US2125275A - Tilted spring snubber - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 2, 1938. E. G. GooDwlN TILTED SPRING SNUBBER Filed July 22, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w .wi

\\ el Q INVEN TOR.

Patented I y UNITED STATES. PATENT ori-ice TIIIIED SPRING S Application July n, 1935,' sei-nu No. 32,642 za claim. (ci. los- 197) This invention relates to snubbers for vehicles, further simpliiled form in that the spring seats especially for railway car trucks and particularly are separable from the side frame and bolster. for freight car trucks having helical springs. The Figure 6 is a force diagram combined with a primary object is to provide an extremley light diagram of the preferred method of loading the snubber having very few parts and ata very low spring.4

cost as compared to the vmost economical railway Figure 7 is similar to Figure 6 but showing the snubbers now on the market or proposed by spring loaded substantially on diagonal corners. prior workers in the railway snubber art. Figure 8 is a vertical section similar to Figure Another object is to provide a snubber which 1 but of a simplified form.

10 can be inserted in existing car trucks without Figure 9 is a vertical section thru the side 1. the necessity oi any but 'minor alterations, for frame of a pedestal type ofl six wheel truck in example, involving only the cuttingaway of part which my invention is incorporated; this modiof the flange at the ends of the spring plank ilcation provides for a snubbing resistance bewhere this is necessary and the substitution of twen two spring supported pedestals `and two of tilted spring seats for those in the existing equipthe journal boxes. 15

ment. Broadly speaking, the object of my in- Figure'l is a view similar to Figure 9 but showvention is so to arrange existing equipment as ing a four wheel truck, both gures being modito make its self-snubbing. flcations fundamentally similar to Figure 8.l

I carry out these and other objects which will In order to better understand the invention it be later made apparent, primarily by-giving thev will be best to refer rst to Figure 5 which'shows 20 bolster springs a tilted position whereby-thef standard construction in which the usual parts bolster is given a horizontal lateral thrust against are rearranged to incorporate my invention in one of the columns of the side frame which one of its most simpiied forms. Within the winthrust increases with the compression oi' the dow of the standard side frame I there is carsprings due to increase in load bouncing or rockried a bolster 2 on springs 3 in such a manner 25 ing of the car. This horizontal thrust creates a that the bolster is at all times under normal confrictional resistance to dampen the vertical ditions urged against one of the columns 4 movement. It' will be apparent that at light whereby to create a frictional pressure and snubloads or under lightv shocks the snubbing eiect bing action between the bolster and the column 30 is practically nil but that as the shocks grow in with each relative movement of the last named 30 intensity or as the load is increased the snubparts. At this point of frictional engagement bing eirect takes place in greater amounts so that there may be provided replaceable means such as the increase in cumulative rocking or bouncing a liner5 and a shoe 6 (see Figures 1, 2 and 8) above a safe degree is prevented. Altho designed to take up the resulting wear. The tilting of the 35.' primarily for railway car trucks it will be readily springs 3 is brought about by providing tilted 35 understood that my invention is adaptable for and relatively displaced upper and lower spring use in snubbing or damping the vibration oi any seats I0 and Il respectively which seats have the spring cushioned force since it consists in so usual spring retaining means such as hubs or positioning the spring as to split up the force bosses I2 but which engage the springs prefer- 40 into components one of' which is normal to the ably on knife or roll edges I2a. In order to pro- 40 direction of the force being snubbed and which vide suiilcient room for offsetting the lower seat component is utilized in part as a frictional re- -I I, I cut away or ilatten out the ange of the sistance to the force, that is, the normal comspring plank 'Ia so that the edge III abuts the ponent is usedto damp the vibrations. side frame as shown inFigures 1 land 5.

Referring to the drawings: INow turning to my preferred form shown in 45 Figure 1 is a vertical section thru a truck side' Figure l, I provide for delayed snubbing by frame'and bolster end showing the preferred emconnecting the bolster shoe 60 to the bolster 2a bodiment of my invention. thru a thrustvlink member 62 which -is rounded Figure 2 is aA fragmentary horizontal section at each end for pivoting in the recessed boss 63 on line 2 2 of Figure 8. of the shoe at one end and in a somewhat simi- 50 Figures 3 and 4 are sections'respectively similar recess 64 of the bolster at the other'lend. 'I'he lar to Figures 8 and 2 but of a modification in link or bar 62 is made suillciently long to provide which provision .is made for lateral motion. a space 65 between the shoeand the bolster and Figure 5 is a vertical section also similar tov I also provide clearance 66 .between the boss 83 Figure 8 and showing a modiilcation of a still and the upper and lower-edges ofthe bolster-wall vIIS aperture 6J in which the boss 83 is located. Thus the bolster may move freely an appreciable distance up or down before the shoe 60 comes into snubblng action. It will be seen that in effect the shoe is pivoted on the bolster whereby it may lay flat against the column or liner regardless of irregularities of wear and non-parallelism of the columns. 'I'he bolster is usually spaced at I3 from the opposite column so that wear elements may be left out on that side if desired.

The space I 4 between the top of the springs at' the left of the bosses or hubs I2 is taken up when the springs go solid as indicated in th'e dotted rectangle 34 and the same is true of the space I4 at the diagonally opposite corner. This is due to the pivoting of the springs on the knife edges I 2a which permits the springs to rock from the position indicated by the center line 36 to the solid position indicated by the centerline 31 and which rocking takes ,place as the bolster moves up and down. The upper spring seats in Figure 1 are made integral with the bottom wall ofthe bolster and this' is also true of the upper seats in the modification shown in Figure 8. However, as shown in Figure 8 the side frame also may be formed with tilted integral spring seats which may be provided with a spring plank 1 shaped at the ends to correspond with the contours of these seats. The liner 5 and shoe 8 of Figure 8 may be secured in place in any known manner, for example, by rivets I'I and I8 respectively as shown lin Figure 2. Stops'l5, lia and I6 may be provided in the usual manner for preventing excessive lateral motion.

Oneform 'oi' my invention is combined with` lateral motion means as shown in Figure 3 in which the upper spring seats are separated from the bolster 2 as by antifriction members4 9 and the seat is preferbly made integral withthe shoe 8 which, as illustrated in Figure @may be channel-shaped in horizontal cross section for embracing the column. No liner is needed between the shoe and the opposite column at I9 as contact here is light and relatively infrequent, however if this column is faced'it should extend down past the shoebearing. It isto be understoodv that the shoe 60 of Figure 1 mayalso be of this channel shape construction.

The operation of the mechanisms described thus -faris .believed to be self evident but attention is called to the fact that in the constructions described there is an' increase in the frictions] engagement of the shoe and column as the increase in the compressingl forces but. as will be seen in Figures 1 and 6, is due in part to the rocking of the springs on the knife edge supports.

This rocking' causes a change inthe angle between l center lines 36 and 31 which chang/e causes a change of frictional engagement of the shoe and column. This may be roughly indicated by the distance between the center lines 28 and 21 on a horizontal line thru point 38. vThe force diagrams .in Figures 6 and 7 show how the spring capacity c is split up into the horizontal component h and vertical load component v. It will also be noted in Figure 6 that the knife vedges on the spring seats may be in the form of rollers.' Under some conditions the spring seats maybe plane though sloping as shown in Figure 'I if the spring 3 is engaged at diagonally opposite cornersand as will be noted the spring'in this arrangment is in a vertical position.

My invention may alsobe incorporated in a type of truck having six wheels as illustrated in y springs. are. compressed andthis is not-due entirely to the Figure a; In the truck shown in Figure 9 the frame 'Ia is supported on two opposltely tilted springs 3 which pivotally engage the frame in much the same manner as the springs engage the bolster in my above described simpler modications, i. e., on knife edge seats. The springs are supported on equalizer bars 20 which rest' at each end on the journal boxes 2i and the tilt of the springs is such that they at all times urge 4the equalizer bars and thereby the outside lournal boxes against the outside pedestals 22 of the frame, the inside pedestals 23 preventing horizontal movement of the central journal'box with respect tothe frame. 'I'he lower spring seats 2li are preferably but not necessarily detachably carried by the equalizer bars 26, which engage the outside journal boxes 2| thru contact studs 2t and 2l. It will be apparent that as the springs contract and expand. the outside pedestals will slide with respectively vgreater and less friction on the Journal boxes whereby damping excessive bounc-4 lng and swaying of the car is accomplished.'

The modification in Figure diers from that in Figure 9 in that the springs are tilted in the, I

same direction whereby it is necessary to provide a hook on the right end of the equalizer bar` 201 for engaging the outside of the journal `box 2lb to draw the same against the pedestal 25 while at the same time forcing the opposite journal box 2lb against the pedestal 22h. The stop or stops 28 on the bar 2Gb prevent excessive movement of the journal boxes with respect to the pedestals. By providing larger openings 29 any number orgtype oi springs may be employed instead of the two shown.

It will be appreciated that my invention makes it possible to have all the advantages of the low cost light weight helical springs without their single disadvantage of accumulative bouncing such as encountered when the vehicle moves over4 a road or track having -'substantially uniform f spaced irregularities at speeds which in the absence of snubbers amplies verticalr vehicle movements to the degreethat is damaging to the vehicle. load and track and which ia uncomfortable to passengers or to live stock.

What I claim is;

l. ln a car truck. a bolster, springs for sup-A porting the bolster and means for guiding the bolster as it moves in response to expansion and contraction of thesprings. said springs being 4arranged to urge the bolster against said guide whereby snubbing occurs.

2. In combination a load carrying memberfa supporting member, springs for supporting said load carrying member, and a guide on one of said'members for constraining said load carrying member to move in a certain path as the springs contract and expand', said springs being arranged tc convert a part ofthe contracting and expanding forces into forces normal to the guided pa whereby said member is urged against the guide and thereby creates snubbing friction to dampen excessivebouncing of the spring supported load carrying member.

3. In a car truck, a side frame having an opening for receiving a bolster end, springs foxsup `porting the bolster, and columns for guiding the bolster end as the springs contract and expand characterized by the springs b'eing arranged with their axes substantially parallel to the plane of the side` frame but tilted in the same direction from the vertical whereby to urge the bolster end f against one of the columns.

v4. Thede'viceofclaimiiinwhichthecolumns being offset from those on the bolster whereby the springs are tilted toward one of .the columns.

6. In combination, a standard type side frame having the usual bolster opening, a standard type -bolster having its end in said opening, la standard flanged spring plank, lower spring seats on said plank, upper spring seats on the bolster, a nest 4of helical vsprings between said upper and lower spring seats, characterized by the lowerspring seats being offset laterally in the same direction from points directly below the upper spring seats whereby the springs are tilted toward one of the columns.

7. The combination of claim 6. in which the spring seats are provided with substantial knife edges for engaging the springs on lines parallel to the spring plank whereby upon contraction and expansion the springs may rock in the plane of the` side frame.

8. 4The combination of claim 6 in which one of the flanges is flattened out at the end of the spring plank whereby the lower spring seats may be offset a maximum amount and in abutting engagement with one side of the bolster opening so that the springs lean toward the other side of the bolster opening,

` 9. In combination in a car truck, a side frame having a bolster opening, a bolster, springs in said opening for supporting one end of the bolster, lateral motion means between the springs and the bolster, and including 'a spring seat, and a friction shoe connected to said spring seat, said springs being positioned to lean toward the side of the opening engaged by said shoe whereby the shoe is urged into frictional engagement with the side frame as the springs contract and expand and acts to damp the springs. v

10. In a car truck, a journal box, a frame, springs supporting the frame on said journal box, yand a guide for maintaining the frame and journal box in their relative horizontal positions as the springs contract and expand, said springs being tilted whereby to urge the journal box into frictional engagement with said guide to cause snubbing.

11. In a car truck having a plurality of journal boxes, a bar spanning two of said Iiournal boxes, said bar resting on one of the two boxes and havving abutting engagement with the other of the two,-al frame having vertical guides engaging said journal boxes, a spring on said bar for supporting said frame, the line of action of said spring being such'as to cause the bar to urge said other of the two journal boxes into frictional engagement ywith its guide whereby to dampenthe vibration the shoe, means for spacing the shoe lfrom the.

side of the bolster, said spacing means having rolling engagement with the bolster and shoe so that thebolster may freely move up and down op its springs with respect to the shoe and spaced cooperating members located in part on the shoe and in part on the bolster for limiting said relative movement and for causing the shoe to move with the bolster after such limited movement o! the bolster end, whereby snubbing occurs only after an amount of bolster movement determined by the chosen clearance between said spaced cooperating members.

13. In a car truck, a column member, a spring supported bolster member, a snubbing shoe having frictional engagement with one of said mem-- bers 'for damping vertical movement of the bolster, a horizontal thrust bar having one end pivoted on the shoe and the opposite end pivoted on the other member and slightly spacing the shoe laterally from said other member and means loosely interlocking the shoe and said other member whereby the bolster member has limited unsnubbed vertical movement.

14. In combination, a side frame having spaced guide columns, a bolster end spring supported on said side frame between said columns, characterized in that the axes of the springs are oblique to oneof said columns so that the bolster end is urged toward said one column of the side frame and away from the opposite column.

l5'. The device of claim 14 in which the springs l are supported on knife edges so that the pressure against the said one column increasesas the springs are compressed.

16. The device of claim 14 plus a shoe interposed between the bolster and said one column, and a rocking member between the bolster and shoe, said ybolster and shoe having stops with clearance to allow appreciable spring motion without movement of the shoe and consequently without snubbing.

17. In a car truck, a vertical side frame column, a shoe frictionally engaging said column, means for maintaining said frictional engagement including a bolster end adjacent the shoe, bolster supporting springs arranged to exert a part of their forces to urge the bolster toward the column, a horizontal plate spacing the shoe from the bolster end, `whereby snubbing occurs only after an amount oi' bolster movement determined by the chosen clearance between said spaced cooperating members.

18. In a car truck, an unsprung part having a vertical snubbing surface thereon,v a sprung part having a vertical snubbing surface cooperating with thel first mentioned surface, springs supporting the sprung part on the unsprung part, said springs being tilted to exert horizontal force components directed to create a pressure between said surfaces, said components being proportional to the load on the springs whereby snubbing occurs in proportion to the load. l

19. In a car truck having a sprung part and an unsprung part, said parts having cooperating -i'rictional surfaces for guiding the sprung part on the unsprung part as the springs -expand and contract during operation of the truck, said springs being tilted toward-said surfaces whereby to vary the frictional contact of said surfaces in accordance with the load on the springs and whether the sprung part is moving up or down with reference to the unsprung part.

20. In a vehicle, a load carrying member, a

load carrying member to move in a path.

said guide being disposed at an angle to the direction of forces exerted by the springs as they contract and expand whereby the load carrying member is urged against the guide to' `produce a damping eil'ect on said springs.

, 21. In a vehicle, aiload carrying member and a supporting member, a 'spring on the latter supporting said carrying'member, a guide frictionally engaging and directing said carrying member tc move in alinear path fixed with respect to the other member and at an angle to the direction of the forces of contraction-Tand expansion of the spring, and pivoting Ineens for,v the spring to permit it to rock a plane thru its own axis as it expands and ccntracts,'said path lying in said plane whereby said angle varies with the expansion and contraction of the spring thereby to very said frictionai engagement and produce a demping effect on-said spring. A

22. In a car truck an axle supporting member, a bolster member, means for resiliently supporting the bolster member on the axle supported member, said ,means including parallel supports Pivoted on the axle supported member and pivotally engaging the bolster member, said supports being Y oblique whereby tending to displace horizontally said supported and supporting members relatively t-o each other and cooperating vertical guiding surfaces on, both members limiting the horizontal displacement and` at the4 same time permitting relative vertical movement of said members. said movement being constantly snubbed by the frictional engagement of the cooperating guiding surfaces caused by the horizontal thrust of said oblique nipports. i

23. In a car truck, an unsprung part. a` sprung lpart, said parts having constantly cooperating 'eertical guiding surfaces, pivoted resilient supports for supporting the sprung part on the unsprung part, sai-:l supports beix arranged obliquely to the guiding surfaces wherebycreating a snubbing action between said surfaces, and means onsaid parts for limiting lateral` movement of the sprlnig part on the unsprung part.

24. In a car truck, an axle supported member,

a bolster member, means including oblique tilt- `able supports for resiliently supporting said bolster member on the axle supported member, cooperating. vertical guiding surfaces on said members. said surfaces being substantially normal to the direction of travel of the truck, and the 25. In a car truck, an unsprung part, a sprungpart, means for limiting lateral movement of the sprung part on the unsprung part, means resiliently supporting the sprung part on the unsprung part including non-perpendicular supports between and pivotally engaging the parts and tending to displace horizontally one part with respect to the other part, and vertical cooperating-guiding Vsurfaces on both parts to limit such Ihorizontal displacement and at the same time permit relative vertical movement of the sprung part on the unsprung part, such movement being constantly restricted bythe frictional drag between the above mentioned guiding surfaces.

26. In al car truck in combinatiome plurality of Journal boxes, a frame vertieally movable with' respect. to said journal boxes and having snubbing surfaces engaging said journal boxes, said surfaces being norma to the longitudinal axis of the truck, and means supporting the frame on the journal bcxes, said frame supporting means v being oblique to a plane normal to said axis thereby acting at all times .to force said journal boxes into snubbing engagement vwith said surfaces whereby to damp oscillations of the frame with respect to the journal hoses.

27. In a car truck in combination, a plurality of axles, a plurality of journal boxes, a frame vertically movable with respect to said journal boxes and having snubbing surfaces arranged parallel to said 'axles and engaging saidjournal boxes, and frame supporting means resting in part -an said journal boxes and including members tilted to change a part of the vertical load forces into horizc-ntal force components passing through said,

snubbing surfaces thereby acting at all times to force said `iournal bexes into snubbing engagement with said surfaces whereby to snub relative vertical movement of the frame and journal boxes. y' l 28. In a car truck in combination, a side frame 'having an opening for receiving a bc-lster end, a

snubbing surface bordering said opening, a bolster end movable up and down in said opening and bolster supporting means acting at all times to urge said bolster end against said snubbing surface thereby to snub both the horizontal and up and down mevement of the bolster in the frame.

` ERNEST G. GOODWIN.

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