ES376007A1 - Railway vehicle suspension height adjustment device - Google Patents

Abstract

A height adjustment device for each spring 23 of a railway vehicle bogie allows adjustment of body height to compensate for wheel wear. The device comprises coaxial substantially circular elements 27, 29, a wide rim on the upper surface of the lower element 27 being divided into equiangular sectors 39 each subdivided into equiangular subsectors 41, 43, 45 of different heights, and the lower surface of the upper element 29 having the same number of equiangularly spaced depending radial ribs 49 as there are sectors 39 on the lower element, the elements being rotatable one relative to the other to seat the ribs 49 on selected sets of subsectors 41, 43 or 45 to adjust the height of the device. The ribs 49 have V- section lower faces 53 which engage V-section surfaces 51 of the subsectors 41, 43, 45. An annular rib 47 on the upper element 29 engages the cylindrical inner edge of the lower element rim to hold the elements coaxial. The upper element 29 is resiliently connected to a spring seat 25 of a helical coil spring 23 (Fig. 3) by an elastomeric pad 31. The lower element 27 has a boss 55 engaging a socket in a bogie side member 13. To adjust the height, the spring seat 25 is raised by jacks J (Figs. 7, 8, not shown) to bring the upper element 29 clear of the lower element 27, the latter then being rotated to the required position and locked by a bolt (67) (Fig. 5, not shown). The bogie comprises side frames 13 rigidly connected by transoms, the centre transom 9 carrying a bolster 15 via the springs 23. The bolster is centrally pivoted to the vehicle body underframe U. Fore-and-aft links 26 connect brackets 22 on the bolster to brackets (24) on the transom (9) (Fig. 1, not shown). Lateral and vertical shock absorbers are included between the bolster and the transom 9. In Fig. 10, air springs 23 replace the coil springs of Fig. 3, each comprising a flexible diaphragm 83 between a cylinder 21a and a plunger 81, the cylinder being filled with compressed air from a surge chamber 85 formed in the hollow interior of the bolster 15a. A rod 47a extends downwards from the element 29a for engagement by a jack J during height adjustment.