U.S. patent application number 10/025735 was filed with the patent office on 2002-04-25 for frame brace and center clamp.
Invention is credited to Arnswald, Daniel G., Heyden, Thomas J., Hoover, Curtis W..
Application Number | 20020046676 10/025735 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23710491 |
Filed Date | 2002-04-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020046676 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Arnswald, Daniel G. ; et
al. |
April 25, 2002 |
Frame brace and center clamp
Abstract
A rail car truck includes a pair of longitudinally spaced
wheelsets, a pair of laterally spaced side frames extending between
and supported by the wheelsets and a bolster which extends between
the side frames to support a vehicle body. There is a brace
connected between the side frames to control relative longitudinal
movement therebetween. The brace includes a center clamp assembly
located generally intermediate the side frames and generally
mid-way between the wheelsets. Each side frame mounts a pair of
longitudinally spaced end blocks. There are four struts, each being
inclined to the longitudinal axis of the truck and each extending
from and being connected to an end block and to the clamp
assembly.
Inventors: |
Arnswald, Daniel G.;
(Chicago, IL) ; Heyden, Thomas J.; (Arlington
Heights, IL) ; Hoover, Curtis W.; (Tinley Park,
IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
COOK, ALEX, MC FARRON, MANZO,
CUMMINGS & MEHLER, LTD.
Suite 2850
200 W. Adams Street
Chicago
IL
60606
US
|
Family ID: |
23710491 |
Appl. No.: |
10/025735 |
Filed: |
December 26, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10025735 |
Dec 26, 2001 |
|
|
|
09431108 |
Nov 1, 1999 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
105/157.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B61F 5/50 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
105/157.1 |
International
Class: |
B61D 001/00 |
Claims
1. A rail car truck comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced
wheelsets, a pair of laterally spaced side frames extending between
and supported by said wheelsets, a bolster extending between said
side frames to support a vehicle body, and a brace connected
between said side frames to control relative longitudinal movement
therebetween, said brace including a center clamp assembly located
generally intermediate said side frames and generally mid-way
between said wheelsets, each side frame mounting a pair of
longitudinally spaced end blocks, and four struts, each strut being
inclined to the longitudinal axis of the truck and extending from
and being connected to an end block and to the center clamp
assembly.
2. The rail car truck of claim 1 wherein each end block has an
outwardly extending trunnion extending into its associated
strut.
3. The rail car truck of claim 1 wherein each end block is welded
to its associated strut.
4. The rail car truck of claim 1 wherein said center clamp assembly
includes four outwardly directed trunnions, each extending into one
of said struts.
5. The rail car truck of claim 4 wherein each of said rail car
struts is welded to the center clamp assembly at said
trunnions.
6. The rail car truck of claim 1 wherein each of said struts is a
hollow tube of constant diameter.
7. The rail car truck of claim 1 wherein said center clamp assembly
includes a pair of clamp plates fastened together, generally
intermediate their ends, with each clamp plate end having a
trunnion fastened to a strut.
8. The rail car truck of claim 7 wherein said clamp plates are
identical, each having an exposed surface and a facing surface,
with the facing surfaces being in contact when the clamp plates are
assembled.
9. The rail car truck of claim 8 wherein each of said clamp plates
has a length greater than its width, with a trunnion extending
outwardly from the opposite longitudinal ends of each clamp
plate.
10. The rail car truck of claim 9 wherein each of said clamp plates
are fastened together generally at their mid-point by a pair of
bolts extending through a clamp plate generally along the width
thereof.
11. The rail car truck of claim 10 further including a plurality of
weld holes in each clamp plate to provide location for welds for
attaching said clamp plates one to another.
12. The rail car truck of claim 1 wherein each of said clamp plates
have arcuate edges, generally at the mid-point thereof, with the
arcuate edges of the clamp plates being welded together along the
length thereof.
13. The rail car truck of claim 8 wherein each of said clamp
plates, along the facing surface thereof, have a longitudinally
extending rib.
14. The rail car truck of claim 13 wherein each of said clamp plate
facing surfaces have a longitudinal recess, each side being located
in a recess.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to frame brace rail car trucks
of the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,570,544; 5,243,920;
5,584,250, all assigned to the assignee of the present application,
Standard Research and Design Corporation of Park Ridge, Ill. In the
No. 544' patent, the diagonal braces or struts which interconnect
the side frames are held together at their intersection by a
shackle 66. In the No. 920' patent, the struts are interconnected
where they cross by a clamp plate assembly consisting of two clamp
plates, each with a channel, and an elastomeric pad between the
facing surface of the clamp plates and the struts. There are
fasteners which hold the clamp plates together. In the No. 250'
patent the clamp plates are welded to the frame brace struts and
the clamp plates are welded to one another.
