US2277263A - Stabilizing mechanism for railway trucks and the like - Google Patents

Description

March 24, 1942. H. E. TUCKER 2,277,263

STABILIZING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY TRUCKS AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 11, 1940 .70 lll.lllllllli 12 29 25 J1 22 23 35/3Q I,

fi s I 411 Q Z J w wh H1177 14 j 2 l INVENTOR. 4 finbendf kaer BY M fl LM/ $6 1.

ATTORNEYS March 24, 1942. H. E. TUCKER 2,277,263 STABILIZING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY TRUCKS AND THE LIKE I Q Filed April 11, 1940 5 Sheets-Shet 2 J/ lII m ATTORNEYS.

Mmh 24, 1942; E. TUCKER STABILIZING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY TRUCKS AND THE LIKE Filed April 11, 1940 5 Shee ts-Sheet s INVENTR. 472725273615 ATTORNEYS.

Ma 24, 194 2- H. E. TUCKER STABILIZING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY TRUCKS AND THE LIKE Filed April 11, 1940 5 Shets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

jarzbanfl kaefi BY E A} ATTORNEYS arh 24,- 1942. i H. E. TUCKER 2,277,263

STABILIZING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY TRUCKS AND THE LIKE Filed April 11, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 24, 1942 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STABILIZING MECHANISM FOR RAILWAY TRUCKS AND THE LIKE Herbert E. Tucker, Chicago, 111., assignor to James R. Cardwell, Chicago, 111.

Application April 11, 1940, Serial N0. 329,141 23 Claims. (or. 105-191) k of the invention, with parts in section and parts This invention relates to bolster supporting mechanism for railway cars.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of new and improved bolster supporting mechanism that is so designed that when sociated with this unit means that provide an.

initial resilient movement in the vertical vibration of the unit and spring assembly during the normal travel of the truck on the rails.

- A further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved stabilizing mechanism that, when in use on the self-alining springplankless type of truck, will tend to hold the wheels and side frames in their intended relation and will properly aline the parts after distortion in rounding curves.

broken away;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section on the line ll ll of Fig.

Fig. 12 is a section on the line I 2-l2 of Fig.

10; and

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 'l is a side elevation of a railway truck, with parts in section and parts. broken away for the sake of clearness, and showing. the bolster in its uppermost position;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2'2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 1 showing only a portion of the side frame and showing the bolster in its lowermost position;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3-;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the friction shoe;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the resilient member that engages the friction shoe;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a modified form of truck on which the device is employed, with parts in section and parts broken away;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 7', with parts in section and parts broken away; V

Fig 9 is an end elevation of the truck showing the left side in section along the line 89 of Fig. '7 and showing the right side in section along Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a modified form of spring cap used in connection with the in-v vention.

Referring now to'Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings, the reference character l0 designates generally a railway truck having side frames ll provided .with a bolster opening I! through which a bolster [3 extends. The bolster I3 is supported from the side frames by a spring assembly I which comprises a plurality of helical springs l5. In the form of the construction shown,'five helical springs are employed'at each end of the bolsterand these springs are confined between an upper cap or spring plate [6 and. a lower base.

or spring plate H. The base plate I! is mounted on a spring plank 18 which in turn is supported on the lower chord or tension member IQ of the side frame beneath the opening I2.

In the conventional type of spring assemblies employing free-acting helical springs, harmonic action, .due to inequalities in the rails or roadbed or fiat portions on the wheel tread, will develop when the vertical movements of the truck frame synchronize, with the natural or periodic vibration of the springs unless means be provided for preventing this movement. Usually, friction units are employed for this purpose. But the difficulty with friction means is that it does not permit of a proper free resilient limited initial movement of the parts.

The present invention seeks to eliminate this difliculty by the provision of friction means in combination with resilient mechanism for supporting the bolster that will prevent harmonic action of the springs and at the same time will permit an initial free resilient vertical movement of the bolster under any and allload conditions. The present invention contemplates the use of friction shoes which are carried by compressible members mounted on the side frames of the truck so that a limited amount of vertical movement of the bolster may be had by the com pression of the compressible members before the friction means begin to function.

