection portion of a crash can to the front side frame or located in back of the connection portion. An outward side face of the first projection portion is configured to slant rearward and inward in a plan view. The first projection portion and a power unit are arranged to overlap each other in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Accordingly, an impact transmitted to a vehicle-compartment side in a small overlap collision can be reduced, restraining repair costs of the crash can broken in a low-speed collision as well as maintaining appropriate design flexibility of a vehicle-body front portion.

A thermoplastic energy absorber having a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, and comprise: an array of energy absorbing lobes protruding from a base, the lobes arranged in two or more rows. The energy absorbing lobes can have a vertical length (L) and a horizontal width (D), and wherein a ratio of L:D is greater than 1. The energy absorbing lobes in each row can be disposed in a staggered manner with respect to energy absorbing lobes in an adjacent row. The energy absorber can be configured to be installed on a vehicle for absorption of impact energy. An energy absorbing system can comprise the thermoplastic energy absorber disposed between a bumper beam and a fascia. The fascia can optionally be configured to envelope the thermoplastic energy absorber and the bumper beam. This system passes EuroNCAP lower-leg impact requirements, version 5.1, June 2011, for lower leg impact requirement.

A fender front-side step portion has first and second fender front-side fixing portions that engage with and fasten a bumper spacer. The bumper spacer is provided with: a spacer body; a bumper-spacer reinforcing portion that extends toward a fender lower-end portion of a fender panel from the bottom end of the spacer body; and a bumper-spacer rear-side fixing portion which is disposed on the bumper-spacer reinforcing portion, and which overlaps with and fastens the front of the fender lower-end portion. The bumper-spacer rear-side fixing portion is disposed in a position further to the rear than the fender front-side step portion in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle.

A mold structure used to form a molded object having an undercut portion includes a fixed mold as a first mold having a first molding surface for molding an obverse surface of the molded object; a slide core having an undercut molding surface used to mold the undercut portion as part of the obverse surface of the molded object; and a movable mold as a second mold having a second molding surface used to mold the reverse surface of the molded object. The first molding surface and the undercut molding surface form a cavity surface. A step is formed between the first molding surface and the second molding surface at a parting position between the fixed mold and the slide core on the cavity surface.

A fascia support structure and aerodynamic shutter assembly for a vehicle includes a fascia support structure, comprising: a top portion comprising a substantially U-shaped body comprising a top fascia support member, a first side fascia support member and a second side fascia support member, the first side fascia support member having a first side baffle, the second side fascia support member having a second side baffle; and a bottom portion comprising a bottom baffle, the bottom portion attached to the first and second side fascia support members, the top portion and the bottom portion comprising a fascia support structure opening, at least one of the first side baffle, second side baffle or bottom baffle having a seal member disposed on a leading edge. The assembly also includes an aerodynamic shutter system comprising a shutter frame having a shutter frame opening and a plurality of rotatable shutters disposed therein.

A coupler body for a railcar coupler, said coupler body comprising at least one central datum feature that does not wear during coupler use.

A railroad freight car multipiece spring seat assembly including a spring seat, a top plate, and a spring. The spring seat is adapted to operably engage one end of a spring assembly in a railroad freight car draft gear. The top plate is adapted to operably engage with each of a plurality of friction shoes arranged in the railroad freight car draft gear. The spring of the multipiece spring seat assembly is operably disposed between the spring seat and the top plate.

An adapter coupler (1) for adapting couplings of different design, wherein the adapter coupler (1) comprises a first connecting mechanism for releasably connecting the adapter coupler (1) to a first coupling, a second connecting mechanism for releasably connecting the adapter coupler (1) to the drawhook (50) of a second coupling, and a coupler housing (2) for connecting the first connecting mechanism to the second connecting mechanism, and wherein the second connecting mechanism comprises a tension yoke (8) with which to engage with the drawhook (50) of the second coupling. The adapter coupler (1) having a mechanism for height centering, comprising a drawbar eye (14) connected to the coupler housing (2), wherein the drawbar eye (14) is arranged and configured relative the tension yoke (8) such that upon the adapter coupler (1) being inserted into the jaw of the drawhook (50) of the second coupling, the drawhook (50) can engage in one joint process with both the accommodation formed by the tension yoke (8) as well as with the drawbar eye (14).

A draft sill with special rear draft lug for a railcar is disclosed. In some embodiments, a rear draft lug comprises a metallic body. The rear draft lug further comprises a boss extending along a transverse portion of the metallic body. The boss is configured to be coupled to a first vertical reinforcement plate. The rear draft lug also comprises an overhang portion extending from the boss along the transverse portion. The overhang portion configured to be coupled to the first vertical reinforcement plate. In some embodiments, the boss and the overhang portion are configured to be coupled to the first vertical reinforcement plate with a weld.

