US1644147A

US1644147A - Differential axle for railroad cars

Info

Publication number: US1644147A
Application number: US128127A
Authority: US
Inventors: James B Pope
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1926-08-09
Filing date: 1926-08-09
Publication date: 1927-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 1944-10-04

Description

Patented Oct. 4, 1927.

JaMnsB. "POPE, or sanI rnANcIsco, CALIFORNIA.'

DIEFERENTIAL AXLn Fon 'RAILROAD cans.

Application nled August 9, 19,26. SerialNa 128,127.

This invention relates to railwayk rolling stock and particularly pertains to differential axles 'for railway cars.

It is Acommon practice in the operation and maintenance of railway cars to provide car axles having a Qflangecl track wheel rigidly secu-red at each 'endlof the axle. Such a construction, however, contributes 'to the rapid wear-ing of 'the rails, journals, trucks and wheels of the cars, as well vas often pros duces broken wheels and broken :or `sprung axles.

Another marked detriment caused bythe use of a rigid axfleto which the wheels are fixed is that dueto variable friction -upon the two rails of the track and excessive resistance offered when the Wheels of an axle .are travelling on a. curved track, a considerable amount of the ldriving torce of thelengine is dissipated, Athis being caused Aby the necessity :for slippage =between1the wheels andthe lrails as they are forced to travel along vdifferent lineal distances While rotating inv unison.

It is the principal Jobject of the present invention, therefore, to provide means for permitting differential operation of the two wheels carried by a railroad axle :so that the two Wheels of each axle will readily adapt themselves to varyingxroad conditions, slippage and friction coeliieients, thereby `decreasing sho'ck upon all of lthe parts-iin preventing wear of the rails and wheels.

The present invention icontemplates `the use of an laxle formed in ltwo longitudinally r aligned sections, the louter ends oi' each -section ,being -ittecl with aa wheel and the contiguous ends :of the sections fbeiIn-g held to-` gether a manner to prevent relative longitudinal movement while permitting inde` pendent rotation.

The invention is illustrated 'by way -o -example in the accompanying drawing, in which-4 Fig. 1 is a view insection and elevation showing the truck of a railway -car tand more particularly disclosing the .diderential axle. v f

Fig. 2is .an enlarged view in perspective showing one-half of the differential coupling sleeve and further indicating a part or' Yone axle-section in solid lines and another par-tof said section in dotted lines.

Fig.l 3 is an enlarged transverse section through the differential :axle as seen lon the line ii-'3 of Figure 1. l

TF ig. 4l is 1an enlarged view in perspective showing one of thedifferential sleeve pins.

Referring more #particularly-to the ldrawving: 10 indicates arailway car mounted upon sui-table -girde-rs 411, which are in 'turn lcarried by the cross Vbeams 12. These beams Iare designed to rest upon suitable spring sus pension members 125, carried by truck frames 14. Journal boxes also form a part of the ltruck l'raines let andare adapted to reoeive the outer' proj ec-ting lends of an `axle This axle carries flanged rail wheels-17 and 18. In the present instance,the rail Wheels are independent of ea-ch other, #due to the tact that the axle 16' is vformed in

sections

19 and 20, upon which the wheels 17' and v18 are mounted respectively. and 200i thefaxle 16 are held in vlongitmlinal alignment and are vpemnittedto have inde# pendent rotation around their longitudinal axis ydue to the provision l'of a dinerential The sections 19 f coupling sleeve'2`1. rlhis sleeve is formed in' fr two 'semi-'circular halves 22'and'23, as' more clearly shown in Fig. -3 Iof the drawing. Complementary interlocking lugs 424E yare formed upon dia-metrically -oppositelsides lor thesleeve ysections 22 and '25, `and extend above; and .below the *parting line lor the sleeves. 'By reference lto Figure 2 oi the drawing, it will Ibe seenthat these lugs are uniform-ly spaced with relation to yeach other zlong the opposite sides ot the sleeve niem- 61.5 c

reference to Figure 1, it will `be see-n that the lugs of one-haltet the sleeve are staggered with relation to the other half or' the. sleeve so that they :become complementary and interlock; T-hismakes it possible to securely lasten the two-'halvesot-thel cliiiferentialecoupling sleeve together by two pins 25,- Which extend p a'ral-lelto the longitudinal axis of the sleeve and project through a gradual-ly tapering opening formed through 'the series of yinte'rloclred *lugs 24 along 'opposite sides oil the sleeve. By driving the tapered pins through the openings 26, i-t is possible toA firmly hold the two halvesof the dilferential coupling sleeve together without causing the halves to variably and objectionably'grip the axle sections 19 and 2O whenthe sleeve is in position thereon. Cotter pinsQ? are provided to be driven through the smaller ends of the pins to prevent `the sleeve pins. from acci'- dental-ly' loosen-ing and working their way out of the sleeve. The assembled differential coupling sleeve 21'is formed With'a y 4 y longitudinally extending cent-ral bore 28, which substantially agrees with the outside diameter of the

axle sections

19 and 20. Formed at equal spaced intervals along the face of the bore 28 are shoulders 29 which have a circula-r face described by a circle of smaller diameter than the diameter of the axle, but concentric thereto. The shoulders thus spaced provide intermediate grooves 30 of substantially the same width as the shoulders. It will also be noted, by reference to Figure 2, that the lugs 24 for the most part occur opposite the groove section and act to reinforce the same, while the shoulders occur in the relatively weaker points between the lugs and act to reinforce the wall of the differential sleeve. By this design and arrangement it is possible to secure a strong` coupling sleeve for the pui'- pose intended but by the use of a minimum amount of metal.

