U.S. patent number 3,802,576 [Application Number 05/298,162] was granted by the patent office on 1974-04-09 for cushioned underframe for railway cars.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Pullman Incorporated. Invention is credited to Willis H. Knippel, Ronald W. Marsh.
United States Patent |
3,802,576 |
Marsh , et al. |
April 9, 1974 |
CUSHIONED UNDERFRAME FOR RAILWAY CARS
Abstract
A cushioned underframe of the sliding sill type is provided with
a cushion pocket within which a hydraulic cushioning unit is
disposed. The cushion pocket which includes an opening in the
bottom wall of the stationary sill is normally covered by a cover
and carrier plate which is removably connected to the stationary
sill. The cover and carrier plate is provided with an anchoring s
top which projects downwardly below the carrier plate and is
supported on a base plate which is connected to side shear plates,
in turn rigidly bolted to the side walls of the stationary sill.
The cushioning unit and anchoring assembly with the carrier plate
provide means whereby the cushion may be readily installed and
removed in the cushion pocket.
Inventors: |
Marsh; Ronald W. (Michigan
City, IN), Knippel; Willis H. (Palos Park, IL) |
Assignee: |
Pullman Incorporated (Chicago,
IL)
|
Family
ID: |
23149325 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/298,162 |
Filed: |
October 16, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
213/8;
213/43 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B61G
9/22 (20130101); B61G 9/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B61G
9/22 (20060101); B61G 9/08 (20060101); B61G
9/00 (20060101); B61g 009/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;213/8,43 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
2330706 |
September 1943 |
Hankins et al. |
3028019 |
April 1962 |
Settles et al. |
3216591 |
November 1965 |
Peterson |
3534661 |
October 1970 |
Hettlinger et al. |
|
Primary Examiner: Hoffman; Drayton E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Vogel; Hilmond O.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A cushioned underframe for a railway car having a stationary
sill including a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending
vertical sill walls,
a sliding sill including a top wall and laterally spaced sliding
sill side walls interconnected in hat-shaped relation and slidingly
supported within said stationary sill, the improvement of
a cushioning installation comprising a carrier plate,
a vertically extending anchoring member connected to said carrier
plate,
a fluid cushioning device including a fluid cylinder having a
cylinder head at one end and being open at its other end,
a piston and piston rod assembly reciprocally positioned within
said cylinder with said piston rod projecting outwardly from said
open end,
a spring retainer plate connected to said projecting piston
rod,
a return spring assembly about said fluid cylinder held captive
between said cylinder head and said retainer plate,
a second plate longitudinally spaced relative to said first
plate,
tie means rigidly interconnecting said cylinder head and second
plate against relative longitudinal extension,
said tie means positioning said spring retainer plate and second
plate adjacent longitudinal opposite sides of said anchoring member
in spring biased relation to connect said cushioning device to said
carrier plate,
a pair of laterally spaced fixed stop lugs on said sliding sill
side walls disposed on laterally opposite sides of said anchoring
member, and being longitudinally movable with said sill to compress
said spring during relative reciprocation of said cylinder and
piston rod assembly,
and means releasably connecting said carrier plate to said vertical
side walls whereby said cushioning device is removably disposed
within said cushion pocket.
2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said tie means
including at least one horizontally extending tension member
disposed laterally outwardly from said cylinder.
3. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said tie means
including a plurality of tension rods disposed laterally outwardly
of said cylinder, and said spring retainer plate including openings
through which said rods extend.
4. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said vertically
extending anchoring members including a structural member
projecting vertically downwardly from said carrier plate, and
a horizontal beam member connected to said structural member and
connected to said vertical sill walls.
5. The invention in accordance with claim 4, said anchoring member
including vertical laterally spaced side walls,
said side walls extending through and below said carrier plate,
said beam member being of box-like configuration including at
laterally spaced ends vertical shear plates connected to said
vertical sill walls.
6. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said anchoring member
projecting downwardly below said carrier plate,
a torque box including a horizontal base plate extending between
said sill walls,
said base plate having its longitudinally spaced ends upwardly
extending flanges and
vertical shear plates connected to said flanges and said base
plate,
said vertical shear plates being rigidly connected to said sill
walls.
7. The invention in accordance with claim 6, said base plate
extending parallel to said carrier plate.
8. The invention in accordance with claim 7, said anchoring member
comprising vertically spaced side walls connected by an upper web,
and
vertical longitudinally spaced end walls connected to said side
walls to provide a box-like configuration.
9. The invention in accordance with claim 8, said sill walls
including longitudinally spaced shear lugs engaged by said shear
plates.
Description
The present application is related to assignee's co-pending
application, Ser. No. 298,112 dated Oct. 16, 1972.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the art of cushioning arrangements
for railway cars.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cushioned underframes of the prior art generally include a
stationary sill within which a sliding sill is positioned. Impacts
on the car or sliding sill are absorbed by a cushioning device
which is positioned between sets of rigid stops on the stationary
sill and stops carried by the sliding sill. The carrier plate
normally is bolted to the underneath flanges of the stationary sill
and covers the cushion pocket within which the cushioning device is
disposed. The cushioning devices of the prior art are generally
disposed between the stationary sill stops in a pretensioned
condition. That is, the cushion is slightly contracted with the
return springs tending to bias the cushioning device to its fully
extended condition against the permanent sill stops. Thus, when the
removal of the cushioning device is to be effected, it is generally
necessary to cut the springs with a cutting torch to relieve the
tension so that the cushioning device can then be dropped from its
pocket. This is often a dangerous and undesirable operation.