Any suitable mechanism may be employed for this purpose. In the form of the construction shown, which is by way of example only, the frame is provided with pockets 2| and 22 forming upper and lower shoulders 38 and Ill at the upper and lower sides of the opening l2. Resilient compressible members, such as the rubber blocks 23, are mounted in these pockets. A friction shoe 23 is provided for each block. Each shoe has an irmer or bottom wall 23, Figs. 4 and 5, which is V-shaped in horizontal section, that is, the wall has two flat portions arranged at.

an angle to each other to form a dihedral angle. The apex of this angle is inclined downwardly and outwardly and its lower portion is located between the corner springs on the adjacent side of the spring assembly, Fig. 2, thereby conserving space. An outwardly extending flange extends across the top as at 23, Fig. 5, and along the side edges of the wall 20, as shown at 23 and 21, to form a cavity or recess 3| for receiving the rubber block 23. The irmer wall 23 of the shoe has its upper end inclined outwardly at an angle to the plane of the lower portion of said wall, as shown at 30, Fig. 3. The flange 29 engages over the upper end of the rubber block 23, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The flanges 28 and 21 taper upwardly as shown in Fig. 5. A central rib or internal flange 23, tapering upwardly, extends in the plane of the bisector of the'dihedral angle formed by the two sections of the bottom wall, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5, and divides the recess 3! into the two recesses 32 and 33 at opposite sides of the rib. The rib or flange 23 does not extend outward to the plane of the outer edges of the flanges 26 and 21 so that the block 23 may rest on the rib 28 and be held in position by the flanges 26, 21 and 23.

The bolster l3 has its ends provided with side walls 34 which are V-shape, Fig. 4. and inclined inwardly and downwardly. Attached to each of said walls is a wear plate 33, Fig. 4, which is V-shape in horizontal section and is adapted to engage a friction surface 40 on the face of the shoe 25. The wear plates 35 are held in position in a V-shaped recess in the bolster by any suitable means such as the bolts 36. In order to relieve the bolts 36 of shearing strains, the inclined walls 34 of the bolster are recessed at 30 and are slightly concave from top to bottom, as shown at 60 in Fig. l, for receiving the blocks that are slightly convex longitudinally thereof on the side adjacent to the side walls 34 of the bolster. The recess 30 in each end of the bolster provides a flange 33, Fig. l, which overhangs the friction plates 35 and limits their upward movement. The rubber block 23 is longer than the corresponding shoe so that a space 31, Fig. l. is provided at each side between the shoes and shoulders 33 under normal conditions. The rubber block 23 is rectangular in both vertical and horizontal sections except that its top and side edges at its outer side are beveled of! as shown at 42, 43 and 44. respectively. Figs. 2 and 6, for increasing the space into which the rubber block may be distorted.

When the load is light, the springs will support the bolster so that its zone of resilient movement will be in a higher plane than when the load is heavier. ,In other words, with light loads, the zone of vertical vibration for the bolster will be above the zone of movement of the bolster with heavier loads. But, in" all cases, there will be free vibration within predetermined limits of the bolster within those zones; that is, the bolster will move freely with the shoe during the upward movement of the vibration until the shoe contacts the shoulder 4| and downward until the shoe contacts the shoulder 38. Any movement beyond those limits will result in relative movement of the shoe and friction plate and cause frictional resistance to the further movement of the bolster thus preventing harmonic movement of the bolster and spring assembly.

In the operation of the device, when the load is applied. there will be a limited free resilient movement or vertical vibration of the bolster before there is any relative movement between the shoes and friction plates. This initial movement will compress the springs II and at the same time will tend todistort the rubber blocks 23. This resilient movement will continue until the shoes come in contact with shoulders 33 after which the bolster l3 will move relative to the shoes thereby distorting the rubber block still further into the recesses 32 and 33 and the reaction of the rubber blocks will cause considerable friction between the friction shoes and the friction plates 33 and this friction will not only resist further compression of the springs, thus assisting in supporting the load. but will prevent undue harmonic vibration of the springs. During the vibration of thesprings it under load, the bolster will be permitted a limited free ventical movement by the rubber block which will materially assist in absorbing shocks and vertical vibrations of small amplitude.

If the load be heavy, the springs IE will be compressed and the downward movement of the bolster will force the shoes 23 laterally thereby distorting the rubber blocks upwardly thus lifting the shoes so that they will support the load in such a manner that vibration of small vertical amplitude will be absorbed by the rubber block the same as with light loads.