[0002] In the present invention there is a center clamp plate
assembly and there are end blocks which are mounted in spaced
relation to each other on each side frame. There are four struts,
each extending between an end block and the clamp plate assembly,
with each of the struts being mounted on trunnions extending
outwardly from an end block and from the clamp plate assembly. This
construction provides substantial economies and efficiency in the
manufacture and installation of the frame brace assembly and
further provides a product with substantially increased fatigue
endurance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention relates to frame brace rail car trucks
in which a pair of cross struts are used to stabilize the truck and
improve the resistance to relative longitudinal movement between
the side frames, and more particularly to such a frame brace rail
car truck in which the struts are each separately connected between
the center clamp assembly and an end block.
[0004] The primary purpose of the invention is to provide an
improved and substantially strengthened frame brace truck.
[0005] Another purpose is to provide a frame brace truck in which
each of the struts extend from an end block mounted on the side
frame and a center clamp assembly and are welded to each of those
elements.
[0006] Another purpose of the invention is to provide a center
clamp assembly including a pair of identical plates which may be
cast or forged to eliminate stress concentrations found in previous
center clamp assemblies.
[0007] Another purpose of the invention is to provide a center
clamp assembly for the use described with the center clamp plates
having a reduced thickness which allows for a reduction in the
vertical distance between the mounting of the center clamp assembly
and the mounting point of the struts to the side frames.
[0008] Another purpose of the invention is to provide a center
clamp plate for the use described in which the plates have radiused
flanges allowing the angle between struts to be altered which
provides for increased ease in designing non AAR standard rail car
trucks.
[0009] Another purpose is a frame brace truck as described in which
the use of trunnions on the center clamp assembly and the end
blocks allows for ease and adjustment of strut length during
manufacture.
[0010] Another purpose is to provide a strut for use in a frame
brace truck as described which has a constant diameter, eliminating
tube plastic deformation necessary in prior art constructions.
[0011] Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specification,
drawings and claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the
following drawings wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a side view of a rail car truck of the type
disclosed herein;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the rail car truck of FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a top view, showing the exposed side of a clamp
plate and the connections between the clamp plate, the associated
struts and the end blocks mounted to the side frames;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a side view of the assembly of FIG. 3;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a bottom view showing the exposed side of a clamp
plate and the connections between the clamp plate, the associated
struts and the end blocks mounted to the side frames;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a side view of the assembly of FIG. 5;
[0019] FIG. 7 is an enlarged side view, in part section,
illustrating the connection between an end block and a strut;
[0020] FIG. 8 is a perspective of an end block;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a top view of an end block;
[0022] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of an end block;
[0023] FIG. 11 is an enlarged bottom view of the center clamp plate
assembly;
[0024] FIG. 12 is a section along plane 12-12 of FIG. 11;
[0025] FIG. 13 is a top perspective of a center clamp plate;
[0026] FIG. 14 is a bottom perspective of a center clamp plate;
[0027] FIG. 15 is a section along plane 15-15 of FIG. 13; and
[0028] FIG. 16 is a section along plane 16-16 of FIG. 14.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0029] U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,544 discloses a railroad car having a
pair of side frames supported on conventional longitudinally spaced
wheelsets. To improve truck stability, cross struts extend between
the side frames to increase the resistance to side frame relative
longitudinal movement. Elastomeric members may be placed between
the wheelsets and the side frames to decrease the yaw stiffness of
the wheelsets. As a result, the yaw stiffness and lateral stiffness
of the truck can be selected to provide optimum truck
stability.
[0030] U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,920 discloses an improvement of the No.
544' truck, specifically in the area of the clamp that holds the
cross struts together at a location generally at the mid-point
between the side frames. The No. 250' patent was an improvement on
the clamp assembly of the No. '920 patent in that it strengthened
the connection between the cross struts and eliminated the
elastomeric member of the No. '920 patent. The present invention
provides yet a further improvement in what is known as a frame
brace truck by providing an improved center clamp assembly, and by
dividing the cross struts into four individual struts, each of
which extend between the center clamp assembly and the end blocks
mounted on the side frames. This design provides enhanced fatigue
endurance and greater ease of manufacturing than the prior art
designs.
[0031] The center plate assembly consists of two identical plate
members each of which may be cast or forged which allows for the
smooth blending of surfaces which in turn results in the
elimination of many stress concentrations present in prior art
center clamp assemblies. Further, each of the center clamp plates
has trunnions at its opposite ends which mount one end of the tubes
which form the braces or struts, with the other end of the strut
being mounted on a trunnion forming a part of the end block. Such a
tube has no deformation which allows for increased strength in the
tube and also eliminates the plastic deformation step necessary to
install the previous cross struts in the center clamp. Further, the
casting or forging of the center clamp parts allows the center
clamp assembly to be reduced in thickness which results in an
enhanced ability to place this part between the truck bolster and
other portions of the truck assembly. The reduced thickness further
allows for a reduction in the vertical distance between the
mounting point of the braces on the side frame and the center clamp
assembly. This in turn reduces eccentricity in the cross brace
assembly providing reduced stress and enhanced performance.
