CA2034222C - Railway truck side bearing - Google Patents
Railway truck side bearingInfo
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- CA2034222C CA2034222C CA 2034222 CA2034222A CA2034222C CA 2034222 C CA2034222 C CA 2034222C CA 2034222 CA2034222 CA 2034222 CA 2034222 A CA2034222 A CA 2034222A CA 2034222 C CA2034222 C CA 2034222C
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- rigid
- bearing means
- elastomeric
- cavity
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Abstract
A railway vehicle side bearing has a housing adapted to be affixed to a railway vehicle truck intermediate the truck and a car body wear plate. The housing has side and end walls enclosing a cavity adapted to receive a compliant elastomeric bearing having an upper end portion thereof extending vertically above the side and end walls. A rigid spacer has an upstanding abutment portion disposed adjacent the upstanding elastomeric bearing and an upwardly facing surface adjacent the abutment portion. A rigid bearing is supported on that surface for movement thereon between limits, the spacer and the rigid bearing having an overall vertical height that, when supported on that surface with the spacer disposed within the cavity the rigid bearing has an uppermost extent located above the highest elevation of the housing walls for contacting the wear plate so as to limit the vertically downward travel of the wear plate towards the side bearing. The abutment portion extends vertically upward to an elevation sufficient to laterally confine a vertical extent of the elastomeric bearing extending intermediate the uppermost extent of the rigid bearing and the highest elevation of the housing walls for limiting movement of the vertical extent in at least one lateral direction throughout deformation of the elastomeric bearing in vertical compression.
Description
BACRGROUND OF THI~ 1~. v ~:.. . lON
A railway freight car commonly includes a car body supported on the center plates of a pair of longitudinally spaced trucks. The coned wheels of the trucks engage the respective rails of a railway track and the trucks travel a generally sinuous path along tangent track as they continually seek a centered position under the steering influence of the wheel conicity. In travelling such a sinuous path, a railway truck will oscillate laterally and yaw cyclically with respect to the car body about the vertical axis defined by the vertical center line of the truck bolster center plate.
A railway truck also will yaw or rotate quasi-statically with respect to the car body in negotiating curved track.
As a result of such lateral truck oscillation and cyclic yawing, unstable truck hunting responses can develop if the frequency of the cyclic motion approaches resonance. Reference is made hereby to prior U.S. patent 3,957,318 for further detailed explanation of railway vehicle truck hunting phenomena.
Railway car body rock and roll is another problem in railway car stability that is related to the truck hunting phenomenon. As the trucks of a railway car negotiate their sinuous path of travel along the railway track, the car body ,~
kb:ycc 2034~22 wlll move laterally in concert with the cyclic lateral movement of the truch center plates. The loaded or heavy car readily tolerates this lateral oscillation; however, the empty or light car body may be driven to rock laterally from side to side. As with known truck hunting phenomena, this lateral rock and roll empty car body motion can also be driven by resonant coupling to destructive extremes.
hailway truck side bearings have long been utilized to provide support for a car body with respect to a truch arerally outward ot the truch center plate. Such support is necessary not only in view of the tendency of an empty car body to roch from side to side as a result of the force inputs of hunting or roch and roll phenomena, but addltlonally by the negotiation of trach curves and the superelevated trach encountered in curves.
~laer Conventional side bearings have included roller bearings carried for rolling movement longitudinally wlthin an elongated cage or carrier mounted on a railway truch bolster. The roller extends above the uppermost extent of the open top of the carrier for rolling engagement with a wear plate carried by the car body. Such side bearings are able to support a car body with respect to a truch bolster laterally outward of the truch center plate while at the same time permitting the bolster, and therefore the truck, the freedom to rotate with respect to the car body as is necessary to accommodate the normal truch movement along both tangent and curved trach as above described.
rhe art has also contemplated railway truck side bearings which serve not only to support a car body with respect to a truck bolster during relative rotational movement therebetween, but in addition to dissipate energy through frictional engagement between the car body wear plate and a bearing element whereby the requisite rotational freedom of the truck with respect to the car body is maintained while a degree of restraint is also provided as a means to control and limit destructive hunting responses.
Still further, the prior art has contemplated the use of elastomeric elements to cushion the vertical loading of a car body on a truck bolster exerted through the side bearing structure. Still other prior side bearings have contemplated roller bearing structures with self-centering rollers.
Among the prior side bearings known in the art as above characterized are those disclosed in U.S. patents 1,831,926, 2,301,372, 2,754,768, 3,255,712, 3,295,463, 3,313,245, 3,493,221, 3,518,948, 3,556,503, 3,628,464, 3,670,661, 3,719,154, 3,796,167 and 4,859,089.
ln some prlor side bearings, the desired function was purely to minimize friction, as in roller side bearings. In others, friction elements were intentionally introduced to provide both support and rotational freedom for the car body with respect to the truch bolster, as well as rotational restraint through the frictional dissipation of energy. The above-cited patent 4,859,089 is one example of such an energy dissipating side bearing.
Other more recent prior art side bearings such as that disclosed in U.S. patent 4,090,750 have contemplated the use of bearing elements formed of elastomeric columns and upstanding rigid abutments which are engageable with a car body wear plate to provide both vertical support and relative rotational freedom for the car body with respect to the bolster, as well as a friction interface between the elastomeric columns and the car body wear plate to provide frictional energy dissipation upon relative rotation of the car body with respect to the bolster.
jt1ll other recent prior art side bearlngs such as those disclosed in U.S. patent 4,080,016 and 3,957,318, combine elastomeric columns to provide support and fr~clional energy dissipation as above characterized, and roller elements to limit the magnitude of vertical deflection of the elastomeric elements by providing a solid stop beyond which the car body wear plate cannot move vertically downward. The roller elements provide, at the limit of vertical motion of the wear plate downward toward the bolster, a range of relative rotational freedom for the car body with respect to the bolster without significantly increasing frictional restraint with greater side bearing loading beyond that afforded by the elastomeric columns alone.
Another truch bearing structure, not so recent, is disclosed in U.S. patent 38,182 as a ball bearing element disposed in a downwardly concave cup which is in turn resiliently supported by an elastomeric ring element.
The present invention contemplates a novel and lmproved rallway truch side bearing structure especially well suited for use in railway truch and car body comblnatlons unhnown when many of the above cited prior bearings were developed. Others of the above prior slde bearings, although developed when the more modern truck and car body combinations were hnown and could be suitably adapted for use thereon, were nevertheless not specifically developed for use with such truch and car body assemblies and their design and development did not contemplate the operating conditions and problems posed by modern car configurations.
More specifically, certain newer types of railway cars utilize articulated couplings between pairs of adjacent car platforms that share a common intermediate truch having a flat center plate bearing. These and other car contlgurations often may have longer spacing between adjacent trucks; that is, thc car platform lcngth5, and therefore the inter-truch spacing, may be greater than in conventional cars. Staching of containerized loads and similar transport modes for these and other cars, often characterized as intermodal cars, has resulted in loaded cars with extremely high centers of gravity, for example as much as 110 inches above the track.
In these and other car configurations, the role of the side bearing in supporting the car body with respect to the bolster has been altered dramatically. For example, in very high center of gravity loaded cars, most particularly the double stacked container configurations, the loaded car body center of gravity is located well above the articulated connector by which at least one end of the car body is supported. Even if the opposed end of the car body is supported by its own truch on a conventional flat center plate bearing, and even if the lading is centered on the car platform, the torsional stiffness of the car platform and containerized lading may be insufficient to keep the car body end that is supported in spherical bearing segments from leaning continuously to one lateral side or the other for relatively extended periods of car travel. If the lading is off-center, or in such operational circumstances as the traverse of track curves, extended periods of large magnitude side bearing loading may be virtually unavoidable.
Accordingly, the corresponding side bearing may be required to support a much greater than normal load through extended periods of car travel. Thus, the side bearing must accommodate controlled rotational freedom between the truck ana the car body through an angle equivalent to the maximum relative rotation therebetween, and this in turn requires maximum longitudinal rolling freedom for the roller bearing element. The maximum relative rotation between a car body and a truck in normal operation may be as great as the relative rotation experienced from a short radius left hand turnout to a similarly short radiused right hand turnout, although more typically the range of relative truch-to-car body rotation which the side bearing must accommodate would be that experienced in the spiral or entry portion of a trach curve.
rhe extendea platform lengths of some modern cars also can require a greater range of relative rotational freedom between the truch and the car platform because a longer platform requires a greater angle of relative rotation between the platform and the respective truchs to negotiate curved trach of any given radius. Still further, with greater car load capacities and higher centers of gravity there is impetus for designers to place the side bearings at a greater radius from the truch center plate or articulated connector to maximize the lateral moment arm of the side bearing with respect to the center plate bearing. This too increases the magnitude of roller bearing movement needed to accommodate relative truch-to-car body rotation. An additional design problem is that the geometric limitations of truck and car body design limit the physical size of the side bearing components that can be utilized in a given 20342~2 application. It is preferred under most circumstances to keep the "footprint~ of a side bearing (i.e. the size of the car body wear plate required to cooperate with the side bearing) as small as possible, even though modern car designs often call for increased rather than reduced bearing load capacity and range of movement.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Ihe present lnvention contemplates an improved side bearing structure which is especially well suited for use with intermodal cars and similar modern car configurations having large load capacities, high centers of gravity, longer truck spacing, and other design features to which some prior side bearings might be less well suited in the tash of optimizing the dynamic performance of the car. The invention contemplates generally a railway truch side bearing assembly which is preferably adapted to be confined within a generally conventional, standard railway truch side 2~ bearing housing or carrier and including at least one upstanding elastomeric bearing element and a longitudinally adjacent spacer member disposed within the carrier. The spacer member includes at least one upstanding abutment which longitudinally confines a corresponding elastomeric column, and a generally upwardly facing elongated surface to receive a rigid bearing element such as a roller therein.