It is common practice in the building of railway cars for high speed service to provide means for automatically banking the bodies on curves in order to counteract or partially compensate for the centrifugal force exerted on those bodies while traveling around curves. The present invention utilizes the resiliency of the supporting spring assembly and the stabilizing mechanism for accomplishing this function.

It will thus be seen that at all loads, there is a free resilient movement which is limited only by the contact of the shoes against the upper shoulders I or their contact with the lower shoulders 38. In other words, while the shoes are out of contact with these shoulders, there will be no frictional relative movement between the shoes and friction plates. This free movement of the bolster will occur at all loads and under all conditions thereby cushioning the load of the car during the vertical vibration of the spring assembly. This is considered an important feature of the invention because it cushions the load under all operating conditions. Furthermore, since rubber is a sound absorbing medium, the rubber blocks assist in absorbing sound which is an important feature when the construction is used on passenger cars.

In the use of self-alining trucks, that is, of trucks having their side frames integral with the journal and with the side frames free from each other except as tied together by the axles and bolster, it is common practice to provide resilient means between the columns and the bolster ends for properly squaring and alining the parts after rounding curves. Due to'the short leverage and the width of the bolster, however, this righting or squaring of the bolster and axles is considerably retarded. In Figs. 7 to 9 is shown a modified construction of frame and bolster in which the stabilizing mechanism is more prompt and ei'iicient in efiecting restoration oi the part".

Referring now to Figs. '7, 8 and 9, the truck 55 is of the self-alining spring-plankless type comprising the axles 55 and 41 having the wheels 58 and 59 thereon, as is usual in such constructions. The axles t6 and H are provided at their outer ends with journal boxes 5! and 52 which are integral with the side frame member 53, Fig. 7. The sideframe members 53 are each provided with an upper chord member 58 and a lower chord member 55, which are connected together at their ends and are connected at their central portion by a column 5% or standard. which is of a depth or thickness much less than that of the chords 53 and 53, for providing clearance for the bolster arms on the inner sides of the frames, as will presently appear.

The bolster 5? is provided at each end with forwardly and rearwardly extending arms 58 and 59, respectively. While the arm 5e will, for the sake of convenience of description, be termed the forward arm, it is understood that the construction is symmetrical and the truck may run in either direction. The outer end of the bolster is provided with a curved recess 6! which provides a clearance for the column or standard 55, as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. The arms extend between the upper and lower chords and have interposed between their outer ends, spring assemblies 52 and 58 for supporting the bolster from the lower chord 55, the adjacent surfaces of the arms and chords being provided with spring seats for the spring assemblies 62 and 63. These spring assemblies may each comprise any suitable number of springs, two being shown in the drawings. The outer ends of the bolster arms 58 and 59. are guided in their vertical movement by guide mechanism 55 that also functions as means for automatically alining the parts and for preventing harmonic action of the spring assembly. This mechanism is substantially the same as that employed in the form of the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6 and comprises a recess 50 in which is mounted a rubber block 64 which corresponds to the recess 3! and the rubber block 23 in Fig. 1. Friction shoes 55 are also provided for embracing the rubber block 54 and engaging a wear plate 8|! on the end of the bolster arms substantially the same as in the previous construction. This wear plate is V- shape in cross-section as in the previous construction and the ends of the bolster arms are similarly formed, as shown in Fig. 8. The side walls of the arms are provided with flanges 9B for engaging the side edges of the shoes55 and wear plate 80 for positioning the same. Since the details of the construction and the function of the parts are substantially the same as those previously described, it is not thought necessary to further illustrate and describe the same.

In traveling around curves, the tendency is for the outer wheels to lag, in which event there will be a slight angular movement between the rigid arms 58 and 59 and the side frames and this, in turn, will tend to move the friction shoes 65 relative to the side frame or journal boxes 5| and 52 thereby distorting the rubber 64. When the truck travels onto the straight portion of the track, the distorted rubber at the ends of the arms 58 and 59 will tend to move the frames so that they will be normal to the bolster 51 thereby properly squaring the truck and aiming the part thereon. It will thus beseen that, in the form of the construction shown in'Flgs. 7,

8 and 9, the arms 58 and 59 will function as powerful levers for placing the rubber blocks under shearin rounding curves and the resiliency of these blocks will tend to yieldably hold the truck axles and bolster in parallel relation.

