US2751051A

US2751051A - Brake beam

Info

Publication number: US2751051A
Application number: US276182A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert B Cottrell; Roland T Leisk
Original assignee: American Steel Foundries
Current assignee: American Steel Foundries
Priority date: 1952-03-12
Filing date: 1952-03-12
Publication date: 1956-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 1973-06-19

Description

June 19, 1956 R. B. COTTRELL ETAL 2,751,051

' BRAKE BEAM Filed March 12, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 19, 1956 CQTTRELL r 2,751,051

BRAKE BEAM Filed March 12, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l/ll/ f IN VEN TORS.

BRAKE BEAM Robert B. Cottrell, Chicago, Ill., and Roland T. Leislr, East Chicago, Ind., assignors to American Steel Fonnth ries, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 12, 1952, Serial No. 276,182

'7 Claims. (Cl. 188-226.1)

This invention relates to brake beams and is more particularly concerned with the provision of a truss type beam in which the tension and compression members, strut and brake heads are in the form of a single metal casting of relatively light weight, sturdy construction suitable for railway service.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a cast truss type brake beam in which the medial portions of the tension and compression members are of tubular cross section joined together by a strut of generally tubular section, said members converging toward their ends and merging to define end portions of tubular cross section having brake heads projecting laterally therefrom.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a cast truss type brake beam in which intermediate portions of the tension and compression members, between the tubular end portions and their respective tubular medial portions, are channel-shape in cross section.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a cast truss type brake beam embodying integral guide lugs on the tubular end portions for sliding engagement within suitable guide brackets commonly provided on the side frames of railway car trucks.

This invention embodies other novel features, details of construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter set forth in the specification and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating a cast truss type brake beam embodying features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the brake beam.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the brake beam.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken along the line 66 of Figure 2.

Figures 7, 8, 9 and are detail sectional views taken along the lines 7--7, 88, 99 and 1ll10 respectively of Figure 1,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating a modified form of the invention in which the cast truss type brake beam embodies guide lugs.

Figure 12 is a front elevational view of same.

Figure 13 is an end elevational view of same, and

Figure 14 is a detail sectional view taken along the line 14-14 of Figure 13.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of the present invention and more particularly to Figures 1 to 10 therein, the truss type brake beam is shown in the form of a one-piece steel casting compris ing a cambered compression member 2 of channel or U section embodying spaced flanges 4-4 interconnected by a web 6, the flanges converging from the transverse center line of the beam toward each extremity thereof, as shown in Figure 2. As the beam is identical on opnited States Patent 6 posite sides of its transverse center line, only one end of the beam has been illustrated.

A tension member 8 of channel or U section embodying spaced flanges 1010 and a web 12 has its medial portion 14 interconnected to the medial portion 16 of the compression member 2 by means of a strut 18 of generally tubular cross section having a brake lever slot 20 and a pin opening 22. The tension member flanges 10-10 are in vertically spaced parallel relation and project rearwardly toward the compression member, and the flanges 44 on the compression member project forwardly toward the tension member.

At the medial portion 16 of the compression member 2, the flanges 44 merge with the adjacent end of the strut 13 and a rear wall 24, while at the medial portion 14 of the tension member 8, the flanges 1010 merge with the strut and a front wall 26. It will thus be noted that the

medial portions

14 and 16 are of generally tubular cross section and interconnected by a strut of generally tubular cross section. If desired,

coaxial apertures

28 and 30 may be cored in the

walls

24 and 26.

At each end of the beam the flanges of the compression and

tension members

2 and 8 merge to form top and

bottom walls

32 and 34, respectively, of tubular end portions 3636. As shown in Figure 1, the compression member web 6 forms the back wall 38 of the tubular end portions 3636, and the tension member web 12 forms part of the front wall 40 of the end portions. The top, bottom, front and rear walls of each end portion 36 merge with an end wall 42. A brake head 44 is formed integral with each end portion 36 and projects forward from the outboard end of the front wall thereof to support a brake shoe (not shown), the heads being formed with conventional lugs and keyways to engage the shoes, and with slots 46 to receive hangers (not shown). Each brake head 44 i joined to the top and bottom walls of its related end portion 36 by means of reinforcing gussets 43 and 50.