The roller is provided a range of free rolling movement longitudinally of the spacer member between stops or limits defined by longitudinally spaced portions of the spacer member.
The range of free movement for the roller can be made sufficient to accommodate the greater range of relative rotary movement between a bolster and a car platform required in modern car configurations as discussed hereinabove without sacrifice of frictional energy dissipation capability provided by the elastomeric columns.
This is so in part because the upstanding abutments of the C t~ ~
A spacer member~extend upwardly above the uppermost extent of the bearing carrier or housing and adjacent an upper portion of a corresponding elastomeric column to longitudinally buttress and confine the elastomeric element sufficiently that it does not bend longitudinally over the top of the confining abutment.
Accordlngly, surface contact between the upwardly facing bearing surface of the elastomeric column and the car body wear plate is maintained more uniformly and the full benefit of the shear restraint and frictional energy dissipation at the elastomer-to-rigid wear plate interface thus is realized. As a result, a smaller section thickness of elastomer, especially in the longitudinal direction, may be employed to attain the same levels of performance as regards shear restraint as in prior elastomeric side bearings requiring larger section elastomeric columns.
Thus, without sacrificing the desirable control capabilities -11- 2 0 3 ~
of a larger section elastomeric column, an increased range of longitudinal roller motion is made available in a side bearing housing of given dimensions.
Generally speaking and in summary of the above, therefore, the present invention maybe considered as providing in a railway vehicle side bearing having a rigid elongated housing which is adapted to be affixed to a railway vehicle truck intermediate the truck and a car body wear plate with the housing having laterally spaced, upwardly projecting side walls and longitudinally spaced, upwardly projecting end walls, each having respective uppermost edges to enclose an upwardly open elongated cavity that is adapted to receive a bearing assembly which includes a compliant bearing means having resiliently deformable upstanding elastomeric means with an upper end portion thereof extending vertically above such uppermost edges, an assembly of rigid bearing elements adapted to be received within such cavity longitudinally adjacent such upstanding elastomeric means comprising: a rigid, elongated spacer means having an upstanding abutment portion which is adapted to be disposed adjacent such upstanding elastomeric means and an upwardly facing surface extending thereon adjacent the abutment portion; a rigid bearing means adapted to be supported on the surface for movement thereon between limits, the spacer means and the rigid bearing means being of an overall vertical height that, when supported on the VLS:
- -lla-upwardly facing surface with the spacer means disposed within such cavity, the rigid bearing means has an uppermost extent located above such highest elevation of such side and end wall uppermost edges for contacting such wear plate to limit the vertically downward travel of such wear plate toward the side bearing; and the abutment portion extending vertically upward to an elevation sufficient to laterally confine a vertical extent of such upstanding elastomeric means extending intermediate the uppermost extent of the rigid bearing means and such highest elevation of such side and end wall uppermost edges for limiting movement of the vertical extent in at least one lateral direction throughout deformation of such upstanding elastomeric means in vertical compression.
These and other features and further advantages of the invention will be more fully appreciated upon consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying VLS:
drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is an end elevation showing a side bearing according to one presently preferred embodiment of the instant invention and cooperating portions of a railway truch and car body;
Fig. 2 is a sectioned side elevation of a side bearing taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;
~ig. ~ is a sectloned side elevation showlng an alternative embodiment of the instant invention;
Flg. 4 is a sectioned side elevation showing another alternative embodiment of the instant invention; and Fig. 5 is a sectioned side elevation showing still another alternative embodiment of the invention.
rhere is generally indicated at 10 in Figs. 1 and 2 a side bearing assembly which is carried atop a bolster 12 of a railway truck and is secured thereto as by threaded fasteners 14 for cooperative interaction with the wear plate 16 of a rail car body 18 supported by a center plate bearing portion 13 of bolster 12. Although this invention will be described with reference to a conventional truck bolster and center plate support system as in a known three piece truck, it will be understood that the invention may also be -utilized in other car body support applications such as intermodal cars or other car configurations where adjacent car platforms are supported through the spherical bearing segments of an articulated coupling that is supported on a truck, as well as alternative truck configurations such as single axle trucks. For application in a conventional three piece truck, other known components not shown include spring groups mounted in a pair of side frames to support the opposed longitudinal ends of bolster 12, and suitably journaled wheelsets which rest on tracks or rails to support each side frame of the truck.
~he invention herein lS directed primarily to side bearing assemblies such as shown at 10, and the balance of 1~ the truck and car body elements set forth hereinabove are well known in the art. Further detailed description of such elements thus is not necessary for understanding of the present invention.
zo The invention also contemplates an assembly of side bearing components adapted to be received within a side bearing housing or carrier 20 of generally conventional design, or alternatively in a new and heretofore unknown side bearing carrier. The side bearing assembly 10 comprises the elongated bearing carrier or housing 20 having a pair of elongated, upstanding, laterally spaced side walls 22 and a pair of longitudinally spaced, upstanding end walls 24 which may be comprised of respective pairs of laterally - - 203~222 adjacent, inturned end flange portions of side walls 22.
For this and other bearing carrier end wall configurations, shim plates 26 may be assembled with end wall portions 24 such that upper portions 28 thereof overlie the uppermost extent of end wall portions 24, and a lower extent 30 of each shim plate 26 extends adjacent an inner surface of the end wall portions 24, respectively, and downwardly into the confines of carrier 20.
The carrler 20 further includes a longitudinally and laterally extending base portion 32 which, in conjunction with side walls 22 and end walls 24, forms an upwardly opening cavity 34 to receive and confine an assembly of side bearing elements.
It will be seen that side walls 22 and end walls 24 project upwardly to an uppermost extent which is at a uniform elevation. Additionally, the upper extent 28 of each shim plate 26 projects to an elevation above the uppermost extent 36 of the side and end walls 22, 24 for a purpose to be described hereinbelow.
Within the confines of space 34 is received an assembly of bearing elements comprised preferably of a pair of elongated, upstanding elastomeric columns 40, one received in each longitudinal end of space 34 adjacent a respective end wall portion 24 and in longitudinal abutment with the respective shim plate 26, an elongated spacer or abutment member 42 received within space 34 longitudinally intermediate elastomeric columns 40, and a rigid bearing member such as a roller 44 is received within space 34 intermediate side walls 22 and within the confinement of an upwardly opening concavity 46 formed by abutment member 42.
Spacer member 42, also referred to alternatively as a saddle, includes a longitudinally extending base portion 48 which rests upon an upper surface 50 of carrier base portion 32, a pair of upstanding end abutment portions 52 which are spaced longitudinally apart to reside longitudinally inwardly adjacent the respective elastomeric columns 40, and integral curved or radiused portions 54 which extend intermediate base portion 48 and the respective abutment portions 52.
It wlll be noted that abutment portions 52 extend upwardly to an uppermost extent 56 which, lihe the uppermost portions 28 of shim plates 26, project above the upper extent 36 of the side walls 22 and end walls 24 to an elevation just slightly below the highest elevation of roller 44. Accordingly, upstanding abutments are provided at an elevation above the highest lateral abutment provided by carrier 20 such that the relative rotational movement between bolster 12 and car body 18 occurs at all load levels with reduced tendency for elastomeric columns 40 to bend longitudinally, and therefore reduced tendency for development of non-uniform loading of the elastomeric columns 40 in compression. More particularly, relative rotation between car body 18 and bolster 12 results at all load levels in shear deformation of elastomeric columns 40 in the longitudinal direction and ultimate friction break and longitudinal sliding of wear plate 16 on the uppermost surfaces 41 of elastomeric columns 40. Both the control provided by horizontal shear deformation of the elastomeric columns prior to frictional sliding between surfaces 41 and wear plate 16, and the energy dissipation achieved by frictional sliding movement between the surfaces 41 and plate 16 are optimized in part by abutments 52 which constrain the elastomeric columns 40 to remain essentially upright under all operating conditions and load levels.
