Figure 3.4. Automatic Coupler.

Maintenance of Diesel - Electronic Locomotives and Rolling Stock
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b. The hookandlink coupler, the kind used on some Army railway cars

to be operated in foreign countries, is equipped with a draw hook and

turnbuckle. Each car has a hook, a connecting link, and a pair of end

buffers. Figure 3.5 shows two railway cars with hookandlink couplers

connected. To couple the cars, they are pushed together and the connecting

link placed over the opposing hook. Then the links are tightened by the

turnbuckle, and all slack is taken up between the cars. The end buffers are

spring loaded to absorb the shock of coupling and to keep the car bodies

from striking each other.

Located at each end of a car is a draft gear that connects the coupler

to the underframe and absorbs the coupling shock and the shock of increases

in train speed or pulling stresses. Most Army rolling stock is equipped

with a friction draft gear. Figure 3.6 shows three different types.

Fitting into a pocket in the underframe, the draft gear distributes the

coupling shock over the car underframe. The location of the draft gear

pocket can be see in figure 3.1. In most theaters of operations, the draft

gear of railway cars is designed