U.S. patent number 3,817,188 [Application Number 05/288,267] was granted by the patent office on 1974-06-18 for railway trucks with pivotally connected side frames.
This patent grant is currently assigned to General Steel Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Richard L. Lich.
United States Patent |
3,817,188 |
Lich |
June 18, 1974 |
RAILWAY TRUCKS WITH PIVOTALLY CONNECTED SIDE FRAMES
Abstract
Railway trucks for rapid circuit transit service are, in the
interest of weight reduction without corresponding reduction in
strength or riding qualities, formed with a pair of side frames
supported at their ends from both axles and resiliently pivoted to
each other on a generally transverse axis. To provide limited
resilient support for propulsion and brake equipment supported by
the side frames, without permitting excessive vertical movement of
third rail collection equipment mounted on the side frames, the
support of the side frames on the axle boxes is effected by
slightly resilient single layer elastomeric chevron spring devices,
the slight resilience of the chevron spring devices being
sufficient to minimize necessary pivoting of the side frames about
their transverse axis.
Inventors: |
Lich; Richard L. (Town and
Country, MO) |
Assignee: |
General Steel Industries, Inc.
(St. Louis, MO)
|
Family
ID: |
23106428 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/288,267 |
Filed: |
September 12, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
105/199.3;
105/208.1; 105/34.1; 105/224.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B61F
3/04 (20130101); B61F 5/24 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B61F
5/24 (20060101); B61F 5/02 (20060101); B61F
3/04 (20060101); B61F 3/00 (20060101); B61f
003/04 (); B61f 005/14 (); B61f 005/52 () |
Field of
Search: |
;105/182R,208.1,208.2,224.1,199R,26R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: King; Lloyd L.
Assistant Examiner: Beltran; Howard
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Burgess; F. Travers
Claims
I claim:
1. A railway vehicle truck comprising a pair of axles spaced apart
longitudinally of the truck, wheels mounted on the end portions of
said axles, transversely spaced longitudinally extending side
frames adapted to support current collection equipment intermediate
their ends, said side frames having downwardly open jaws at their
ends embracing the end portions of said axles, bearing devices
mounted on said axles within said jaws, said jaws and said bearing
devices having longitudinally spaced opposing respectively
downwardly and upwardly facing transverse surfaces upwardly and
inwardly inclined toward each other, said transverse surfaces being
V-shaped in plan with their apices pointing longitudinally of the
truck, a single pad of elastomeric material between each pair of
opposing bearing device and jaw tranverse surfaces, said pads being
sufficiently stiff to resist substantial vertical movement of said
side frames and thereby prevent excessive variation in the height
of current collection equipment carried thereby while being
sufficiently resilient to provide adequate vertical cushioning for
equipment supported from said side frames, and means connecting
said side frames to each other for sufficient relative pivotal
movement about a generally transverse axis to maintain, in
cooperation with said pads, all said wheels in constant
load-bearing engagement with the supporting track irrespective of
varying vertical irregularities in the track rails.
2. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 1 wherein said side
frame connecting means comprises a substantially straight
transverse transom member on each side frame extending toward and
terminating in close proximity to the opposite side frame, said
transom members being located symmetrically on opposite sides of
the transverse axis of the truck, an inboard stub member on each
side frame in transverse alignment with the transom member of the
opposite side frame, and flexible connections between the transom
members and corresponding stub members.
3. A railway vehicle truck according to alcim 2 wherein said
transom members have opposing surfaces transverse of the truck
closely spaced apart longitudinally of the truck and formed with
concentric arcuate recesses in their opposing transverse surfaces,
there being a transverse bolster slidably supported on said side
frames and having a central depending pivot boss pivotally received
between said arcuate recesses, upright springs carried by the ends
of said bolster for supporting a vehicle body thereon, and means
for connecting said bolster to a supported vehicle body for
preventing swivel movements therebetween while permitting vertical
and transverse deflection of said springs.