In prior side bearings wherein a relatively elongated extent of an elastomeric column projected above the highest longitudinal abutments and was therefore relatively unconfined in at least one longitudinal direction, relative rotation of the bolster with respect to the car body produced in the longitudinally unconfined elastomeric columns a tendency to bend longitudinally. This is especially true of the trailing or rearward elastomeric column, rechoned with respect to the direction of longitudinal movement of the car body wear plate 16 with respect to the side bearing assembly. Such elastomer column bending produces non-uniform loading across the surface 41 of the elastomeric element thereby significantly degrading the shear restraint available at the wear plate-to-elastomer interface. By providing abutments projecting upwardly above the bearing carrier side and end walls, especially for the longitudinally opposed sides of the elastomeric element, improved longitudinal confinement of the elastomeric element enhances the uniformity of loading on the uppermost surface thereof. As a result, the shear restraint available at the wear plate-to-elastomer interface is of both greater magnitude and improved uniformity over that available without such longitudinal abutments.
Accordingly, Ihe desired characteristics of shear restraint in the elastomer-to-wear plate interface can be achieved with elastomeric columns of smaller cross section than required in prior side bearings. Therefore, within the confines of a given bearing carrier 20 more longitudinal space is available between elastomeric elements 40 by use of smaller section elastomeric elements to provide a greater longitudinal rolling range for roller 44. The side bearing thus can accommodate increased angular rotation between truck 1Z and car body 18.
rhe lnwardly facing surfaces 60 of member 48 provide rigid stops or limits for roller movement such that roller 44 will not laterally deform elastomeric elements 40 as it rolls longitudinally to one extreme or the other in its longitudinal travel. However, it will be noted that the spacer member 48 is free to move or rock longitudinally with respect to housing 20 so that when roller 44 engages one of 203~222 .
surfaces 60, the member 48 can roll or tilt slightly in the same longitudinal direction by limited longitudinal compression of the adjacent elastomeric column 40. The member 48 thereby provides a further increment of roller movement in the longitudinal direction and cushions the engagement of the roller on the surface 60.
It wlll be noted that the uppermost extent ot roller 44 projects above the uppermost extent of the side walls Z2 and end walls 24, and additionally above the uppermost extent of the shim plate upper ends 28. The roller 44 also projects above the uppermost projection 56 of the abutment portions 52, although preferably only vory slightly above.
Accordingly, when the loading on elastomeric columns 40 deforms them in vertical compression to the solid condition whereat plate 16 engages roller 44, plate 16 remains at all times clear of contact with side walls 22, end walls 24, shim plates 26 and abutment projections 56, and only a very minimal vertical extent of the elastomeric columns projects above the uppermost extent 56 of abutments 52.
Inasmuch as one object of this invention is to provide, within the confines of a given bearing carrier, the necessary longitudinal free rolling range for a roller bearing element to accommodate the greater relative rotational movement between a truch and a car platform as must be accommodated in some modern cars, it will be noted that an additional advantage provided by abutment member 48 , lS that it elevates the rolling surface on which roller 44 is supported above the uppermost surface 50 of base 32.
Accordingly, the uppermost extent of roller 44 projects further upward by an equal increment thereby permitting the use of a smaller diameter roller than could be otherwise employed, where the load limits to be encountered by the roller bearing permit. A smaller diameter roller occ~pies less of the longitudinal rolling range available between the limits defined by the abutment member 48 thereby providing further increased longitudinal free rolling range for the roller 44. Accordingly, the smaller diameter roller allows the accommodation of larger ranges of relative angular rotation between a truck and a car body within the confines of a given side bearing carrier or housing 20.
Other embodiments of the lnvention are shown in Figs.
A railway freight car commonly includes a car body supported on the center plates of a pair of longitudinally spaced trucks. The coned wheels of the trucks engage the respective rails of a railway track and the trucks travel a generally sinuous path along tangent track as they continually seek a centered position under the steering influence of the wheel conicity. In travelling such a sinuous path, a railway truck will oscillate laterally and yaw cyclically with respect to the car body about the vertical axis defined by the vertical center line of the truck bolster center plate.
A railway truck also will yaw or rotate quasi-statically with respect to the car body in negotiating curved track.
As a result of such lateral truck oscillation and cyclic yawing, unstable truck hunting responses can develop if the frequency of the cyclic motion approaches resonance. Reference is made hereby to prior U.S. patent 3,957,318 for further detailed explanation of railway vehicle truck hunting phenomena.
Railway car body rock and roll is another problem in railway car stability that is related to the truck hunting phenomenon. As the trucks of a railway car negotiate their sinuous path of travel along the railway track, the car body ,~
kb:ycc 2034~22 wlll move laterally in concert with the cyclic lateral movement of the truch center plates. The loaded or heavy car readily tolerates this lateral oscillation; however, the empty or light car body may be driven to rock laterally from side to side. As with known truck hunting phenomena, this lateral rock and roll empty car body motion can also be driven by resonant coupling to destructive extremes.
hailway truck side bearings have long been utilized to provide support for a car body with respect to a truch arerally outward ot the truch center plate. Such support is necessary not only in view of the tendency of an empty car body to roch from side to side as a result of the force inputs of hunting or roch and roll phenomena, but addltlonally by the negotiation of trach curves and the superelevated trach encountered in curves.
~laer Conventional side bearings have included roller bearings carried for rolling movement longitudinally wlthin an elongated cage or carrier mounted on a railway truch bolster. The roller extends above the uppermost extent of the open top of the carrier for rolling engagement with a wear plate carried by the car body. Such side bearings are able to support a car body with respect to a truch bolster laterally outward of the truch center plate while at the same time permitting the bolster, and therefore the truck, the freedom to rotate with respect to the car body as is necessary to accommodate the normal truch movement along both tangent and curved trach as above described.
rhe art has also contemplated railway truck side bearings which serve not only to support a car body with respect to a truck bolster during relative rotational movement therebetween, but in addition to dissipate energy through frictional engagement between the car body wear plate and a bearing element whereby the requisite rotational freedom of the truck with respect to the car body is maintained while a degree of restraint is also provided as a means to control and limit destructive hunting responses.
Still further, the prior art has contemplated the use of elastomeric elements to cushion the vertical loading of a car body on a truck bolster exerted through the side bearing structure. Still other prior side bearings have contemplated roller bearing structures with self-centering rollers.
Among the prior side bearings known in the art as above characterized are those disclosed in U.S. patents 1,831,926, 2,301,372, 2,754,768, 3,255,712, 3,295,463, 3,313,245, 3,493,221, 3,518,948, 3,556,503, 3,628,464, 3,670,661, 3,719,154, 3,796,167 and 4,859,089.
ln some prlor side bearings, the desired function was purely to minimize friction, as in roller side bearings. In others, friction elements were intentionally introduced to provide both support and rotational freedom for the car body with respect to the truch bolster, as well as rotational restraint through the frictional dissipation of energy. The above-cited patent 4,859,089 is one example of such an energy dissipating side bearing.
Other more recent prior art side bearings such as that disclosed in U.S. patent 4,090,750 have contemplated the use of bearing elements formed of elastomeric columns and upstanding rigid abutments which are engageable with a car body wear plate to provide both vertical support and relative rotational freedom for the car body with respect to the bolster, as well as a friction interface between the elastomeric columns and the car body wear plate to provide frictional energy dissipation upon relative rotation of the car body with respect to the bolster.
jt1ll other recent prior art side bearlngs such as those disclosed in U.S. patent 4,080,016 and 3,957,318, combine elastomeric columns to provide support and fr~clional energy dissipation as above characterized, and roller elements to limit the magnitude of vertical deflection of the elastomeric elements by providing a solid stop beyond which the car body wear plate cannot move vertically downward. The roller elements provide, at the limit of vertical motion of the wear plate downward toward the bolster, a range of relative rotational freedom for the car body with respect to the bolster without significantly increasing frictional restraint with greater side bearing loading beyond that afforded by the elastomeric columns alone.
Another truch bearing structure, not so recent, is disclosed in U.S. patent 38,182 as a ball bearing element disposed in a downwardly concave cup which is in turn resiliently supported by an elastomeric ring element.
The present invention contemplates a novel and lmproved rallway truch side bearing structure especially well suited for use in railway truch and car body comblnatlons unhnown when many of the above cited prior bearings were developed. Others of the above prior slde bearings, although developed when the more modern truck and car body combinations were hnown and could be suitably adapted for use thereon, were nevertheless not specifically developed for use with such truch and car body assemblies and their design and development did not contemplate the operating conditions and problems posed by modern car configurations.