A railcar coupler knuckle includes a tail section, a hub section, and a nose section. The tail, hub, and nose sections define internal cavities including (i) a kidney cavity, (ii) a pivot pin cavity, and (ii) a finger cavity. The kidney and pivot pin cavities are formed using at least one internal core during manufacturing of the coupler knuckle. The finger cavity is formed from a finger section of cope and drag mold portions of a mold used during manufacturing of the coupler knuckle, wherein the finger section of the mold defines the entirety of the finger cavity of the coupler knuckle.

A railroad coupler knuckle includes a single, solid rib at a horizontal centerline of the knuckle that passes through a pivot pin hub thereof. The single, solid rib extends generally from a flag hole of a finger cavity of the knuckle to an opposite side of the knuckle from the flag hole. In another aspect, a railcar coupler knuckle includes a tail section, a hub section, and a nose section. The tail, hub, and nose sections define internal cavities including (i) a combined void that defines a pivot pin hub cavity and a kidney cavity and (ii) an isolated finger cavity. The combined void is formed using a first internal core during manufacturing of the coupler knuckle. The isolated finger cavity is formed using a second internal core during manufacturing of the coupler knuckle, such that molten alloy substantially separates the combined void and the isolated finger cavity.

A finger core for forming the front part of a knuckle for a railcar, said finger core comprising a single opening to form a single rib at the horizontal center line of the resulting knuckle.

A core assembly for forming the interior spaces of a railcar coupler knuckle has a first transition section between the C-10 portion of the core and the finger portion of the core. The first transition section has a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side and the first and second sides form the vertical axis of the first transition section and the third and fourth sides form the horizontal axis of said first transition section. The vertical axis of the first transition section has a height along a horizontal plane of the vertical axis of at least 2.5″ and the horizontal axis of said first transition section has a width along a vertical plane of the horizontal axis of at least 0.925″.

A method of making a compressible elastomeric spring including at least one compressible elastomeric pad enclosed by a pair of metal plates includes the steps of forming plates with a center aperture and a plurality of prongs positioned about a peripheral edge thereof, forming each end of the pad with an axial projection and abutting groove, aligning the plurality of prongs with each respective projection and respective groove and applying axial force to one end of the spring to frictionally interlock the plurality of prongs with such projection and groove. The method also provides for making a multi-tiered stack of pads separated by plates in the above described manner and pre-shortening the spring prior to installation into the conventional yoke. The above described method additionally improves axial straightness and lateral stability of the multi-tiered spring assembly.

A method of casting a core includes the steps of preparing a first half of a corebox, preparing a second half of a corebox such that the parting line of a core formed from the first and second coreboxes runs along the vertical axis of the core.

A core assembly for creating interior spaces in a railcar coupler knuckle is designed to be set in a cavity with cope and drag sections. The cavity is shaped to form a railcar coupler knuckle and includes a first wall that forms the substantially vertical outside wall of the tail of the knuckle. The core includes a kidney section with a rear core support section that extends at least 0.5″ outside the first wall of the cavity when the core is set in the drag.

A car includes a car equipment protection structure, The car equipment protection structure includes an underframe, couplers and guide members. Each of the guide members is provided on a railcar inner side of an attached flange portion of the underframe to which the couplers are attached. Moreover, the guide members respectively include inclined surfaces, each of which is opposed to at least a part of the coupler. Each of the inclined surfaces is inclined toward the railcar inner side as it extends downward.

A railroad coupler assembly having at least a body and a knuckle both formed in a no-bake manufacturing process, the body and the knuckle having dimensional tolerances of distances between features that wear during operation that are about half those obtained from a body and a knuckle manufactured by a green sand process, resulting in increased fatigue life compared to the body and the knuckle manufactured by a green sand process. The body and the knuckle resulting from the no-bake manufacturing process have no observable laps, scabs, chaplets or welding in critical areas of the body and knuckle, which are reflected in surface conditions matching SCRATA (Steel Castings Research and Trade Association) values of: D1 (laps); E1 (scabs); F1 (chaplets); and J1 (welds).

An integrated self-supporting and deformation-resistant modular driver's cabin structure for mounting to the front end of a rail vehicle body and for providing a driver space and a windshield opening, is composed of a composite sandwich structure with a single, common, continuous outer skin layer, a single, common, continuous inner skin layer and an internal structure wholly covered with and bonded to the inner and outer skin layers, the internal structure comprising a plurality of core elements. The driver's cabin structure comprises at least: side pillars each having a lower end and an upper end, and an undercarriage structure at the lower end of each of the side pillars. The fiber-reinforced sandwich located in the side pillars is provided with several layers of fibers oriented to provide a high bending stiffness. The fiber-reinforced sandwich of the undercarriage structure is such to transfer static and crash loads without flexural buckling.

A railcar draft gear assembly having an axially elongated spring assembly comprised of an axially stacked array of individual spring units and further including cooperating instrumentalities for maintaining the spring assembly generally axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the railcar draft gear assembly during operation of the draft gear assembly while maintaining the individual spring units in generally aligned relation relative to each other.