4. A railway vehicle truck comprising a pair of axles spaced apart
longitudinally of the truck, wheels mounted on the end portions of
said axles, transversely spaced longitudinally extending side
frames supported at their ends on the end portions of said axles,
each said side frame being formed with a transverse transom member
extending toward and terminating in close proximity to the opposite
side frame, said transom members being located symmetrically on
opposite sides of the transverse axis of the truck, an inboard stub
member on each side frame in transverse alignment with the transom
member of the opposite side frame, and flexible connections between
the transom members and corresponding stub members.
5. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 4 wherein said side
frame stub members overlie the end portions of the corresponding
transom members.
6. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 5 wherein said
pivotal connections comprise opposed respectively upwardly and
downwardly facing horizontal surfaces on said transom members and
said side frame stub members, a pad of elastomeric material
interposed between said surfaces, and means tying said transom
members and the corresponding stub members to each other vertically
and thereby compressing said elastomeric pads.
7. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 6 wherein said tying
means comprises a vertical tension member passing through said
opposed surfaces and said elastomeric pad, additional elastomeric
pads surrounding said tension member on upwardly and downwardly
facing surfaces respectively of said stub members and said transom
members, and means on said tension member compressing said
additional pads against the respective last-named surfaces.
8. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 7 wherein depending
and upstanding rims respectively encircle said downwardly and
upwardly facing surfaces respectively of said stub members and said
transom members, said elastomeric pads being of annular shape.
9. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 5 wherein said
pivotal connections comprise opposed downwardly and upwardly facing
spherical surfaces on said stub members and transom members
respectively, there being a pad of elastomeric material interposed
between said surfaces, and means spaced transversely of the truck
from the respective opposed spherical surfaces for tying the
corresponding transom member and stub member to each other
vertically and compressing said elastomeric pads.
10. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 9 wherein each of
said stub members is formed with a projection extending
transversely from said downwardly facing surface away from the
related side frame, and said tying means comprises a vertical
tension member passing through said projection and the
corresponding transom member.
11. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 10 wherein
additional elastomeric pad devices are seated on upper and lower
surfaces of said projection and the corresponding transom stub
surrounding said tension member, there being means on said tension
member for compressing said additional pads against said last-named
surfaces.
12. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 4 wherein said
transom members and said stub members are of tubular cross-section,
one of said members having an end portion of reduced cross-section
to permit mating insertion of the former into the latter.
13. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 12 wherein an
elastomeric bushing element is compressed between the inner and
outer members.
14. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 13 wherein said
bushing element consists of radially spaced inner and outer arcuate
metal plates respectively spaced apart circumferentially from each
other, and elastomeric blocks between said inner and outer plates
and bonded to the same, said blocks being spaced apart
circumferentially of said element.
15. A railway vehicle according to claim 14 wherein said inner and
outer plates are in staggered relation with each other
circumferentially of said element, the end portions of each outer
plate overlapping the end portion of adjacent inner plates, said
blocks being positioned respectively between the lapped end
portions of inner and outer plates.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to railway rolling stock and consists
particularly in a four-wheel truck with relatively pivoted side
frames.
2. The Prior Art
Prior patents, e.g., Haynes, U.S. Pat. No. 2,477,517, disclose
four-wheel trucks in which separate side frames are pivoted to each
other on a transverse axis to accommodate differing vertical
conditions in the opposite track rails. Commonly, the side frames
of such trucks are rigidly mounted on the journal boxes or are
tightly clamped to the journal boxes such that substantially no
vertical movement is permitted between the side frames and the
respective journal boxes. This arrangement necessitates substantial
pivoting of the side frames relative to each other and provides
disadvantageous nonresilient support for motors and drive
equipment, as well as brake gear, from the side frames, which would
increase wear and the likelihood of damage to these parts by reason
of their subjection to full vertical forces received by the wheels
from the rails.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a four-wheel railway car truck in which the
support of the truck side frames on the axles is sufficiently
resilient to prevent transmission of damaging vertical shocks to
motors, drive equipment and brake gear supported on the side
frames, yet sufficiently stiff to prevent excessive vertical
movement of third rail collection equipment supported on the side
frames. Adequate equalization is provided, despite the limited
resilience of the support of the side frames on the journal boxes,
by pivoting the side frames to each other on a generally transverse
axis.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a truck embodying the invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the truck illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view along line 3--3 of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view along
line 4--4 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view along line 5--5
of FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view, similar to FIG. 3,
of a second form of the invention.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional
view of one of the connections between the side frames of the truck
illustrated in FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view along
lines 8--8 of FIGS. 6 and 7.