More specifically, certain newer types of railway cars utilize articulated couplings between pairs of adjacent car platforms that share a common intermediate truch having a flat center plate bearing. These and other car contlgurations often may have longer spacing between adjacent trucks; that is, thc car platform lcngth5, and therefore the inter-truch spacing, may be greater than in conventional cars. Staching of containerized loads and similar transport modes for these and other cars, often characterized as intermodal cars, has resulted in loaded cars with extremely high centers of gravity, for example as much as 110 inches above the track.
In these and other car configurations, the role of the side bearing in supporting the car body with respect to the bolster has been altered dramatically. For example, in very high center of gravity loaded cars, most particularly the double stacked container configurations, the loaded car body center of gravity is located well above the articulated connector by which at least one end of the car body is supported. Even if the opposed end of the car body is supported by its own truch on a conventional flat center plate bearing, and even if the lading is centered on the car platform, the torsional stiffness of the car platform and containerized lading may be insufficient to keep the car body end that is supported in spherical bearing segments from leaning continuously to one lateral side or the other for relatively extended periods of car travel. If the lading is off-center, or in such operational circumstances as the traverse of track curves, extended periods of large magnitude side bearing loading may be virtually unavoidable.
Accordingly, the corresponding side bearing may be required to support a much greater than normal load through extended periods of car travel. Thus, the side bearing must accommodate controlled rotational freedom between the truck ana the car body through an angle equivalent to the maximum relative rotation therebetween, and this in turn requires maximum longitudinal rolling freedom for the roller bearing element. The maximum relative rotation between a car body and a truck in normal operation may be as great as the relative rotation experienced from a short radius left hand turnout to a similarly short radiused right hand turnout, although more typically the range of relative truch-to-car body rotation which the side bearing must accommodate would be that experienced in the spiral or entry portion of a trach curve.
rhe extendea platform lengths of some modern cars also can require a greater range of relative rotational freedom between the truch and the car platform because a longer platform requires a greater angle of relative rotation between the platform and the respective truchs to negotiate curved trach of any given radius. Still further, with greater car load capacities and higher centers of gravity there is impetus for designers to place the side bearings at a greater radius from the truch center plate or articulated connector to maximize the lateral moment arm of the side bearing with respect to the center plate bearing. This too increases the magnitude of roller bearing movement needed to accommodate relative truch-to-car body rotation. An additional design problem is that the geometric limitations of truck and car body design limit the physical size of the side bearing components that can be utilized in a given 20342~2 application. It is preferred under most circumstances to keep the "footprint~ of a side bearing (i.e. the size of the car body wear plate required to cooperate with the side bearing) as small as possible, even though modern car designs often call for increased rather than reduced bearing load capacity and range of movement.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Ihe present lnvention contemplates an improved side bearing structure which is especially well suited for use with intermodal cars and similar modern car configurations having large load capacities, high centers of gravity, longer truck spacing, and other design features to which some prior side bearings might be less well suited in the tash of optimizing the dynamic performance of the car. The invention contemplates generally a railway truch side bearing assembly which is preferably adapted to be confined within a generally conventional, standard railway truch side 2~ bearing housing or carrier and including at least one upstanding elastomeric bearing element and a longitudinally adjacent spacer member disposed within the carrier. The spacer member includes at least one upstanding abutment which longitudinally confines a corresponding elastomeric column, and a generally upwardly facing elongated surface to receive a rigid bearing element such as a roller therein.
The roller is provided a range of free rolling movement longitudinally of the spacer member between stops or limits defined by longitudinally spaced portions of the spacer member.
The range of free movement for the roller can be made sufficient to accommodate the greater range of relative rotary movement between a bolster and a car platform required in modern car configurations as discussed hereinabove without sacrifice of frictional energy dissipation capability provided by the elastomeric columns.
This is so in part because the upstanding abutments of the C t~ ~
A spacer member~extend upwardly above the uppermost extent of the bearing carrier or housing and adjacent an upper portion of a corresponding elastomeric column to longitudinally buttress and confine the elastomeric element sufficiently that it does not bend longitudinally over the top of the confining abutment.
Accordlngly, surface contact between the upwardly facing bearing surface of the elastomeric column and the car body wear plate is maintained more uniformly and the full benefit of the shear restraint and frictional energy dissipation at the elastomer-to-rigid wear plate interface thus is realized. As a result, a smaller section thickness of elastomer, especially in the longitudinal direction, may be employed to attain the same levels of performance as regards shear restraint as in prior elastomeric side bearings requiring larger section elastomeric columns.
Thus, without sacrificing the desirable control capabilities -11- 2 0 3 ~
of a larger section elastomeric column, an increased range of longitudinal roller motion is made available in a side bearing housing of given dimensions.
Generally speaking and in summary of the above, therefore, the present invention maybe considered as providing in a railway vehicle side bearing having a rigid elongated housing which is adapted to be affixed to a railway vehicle truck intermediate the truck and a car body wear plate with the housing having laterally spaced, upwardly projecting side walls and longitudinally spaced, upwardly projecting end walls, each having respective uppermost edges to enclose an upwardly open elongated cavity that is adapted to receive a bearing assembly which includes a compliant bearing means having resiliently deformable upstanding elastomeric means with an upper end portion thereof extending vertically above such uppermost edges, an assembly of rigid bearing elements adapted to be received within such cavity longitudinally adjacent such upstanding elastomeric means comprising: a rigid, elongated spacer means having an upstanding abutment portion which is adapted to be disposed adjacent such upstanding elastomeric means and an upwardly facing surface extending thereon adjacent the abutment portion; a rigid bearing means adapted to be supported on the surface for movement thereon between limits, the spacer means and the rigid bearing means being of an overall vertical height that, when supported on the VLS:
- -lla-upwardly facing surface with the spacer means disposed within such cavity, the rigid bearing means has an uppermost extent located above such highest elevation of such side and end wall uppermost edges for contacting such wear plate to limit the vertically downward travel of such wear plate toward the side bearing; and the abutment portion extending vertically upward to an elevation sufficient to laterally confine a vertical extent of such upstanding elastomeric means extending intermediate the uppermost extent of the rigid bearing means and such highest elevation of such side and end wall uppermost edges for limiting movement of the vertical extent in at least one lateral direction throughout deformation of such upstanding elastomeric means in vertical compression.
These and other features and further advantages of the invention will be more fully appreciated upon consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying VLS:
drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is an end elevation showing a side bearing according to one presently preferred embodiment of the instant invention and cooperating portions of a railway truch and car body;
Fig. 2 is a sectioned side elevation of a side bearing taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;
~ig. ~ is a sectloned side elevation showlng an alternative embodiment of the instant invention;
Flg. 4 is a sectioned side elevation showing another alternative embodiment of the instant invention; and Fig. 5 is a sectioned side elevation showing still another alternative embodiment of the invention.
rhere is generally indicated at 10 in Figs. 1 and 2 a side bearing assembly which is carried atop a bolster 12 of a railway truck and is secured thereto as by threaded fasteners 14 for cooperative interaction with the wear plate 16 of a rail car body 18 supported by a center plate bearing portion 13 of bolster 12. Although this invention will be described with reference to a conventional truck bolster and center plate support system as in a known three piece truck, it will be understood that the invention may also be -utilized in other car body support applications such as intermodal cars or other car configurations where adjacent car platforms are supported through the spherical bearing segments of an articulated coupling that is supported on a truck, as well as alternative truck configurations such as single axle trucks. For application in a conventional three piece truck, other known components not shown include spring groups mounted in a pair of side frames to support the opposed longitudinal ends of bolster 12, and suitably journaled wheelsets which rest on tracks or rails to support each side frame of the truck.
~he invention herein lS directed primarily to side bearing assemblies such as shown at 10, and the balance of 1~ the truck and car body elements set forth hereinabove are well known in the art. Further detailed description of such elements thus is not necessary for understanding of the present invention.
zo The invention also contemplates an assembly of side bearing components adapted to be received within a side bearing housing or carrier 20 of generally conventional design, or alternatively in a new and heretofore unknown side bearing carrier. The side bearing assembly 10 comprises the elongated bearing carrier or housing 20 having a pair of elongated, upstanding, laterally spaced side walls 22 and a pair of longitudinally spaced, upstanding end walls 24 which may be comprised of respective pairs of laterally - - 203~222 adjacent, inturned end flange portions of side walls 22.
For this and other bearing carrier end wall configurations, shim plates 26 may be assembled with end wall portions 24 such that upper portions 28 thereof overlie the uppermost extent of end wall portions 24, and a lower extent 30 of each shim plate 26 extends adjacent an inner surface of the end wall portions 24, respectively, and downwardly into the confines of carrier 20.
The carrler 20 further includes a longitudinally and laterally extending base portion 32 which, in conjunction with side walls 22 and end walls 24, forms an upwardly opening cavity 34 to receive and confine an assembly of side bearing elements.
It will be seen that side walls 22 and end walls 24 project upwardly to an uppermost extent which is at a uniform elevation. Additionally, the upper extent 28 of each shim plate 26 projects to an elevation above the uppermost extent 36 of the side and end walls 22, 24 for a purpose to be described hereinbelow.