The cylindrical face of the contiguous ends of the axle sections 19 and 2U are formed with grooves 31 of a width and depth to properly` receive the shoulders 29 of the coupling sleeve when the shoulders are fitted therein and the halves of the coupling sleeve are secured together by the pins 25. rlhis means makes it possible for the

axle sections

19 and 20 to have independent rotation with relation to each other andthe differential sleeve, while the sections will be securely coupled againstrrelative longitudinal movement. Y A

In the operation and use, of the present invention, it will be understood that the differential coupling sleeve may be applied to the axles of cars in userat the present time, or to the axles of cars during the course of manufacture. In either event it has been found desirable to suitably lcut the grooves 31 in the outer face of the axle 16. After this has been done the axle may be cut in two at the point indicated by the numeral 32 'in Fig. 2 of the drawing to form

axle sections

19 and 20. It will be understood, however, that the grooves 31 have been machined in a manner to cause them to accommodate the shoulders 29 formed within `.the differential coupling sleeve 22, and that before the axle is cut in two care is taken to insure that the grooves and shoulders on the axle and within the differential coupling sleeve will be `complementary to permit the assembled sleeve to embrace the axle with a free running fit, while preventing longitudinal shifting movement of the sleeve along the axle.

After the axle 16 has been cut in two to form the

sections

19 and 20, the ends of the sections are planed smooth and a wear disc 33 agreeing in diameter with the diameter of the axle and in thickness with the cut formed through the axle, is interposed between the contiguous ends of the axle sections. rlhe two halves of the differential coupling sleeve may then be secured in position with relation to each other and the axle sections by driving the pins through the series of lugs interlocking along opposite sides of the differential sleeve and thereafter securing the taper pins by the use of cotter pins27, the taper openings tapering in opposite directions if desired.

lt will thus be seenthat by the construction here disclosed, independent differenf tial movement of the two wheels of a car axle may be free to take place, due to the provision and use of a simple differential coupling structure whichis of suliicient strength to maintain the original .strength of the axle and to kwithstand the shock, strain and stresses to which the axle is subjectod, said structure being decidedly simple in its construction, the mannerl of assembling, and inexpensive both as to initial cost and installation.

l/Vhile l have shown the preferred form* of my invention as new known to ine,rit

will be understood that various changes may be made in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art without departing from 'the spirit of the invention as claimed.

y Alaving thus described my invention, what claim and desire/tol secure by Letters Patent is-- p Y 1. A differential axle for railroad cars, comprising a 'two-part axle, a wheel fixed on the outer end of eacli`.axle part, atwo-part sleeve adapted to embrace contiguous ends of the axle sectionsand to holdthem in longitudinal alignment with each other wliilepermitting relatively free rotation of the axle parts within the sleeve, said sleeve parts being formed along opposite halves with complementary interlocking lugs through which progressively tapered openings occur, tapered -pins adapted to be driven through the openings in said lugs to rigidly hold the halves of the sleeve in yfixed relationy to each other and the axle, and

. means within the sleeve to prevent longitudinal movement of the sleeve on the axle parts. l

2. A dilferentia-l axlev for railroad cars, comprising a two-part axle. a wheel fixed on the outer end of each axle part, a two-part sleeve adapted to` embrace contiguousends of the axle sections andfto hold lthem in longitudinal alignment with each` other while permitting relatively free rotation of the axle parts within the sleeve, vsaid sleeve parts being formed along opposite halves with complementary through which progressively` tapered openings oceur, taperedr pins adapted to be driven through the openings in said lugs to interlocking lugs'` 1'2'5 exclusively and rigidly hold the4 halves of the sleeve in fixed relation to eachother and the axle, andl means witliinthesleeve to prevent longitudinal movement of 8. A dierential axle for railroad cars,

comprising a two-part axle, a Wheel fixed on the outer end of each axle part, a twopari; sleeve adapted to embrace contiguous ends of the axle sections to hold them in longitudinal alignment With each other While permitting relative reerotation of the axle parts Within the sleeve, said sleeve being formed along opposite edges with complementary interlocking lugs having openings which register when the parts vof the sleeve are in their assembled positions, and members passing through the lugs and parallel to the axis of the axles for holding said sleeve parts in fixed relation other upon the axles.

il. A differential axle for railroad cars, comprising a two-part axle, a wheel fixed on the outer end of each axle part, the contiguous portions of the axles being formed With a plurality of spaced circumferential grooves on their cylindrical surfaces, a tWopart sleeve adapted to embrace the contiguous ends of said axles, said sleeve being formed With shoulders to fit Within the circumferential extending grooves on the cylindrical face of the axle parts, a plurality of interlocking lugs formed along opposite complementary edges of the sleeves, said to each lugs having registering openings and members extending through said openings and parallel to the axle for 'rigidly holding the sleeve sections in fixed relation to each other and inl their fitted position upon the axle parts.

5. A differential axle for railroad cars, comprising a two-part axle, a wheel fixed on the outer end of each axle part, the contiguous portions of the axles being formed With-a plurality of spaced circumferential grooves on their cylindrical surfaces, a tvvo-y part sleeve adapted to embrace the contiguous end of said axles, said sleeve being formed with shoulders to fit Within the circumferential extending grooves on the cylindrical face of the axle parts, a plurality of interlocking lugs formed along opposite complementary edges of the sleeves, said lugs having registering openings and members extending through said openings and parallel to the axle for rigidly holding the sleeve sections in fixed relation to each other and in their fitted position upon the axle parts, said registering openings in the lugs forming a substantially continuous tapered opening throughout the length of the sleeve and the fastening members passing therethrough being also tapered.

JAMES B. POPE.