FIG. 9 is a transverse vertical sectional view, similar to FIGS. 3
and 6, of a third form of the invention.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional
view of one of the connections between the side frames of the truck
illustrated in FIG. 9.
FIGS. 11 and 12 are longitudinal vertical sectional views along
lines 11--11 and 12--12 respectively of FIG. 10.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The numeral 1 denotes railway flanged wheels arranged in gauged
pairs on driving axles 3 which are parallel to each other and
spaced apart from each other with corresponding wheels lying in the
same vertical planes perpendicular to the axles.
Inwardly of wheels 1, axles 3 are rotatably received within
bearings 5. Bearings 5 are provided with an adaptor 7 having
upwardly and inwardly symmetrically inclined sides 9, Adaptor sides
9 are V-shaped in plan with their apices pointing away from the
respective axles in a direction longitudinal of the truck.
A pair of side frames comprising respectively longitudinally
extending side members 11L and 11R and transverse transom members
13L and 13R are supported on the respective bearings 5 by means of
elastomeric chevron springs each comprising a V-shaped elastomeric
pad 15 bounded by a pair of V-shaped metal plates 17 and 19, the
inner plate 17 of each chevron spring being secured to the surface
9 of the bearing adaptors 7. Each of the side frames is formed at
its ends with downwardly open pedestal jaws having inwardly and
upwardly inclined sides 21 of the same but concave V shape in plan
as the chevron springs and the outer metal plates 19 of the latter
are received in and secured to pedestal sides 21.
The elastomeric material in pads 15 of the chevron springs is of
sufficient stiffness that through its resistance to compression it
virtually eliminates any relative longitudinal movement of the side
frames relative to the journal boxes and holds the journal boxes
against substantial lateral movement relative to the side frames,
while permitting a limited amount of vertical movement of the side
frames on the journal boxes, sufficient to cushion equipment
supported from the side frames against receipt of the full force of
vertical impacts received by the wheels from the rails, yet
insufficient to require excessive movement of third rail shoes
supported by the side frames. Included among the equipment
supported by the side frames as noted above may be traction motors
M and associated gear boxes G.
In view of the limitations imposed upon the chevrons by the
necessity of preventing excessive movement of third rail shoes S,
it is necessary that the side frames be connected to each other so
as to pivot about a transverse axis sufficiently to accommodate the
wheel treads to differing vertical irregularities in the opposite
track rails in excess of the normal deflections of the chevron
pads. For this purpose transom members 13L and 13R are slightly
offset from each other longitudinally of the truck and extend
parallel to each other in a direction transverse of the truck to a
region close to the opposite side frame, and above their respective
extremities 23L and 23R the opposite side frames are widened
respectively to form downwardly facing inwardly extending stub
members 25L, 25R.