Within the confines of space 34 is received an assembly of bearing elements comprised preferably of a pair of elongated, upstanding elastomeric columns 40, one received in each longitudinal end of space 34 adjacent a respective end wall portion 24 and in longitudinal abutment with the respective shim plate 26, an elongated spacer or abutment member 42 received within space 34 longitudinally intermediate elastomeric columns 40, and a rigid bearing member such as a roller 44 is received within space 34 intermediate side walls 22 and within the confinement of an upwardly opening concavity 46 formed by abutment member 42.
Spacer member 42, also referred to alternatively as a saddle, includes a longitudinally extending base portion 48 which rests upon an upper surface 50 of carrier base portion 32, a pair of upstanding end abutment portions 52 which are spaced longitudinally apart to reside longitudinally inwardly adjacent the respective elastomeric columns 40, and integral curved or radiused portions 54 which extend intermediate base portion 48 and the respective abutment portions 52.
It wlll be noted that abutment portions 52 extend upwardly to an uppermost extent 56 which, lihe the uppermost portions 28 of shim plates 26, project above the upper extent 36 of the side walls 22 and end walls 24 to an elevation just slightly below the highest elevation of roller 44. Accordingly, upstanding abutments are provided at an elevation above the highest lateral abutment provided by carrier 20 such that the relative rotational movement between bolster 12 and car body 18 occurs at all load levels with reduced tendency for elastomeric columns 40 to bend longitudinally, and therefore reduced tendency for development of non-uniform loading of the elastomeric columns 40 in compression. More particularly, relative rotation between car body 18 and bolster 12 results at all load levels in shear deformation of elastomeric columns 40 in the longitudinal direction and ultimate friction break and longitudinal sliding of wear plate 16 on the uppermost surfaces 41 of elastomeric columns 40. Both the control provided by horizontal shear deformation of the elastomeric columns prior to frictional sliding between surfaces 41 and wear plate 16, and the energy dissipation achieved by frictional sliding movement between the surfaces 41 and plate 16 are optimized in part by abutments 52 which constrain the elastomeric columns 40 to remain essentially upright under all operating conditions and load levels.
In prior side bearings wherein a relatively elongated extent of an elastomeric column projected above the highest longitudinal abutments and was therefore relatively unconfined in at least one longitudinal direction, relative rotation of the bolster with respect to the car body produced in the longitudinally unconfined elastomeric columns a tendency to bend longitudinally. This is especially true of the trailing or rearward elastomeric column, rechoned with respect to the direction of longitudinal movement of the car body wear plate 16 with respect to the side bearing assembly. Such elastomer column bending produces non-uniform loading across the surface 41 of the elastomeric element thereby significantly degrading the shear restraint available at the wear plate-to-elastomer interface. By providing abutments projecting upwardly above the bearing carrier side and end walls, especially for the longitudinally opposed sides of the elastomeric element, improved longitudinal confinement of the elastomeric element enhances the uniformity of loading on the uppermost surface thereof. As a result, the shear restraint available at the wear plate-to-elastomer interface is of both greater magnitude and improved uniformity over that available without such longitudinal abutments.
Accordingly, Ihe desired characteristics of shear restraint in the elastomer-to-wear plate interface can be achieved with elastomeric columns of smaller cross section than required in prior side bearings. Therefore, within the confines of a given bearing carrier 20 more longitudinal space is available between elastomeric elements 40 by use of smaller section elastomeric elements to provide a greater longitudinal rolling range for roller 44. The side bearing thus can accommodate increased angular rotation between truck 1Z and car body 18.
rhe lnwardly facing surfaces 60 of member 48 provide rigid stops or limits for roller movement such that roller 44 will not laterally deform elastomeric elements 40 as it rolls longitudinally to one extreme or the other in its longitudinal travel. However, it will be noted that the spacer member 48 is free to move or rock longitudinally with respect to housing 20 so that when roller 44 engages one of 203~222 .
surfaces 60, the member 48 can roll or tilt slightly in the same longitudinal direction by limited longitudinal compression of the adjacent elastomeric column 40. The member 48 thereby provides a further increment of roller movement in the longitudinal direction and cushions the engagement of the roller on the surface 60.
It wlll be noted that the uppermost extent ot roller 44 projects above the uppermost extent of the side walls Z2 and end walls 24, and additionally above the uppermost extent of the shim plate upper ends 28. The roller 44 also projects above the uppermost projection 56 of the abutment portions 52, although preferably only vory slightly above.
Accordingly, when the loading on elastomeric columns 40 deforms them in vertical compression to the solid condition whereat plate 16 engages roller 44, plate 16 remains at all times clear of contact with side walls 22, end walls 24, shim plates 26 and abutment projections 56, and only a very minimal vertical extent of the elastomeric columns projects above the uppermost extent 56 of abutments 52.
Inasmuch as one object of this invention is to provide, within the confines of a given bearing carrier, the necessary longitudinal free rolling range for a roller bearing element to accommodate the greater relative rotational movement between a truch and a car platform as must be accommodated in some modern cars, it will be noted that an additional advantage provided by abutment member 48 , lS that it elevates the rolling surface on which roller 44 is supported above the uppermost surface 50 of base 32.
Accordingly, the uppermost extent of roller 44 projects further upward by an equal increment thereby permitting the use of a smaller diameter roller than could be otherwise employed, where the load limits to be encountered by the roller bearing permit. A smaller diameter roller occ~pies less of the longitudinal rolling range available between the limits defined by the abutment member 48 thereby providing further increased longitudinal free rolling range for the roller 44. Accordingly, the smaller diameter roller allows the accommodation of larger ranges of relative angular rotation between a truck and a car body within the confines of a given side bearing carrier or housing 20.
Other embodiments of the lnvention are shown in Figs.
3 through 5. In Fig. 3 the bearing assembly shown is essentially identical in most salient respects to that described hereinabove with reference to Figs. 1 and 2;
however, the abutment member 62 is configured to include a base portion 64 which is of a concave configuration to provide a generally concave upper surface 66 on which roller 44 is supported. The roller 44 thus tends to be gravitationally self-centering when in a free rolling state (i.e. not engaged by the car body wear plate) to ensure that sufficient free rolling range in either longitudinal direction will be available upon contact of the roller 44 by the car body wear plate. It will be recalled that some ~o modern cars with extremely high centers of gravity when loaded will tend to lean over on one or the other of side bearings on a given truch for relatively long periods of travel. For any embodiment of this invention, the available free rolling space in either longitudinal direction for roller 44, when centered, should be sufficient to accommodate the maximum relative truck to car body rotation which can occur under such circumstances.
AadltionallyJ abutment member 62 is free to roch longitudinally within housing 68 if the concave upper surtaco 73 on which member 62 rests is of a larger radius than the mating convex surface 75 of member 62. As member 62 rocks, the upstanding abutment at the leading end thereof 15 (with respect to the direction of its longitudinal rocking~
compresses the corresponding elastomeric element 40. The rocking action of member 62 presents to the roller a progressively lower angle of inclination on surface 66 as the roller 44 moves up the incline of surface 66 when 20 displaced from its centered position. Without the roching capability for member 62, as the roller moves to one side or the other from its centered position it rolls up the centering incline, and the side bearing thus is lifting the entire weight supported thereon vertically upward. This 25 increase in the vertical loading on the side bearing roller, increases the directly proportional horizontal restraint between the roller and body plate 16, which is undesirable;
however, such lifting reduces elastomer compression incrementally and thus tends to offset the increase in roller-to-wear plate horizontal restraint. With member 62 configured to rock on surface 73 as described, the roller vertical position with respect to body plate 16 remains essentially constant throughout its range of longitudinal rolling motion. The instant the vertical loading of the roller is removed by upward displacement of wear plate 16, the longitudinal force between the end abutment and the elastomeric member 40 (into which the abutment has been thrust as a result of the described roching motion of member 62) will urge member 62 toward its centered, upright position, thereby increasing the inclination of that portion of surface 66 on which roller 44 resides and urging roller 44 also to return to its centered position by gravity.
Fig. 3 also illustrates a further modified bearing carrier 68 having its base portion 70 formed with upward projections 72 and an intervening concavity 74 to elevate and confine abutment member 62. As noted hereinabove, the increased elevation of roller 44 permits use of a smaller diameter roller, which is beneficial in several respects as described for providing greater longitudinal rolling range for the roller 44. The base portion 70 may be formed even further upward if desired to arch over the space intermediate the fasteners 14 and to thereby elevate abutment member 62 and roller 44 to an even higher elevation. Yet another way to achieve such increased roller elevation is to provide an insert member (not shown) within 203~222 housing 68 beneath the abutment member 62.