The rubber blocks will also function to absorb the smaller shocks and also force the shoes into frictional contact with the friction plates cc;

- the parts after the truck has negotiated the the side frame 61, which is of the usual construc- A tion but may be of any suitable construction,

mg 8| in the end of the bolster.

has a top chord 68, bottom chord 59 and the columns H and 72 forming the bolster opening it, as is usual in such constructions. The columns H and 12 are provided with pockets l4 and 75 in which ismounted rubber blocks 15 and 11, all of which is substantially the same construction,

as shown in Figs. 1 to '7 and described above.

Since the rubber blocks .16 and the shoes 18 are substantially the same and arranged in the same way as those already described and function in substantiallythe samemanner, it is not thought necessary to repeat a detailed description of this stabilizing mechanism at this point.

The bolster I9 extends into the opening 13 and the ends thereof are provided with elongated recesses forming bearings 8|, see Fig. 12, which are curved in cross-section and extending transversely across the lower surface of the end of the bolster. A suitable spring assembly 82 of the usual construction is interposed between each end of the bolster and the upper fiat portion 83 of the bottom chord 59 of the bolster, Fig. 12. A spring plate of any suitable or well known construction 84 may be provided on which the springs of the assembly are seated.

The assembly is provided with, an upper spring or trunnion plate 85 that has suitable spring seats for engaging the upper ends of the springs for positioning the same. The spring plate 85 has a rib 86, Fig. 13, extending transversely across its upper portion-and is curved in crosssection to form a journal for engaging the bearand rear edges of the spring plate 85 are provided with upstanding flanges or lugs 81, Fig. 13,

having alined openings 88 therethrough. A friction plate 89 is interposed between the flanges 81 and the friction shoes 18, as shown in Figs.

l0 and 11. The friction plates 89 are each provided with flanges 9| and 92 which extend lon vided with a trunnion 93 which is adapted to en- The forward gage the openings 88 on the spring plate and which functions as .a horizontal pivot about which the spring plate 85 is adapted to turn.

Referring now to Fig. 12, it will be seen that when the loaded car travels around curves and the bolster I9 is caused to move to the left, in Fig. 12, by centrifugal action, the bearings II will tend to move the journal 88 to the left in said figure, thus causing the spring or trunnion plate 85 to rotate about the trunnion 93 of the wear plate 89 thus causing the inner edge of the plate 86 to compress the inner springs 94 to a greater degree than the outer springs 85 and when the truck negotiates the curve, the springs 94, being stressed more than the springs 85, will tend to move the plate 85 and with it, the bolster 19, back to normal position with the trunnion 83 in the vertical plane of the Journal 86. Simultaneously, with the excess stressing of the springs 94, the rubber blocks 16 will be distorted more on one side edge than on the other due to the fact that-the outer wheels tend to lag in rounding curves. As a result of this arrangement, when the truck reaches straight away track, these blocks and the springs will tend to return the parts to normal position with the bol- Y ster normal to the side frame.

It will thus be seen that in all forms-of the truck construction on which the stabilizer is employed, the rubber blocks are distorted when the truck bolster is angularly moved relative to the frame. The blocks are distorted in such a manner as to tend to move the parts back to normal position after the curve is rounded.- It will also be noted that in all forms of truck construction disclosed, the stabilizing device not only funce tions to resist relative angular movement of the bolster and frames but that the parts are so constructed that there is a limited amount of free, resilient, vertical movement of the bolster at all loads before the friction shoes are caused to move, thereby providing easy riding under all load conditions.

It is thought from the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

that the construction and operation of my device will be apparent in those skilled in the art and that changes in size. shape, proportion and detail may be made wiihcut departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In-stabilizing mechanism for railway trucks,

'a friction shce comprising an inner wall having a pair of friction faces arranged at an angle to each other on its front face so as to converge upwardly, both T aces being inclined upwardly and rearwardly, a flange extending rearwardly about the top and side edges of the shoe to form a cavity opening 'rearwardly, and a rib within said cavity of less height than said flange for dividing said cavity into two recesses whereby a rubber block supported on said rib will be heldin operative position by said flanges and may be distorted into said cavities.