If desired, an aperture 52 may be cored in each end wall 42. The flanges 44 and 1010 are also preferably formed with lips 5454 and 5656, respectively, extending along their outer edges to reinforce same.

Figures 11 to 14 illustrate a modified form of the invention in which the one-piece, cast, truss type brake beam embodies guide lugs 5858 adapted for sliding engagement with an associated support structure, such as brackets, on the side frames of railway car trucks, only half of the beam being shown as it is identical in construction on opposite sides of its transverse center line. The guide lugs 58-58 project outwardly from their respective tubular end portions 6ll-60 of the beam and each are preferably of hollow construction comprising top and

bottom walls

62 and 64, respectively, merging at their inboard ends with an end wall 66 and brake head 68 and joined together at their outboard ends by a wall 70. The forward edges of the top and bottom walls are connected by a forward wall 72, and the rearward edges of the top and bottom walls are connected by a rib or wall 74 spaced from and between the end wall 66 and wall 70. The outboard end of the forward wall 72 is spaced from the wall 70 to define with the top and

bottom walls

62 and 64 an opening 76.

in this form of the invention,

gussets

78 and 80 are arranged in a common vertical plane with the end wall 66 to merge with the latter and with adjacent ends of a brake head 82 formed with a front face 84 for detachable engagement with a brake shoe (not shown). As this form of the invention is otherwise similar to the form of the invention described and illustrated in Figures 1 to 10 in the drawings, corresponding numbers have been applied to corresponding parts but a further de- Patentecl June 19, 1956 v scription of the structure has been omitted to avoid repetition.

in each form of the invention thus shown and described, it will be noted that the several sections of the onepiece, cast, brake beam. are formed and arranged to afford maximum strength with minimum weight to meet the requirements of railway service, and this is accomplished by forming the medial and end portions of the beam of tubular sections joined together by channel or U sections, and by casting the brake heads and, if desired, guide lugs integral with said tubular end portions.

it will thus be seen that with the brake heads integrally formed on the beam immediately forwardly of the end portions, line of pressure, that is, a horizontal falling within a central vertical plane passing through brake head and er ending transversely of the beam,

tie; formed by the llanges and webs of the tensison and In the embodiment of Figure l .i of pressure will directly intersect the end por tron, while n the embodiment of Figure ll, this line of 1 pressure will intersect the end wall 66 of said related end portion with the effect in each case of distributing the forces normally present against the brake head diretly to the beam through the flanges and webs of the end portions.

While this invention has been shown in but two forms, it is ob ions to those skilled in the art that it is not so limit d but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.

We claim:

l. A brake beam casting comprising tension and compression members of channel section having spaced and connecting webs, a tubular strut connecting members and merging with the flanges thereof cenlly of the beam, a wall within each end of the strut and merging with adjacent flanges, said members converging toward the ends of the beam and having their ll ages merging to form tubular end portions, brake hes mounted on the end portions, and vertical end Walls extending transversely of the beam merging with the outboard edges of the tubular end portions, said Walls being spaced from the central strut a distance at least equal to the distance between the strut and the line of pressure of the brake head.

2. A brake beam casting comprising tension and compression members of channel section having spaced flanges and connecting webs, a tubular strut connecting the members and merging with the flanges thereof centrally of the beam, a wall within each end of the strut and merging with adjacent flanges, said members converging toward the ends of the beam and having their flanges merging to form tubular end portions, brake heads mounted on the end portions, end walls extendtransversely of the beam merging with the outboard edges of the tubular nd portions, said walls being spaced from the central strut a distance at least equal to the distance between the strut and the line of pressure of the brake head, and a guide lug having its inboard end merging with the outboard face of each end Wall.