Fig. 4 discloses another alternative embodiment of the invention similar in many salient respects to that described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, but having an abutment member 76 with an elongated, essentially flat base portion 78 and upstanding portions 80 with the integral corner portions joining abutments 80 to base 78 being of significantly smaller radius than portions 54 of Fig. 2. In addition to a slightly concave upper surface of base portion 78, centering of the roller 44 may be provided by biasing elements 82 which are engageable with opposed lower surface portions 84 of the roller 44 and also engageable with inner surfaces 86 of abutment member 76 adjacent the lower corners thereof. Biased retainers 82 may be of solid, soft elastomer construction, and preferably are formed to leave a corner void 83 into which they may deform when contacted by roller 44.
Fig. 5 lllustrates yet another embodlment ot the invention in which the entire cavity within the side and end walls of a side bearing carrier or housing is occupied by an enlarged upstanding elastomeric column 88 and an asymmetrical abutment member 90 having an upwardly concave recess in which there is received a roller 44. Accordingly, abutment member 90 includes a base portion 92 and a single upstanding abutment portion 94 which extends upwardly adjacent the longitudinally inner side of elastomeric column 88 for longitudinal confinement of the same. The opposed end 96 of abutment member 90 interfaces with the end wall portions 24 of the bearing carrier thereby serving to position the abutment member 90 and provide a reaction interface to bear the longitudinal forces imposed upon abutment member 90 by confinement of elastomeric member 88 in operation. End portion 96 together with upstanding abutment 94 and connecting base portion 92 define an upwardly opening recess 98 within which roller 44 is free rolling between longitudinal limits in much the same manner as above described with reference to other embodiments. In addition, it is noted that the base portion 92 is of increased thichness thus illustrating another means for elevating roller 44 to thereby permit the use of a smaller diameter roller, with the attendant benefits as hereinabove described.
Accoralng ~o the description hereinabove there is provided by the instant invention a novel and improved side bearing assembly for use especially in conjunction with modern rail car body and truck configurations. Although the invention has been described with reference to certain presently preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that I have envisioned various alternative and modified Z5 embodiments within the scope of the invention as described.
Among such modifications, I have contemplated a side bearing generally as above described but with more than two elastomeric columns spaced longitudinally of a bearing carrier and with rollers free rolling within limits in abutments members disposed between each pair of adjacent elastomeric columns. Additionally, a bearing of this invention may be constructed to the proportions of an unusually elongated housing member to provide a single bearing assembly which provides support for both of the mutually adjacent ends of a pair of car platforms which are supported on a common truck bolster. The elastomeric columns may be configured in a variety of geometric shapes and from a variety of elastomeric materials according to the performance requirements of the particular car body and truck assembly. Certainly such alternative embodiments would also occur to others versed in the art, once apprised of my invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be construed broadly and limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
however, the abutment member 62 is configured to include a base portion 64 which is of a concave configuration to provide a generally concave upper surface 66 on which roller 44 is supported. The roller 44 thus tends to be gravitationally self-centering when in a free rolling state (i.e. not engaged by the car body wear plate) to ensure that sufficient free rolling range in either longitudinal direction will be available upon contact of the roller 44 by the car body wear plate. It will be recalled that some ~o modern cars with extremely high centers of gravity when loaded will tend to lean over on one or the other of side bearings on a given truch for relatively long periods of travel. For any embodiment of this invention, the available free rolling space in either longitudinal direction for roller 44, when centered, should be sufficient to accommodate the maximum relative truck to car body rotation which can occur under such circumstances.
AadltionallyJ abutment member 62 is free to roch longitudinally within housing 68 if the concave upper surtaco 73 on which member 62 rests is of a larger radius than the mating convex surface 75 of member 62. As member 62 rocks, the upstanding abutment at the leading end thereof 15 (with respect to the direction of its longitudinal rocking~
compresses the corresponding elastomeric element 40. The rocking action of member 62 presents to the roller a progressively lower angle of inclination on surface 66 as the roller 44 moves up the incline of surface 66 when 20 displaced from its centered position. Without the roching capability for member 62, as the roller moves to one side or the other from its centered position it rolls up the centering incline, and the side bearing thus is lifting the entire weight supported thereon vertically upward. This 25 increase in the vertical loading on the side bearing roller, increases the directly proportional horizontal restraint between the roller and body plate 16, which is undesirable;
however, such lifting reduces elastomer compression incrementally and thus tends to offset the increase in roller-to-wear plate horizontal restraint. With member 62 configured to rock on surface 73 as described, the roller vertical position with respect to body plate 16 remains essentially constant throughout its range of longitudinal rolling motion. The instant the vertical loading of the roller is removed by upward displacement of wear plate 16, the longitudinal force between the end abutment and the elastomeric member 40 (into which the abutment has been thrust as a result of the described roching motion of member 62) will urge member 62 toward its centered, upright position, thereby increasing the inclination of that portion of surface 66 on which roller 44 resides and urging roller 44 also to return to its centered position by gravity.
Fig. 3 also illustrates a further modified bearing carrier 68 having its base portion 70 formed with upward projections 72 and an intervening concavity 74 to elevate and confine abutment member 62. As noted hereinabove, the increased elevation of roller 44 permits use of a smaller diameter roller, which is beneficial in several respects as described for providing greater longitudinal rolling range for the roller 44. The base portion 70 may be formed even further upward if desired to arch over the space intermediate the fasteners 14 and to thereby elevate abutment member 62 and roller 44 to an even higher elevation. Yet another way to achieve such increased roller elevation is to provide an insert member (not shown) within 203~222 housing 68 beneath the abutment member 62.
Fig. 4 discloses another alternative embodiment of the invention similar in many salient respects to that described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, but having an abutment member 76 with an elongated, essentially flat base portion 78 and upstanding portions 80 with the integral corner portions joining abutments 80 to base 78 being of significantly smaller radius than portions 54 of Fig. 2. In addition to a slightly concave upper surface of base portion 78, centering of the roller 44 may be provided by biasing elements 82 which are engageable with opposed lower surface portions 84 of the roller 44 and also engageable with inner surfaces 86 of abutment member 76 adjacent the lower corners thereof. Biased retainers 82 may be of solid, soft elastomer construction, and preferably are formed to leave a corner void 83 into which they may deform when contacted by roller 44.
Fig. 5 lllustrates yet another embodlment ot the invention in which the entire cavity within the side and end walls of a side bearing carrier or housing is occupied by an enlarged upstanding elastomeric column 88 and an asymmetrical abutment member 90 having an upwardly concave recess in which there is received a roller 44. Accordingly, abutment member 90 includes a base portion 92 and a single upstanding abutment portion 94 which extends upwardly adjacent the longitudinally inner side of elastomeric column 88 for longitudinal confinement of the same. The opposed end 96 of abutment member 90 interfaces with the end wall portions 24 of the bearing carrier thereby serving to position the abutment member 90 and provide a reaction interface to bear the longitudinal forces imposed upon abutment member 90 by confinement of elastomeric member 88 in operation. End portion 96 together with upstanding abutment 94 and connecting base portion 92 define an upwardly opening recess 98 within which roller 44 is free rolling between longitudinal limits in much the same manner as above described with reference to other embodiments. In addition, it is noted that the base portion 92 is of increased thichness thus illustrating another means for elevating roller 44 to thereby permit the use of a smaller diameter roller, with the attendant benefits as hereinabove described.
Accoralng ~o the description hereinabove there is provided by the instant invention a novel and improved side bearing assembly for use especially in conjunction with modern rail car body and truck configurations. Although the invention has been described with reference to certain presently preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that I have envisioned various alternative and modified Z5 embodiments within the scope of the invention as described.
