US2375919A - Means for snubbing springs - Google Patents

Description

May l5, 1945. s. B. HASELTINE MEANS FOR SNUBBING SPRINGS Filed May 3, 1943 aienied ay i5, 194.5

MEANS FOR SNUBBING SPRINGS Stacy B. Haseltine, La Grange, lll., assignor to W. oi Delaware H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation Application May 3, 1943, Serial No. 485,427

2 Claims.

This invention relates tc improvements in means for snubbing the action of railway car truck springs.

One object of the invention is to provide in a railway car truck simple and elcient means for snubbing or dampening the action of the usual truck springs ci railway cars, thereby reducing the oscillations and vibrations of the springs to such an extent that the car and its lading will not be damaged.

Another object of the invention is to provide friction means of the character indicated in the preceding paragraph, auxiliary to the usual truck springs for dampening the recoil action of the springs to minimize the vibrations imparted to the car body.

Still another object of the invention is to pro- I vide a snubbing means comprising relatively movable cooperating friction elements at opposite sides ci the usual spring cluster of the truck of a railway car, whereby the usual spring cluster without modification or substitution of other parts for any of the coils of the cluster may be employed on the truck.

A more speciic object of the invention is to provide means as specied in the preceding paragraph, Wherein the friction elements include a spring plank member having upturned side anges, and a resilient plate forming the upper spring follower of the spring cluster, having depending sections in sliding frictional engagement with the upstanding anges of the spring plank member.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear `from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a railway cartruck illustrating my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the portion of the truck shown in Figure 1, looking in upwardly direction in said -figure. Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view,

corresponding substantially to the line 3 3 of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a horizontal sectionalview on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 of the right hand portion of the truck structure shown-in Figure 2. Figure 5 is a top plan view of the upper follower for the spring cluster of the truck. Figure 6 is an edge elevational view of. Figure 5, looking upwardly in said last named ligure.

In said drawing, I0 indicates one of the side frame members of a railway car truck. The side trame I0, as shown, is in the form of a casting and has top and bottom members I I and I2 connected by spaced vertical sections I3-I3 form-v ing guides ior'the truck bolster. As will be understood by those skilled in this art, the truck includes two side frame members Ill-I0, and a truck bolster I4, a spring plank I5, and truck springs I S-IB. The opposite ends oi the spring plank are supported on the bottom members I2-I2 of the side frames III-Ill, and the opposite ends of the bolster I4 are guided between the sections I3-I3 and I--I3 of the truck side frames. As most clearly shown in Figure 2, the sections I3--I3 are inwardly oset at their upper end portions to provide guides II-I'I which cooperate with guide seats I 8--I8 at the sides of the bolster i4. 'I'he guides I'I-Il are provided with the usual wear plates I9I9.

My improvements comprise broadly a friction element A in the form of a spring follower plate interposed between the bolster and the truck springs of the car, and a friction element B in the form of a spring plank, hereinbefore described and indicated by the character I5, the plate A having depending sections at opposite sides of the truck springs in sliding frictional engagement with the usual upstanding anges of the spring plank.

'I'he friction element A is in the form of a relatively wide plate formed of spring steel and having depending sections 2li-20 at opposite ends, said dependingsections being formed by bending the end portions oi the plate at right angles to the main body thereof. The lower ends oi the sections 20-20 are bent slightly inwardly, as shown, providing inclined sections 2I-2I. The horizontal main body portion of the plate A is provided with four downwardly projecting hollow bosses 22-22 adapted to engage within the coils ofthe spring cluster to center the individual springs thereof. l

The friction member B is in the form of the usual spring plank having upstanding side flanges 23-23. I'he flanges 23-23 are relatively thick and have their inside surfaces inclined downwardly toward each other.

As shown most clearly in Figures 1 and 2 each spring cluster of the truck is composed of four springs. These spring clusters Support the bolster I4 in the usual manner. lThe spring plank or friction member B rests on the bottom members I2'-I2 of the truck side frames Ill-III and supports the spring clusters, a spring follower plate 24 being preferably interposed between the bottom end of each cluster and the spring plank. The spring follower 24 is provided with the usual 5 upstanding centering bosses 25-25 engaging within the ends of the coils of the springs. 'Ihe friction element A, which forms the upper spring n follower for each cluster of truck spring is interposed between the bolster Il and the springs] and has the inwardly bent ends Ii-li of the depending sections thereof in sliding frictional contact with the inclined inner surfaces of the flanges 28-28 of the spring plank II.

In the operation of my improved spring dampening means, vibrations of the truck springs will be dampened by sliding rubbing action of the sections 2I-2l of the friction member A on the inner surfaces of the flanges Is-II of the spring plank as springs II-ll are compressed and expand during operation of the car, the friction elements A and B being moved relatively toward and away from each other corresponding to the relative movements of the bolster and .truck side frames.

Inasmuch as the plate A is made of spring steel, its resiliency will hold the lnanges 20-20 thereof in tight frictional engagement with the flanges of the spring plank, thereby producing sufficient frictional resistance to produce the desired dampeningy action. This frictional resistance increases slightly as the truck springs are compressed, due to the downward convergence of the friction surfaces of the flanges of the spring plank.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modincations that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

and the truck bolster of the car, each of said' spring follower elements comprising a plate of spring metal having depending flanges in sliding lfrlctional engagement with the friction surfaces of said channel shaped spring plank member.

2. In a truck spring snubber for railway cars having a truck providedwith a spring support and a relatively movable truck bolster, the combination with a spring plank carried on said spring supportfsaid spring plank extending from side to side of said truck, said spring'plank having rigid, upstanding side flanges having friction surfaces on the inner sides thereof; of a cluster of truck springs supported on said spring plank at each side of the truck; and a spring follower element at each side of the truck interposed between said springs and the truck bolster of the car, each spring follower element comprising a resilient plate having depending arms in sliding frictional engagement with the friction surfaces of said spring plank.

` BTACY B. HASm'lINE.

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