3. A brake beam casting comprising tension and compression members of channel section having spaced flanges and connecting webs, a tubular strut connecting the members and merging with the flanges thereof centrally of the beam, 21 wall within each end of the strut and merging with adjacent flanges, said members converging toward the ends of the beam and having their flanges merging to form tubular end portions, end walls extending transversely of the beam merging with the outboard edges of the tubular end portions, and a guide lug having its inboard end merging with the outboard face of each end wall, a brake head having a rear face merging with the adjacent surfaces of a tubular end portion and guide lug, said head being so positioned on the beam that its line of pressure intersects said end wall.

4. A brake beam casting comprising tension and compression members of channel section having spaced flanges and connecting webs, a tubular strut connecting the members and merging with the flanges thereof centrally of the beam, a wall within each end of the strut and merging with adjacent flanges, said members converging toward the ends of the beam an having their nges merging to form tubular end portions, end walls cz'tte g versciy of the beam merging with the outboard edges of the tubular end portions, and a guide lug having its inboard end merging with the outboard face of each end wall, a bralte head having a rear face n" with the adjacent surfaces of a tubular end porand positioned on the casting so that intersects the end wall, and upper r gussets coplanar and merging with said end wall and merging with the rear face of the brake head.

5. A brake beam casting comprising tension and compression iernbers of channel section having spaced flanges and connecting webs, a tubular strut connecting the members and merging with the flanges thereof centrally of the beam, a wall within each end of the strut and merging with adjacent flanges, said members converging towrd the ends of the beam and having their flanges merging to form tubular end portions, end walls mcrg' g with the outboard edges of the tubular end por tions, a guide lug having its inboard end merging with the outboard face of each end wall, a brake head having a rear face me 'ig with the adjacent surfaces of a tubular eno portion and guide lug and having its line of pressure aligned with the related end wall, and upper and lower gussets coplanar and merging with said end wall and merging with the rear face of the bralte head, each guide lug comprising spaced top and bottom walls connected by an outboard wall, a front Wall, and a rear rib.

6. in a truss type brake beam casting comprising tension and compression members of channel section, each having spaced upper and lower flanges and. webs perpendicularly interconnecting the flanges, a tubular strut interconnecting the members and merging with the flanges centrally of the beam, said members converging towards the end of the beam and having their upper and lower flanges, respectively, merging with each other to comprise end portions, end Walls extending substantially transversely of the beam at opposite ends thereof, said webs merging integrally with the end walls, said end portions comprising hollow segments defined by the upper and lower merging flanges, the perpendicular webs, and the end walls, and brake heads integrally formed on and adjacent opposite ends of the beam and connected directly to the perpendicular webs associated with the tension members, whereby said heads are positioned on the beam immediately forwardly of the related hollow segments.

7. A truss type brake beam casting comprising tension and compression members of channel section, each having spaced upper and lower flanges and perpendicularly related webs interconnecting the flanges, said memers converging towards the end of the beam on opposite sides of the transverse vertical center plane of the beam and having their upper and lower flanges, respectively, merging with each other to comprise hollow end portions, said end portions being defined by the upper and lower merging flanges, the perpendicularly related webs and end walls which extend transversely of the beam and integrally connect the webs and flanges, said end walls being approximately parallel to said plane, and a brake head integrally mounted on each end portion in such a position that a vertical plane passing centrally through the head will extend transversely of the beam and be arran ed approximately parallel to said first mentioned plane, each end wall being spaced from the first men- 5 tioned plane a linear distance at least equal to the linear 2,499,905 distance between the first mentioned plane and the re- 2,500,192 lated second mentioned plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent 5 736,239

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,928,360 Muchnic Sept. 26, 1933 6 Cottrell Mar. 7, 1950 Leisk Mar. 14, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS France Sept. 13, 1932