Among such modifications, I have contemplated a side bearing generally as above described but with more than two elastomeric columns spaced longitudinally of a bearing carrier and with rollers free rolling within limits in abutments members disposed between each pair of adjacent elastomeric columns. Additionally, a bearing of this invention may be constructed to the proportions of an unusually elongated housing member to provide a single bearing assembly which provides support for both of the mutually adjacent ends of a pair of car platforms which are supported on a common truck bolster. The elastomeric columns may be configured in a variety of geometric shapes and from a variety of elastomeric materials according to the performance requirements of the particular car body and truck assembly. Certainly such alternative embodiments would also occur to others versed in the art, once apprised of my invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be construed broadly and limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
Claims (17)
1. In a railway vehicle side bearing having a rigid elongated housing which is adapted to be carried by a railway truck to support a railway car body with the housing having laterally spaced, upwardly projecting side walls and longitudinally spaced, upwardly projecting end walls with respective uppermost edges, such side and end walls enclosing an upwardly open elongated cavity, a bearing assembly adapted to be received within such elongated cavity for engagement with a wear plate carried by such railway car body comprising:
compliant bearing means adapted to be disposed within such elongated cavity adjacent at least one of such walls and having an upper end surface means disposed vertically above such uppermost edges;
said compliant bearing means including at least one upstanding, resiliently deformable elastomeric bearing element having a vertically extending surface portion;
a rigid, elongated spacer means adapted to be disposed within such elongated cavity adjacent said vertically extending surface portion;
said spacer means including an upwardly facing surface means extending thereon, and an upstanding abutment means which is cooperable with at least some of such walls and engagable with said vertically extending surface portion to at least partially confine said elastomeric element within such cavity;
claim 1 Cont'd.
rigid bearing means supported on said upwardly facing surface means and being moveable thereon in opposed directions within predetermined limits;
said rigid bearing means being of an overall vertical height that, when supported upon said upwardly facing surface means with said spacer means disposed within such cavity, said rigid bearing means has an uppermost extent located above such uppermost edges of such side and end walls;
said elastomeric element being vertically deformable in compression and having an overall vertical height when disposed within such elongated cavity that said upper end surface means of said compliant bearing means is disposed vertically above said uppermost extent of said rigid bearing means to maintain a vertical spacing between said rigid bearing means and such wear plate throughout a range of vertically downwardly directed loadings applied to said elastomeric element by engagement of said compliant bearing means with such wear plate and to permit such wear plate to engage said rigid bearing means when said vertically downwardly directed loading on said elastomeric element equals a given load; and said abutment means being engagable with said vertically extending surface portion at an elevation above such uppermost edges of such side walls and end walls to confine at least a portion of said elastomeric element above such side walls and end walls under such vertically downwardly directed loadings.
compliant bearing means adapted to be disposed within such elongated cavity adjacent at least one of such walls and having an upper end surface means disposed vertically above such uppermost edges;
said compliant bearing means including at least one upstanding, resiliently deformable elastomeric bearing element having a vertically extending surface portion;
a rigid, elongated spacer means adapted to be disposed within such elongated cavity adjacent said vertically extending surface portion;
said spacer means including an upwardly facing surface means extending thereon, and an upstanding abutment means which is cooperable with at least some of such walls and engagable with said vertically extending surface portion to at least partially confine said elastomeric element within such cavity;
claim 1 Cont'd.
rigid bearing means supported on said upwardly facing surface means and being moveable thereon in opposed directions within predetermined limits;
said rigid bearing means being of an overall vertical height that, when supported upon said upwardly facing surface means with said spacer means disposed within such cavity, said rigid bearing means has an uppermost extent located above such uppermost edges of such side and end walls;
said elastomeric element being vertically deformable in compression and having an overall vertical height when disposed within such elongated cavity that said upper end surface means of said compliant bearing means is disposed vertically above said uppermost extent of said rigid bearing means to maintain a vertical spacing between said rigid bearing means and such wear plate throughout a range of vertically downwardly directed loadings applied to said elastomeric element by engagement of said compliant bearing means with such wear plate and to permit such wear plate to engage said rigid bearing means when said vertically downwardly directed loading on said elastomeric element equals a given load; and said abutment means being engagable with said vertically extending surface portion at an elevation above such uppermost edges of such side walls and end walls to confine at least a portion of said elastomeric element above such side walls and end walls under such vertically downwardly directed loadings.
2. The bearing assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rigid bearing means is a roller means which is adapted to be free rolling on said surface means within said limits.
3. The bearing assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said compliant bearing means includes a pair of said elastomeric bearing elements adapted to be disposed at spaced locations within such elongated cavity and said spacer means includes a respective pair of spaced upstanding abutment portions with said surface means extending intermediate said upstanding abutment portions.
4. The bearing assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said limits include opposed confronting surface portions of said upstanding abutment portions.
5. A railway vehicle side bearing comprising:
a rigid housing means;
said housing including a base portion and pairs of opposed, transversely spaced upstanding sidewall portions extending vertically upward of said base portion and having respective uppermost edges;
said sidewall portions enclosing an upwardly open cavity;
compliant bearing means disposed within said cavity adjacent at least one of said sidewall portions and having a Claim 5 Cont'd.
respective upper end surface means disposed vertically above said uppermost edges;
said compliant bearing means including at least one upstanding, resiliently deformable elastomeric bearing element having a vertically extending surface portion;
upstanding abutment means disposed within said cavity adjacent said elastomeric element and cooperable with at least one of said sidewall portions to confine said elastomeric element within said cavity;
upwardly facing surface means extending adjacent said abutment means within said cavity;
rigid bearing means supported within said cavity for movement upon said surface means in opposed directions within predetermined limits;
said rigid bearing means being of an overall vertical height that, when supported upon said surface means, said rigid bearing means has an uppermost extent located above said uppermost edges of said walls;
said elastomeric element being vertically deformable in compression and having an overall vertical height when disposed within said cavity that said upper end surface means of said compliant bearing means is disposed vertically above said uppermost extent of said rigid bearing means to maintain a vertical spacing between said rigid bearing means and a wear plate carried by the railway vehicle throughout a range of vertically downwardly directed loadings applied to said elastomeric element by engagement of said compliant bearing means with such a wear plate, and to permit such a wear plate to engage said rigid bearing means when said vertically downwardly directed loading on said elastomeric element equals a given load; and said abutment means being engagable with said vertically extending surface portion at an elevation above such uppermost edges of such sidewall portions to confine at least a portion of said elastomeric element above such sidewall portions under such vertically downwardly directed loadings.
a rigid housing means;
said housing including a base portion and pairs of opposed, transversely spaced upstanding sidewall portions extending vertically upward of said base portion and having respective uppermost edges;
said sidewall portions enclosing an upwardly open cavity;
compliant bearing means disposed within said cavity adjacent at least one of said sidewall portions and having a Claim 5 Cont'd.
respective upper end surface means disposed vertically above said uppermost edges;
said compliant bearing means including at least one upstanding, resiliently deformable elastomeric bearing element having a vertically extending surface portion;
upstanding abutment means disposed within said cavity adjacent said elastomeric element and cooperable with at least one of said sidewall portions to confine said elastomeric element within said cavity;
upwardly facing surface means extending adjacent said abutment means within said cavity;
rigid bearing means supported within said cavity for movement upon said surface means in opposed directions within predetermined limits;
said rigid bearing means being of an overall vertical height that, when supported upon said surface means, said rigid bearing means has an uppermost extent located above said uppermost edges of said walls;
said elastomeric element being vertically deformable in compression and having an overall vertical height when disposed within said cavity that said upper end surface means of said compliant bearing means is disposed vertically above said uppermost extent of said rigid bearing means to maintain a vertical spacing between said rigid bearing means and a wear plate carried by the railway vehicle throughout a range of vertically downwardly directed loadings applied to said elastomeric element by engagement of said compliant bearing means with such a wear plate, and to permit such a wear plate to engage said rigid bearing means when said vertically downwardly directed loading on said elastomeric element equals a given load; and said abutment means being engagable with said vertically extending surface portion at an elevation above such uppermost edges of such sidewall portions to confine at least a portion of said elastomeric element above such sidewall portions under such vertically downwardly directed loadings.
6. A side bearing as set forth in claim 5 wherein said housing additionally includes a base which forms a lower wall of said cavity and includes at least a longitudinally intermediate portion thereof which arches vertically upward to support said spacer means at a predetermined elevation with respect to said uppermost edges.
7. The side bearing as set forth in claim 5 wherein said at least one upstanding elastomeric element is a pair of spaced elastomeric elements.
8. The side bearing as set forth in claim 7 wherein said spacer means extends intermediate said spaced elastomeric elements.
9. The side bearing as set forth in claim 8 wherein said spacer means includes a pair of spaced abutment means and said upwardly facing surface means extends intermediate said spaced abutment means.
10. The side bearing as set forth in claim 9 wherein said surface is a concave surface.
11. The side bearing as set forth in claim 10 wherein the lowest elevation of said concave surface is located midway between the longitudinal extremes of said surface.
12. The side bearing as set forth in claim 11 wherein said spacer means is moveable within said cavity to vary the concavity of said concave surface.
