US1819269A - Body center plate for railway vehicles - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 18, 1931. J. A. SHAFER BODY CENTER PLATE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Original Filed Feb. 8, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l anvewtoz J. A. SHAFER BODY CENTER PLATE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Original Filed 8. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 avwemtoz Ya mes a! Slim er @513 113A 61 i 1 Patented Aug. 18, 1931 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES A. SHAFEB, OF EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL MALLEABLE AND STEEL CASTINGS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO BODY CENTER PLATE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES Application filed February 8, 1928, Seria1 No..252,696. Renewed .Tuly 1, 1931.

My invention relates to body center plates and is in particular adaptedto obviate the obj ections now found in the standard American Railway Association body center plate which is now in common use. Such standard centerplates are found almost invariably to have their flanges, by which they are secured to the car bolsters, cracked or brokenoif in service. This isdue to an inherent weakness 1 in the body bolster, since, regardless of the care with which the bolster is built up and riveted together, there is a marked tendency for the bolster tie plate and the flanges of the center sills to deflect upwardly at the center, between the vertical webs of the center sills. Due to the 12% A. R. A. spacing of the center sills and the 11% A; R. A. di-

ameter of the center plate bowl, the flanges are the only part ofthe center plate to bridge over the weak portion of the bolster and resist this deflection. As a result of the upward deflection of the flanges of the sills and the 'tie plate above the bowl of the center plate the flanges of the center plate must be 26 correspondingly deflected downwardly, with resulting failure of such flanges. Nor can the diflicultybe corrected either by enlarging the diameter of the center plate body portion or by increasing the thickness of the flanges,

so since the presentA. RA. requirements and the necessary clearancesprevent such increases. With such limitations, the flanges ,are of practically. no value in reinforcing the bolster.

In my improved construction I have eliminated center plate flanges and have provided other means for securing the bowl of the center plate to the bolster, and have thus obviated the difliculties referred to above.

My invention also comprises various features position which it could not actually. occupy,

because, as is shown in Fig. 2, thevertical transverse web of the center filler would interfere therewith; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectlon taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1,

but showing the center plate securing rivet in true position; Flg. 3 1s a'partial section similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modification of my invention; Fig. 4 is a section thereof forcing webs 4, center sill coverplate'5,

bolster cover plate 6, and bolster tie plate 7.

"Immediately beneath the tie plate 7 is the bolstercenter plate 8, which has a body of the usual A. R. A. dimensions but is without the usual flanges. The bolster center plate 8 is supported by the truck center plate 9, and

both plates 8 and 9 are apertured for the usual center pin 10, which is held in position by the center pin key 11. The bolster center plate 8 is secured to the bolsterby means of projections 12, of which there. are preferably two, which extend through apertures 13 in the tie plate 7 and engage the under faces of the inwardly directed flanges 3 of the center sills 2. .The projections 12 are of substantial character and of a sufficient diameter to have a greater shear value than the rivets by which the usual type of center plate flanges are secured to the bolster.

The center plate 8, its projections 12, and

p the sill flanges 3 are apertured for reception of rivets 14, the heads 15 of which are made flush with the under surface 16 of the plate 8, thus anchoring the projections 12 in the tie plate 7 If desired, the projections 12 may be eliminated, and the rivets 14 be relied upon to take all of the shear between the center plate and bolster. In this caseit would be preferable toincrease the number of rivets 14;, so as to have an equal shear value to the structure shown, spacing the rivets equally around the circumference of the center plate bowl.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown a modified form of my invention, in which the projections 22 on the center plate 28 are solid and extend upwardly not only through the tie plate 23 but also through the sill flanges 24, and are secured solidly in position by heavy cotter keys 25, the ends of which pass through recessed walls 26 of the bolster center filler 27, thus obviating the necessity of using rivets for securing the bolster center plate in position.

' In Fig. 5 is illustrated another modification of the center plate securing means in Which such means includes a countersunk headed pin 32 secured in position by means of a cotter key 35' bearing upon the bolster center filler 37 In Fig. 6' is shown still a further modification of my invention, in which the bolster center plate is held in positionby means of a collar 41 forged on the center pin 42 seating in a central recess 43 in the under side of the plate lt.

The arrangement of Fig. 7 is a modification of Fig. 6, the forgedfcollar of Fig. 6 being replaced by a collar 51 in the form of a split ring which fits intoa recess in the center pin 52.

It will be seen tha-tall of the various forms of my improved center plate except that shown in Figs. 3. and 4 may be employed as replacements with existing equipment, since the diameterand thickness of my improved plate are the same as those of the body portion of the standard bolster center plate and the projections on the plateand securing means may be applied without. difiiculty thereto. Where my invention is applied to cars having bent or broken center plates, it may be desirable to provide the upper surface of my. improved plate with a'slight camber to conform to the bent bolster tie late and thus ensure a full bearing between the two elements.

Not only is my improved plate of great advantage in eliminating breakages, but it weighs approximately fifty per cent. liessthan the standard plate and thus its use saves about one hundred pounds per car. It hasthe further advantage of eliminating interference between the circumferential flange 17 of the truck center plate 9- and the usual body center plate flange, and of permitting the oiling of the center plates, if desired, which is virtually an impossibility with the standard: construction, because of the almost negligible clearance between the flanges of the two plates.

j The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanical equivalents of the features shown and described, or portions thereof, but recognize that various structural modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

Vhat I claim is:

1. The combination of a body bolster of a railway vehicle with a. bolster center plate, the bolster comprising flanged center sills and a tie plate, the center plate having upward projections extending into recesses in the tie plate and having a bear-ing on the center sills and. securing means, for holding the projections in the recesses and the center plate rigidly to the bolster.

2. The combination of a body bolster of a railway vehicle with a bolster'center plate, the bolster comprising flanged center sills and a tie plate, the center plate having apertured upper projections extending through said tie plate and engaging the center sills, and securing means extending through said center plate, projections, tie plate and center sills for holding bolster and center plate rigidly together.

3. The combination of a body bolster of a railway vehicle with a bolster center plate, the bolster comprising flanged center sills and a tie plate, the center plate having upward projections at the outer edge thereof, said projections extending through said tie plate and engaging the center sills, and securing means cooperable with said projections for holding the bolster and center plate rigidly together.

4". The combination of a body bolster of a railway vehicle with a bolster center plate, the latter having an upwardly extending an-' nular. rib at the outward extremity thereof and means connected with said' rib for holding the bolster and center plate rigidly together.

5. The combination of a body bolster of a railway vehicle with a bolster center plate, the bolster comprising flanged center sills and a tie plate, the center plate having a ertured projections on its upper side exten ing through said tie plate and securing meanscooperable with said projections for holding the center plate and bolster permanently together.

6. The combination of a body bolster of a railway vehicle with a bolster center plate having a body of standard A. R. A. formation, the body portion of said center plate being below the center sills, and securing means extending through said body and a portion of said body bolster for holding said center plate rigidly to said bolster.

. 7; The combination of a body bolster ofa railway vehicle with. a bolster center plate having a body of standard A. R. A. formafrom said body within the periphery thereof and into recesses in said bolster and securing 7 means extending through said body and a portion of said body bolster for holding said 5 center plate rigidly to said bolster.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 3rd day of February, 1928.

JAMES A. SHAFER.

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