2. In a railway truck, a side frame, having a bolster opening therein, a bolster within said opening, resilient means for supporting each end of said bolster, means for frictionally resisting harmonic movement of said resilient means beyond predetermined limits, said last named means comprising rubber members and fricii'n shoes forced into frictional contact with said bolster and so constructed as to permit said bolster supporting means and shoes to move. freely together between predetermined limits under all load conditions and to frictionally resist relative movement between said shoes and bolster beyond those limits'within any zone of vibration for said bolster.

3. In a railway truck, a frame, a bolster, springs for supporting said bolster from said frame, and stabilizing mechanism for said truck, said mechanism comprising resilient means and friction mechanism, said friction mechanism comprising shoes frctionally engaging said bolster and being so constructed that said resilient means will assist in-supporting a load under all conditions but will prevent said friction mechanism from operating until said mechanism reaches its lowermost position on said truck.

4-. In a railway truck, a frame, a bolster, springs for supporting said bolster from said frame, and stabilizing mechanism for said truck, said mechanism comprising friction shoes having inclined friction faces for engaging friction faces on said bolster, rubber blocks carried by said shoes, and means limiting the downward movement of said shoes and blocks for causing distortion of said blocks during the downward movement of said bolster, the distortion of said blocks absorbing the shocks to such an extent that said shoes will not function as friction means until they reach their lowermost position.

5. In a railway truck, a pair of axles, journal boxes for said axles, side frames rigid with said boxes, a bolster having laterally extending arms extending in the plane of said frames, friction surfaces on the ends of said arms, springs for supporting said arms from said frames, and means including friction shoes engaging said friction surfaces and rubber blocks carried by said journal boxes for forcing said shoes against said surfaces when said springs are compressed for resisting further compression of said springs, said rubber blocks being adapted to be distorted laterally when said truck rounds a curve and tending to restore the axles to' normal position after passing around the curve.

6. In a railway truck, a pair of wheeled axles, journaled boxes for said axles, side frames carried by said boxes, said boxes having pockets, rubber blocks in said pockets, 9. bolster having forwardly and rearwardly extending arms from each end, friction means including friction shoes between said rubber blocks and the ends of said arms, said shoes being supported by said blocks a predetermined distance above the bottom walls of said pockets whereby said bolster will be partially supported by said rubber blocks during initial compression, and springs beneath said arms for assisting in supporting said bolster from said frame, said axles being movable angularly relative to said frames to a limited extent against the compression of said blocks.

7. In a railway car, a pair of axles, journal boxes on each of said axles at each end thereof, frames supported by said axles, rubber blocks mounted on said journal boxes, a bolster having forwardly and rearwardly extending arms. means interlocked with the ends of said arms for causing compression of said blocks when said axles move angularly to said frames whereby on rounding curves, said blocks will be compressed and on a, straight track, the expansion of said blocks will restore the axles and bolster to parallel relation.

8. In a railway truck, aside frame having a bolster opening therein, a bolster extending in' said opening, a column at each side of said opening, rubber blocks carried by recesses in said unit, said means frictionally resisting further downward movement of said bolster, said means being frictionally operative only after the initial downward movement of said bolster.

15. In a railway truck, a truck frame, abolster, a spring assembly for supporting said bolster from'said frame, friction sho'esengaging said bolster for frictionally resisting relative movement of said shoes and bolster, resilient a curve, said spring plate will swing outwardly about said trunnions for compressing the inner springs more than the outer ones whereby said inner springs will tend to restore the parts to normal position after cessation of the centrifugal force.

9. A spring plate having spring seats on one side and having upwardly extending side flanges on the other, said flanges having bearing openings therethrough adjacent their upper edges, and a bearing rib curved in cross-section rigid with said plate and extending transversely to said flanges.

10. A railway truck comprising .a pair of means for supporting said shoes so constructed and arranged that said shoes and bolster will move together for distorting said means during the initial downward movement of said bolster,

wheeled axles, journal boxes on the end portions of said axles, side frames carried by said journal boxes, a bolster having arms at each end thereof, said arms extending fore and aft adjacent to said journal boxes, resilient means for supporting said arms from said frames, and resilient connections between said arms and journal boxes for yieldingly resisting relative angular movement of said frames and arms in a horizontal plane.