Details of the construction of the connections of the side frames
to each other are shown in FIG. 4, in which it will be seen that
the upper surface of extremity 23L of transom member 13L is formed
with an upwardly open circular recess defined by a cylindrical rim
27L and having an upwardly facing bottom wall 29L. While the bottom
surface of stub member 25R is formed with a similar downwardly open
cup-shaped recess defined by a downwardly extending cylindrical rim
31R and having a downwardly facing bottom wall 33R. Walls 29L and
33R are circularly centrally apertured at 35L and 37R respectively
and a large elastomeric annulus 41 is seated in the space between
walls 29L and 33R surrounded by rims 27L and 31R and is held
compressed therein by an assembly comprising a tension member in
the form of a bolt 39, a metal washer 41 and an elastomeric washer
43 above wall 33R and a similar elastomeric washer 43 and metal
washer 41 surrounding the bolt below wall 29L, and a nut 45 on the
lower end of bolt 39 holding washers 43 and elastomeric annulus 41
in compressed condition and tying right-hand side frame stub member
25R to left-hand transom member extremity 23R. Yieldability of
elastomeric annular pads 41 permits limited pivoting of the side
frames relative to each other about a generally transverse axis to
provide equalization for the truck. To assure adequate flexibility
in the connections between side frame stub members 25R or 25L and
transom members 13L or 13R, bolts 39 are of somewhat less diameter
than apertures 35L and 37R and elastomeric washers 43 are formed
with annular ribs 47 surrounding their central openings and
insertible in apertures 35L and 37R to maintain the bolts in spaced
relation to the sides of the apertures.
In the center of the truck each of the transom members 13L and 13R
is formed on opposing transverse surfaces with a semicircular
recess 49 to form a vertical axis pivot bearing for a cylindrical
boss 51 depending from a transverse bolster 53 supported at its
sides by sliding bearings 55 on the midsections 57L and 57R of side
frame side members 11L and 11R. A generally similar pivot
arrangement is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 of my U.S. Pat. No.
3,523,505. Bolster 53 mounts at its ends largely outwardly of side
frame side members 11L and 11R upright springs 59 adapted for
supporting securement to the underside of a car body (not shown),
and at its ends bolster 55 has brackets 61 to which are secured
longitudinally extending bolster anchors 63, the opposite ends of
which are similarly secured to brackets 65 depending from the
supported car body whereby to hold bolster 55 against swiveling
relative to the car body and transmitting acceleration and
retardation forces from the bolster to the car body, while
permitting vertical and lateral movements of the car body on
springs 59.
To assure the smoothly functioning conjugate relationship between
the side frame transom member extremities 23L and 23R and the
corresponding side frame stub members 25R and 25L, the two side
frames are preferably formed as a single one-piece casting and with
rims 31R and 27L, and 31L and 27R, respectively, integral with each
other, the pockets between them being formed by precision cores.
Upon completion of the castings, the side frames are separated from
each other by burning the circular walls 27L, 31R and 27R, 31L
apart intermediate their ends to form the respective opposing rims
27L and 31R or 27R and 31L. By this mode of manufacture, proper
fitting without extensive machining of opposite pairs of side
frames with each other will be assured.
Operation of the truck is as follows: Vertical impacts are
cushioned by the limited resiliency of chevron pads 15, thus
reducing wear and the likelihood of damage to equipment mounted on
the side frames, but the limited resiliency of the pads does not
cause sufficient vertical movement of the side frames to interfere
with normal operation of third rail shoes by requiring excessive
movement of the shoes to maintain their contact with the third
rail. At the same time, additional relative movement between the
side frames necessary to accommodate to differing vertical
irregularities in the two track rails is permitted by the action of
annular elastomeric pads 41 between transom member extremities 23L
and 23R and side frame stub members 25R and 25L, only limited
movement being required between the side frames because of the
limited resiliency of chevron pads 15, the equalization thus being
a combination of the effect of chevron pads 15 and the pivoting of
the side frames permitted by annular pads 41. Pivoting of the side
frames relative to each other is further facilitated by the use of
slightly resilient side bearings 55 and the provision of an
elastomeric bushing 50 in the annular space between bolster boss 51
and transom stub recesses 49.
In the modified constructions illustrated in FIGS. 6-8 and 9-12,
identical parts bear the same reference characters as in the first
embodiment, and modified or different parts are identified by
different reference characters.
The truck of FIGS. 6-8 is similar to that of the first embodiment
except in the form of the transom members 73L and 73R and side
frame stub members 75L and 75R.
Both transom members 73L and 73R are identical. Transom member 73R
shown in FIG. 7 is of box section, with spaced top and bottom walls
77R and 79R, and at its extremity adjacent side frame 11L, top wall
77R is formed with a recess 81L of generally concave, generally
hemispherical shape and transeversely inboard of the truck from
recess 81R, both top and bottom walls are formed with vertically
aligned circular openings 83R and 85R.