Clamping devices also have been used which are adjustable to
compress the cushioning device further and to hold the same in the
compressed position while removal of the cushion is effected. Such
clamping devices, however, are not usually available in the field
or repair shops. These are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,028,019, Apr.
3, 1962 and 2,330,706, Sept. 28, 1943. The present device is easily
removable since the unit in its working position is securely
supported on the carrier plate, which is readily attached to the
stationary sill and the anchoring device, which must be able to
absorb the high cushion forces, may be easily and readily secured
to the stationary sill and projects downwardly therefrom.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has for its objective a cushioning
arrangement for a sliding sill underframe wherein the cushioning
device may be readily and quickly removed since the cushioning
device, the cover and/or carrier plate and the stress absorbing and
anchoring means are all embodied in one unit which can readily be
attached to the cushioned underframe. This is achieved by the
carrier plate being provided with a fixed anchoring member which
includes a box-like structure projecting downwardly onto a base
plate which extends upwardly on opposie sides in relatively
inverted T-shape relation and which is readily and quickly secured
by means of side shear plate to the stationary sill walls and
flanges of a stationary sill. The anchoring means forms a torque
box type of construction which readily and simply transmits the
stresses, shear forces, etc. to the stationary sill of the car and
yet permits the cushion and carrier plate to be assembled as a unit
and readily removed. The cushioning unit is of a type wherein a a
coil spring arrangement is held captive between a cylinder head and
a sliding retainer plate, said plates being interconnected by a
plurality of tension rods or straps, in turn, also connected to an
end plate with said end plate engaging one end of the anchoring
member and the sliding plate engaging the other end of the
anchoring member whereupon the cushioning unit is securely held in
position by the anchoring means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a plan view partially in section of a portion of a
sliding sill in underframe construction;
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line
2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing a portion of the
underframe construction of FIGS. 1 and 2;
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line
4--4 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line
5--5 of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line
6--6 of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a railway car
underframe 10 includes a stationary sill member generally
designated as 11. The stationary sill supports the deck 18,
disclosed in FIG. 4, of the railway car and also has connected
thereto suitable cross bearers and stringers, not shown, for
supporting the body of the car. The stationary sill 11 includes
longitudinally and laterally spaced sill walls 12 having upper
flanges 13 and lower flanges 14. Transverse support members 15 are
spaced along the length of the stationary sill 11 which is
substantially the length of the body of the railway car. An
elongated opening centrally disposed on said stationary sill 11 is
designated at 16, best shown in FIG. 2.
The underframe being of the cushioned type, is provided with a
sliding sill 17 supported on the transverse support member 15 in
sliding relation and is disposed beneath the deck structure 18. The
sliding sill comprises a pair of longitudinally extending and
laterally spaced vertical sill walls 19 connected by a top wall 20,
said sill having a hat-shaped configuration. The sliding sill walls
19 also include lower flanges 21 which are slidable on slide pads
22 supported on the transverse support members 15. The elongated
opening within the sill walls 12 provide a cushion pocket which is
normally covered by means of a cover or carrier plate 23. A
cushioning assembly, generally designated at 24, is disposed in the
sill pocket. The cushioning assembly 24 includes a hydraulic
cylinder 25 having an end plate 26 rigidly connected thereto at one
end thereof. A piston 27 is slidably disposed in the cylinder 25
and includes a piston rod 28 extending outwardly through the open
end of the cylinder 25. The cushioning assembly may be of a type
which is disclosed in U.S. Pats. No. 3,148,869, Sept. 15, 1964;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,150,866, Sept. 29, 1964; U.S. Pat. No. 3,194,415,
July 13, 1965 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,591, Nov. 9, 1965. The
details of the hydraulic components of the cushioning assembly have
not been specifically disclosed since the hydraulic valves, etc.,
of the cushion are not important to the present invention. The
function in detail of the cushioning device is well disclosed in
the aforementioned patents which are incorporated herein by
reference. The present cushion device includes generally a high
pressure chamber 29 on one side of the piston and a low pressure
chamber 30 on the other side. Further, the unit utilizes an
accumulator or flexible boot as is shown in the aforementioned
patents. The piston rod 28 provides a passage 31 which, upon
suitable orificing, acts as a passage for hydraulic fluid between
the chambers 29 and 30, also as described in the aforementioned
patents. The present hydraulic cushion unit has a metering
arrangement so that a constant force travel is effected during the
operation of the cushion.
A spring retainer plate 32 is connected to the outermost end of the
piston rod 28 and a coil spring 33 is carried on the cylinder 25
and retained captive between the retainer plate 32 and the end
plate 26. Axially aligned openings 35 are provided in end plate 26
and retainer plate 32. Tension rods 36 extend through the openings
35, as disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2, nuts 37 are screwed to the ends
of the tension rods 36. An end plate 34 also including openings 35,
is provided at the other ends of the tension rods 36 and nuts 37
also are connected to the other ends of said rods for securing the
end plate 34 thereon. An anchoring stop is generally designated at
38. The anchoring stop, as best shown in FIG. 6, includes vertical
laterally spaced side walls 39 interconnected by a top web 40. The
walls 39 extend downwardly through an opening 41 in the carrier
plate 23 and are rigidly connected to a bottom or base plate 42
which extends horizontally between the sill walls 12. The base
plate 42, as best shown in FIG. 2, includes longitudinally spaced
vertical extending walls or flanges 43 which terminate at the
underneath side of the carrier plate 23. As best shown in FIG. 2,
transverse gussets 44 are spaced at opposite longitudinal ends of
the side walls 39 and are suitably connected thereto. The flanges
43, gussets 44 and walls 39 are structural and are securely welded
together, the said flanges 43 being welded to the carrier plate 23.
Thus, the anchoring stop is part of the carrier plate 23 since it
is connected thereto. Further, side shear plates 45 having
longitudinally disposed projections 46 are also secured to the
structure formed by the base plate 42 and flanges 43. The shear
plates 45 are secured to the flanges 14 by means of the shear bolts
47, as best shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6. Shear blocks 48 also are
suitably connected to the underneath side of the carrier plate 23
for further supporting and reinforcing the shear plates 45 against
longitudinal displacement. Especially shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the
carrier plate 23 which covers the elongated opening 16 is also
secured to the stationary sill walls 12 by means of spacer plates
49 and bolt and nut fasteners 50. Reinforcement of the sill walls
12 in the region of the shear fasteners 47 is further provided, as
best shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, by means of vertical gussets 51
suitably welded to the side walls 12. FIGS. 1 and 6 disclose lugs
52 which are rigidly connected to and for movement with the sliding
sill 17, the said lugs being disposed between the spring retainer
plate 32 and the end plate 34.
OPERATION
The operation of the present sliding sill 17 and stationary sill
member 11 in conjunction with the cushioning device is
conventional. In the position shown in FIG. 1, the sliding sill and
stationary sill are in the nonoperating or neutral position.
Assuming now that an impact on the coupler on the left hand end of
the sliding sill occurs, tending to move the sliding sill 17 to the
right from the neutral position shown in FIG. 1, the lugs 52 with
the sliding sill engage the end plate 34 pulling the tension rod 36
and end plate 26 to the position shown in FIG. 2, wherein the
piston 27 is in a closed or contracted position relative to the
high pressure chamber 29, the movement of fluid from the said
chamber 29 to the accumulator or low pressure chamber providing for
the cushioning action. The spring 33 is, of course, compressed and
the plate 32 is against one end of the anchoring stop 38. After the
impact, the spring 33 again moves the cushion to the position shown
in FIG. 1. An impact on the other end of the sliding sill, of
course, causes movement of the sliding sill to the left, whereupon
the sill lugs 52 move the plate 32 away from the anchoring stop 38
and the cushion is again placed in the closed position to provide
for the cushioning action.
The present invention primarily is in the connection of the
cushioning device to the carrier plate 23. The anchoring stop 38 is
rigidly secured to the carrier plate and, therefore, by virtue of
the tension rod and spring retaining relation, the entire cushion
is supported on the anchoring rod and is retained thereon by the
inherent tension or pretension of the spring 33. In assembly,
therefore, it is a simple matter to hoist the carrier plate 23 in
position with the cushion thereon and then inserting the same
within the elongated opening 16 or cushion pocket. The sliding sill
has the integral sliding sill lugs 52 thereon and the longitudinal
distance between the plates 32 and 34 is such that the plates can
easily be moved up into the cushion pocket to straddle the opposite
ends of the lugs 52. With the cushion disposed within the sliding
sill and in the pocket of the center sill, the shear fasteners 47
(nuts and bolts) are now secured to rigidly connect the shear
plates 45 onto the flanges 14 of the sill walls 12. The bolt and
nut fasteners 50 are also secured so that the carrier plate is
firmly connected to the lower flanges 14. The shear blocks 48 also
serve to further prevent any possible longitudinal displacement of
the shear plates 45 relative to the stationary sill. In the event
of replacement of the cushion, it is a simple matter to remove the
carrier plate, disconnect the bolt fasteners 47 and 50 and drop the
entire carrier plate and cushioning unit downwardly. This
arrangement precludes any need for cutting the spring by means of a
cutting torch which is conventional to eliminate dangers from the
inherent tension involved. It also precludes the necessity of use
of wedging devices of the prior art or separate retainer members
which must be attached to the cushion to hold it in a slightly
compressed position to permit removal of the same. In effect, the
arrangement provides for unit replacement.
The device is particularly effective, also, since the construction
of the base plate 42 and shear plates 45, etc. provide for a torque
box type of arrangement which is securely connected to the
stationary sill and which directs the high forces resulting from
impacts into the stationary sill and underframe of the car.
* * * * *