11. A railway truck comprising wheeled axles,

means for limiting the further downward movementof said shoes without preventing the further downward movement of said bolster for causing the further distortion of said resilient means.

16. In a railway truck, a truck frame, a bolster, a spring assembly for supporting said bolster from said frame, friction shoes engaging said bolster for frictionally resisting relative movement of said shoes and bolster, compressible means for supporting said shoes from said frame, said means being compressed when said bolster and shoes move downwardly, means for limiting the downward movement of said shoes during the compression of said assembly, and means for causing the distortion of said compressible journal boxes for said axles, side frames sup- 3 ported by said journal boxes, a vertically movble bolster having arms extending fore and aft at each end thereof, resilient means for resiliently supporting the outer ends of said arms from said frames, and means engaging said arms and journal boxes for dampening the vertical vibration of said bolster, and for resiliently resisting relativ angular movement of said arms and frames in horizontal planes.

12. A railway truck comprising wheeled axles, journal boxes on the outer ends of said axles, side frames carried by said journal boxes, a body supporting member extending transversely across said frames and having arms extending fore and aft along said side frames, resilient means for supporting said body supporting member from said frames, and resilient means for movably connecting said arms to said frames and for biasing said axles normal to said arms.

means when said bolster has been depressed beyond the limit of downward movement of said shoes.

1'7. In a truck, a spring assembly carried by said truck, car supporting means carried by said assembly, friction elements carried by said means, friction shoes for frictionally engaging said elements for frictionally resisting the downward movement of said means, distortable means adapted to be compressed by said shoes when said shoes move downwardly, and means for i limiting the downward movement of said shoes to predetermined limits during the downward movement of said car supporting means without limiting the further downward movement of said last-named means.

18. In a railway truck, a side frame member, a bolster member, springs for supporting said bolster member from said side frame member,

7 and stabilizing mechanism for said truck, means 13. A railway truck comprising wheeled axles,

journal boxes for said axles, side frames rigid with said journal boxes a bolster having rigid supported by said resilient mechanism, said mechanism including a spring I assembly and a distortable unit, means permanently engaging said unit and frictionally engaging said bolster for limiting the resilient initial downward movement of said bolster upon the distortion of said for supporting said mechanism from one of said members, said mechanism comprising resilient means and friction mechanism, said resilient means being compressible vertically for absorbing vibrations of small amplitude and moving independently of the operation of said friction mechanism under all load conditions and coma bolster member, means for supporting said bolster member on said truck frame member,

said means comprising springs, resilient units and friction mechanism, said friction mechanism tion* mechanism operating only after said resilient units have reached the limit of their downward movement during their vibrations.

20. In a railway truck, a truck frame member, a bolster member movable relative to said frame member and a resilient unit between said bolster and frame members for assisting in supporting said bolster from said frame, said um't comprising a friction shoe frictionally engaging one of said members, a rubber block between said shoe and said other member, said rubber block resisting the initial downward movement of said bolster and simultaneously biasing said bolster to a predetermined angle relative to said truck frame member.

21. In a device of the class described, a supporting member, a supported member, a rubber block between said members, a friction shoe frictionally engaging one of said members, said shoe engaging said block for compressing the same during the initial downward movement of said supported member, means for limiting the downward movement of said shoe, the friction between said shoe and one of said members resisting any further downward movement of said supported member after said shoe has reached the limit of its downward movement, and means for restoring said supported member to normal position after release.

22. In a railway truck, a side frame having an upper compression member and a lower tension member for defining the upper and lower margins of a bolster opening, a column at each side of said opening rigidly connected to said members, a bolster extending into said opening, a spring assembly beneath said bolster and having its lowermost portion seated on said tension member, a spring plate for said assembly interposed between said bolster and said assembly, and means for causing said spring plate to tilt inwardly when said bolster moves outwardly under centrifugal action while said truck travels around curves.

'23. A railway truck comprising wheeled axles, journal boxes for said axles, side frames supported by said Journal boxes, a bolster having arms extending fore and aft of each end thereof, means for slidably connecting said arms to said side frames, said means comprising friction elements for frictionally resisting vertical movement to said bolster when the same moves beyond a predetermined distance, and resilient means for biasing said bolster to a predetermined angular position relative to said frame.

HERBERT E. TUCKER.

Images