[0032] In the drawings, conventional side frames are indicated at
10 and are mounted on wheelsets 12 and 14. Conventional roller
bearings mount the wheelsets and the side frames are connected by a
bolster 16. The bolster is supported on the side frames by springs
18 as is conventional.
[0033] The cross brace assembly consists of four end blocks
indicated at 20, 22, 24 and 26 in FIG. 2, one of which is
illustrated in detail in FIGS. 7-10. The end blocks are each
secured to a side frame. Each of the end blocks mounts a strut or
tube 28, 30, 32 and 34, with the tubes being of a length to bridge
the distance between an end block and the center plate assembly 36.
All of this structure is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In prior art
frame brace assemblies, each strut extended between end blocks of
opposing side frames and the struts, where they crossed, were
secured and supported by a center clamp assembly. In the present
invention the center clamp assembly joins the four individual
struts, each of which are connected at their outboard ends to an
end block.
[0034] FIGS. 3 and 4 show end blocks 20 and 26, struts 28 and 34
and a plate 38 which is one of the two identical plates forming the
center plate clamp assembly 36. FIG. 3 shows a view looking from
the exposed side of the plate 38 and FIG. 4 is a side view of this
assembly.
[0035] FIGS. 5 and 6 show end blocks 22 and 24, struts 30 and 32
and a center plate 40 which again forms a part of the center clamp
plate assembly 36. FIG. 5 shows a view looking from the exposed
side of a plate as illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 11 with FIG. 6
being a side view of the assembly in FIG. 5.
[0036] FIGS. 7 -10 illustrate an end block which includes a body 42
having a mounting flange 44 for attachment to a side frame. There
is a bore 46 which may be used as a bolt hole for mounting the end
block to the side frame. The end block is slightly down turned as
shown particularly in FIG. 7 and has a trunnion 48 extending out
from its inboard end. The trunnion 48 will mount one of the struts
28-34 and there will be a weld 50 at this joint to secure the end
block to the strut. The bottom of the end block, as at 52, may have
a downwardly extending rib which provides added strength to the end
block structure.
[0037] The center clamp plates 38 and 40 are identical and the
exposed side of a plate is illustrated in FIG. 13 and the facing
side is illustrated in FIG. 14. The plates, combined to form the
center clamp assembly, are shown in FIG. 11. In FIGS. 13 and 14 the
clamp plate is shown to have a raised outer surface 52 with
trunnions 54 and 56 extending from the opposite longitudinal ends.
On each side of the central upper raised surface 52 there are
flanges 53 with bolt holes 58 and 60. Each of these holes is
surrounded by a bead 58a and 60a. Adjacent each of the bolt holes
58 and 60 are weld holes 62, 64, 66 and 68. When the two plates are
assembled into the plate assembly 36 as shown in FIG. 11, the holes
62-68 are not in alignment. Rather, the weld holes are simply a
vehicle for weld material which will assist in securing the two
plates together. Bolts 68 and 70 will pass through the aligned bolt
holes 58 and 60, as particularly shown in FIG. 12, which will
secure the plates in overlapping position, with the longitudinal
direction of the trunnions forming an angle of approximately
60.degree. or thereabout. When the plates are so positioned, the
holes 62-68 will be filled with weld and there will be additional
arcuate welds, indicated at 72 and 74 along the arcuate surfaces 61
and 63 of the plate flanges, the welds being indicated particularly
in FIG. 11. Further, each of the plate trunnions 54 and 56, in
addition to supporting the ends of the cross brace tubes, will
provide a gap which will be filled with weld material as indicated
at 76 in FIG. 11. The tubes are thus welded at their opposite ends
to the trunnions on the center clamp plate assembly and to the end
blocks. The two halves of the center plate assembly will be bolted
together and welded together both at the spot holes and along the
adjoining and facing arcuate surfaces to form the welds 72 and
74.
[0038] FIG. 14 shows the inner or facing side of each of the center
clamp plates. There is a longitudinally extending central
projection 82, which as particularly shown in FIG. 14, extends from
opposite ends of the plate through a center recess 84. The
projections 82 will cross in an area of reduced height 80 as shown
in FIG. 12 and in FIG. 16.
[0039] It should be noted that the side flanges of the plates 38
and 40 have what may be termed blended surfaces which results in
the elimination of stress concentrations found in prior plate
assemblies. The size of the bolt holes 58 and 60 and the radiused
flanges of the plates allow the angle between braces to be altered
by .+-.5.degree.. This is advantageous in allowing for ease in
designing braces for application to trucks that are not AAR
standard. The use of trunnions at each end of the end blocks and on
the center clamp assembly eliminates two tube forming operations
which were necessary in prior designs and further allow ease of
assembly and manufacturing of the entire cross brace truck. A
result of the improved center clamp assembly, end blocks and struts
is that all tube forming operations have been eliminated which
allows the use of a much higher strength material for the struts.
Previously, the necessity of deforming the struts limited the
design strength of the tubes.
[0040] Whereas the preferred form of the invention has been shown
and described herein, it should be realized that there may be many
modifications, substitutions and alterations thereto.
* * * * *