13. In a railway vehicle side bearing having a rigid elongated housing which is adapted to be affixed to a railway vehicle truck intermediate the truck and a car body wear plate with the housing having laterally spaced, upwardly projecting side walls and longitudinally spaced, upwardly projecting end walls, each having respective uppermost edges to enclose an upwardly open elongated cavity that is adapted to receive a bearing assembly which includes a compliant bearing means having resiliently deformable upstanding elastomeric means with an upper end portion thereof extending vertically above such uppermost edges, an assembly of rigid bearing elements adapted to be received within such cavity longitudinally adjacent such upstanding elastomeric means comprising:
a rigid, elongated spacer means having an upstanding abutment portion which is adapted to be disposed adjacent such upstanding elastomeric means and an upwardly facing surface extending thereon adjacent said abutment portion;
a rigid bearing means adapted to be supported on said surface for movement thereon between limits, said spacer means and said rigid bearing means being of an overall vertical height that, when supported on said upwardly facing surface with said spacer means disposed within such cavity, said rigid bearing means has an uppermost extent located above such highest elevation of such side and end wall uppermost edges for contacting such wear plate to limit the vertically downward travel of such wear plate toward the side bearing; and said abutment portion extending vertically upward to an elevation sufficient to laterally confine a vertical extent of such upstanding elastomeric means extending intermediate said uppermost extent of said rigid bearing means and such highest elevation of such side and end wall uppermost edges for limiting movement of said vertical extent in at least one lateral direction throughout deformation of such upstanding elastomeric means in vertical compression.
a rigid, elongated spacer means having an upstanding abutment portion which is adapted to be disposed adjacent such upstanding elastomeric means and an upwardly facing surface extending thereon adjacent said abutment portion;
a rigid bearing means adapted to be supported on said surface for movement thereon between limits, said spacer means and said rigid bearing means being of an overall vertical height that, when supported on said upwardly facing surface with said spacer means disposed within such cavity, said rigid bearing means has an uppermost extent located above such highest elevation of such side and end wall uppermost edges for contacting such wear plate to limit the vertically downward travel of such wear plate toward the side bearing; and said abutment portion extending vertically upward to an elevation sufficient to laterally confine a vertical extent of such upstanding elastomeric means extending intermediate said uppermost extent of said rigid bearing means and such highest elevation of such side and end wall uppermost edges for limiting movement of said vertical extent in at least one lateral direction throughout deformation of such upstanding elastomeric means in vertical compression.
14. In a railway truck side bearing including a housing with perimeteral walls having uppermost edges to define an upwardly open cavity which receives an upstanding compliant bearing means and a rigid bearing means adjacent said compliant bearing means wherein said rigid bearing means is engagable with caim 14 Cont'd.
a car body wear plate and has a predetermined range of available lateral movement with respect to said compliant bearing means and an uppermost extent which is located at an elevation above said uppermost edges and below the uppermost extent of said compliant bearing means when said rigid bearing means is not engaging said car body wear plate, and wherein said side bearing assembly requires a predetermined minimum magnitude of shear restraint to be provided by relative shearing movement of the car body wear plate with respect to said compliant bearing means under vertically directed loading on said compliant bearing means by engagement thereof with said car body wear plate, the method of maximizing said predetermined range of available lateral movement comprising the steps of:
buttressing a vertically extending surface of said compliant bearing means including an upper vertical extent thereof which extends intermediate said uppermost extent of said rigid bearing means and said uppermost edges to confine said compliant bearing means for limiting movement thereof toward said rigid bearing means throughout at least said upper vertical extent of said vertical surface to thereby increase the magnitude of such shear restraint available for a given said compliant bearing means; and providing said compliant bearing means with a reduced longitudinal section thickness sufficient to provide, consistent with said buttressing step, said minimum magnitude of shear restraint.
a car body wear plate and has a predetermined range of available lateral movement with respect to said compliant bearing means and an uppermost extent which is located at an elevation above said uppermost edges and below the uppermost extent of said compliant bearing means when said rigid bearing means is not engaging said car body wear plate, and wherein said side bearing assembly requires a predetermined minimum magnitude of shear restraint to be provided by relative shearing movement of the car body wear plate with respect to said compliant bearing means under vertically directed loading on said compliant bearing means by engagement thereof with said car body wear plate, the method of maximizing said predetermined range of available lateral movement comprising the steps of:
buttressing a vertically extending surface of said compliant bearing means including an upper vertical extent thereof which extends intermediate said uppermost extent of said rigid bearing means and said uppermost edges to confine said compliant bearing means for limiting movement thereof toward said rigid bearing means throughout at least said upper vertical extent of said vertical surface to thereby increase the magnitude of such shear restraint available for a given said compliant bearing means; and providing said compliant bearing means with a reduced longitudinal section thickness sufficient to provide, consistent with said buttressing step, said minimum magnitude of shear restraint.
15. The method as set forth in claim 14 including the additional step of supporting said rigid bearing element for self-centering thereof within said predetermined range of available movement.
16. The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein said supporting is supporting for gravitational self-centering.
17. A railway vehicle side bearing adapted to be carried by a railway truck for engagement with a car body wear plate in load bearing engagement comprising:
a rigid housing;
said housing including an elongated base portion and at least one pair of opposed, spaced apart upstanding wall portions extending vertically upwardly of said base portion and having respective uppermost edges;
an upwardly open cavity defined within said housing intermediate said pair of wall portions;
upwardly facing surface means extending within said cavity adjacent one of said wall portions;
rigid bearing means supported on said upwardly facing surface means for movement thereon within predetermined limits;
a single compliant bearing means supported within said cavity at a location intermediate said surface means and the other of said wall portions;
claim 17 Cont'd.
upstanding abutment means disposed within said cavity intermediate said compliant bearing means and said rigid bearing means;
said compliant bearing means having a respective upper end surface means disposed vertically above said uppermost edges and including at least one upstanding, resiliently deformable elastomeric bearing element;
said rigid bearing means being of an overall vertical height, when supported upon said surface means, that said rigid bearing means has an uppermost extent located above said uppermost edges of said wall portions;
said abutment means extending upwardly adjacent said elastomeric bearing element to an elevation intermediate the elevation of said uppermost extent of said rigid bearing means and said uppermost edges of said wall portions; and said elastomeric bearing element being vertically deformable in compression and having an overall vertical height when supported within said cavity that said upper end surface means of said compliant bearing means is disposed vertically above said uppermost extent of said rigid bearing means to maintain a vertical spacing between said rigid bearing means and such a wear plate throughout a range of vertically downwardly directed loading applied to said elastomeric element by engagement of said compliant bearing means with such a wear plate, and to permit such a wear plate to engage said rigid bearing means when said vertically downwardly directed loadings on said elastomeric element equal a given load.
a rigid housing;
said housing including an elongated base portion and at least one pair of opposed, spaced apart upstanding wall portions extending vertically upwardly of said base portion and having respective uppermost edges;
an upwardly open cavity defined within said housing intermediate said pair of wall portions;
upwardly facing surface means extending within said cavity adjacent one of said wall portions;
rigid bearing means supported on said upwardly facing surface means for movement thereon within predetermined limits;
a single compliant bearing means supported within said cavity at a location intermediate said surface means and the other of said wall portions;
claim 17 Cont'd.
upstanding abutment means disposed within said cavity intermediate said compliant bearing means and said rigid bearing means;
said compliant bearing means having a respective upper end surface means disposed vertically above said uppermost edges and including at least one upstanding, resiliently deformable elastomeric bearing element;
said rigid bearing means being of an overall vertical height, when supported upon said surface means, that said rigid bearing means has an uppermost extent located above said uppermost edges of said wall portions;
said abutment means extending upwardly adjacent said elastomeric bearing element to an elevation intermediate the elevation of said uppermost extent of said rigid bearing means and said uppermost edges of said wall portions; and said elastomeric bearing element being vertically deformable in compression and having an overall vertical height when supported within said cavity that said upper end surface means of said compliant bearing means is disposed vertically above said uppermost extent of said rigid bearing means to maintain a vertical spacing between said rigid bearing means and such a wear plate throughout a range of vertically downwardly directed loading applied to said elastomeric element by engagement of said compliant bearing means with such a wear plate, and to permit such a wear plate to engage said rigid bearing means when said vertically downwardly directed loadings on said elastomeric element equal a given load.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US47330790A | 1990-02-01 | 1990-02-01 | |
| US473,307 | 1990-02-01 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2034222A1 CA2034222A1 (en) | 1991-08-02 |
| CA2034222C true CA2034222C (en) | 1995-10-03 |
Family
ID=23879024
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2034222 Expired - Fee Related CA2034222C (en) | 1990-02-01 | 1991-01-15 | Railway truck side bearing |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| AU (1) | AU643965B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2034222C (en) |
| ZA (1) | ZA91480B (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA2047324C (en) * | 1990-12-17 | 1995-06-06 | Dennis Rhen | Railway truck side bearing |
Family Cites Families (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4080016A (en) * | 1976-10-13 | 1978-03-21 | A. Stucki Company | Railway truck side bearing |
| US4090750A (en) * | 1977-03-04 | 1978-05-23 | A. Stucki Company | Resilient railway truck side bearing |
| US4859089A (en) * | 1986-04-14 | 1989-08-22 | A. Stucki Company | Railway truck side bearing |
-
1991
- 1991-01-15 CA CA 2034222 patent/CA2034222C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1991-01-22 AU AU69852/91A patent/AU643965B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1991-01-23 ZA ZA91480A patent/ZA91480B/en unknown
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| ZA91480B (en) | 1992-11-25 |
| CA2034222A1 (en) | 1991-08-02 |
| AU643965B2 (en) | 1993-12-02 |
| AU6985291A (en) | 1991-08-08 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |