GB2191162A - Rail bogie sidebearer - Google Patents

Abstract

A sidebearer for control of sideways tilting motion of the body of a railway vehicle mounted on a bogie, while at the same time allowing the bogie to pivot smoothly beneath the body when negotiating curves in the railway track comprises a baseplate, rigidly attached to the upper surface of a central bolster of the bogie, having a circular bore therethrough, a top plate disposed above the baseplate and having, in its undersurface, a circular recess and received into its upper surface a bearing plate, and, accommodated between the baseplate bore and the top plate recess on elastomeric spring means. In use on a bogie, two inventive side bearers are symmetrically disposed one each side of the centre pivot of the bogie. Such sidebearers have especial application to the bogies of railway vehicles of goods trains, such as bulk hopper wagons. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Rail bogie sidebearer This invention relates to rail bogie sidebearers, and more particularly to such a sidebearerfor use on rail- way rolling stock bogies or 'trucks' in order to control sideways tilting motion of the bodies of railway vehicles mounted on such bogies, while at the same time allowing the bogie to pivot smoothly beneath the body when negotiating curves. In use on a bogie, two inventive sidebearers are symmetrically disposed one each side of the centre pivot of the bogie.

The invention has especial application to the bogies of such railway vehicles as bulk hopper wagons.

It has been proposed to construct a bogie sidebearerfrom a complementary pair of rectangular cast metal 'boxes' accommodating a pair of helical compression springs, the lower box of the two being bolted to the transverse central bolster of a bogie.

While such an arrangement was adequate to control simple sideways tilting movement of a railwayvehicle bodywhen body and bogiewere in longitudinal alignment, it proved unsatisfactory when the vehicle was being hauled round a curve because the body then moved in an arc across the top face of the upper box. Such rotational movement tended to cause the sidebearerto turn due to torque forces set up, with resultant uneven wear on the top face and possible fracture of the lugs through which the securing bolts pass. The simple solution seemed to be to provide suitable stop or detent means but it was soon found thatthese easily wore out and sometimes broke off.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome the above and other disadvantages by the provision of a sidebearerfora railway vehicle bogie, said sidebearer comprising a baseplate rigidly attachable to the upper surface of a central bolster of a said railway vehicle bogie; a boreofcircularcross- section through said baseplate; a top plate disposable above said baseplate and having, in the underside thereof, a recess of circular cross-section adapted to be positioned in registering alignment with said bore; a bearing plate recessed into the upper surface of said top plate; and an elastomeric cylindrical spring means accommodatable within the space defined by said bore and said aligned recess in said top plate; the arrangement being such that, when said elastomeric spring means is in its uncompressed state, said baseplate and top plate are held apart.

Preferably, the top plate recess has affixed in it a tubular member adapted to surround the elastomericspring means, the heightofthetubularmember being substantiallythe same asthe combined depths of the top plate and the bore.

Ideally, the lower surface of the top plate is provided with a first wear ring which encircles the top plate recess and is adapted to bear upon a second wear ring provided upon the upper surface of the baseplate and which encircles the bore, when the spring means is optimally compressed. The elas tomericspring means may well be a block or natural of synthetic rubber, with a "concertina-like" profile.

In orderthatthe reader may gain a better understanding ofthe present invention, hereinafter will be described a preferred embodiment thereof, byway of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure lisa schematic half-end elevation of a rigid-frame freight bogie showing the location of an inventive sidebearer; Figure2 is a corresponding, fragmentary side elev- ation; Figure 3 is a top plan view of a sidebearer; Figure 4 is a cross-section on line lV-lV of Figure 3; Figure5is an end elevation of the sidebearer; and Figure 6 is an elevation of the elastomeric compression 'spring', to a scale twice that of Figures 3,4 and 5.

Throughout the drawings, like integers are referenced by the same numerals.

Figures 1 and 2 show the location of inventive sidebearers on a rigid-frame freight bogie having a frame 1, solid wheels 2 and a pivot 3 on a transverse central bolster 4. Two of the sidebearers according to the present invention, as that referenced 5, are symmetrically disposed one each side of centre pivot 3 and their undersurfaces rigidly attached to central bolster4as by welding.

Turning nowto Figures 3, 4 and 5, these showan inventive sidebearer in more detail.

The sidebearer may comprise eight components and includes a machined, rectangular baseplate 6 in which there is a bore 7 of ci rcular-section (see Figure 4), provided with an insert 8 of hardened steel.