Stub member 75L projects inwardly from side frame 11L in transverse
alignment with transom member 73R and in overlying relation with
the adjacent extremity thereof. A depending hemispherical boss 87L,
of slightly less diameter than recess 81R, is formed on bottom wall
89L of stub member 75L for registry with recess 81R in which it is
received. To prevent metal-to-metal contact and consequent wear
between boss 87L and recess 81R and to facilitate pivotal movements
therebetween, a hemispherical pad 91 of elastomeric material is
interposed between the recess and boss. Stub member 75L projects
inwardly transversely of the truck from boss 87L and the projecting
portion of bottom wall 89L is formed with a circular opening 93L,
which is vertically aligned with openings 83R and 85R when boss 87L
and recess 81R are in registry with each other. For holding stub
member 75L and transom member 73R in engagement with each other
through boss 87L, pad 91 and recess 81R, a pair of annular
elastomeric pads 95 are seated respectively on the top of stub
member bottom wall 89L and the transom member bottom wall 79R, with
inner annular ribs 97 projecting into openings 93L and 85R
respectively, and a bolt 99 passes through the holes in pads 95,
metal washers 101 being interposed respectively between the bolt
head 103 and upper pad 95 and between nut 105 on the lower end of
bolt 99 and lower pad 95, the latter being tightened to compress
pads 95 and thereby hold stub member 75L and transom member 73R in
pivotal relation with each other about an axis transverse of the
truck so as to permit necessary longitudinal tipping movement of
side frames 11L and 11R with respect to each other.
The truck of FIGS. 9-12 is similar to those of FIGS. 1-5 and 6-8
except in the form of the transom members 113R and 113L and the
side frame stub members 115L and 115R.
Both transom members 113R and 113L are identical, as are side frame
stub members 115L and 115R. Transom member 113R is of tubular shape
and its end portion 117R adjacent the opposite side frame 11L is of
reduced diameter, being journaled to it by an annular wall portion
119R. Side frame stub member 115L is of the same tubular cross
section as transom member 113R os that its interior surface 121L is
of somewhat larger diameter than the end portion 117R of the
transom member, and when the truck is assembled, transom member end
portion 117R is matingly received within side frame stub member
115L, the end of stub member 115L being spaced transversely of the
truck from transom member annular wall 119R. To prevent
metal-to-metal contact between transom member end portion 117R and
the side frame stub member interior surface 121L and consequent
wear and noise, and to facilitate pivotal movements between these
elements, an elastomeric bushing element consisting of inner and
outer arcuate metal plates 122 and 123 and elastomeric blocks or
pads 125, is compressed between surface 121L and the outer surface
of transom stub end portion 117L, relative pivotal movement being
accommodated by shear in pads 125.
In bushings 122, 123, 125, as best seen in FIG. 12, inner plates
122 are arcuately spaced from each other, as are outer plates 123,
the angular positions of the inner and outer plates being staggered
with respect to each other, so that the end portions of each outer
plate overlaps the end portions of two adjacent inner plates, and
each pad 125 is bonded to the overlapping portions of an inner and
outer plate. This arrangement facilitates application of the
bushing element and relative pivotal movement between transom
member 113R and side frame stub member 115L.
For ease of manufacture and to insure proper mating between transom
members 113R and 113L and side frame stub members 115L and 115R,
the entire truck frame may be formed as a one-piece casting, in
which the transom members 113R, 113L are joined to the side frame
stub members 115L, 115R by short arcuately spaced arcuate
extensions 127 of their peripheral walls, the annular and
transverse spaces between them being formed by precision ceramic
cores in the mold in which the truck frame is cast. After the
casting is completed, exteriors 127 are burnt off, or otherwise
removed, to separate the side frames from each other.
The details of the structure may be varied substantially without
departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of
those modifications coming within the scope of the claims is
contemplated.
* * * * *