US2229767A

US2229767A - Equalizer dampening means for railway car trucks

Info

Publication number: US2229767A
Application number: US262022A
Authority: US
Inventors: Claude L Orr
Original assignee: Buckeye Steel Castings Co
Current assignee: Buckeye Steel Castings Co
Priority date: 1939-03-15
Filing date: 1939-03-15
Publication date: 1941-01-28
Anticipated expiration: 1958-01-28

Description

C. L. ORR

Jan. 28, 1941.

EQUALIZER DAMPENING MEANS FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCKS Filed March 15, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet l C. L. ORR

Jan. 28, 1941.

EQUALIZER DAMPENING MEANS FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCKS Filed March 15, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 28, 1. ORR r 2,229,767

EQUALIZER DAMPENING MEANS FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCKS Filed March 15, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 c. L. ORR 2 ,7 7

EQUALIZER DAMPENING MEANS FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCKS Jan. 28, 1941.

Filed March 15, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .iRiiiih I'll! m way/4mm?) Patented Jan. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EQUALIZER. DAMPENING MEANS FOR RAIL- WAY CAR TRUCKS Application March 15,

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in railway car trucks and more particularly to equalizer dampening means for eight-wheel trucks.

In eight-wheel trucks of the equalizer type, I have considered the question of excessive equalizer oscillations under extremely rough track conditions. Such oscillations may cause excess wear at the equalizer fulcrum pin and the end frame connections, as well as contribute to the oscillation of the spring groups in the end frame members.

The tendency for the equalizer to oscillate excessively will increase as wear between the connections reduce the friction at these points, and in order to meet this situation, should the case arise, I have developed certain novel constructions for the purpose of dampening the equalizing action.

Other, further and more specific objects of my invention will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art, from a consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein- Fig- 1 is a side elevation of one-half of an eight wheel truck provided with one form of my improvements, it being understood that the other half of the truck is exactly the same as the half illustrated.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the medial portion of such a truck and showing other forms of my improvements.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a leaf spring employed in the construction illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a. fragment of a truck and illustrating a leaf spring type of cscillation dampener.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a block of rubber or the like employed for dampening purposes.

Fig. 6 is a. top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is also a top cf the invention.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation partly in elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 7.

Figs. 9 and 10 are views similar to Figs. 7 and S but illustrating a still further modification.

The truck with which I employ my improve- 50 ments may be of the type disclosed in my application, Serial No. 197,927. Such a truck has eight wheels H carrying axles (not shown) journalled in boxes 12 and I3. End frame members 14 are carried partially by the boxes I! and 55 are movably connected at their inner ends as plan view of another form 1939, Serial No. 262,022 (0!. 105483) indicated at [5 to the ends of an equalizer I 6. The medial member l4. Obviously a similar construction will be provided at the opposite end of the equalizer so that rotation of the equalizer in either direction requires the compression of the coil spring at one end or the otherof the member, and any force rotating the equalizer must be great enough to compress one of the springs. In this manner, equalizer oscillation, due to light loads, is reduced.

In Fig. 2, I have illustrated a construction in which leaf springs 2| are employed instead of coil springs. In this construction one end of each bya bracket 22 to the end struction, rotation of the equalizer in either direction requires the upward deflection of the leaf spring at one end or the other of the equalizer.

In Fig. 2 I have also illustrated an additional dampening device w 'ch may be employed either alone or with dampening devices arranged at the ends of the equalizer. The additional device is shown applied to the bottom of the equalizer which depends upon friction for its dampening action. In this form ends of the leaf spring 24 rest upon pads 21 formed within the intermediate side frame member I811, and the spring is shaped so that it must be deflected at the center a certain amount by the bottom of the equalizer when the latter is applied to the intermediate frame. This causes the ends of the spring to exert vertical pressure on the pads 27 and the friction force between the pads and the ends of the spring is proportional to the vertical pressure between the two parts and 2 resists the sliding action of the spring on the pads.

Rotation of the equalizer in either direction causes the lug 28 to contact one side of the hole 25 and slide the ends of the spring over thepads 2'! against the friction force developed there. The resistance offered by this friction serves to resist the equalizer motion and dampens its oscillations.

Fig. 4 shows a modification similar to that at the ends of the equalizer in Fig. 2. In this embodiment a leaf spring 28 has one of its ends secured to a bracket 29 on the equalizer I61), and

its end portion bears at its top surface against an arc-shaped portion 30 arranged at the end of a horn 3| rigidly united with an end frame member lb of the truck.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, a block 32 of rubber or the like is supported above the equalizer andend frame connection I50 by means of

brackets

33 and 34 provided respectively on the tops of the end frame member M0 and equalizer I60. Lugs 35 on the brackets project toward one another and extend into the block. The latter is applied to one of the brackets before the end frame member andequalizer are connected and held in proper alignment with the lug 35 on the other bracket as the frame member and equalizer are moved together and connected by the equalizer belt 150. Of course, a similar construction is used at the opposite end of the equalizer.

When the equalizer rotates out of horizontal position, the lugs 35 move vertically relative to one another thereby subjecting the rubber blocks at both ends to vertical shearing deformations.

At the downwardly moving end of the equalizer, the

brackets

33 and 34 move toward each other, thereby subjecting the elastic block at this end to a horizontal compressible deformation. At the upwardly moving end, the brackets move away from each other and would subject the rubber block at that end to a horizontal tensile deformation if it were secured to the vertical faces of the brackets. This, however, is not contemplated, and this tensile deformation can not be depended upon to resist the equalizer movements.

Since rubber is a highly resilient material, the

forces set up in the rubber blockby the shearing and compressive deformations resist the equalizer movement and tend to dampen excessive oscillation.

Figs. '7 to 10 inclusive, illustrate other dampening devices in which the resilient material is rubber or the like. In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the inner end portion of theside frame member Hid is provided with a hole Rid of larger diameter than the bolt l5e emp'loyed in connecting the same to the equalizer member Mid, and the end of the side frame member terminates in a substantially vertical surface 33. This surface cooperates with a block 31 of rubber which is set in a pocket 38 in an end portion of the equalizer member Hid. Wear or protector plates 38 are provided at opposite sides of the block and the block and plates are protected by a cover plate 40, which may be welded to the equalizer. member as indicated at 4|. When the equalizer member rotates'about its fulcrum pin in Fig. l), the space between the extremity 36 of the side frame and the back wall of the pocket 33 decreases at the downwardly moving end and increases at the upwardly moving end. The equalizer connection bolt hole l5d being larger (corresponding to the fulcrum pin l1 by the members uniformly over the rubber block.

The structure shown in Figs. 9 and 10 is similar to that illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8 with the exception that I make the top plate 42 integral with the wear plate 43 and secure the composite plate in position by welding at 44.

Obviously the

plates

40 and 42 serve to protect the rubberblock from weather, foreign objects, etc.

When used in a truck of the type disclosed in my application Serial No. 197,927, the rubber blocks also assist in propelling the intermediate portion of the truck, which consists of the equalizer, intermediate frame, and the two intermediate axles and their wheels, thereby reducing the forces which are transmitted through the bolts, which connect the end frame members to the equalizer member.

Many modifications of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing therefrom or from the scope of the claims, and since the foregoing disclosure has been given by way of examples for clearness and understanding, no unnecessary limitations should be understood and the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the state of the art permits.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a car truck, a wheel-supported intermediate side frame member, an oscillatable equalizer member carried by said side frame member, end frame members movably connected to the ends of the equalizer member, and means for dampening oscillations of the equalizer member.

2. In a car truck. a wheel-supported intermediate side frame member, an oscillatable equalizer member carried by said side frame member, end frame members movably connected to the ends of the equalizer member, and means for dampening oscillations of the equalizer' member, said means comprising an elastic element carried by one member and bearing against a part rigidly united with another one of the members.

3. In a car truck, a wheel-supported intermediate side frame member, an oscillatable equalizer member carried by said side frame member, end frame members movably connected to the ends of the equalizer member, and means for dampening oscillations of the equalizer member, said means comprising a metallic spring carried by one of the members, and a projection rigidly united with another one of and engaging said spring. a

4. In a car truck, a wheel-supported intermediate side frame member, an oscillatable equalizer member carried by said side frame member, end frame members movably connected to the ends of the equalizer member, and means for dampening oscillations of the equalizer member, said means comprising a metallic spring secured. to an end portion of one of the memthe members bers and having a free end bearing against an end portion of another one of the members.

5. In a car truck, a wheel-supported intermediate side frame member, an oscillatable equalizer member carried by said side frame member, end frame members movably connected to the ends of the equalizer member, and means for dampening oscillations of the equalizer member, said means comprising a leaf spring having one of its ends secured to one of said members and hearing at its opposite end against an end portion of the other member.

6. In a car truck, a wheel-supported intermediate side frame member,

to the ends of the equalizer member, and means for dampening oscillations of the equalizer member, said means comprising a block of resilient material.

7. In a car truck, a Wheel-supported intermediate side frame member, an oscillatable equalizer member carried by said side frame member, end frame members movably connected to the ends of the equalizer member, and means for dampening oscillations of the equalizer member, said means comprising abutment surfaces arranged upon adjacent ends of the equalizer member and one of the end frame members, and a block of resilient material arranged between said surfaces.

8. In a car truck, a wheel-supported intermediate side frame member, an oscillatable equalizer member carried by said side frame member, end frame members movably connected ends of the equalizer member, and means for dampening oscillations of the equalizer member, said means comprising a resilient :blOCk member, and a protecting cover plate for said block secured to the equalizer member.

10. In a car truck, a wheel-supported intermember, end frame members movably connected to the ends of the equalizer member, and means for dampening oscillations of the equalizer member, said means comprising a resilient block arranged between the inner extremity of one of the end frame members and an end portion of the equalizer member, metallic plates arranged at opposite sides of the block, and means forming a cover for the block.

11. In a car truck, an intermediate side frame member, an oscillatable equalizer member pivotally supported at its medial portion by the medial portion of said side frame member for movement about a horizontal axis, end frame members havin their inner ends movably connected to the ends of the equalizer member, and means for dampening oscillations of the equalizer member.

CLAUDE L. ORR.