Sidebearer 5 also has a discoid, machined top plate 9 having upper and lower circular recesses, 10 and 11, adapted to receive therein, respectively, a discoid bearing plate 12 and atubularmember 13.

Within the space 14 defined between recess 11 and bore 7 is accommodated an elastomeric, substantially cylindrical spring means. Bearing plate 12 has an upper surface having a low coefficient of friction -for example, a suitable plastic material such as nylon or polytetrafluoethylene - while the outerwall of tubular member 13may well be hardened.

Figure 6 illustrates an elastomeric spring means 15 adapted to be housed in space 14 of the sidebearer 5.

After assembly on the bogie, each spring means has a preset compressive load to prevent "hunting" or "shimmying" ofthe bogiewhiletravelling at high speed in the unladen condition.

As will be seen in the drawings, spring means 15 has what may aptly be termed a 'concertina-like' profile and may advantageously be made from such as natural or synthetic rubber. The spring means is shown in its relaxed or uncompressed state, justfilling cavity or space 14 so that top plate 9 and baseplate 6 are held apart as shown in Figure 4.

When the load on the bearing plate 12 - applied by the body of the railway vehicle - increases to such an extent that the spring means 15 is compressed down to that height referenced 'D' in Figure 6, top plate9 and baseplate 6 may make contact and 'bottoming out' occurs. Now, in orderto avoid wear on the plates, 11-14% manganese steel wear rings are prov- ided, an upper wear ring 16 on top plate9 and a lower wear ring 17 on baseplate 6; these wear rings may be affixed as by welding.

The advantages of the sidebearer ofthe present in- vention will now be clear. The bearing plate 12 is easily replaceable when worn down by the constant rubbing contact of the railway vehicle's body, just as the elastomeric spring means 15 is also easily replaceable as required. These two components are inexpensive as will be appreciated. The top plate assembly is capable of rotational movement within baseplate assembly in response to arcuate move mentacross itwhen thevehicle is negotiating a curve in the track, thus reducing torque considerably.

Moreover, the inventive sidebearer is simpler and cheaper to manufacture since top plate 9, baseplate 6 and wear rings 16 and 17 are machinings, and since tubular member 13 and annularinsert8 are merely cutfrom tubular steel stock.

From the abovegoing, it will be readily appreciated bythose skilled in the art that many variations and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as set out in the following Claims.

Claims (13)

1. Asidebearerfora railway vehicle bogie, said sidebearer comprising a baseplate rigidly attachable to the upper surface of a central bolster of a said railway vehicle bogie; a bore of circular cross-section through said baseplate; a top plate disposable above said baseplate and having, in the underside thereof, a recess of circular cross-section adapted to be positioned in registering alignment with said bore; a bearing plate recessed into the upper surface of said top plate; and an elastomeric spring means accommodatable within the space defined by said bore and said aligned recess in said top plate; the arrangement being such that, when said elastomeric spring means is in its uncompressed state, said baseplate and top plate are held apart.

2. The sidebearer as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said top plate recess has affixed therein a tubular member adapted to surround said elastomeric spr- ing means,the height of said tubular member being substantially the same as the combined depths of the top plate and the bore.

3. The sidebearer as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the lower surface of said top plate is provided with a first wear ring which encircles said top plate recess and is adapted to bear upon a second wear ring provided upon the upper surface of the base plate and which encircles the bore thereof, when said elastomeric spring means is optimally compressed.

4. The sidebearer as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said elastomeric spring means a blqckofnatural or synthetic rubber.

5. The sidebearer as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the upper surface of said bearing plate has a low coefficient offriction.

6. The sidebearer as claimed in any one ofthe preceding Claims whereinSaid tubular member is made of hardened steel.

7. The sidebearer as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein said bore has an annular insert of hardened steel.

8. The sidebearer as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said wear rings are made of 11 %to 14% manganese steel.

9. The sidebearer as claimed in Claim 4, wherein said elastomeric spring means has a "concertinalike" profile.

10. The sidebearer as claimed in any one ofthe preceding Claims, wherein said elastomeric spring means has a preset compressive load, whereby "hunting" of the bogie while travel ling at high speed in the unladen condition is prevented.

11. The sidebearer as claimed in any one ofthe preceding Claims, wherein the said railway vehicle bog ie is a rigid-frame freight wagon bogie.

12. A sidebearer for a railway vehicle bogie, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A railway vehicle bogie, wheneverfitted with sidebearers as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims.