US3028202A

US3028202A - Journal stop

Info

Publication number: US3028202A
Application number: US17968A
Authority: US
Inventors: Leo B George
Original assignee: JOURNAL BOX SERVICING CORP
Current assignee: JOURNAL BOX SERVICING CORP
Priority date: 1960-03-28
Filing date: 1960-03-28
Publication date: 1962-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 1979-04-03

Description

L. B. GEORGE JOURNAL STOP April 3, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

7 w. w aw Filed March 28, 1960 L. B. GEORGE April 3, 1962 JOURNAL STOP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 28, 1960 1 9 m Z 4 N M .0 w m I v J h r 0 w i m V/ T 5 B F 9 4 4 9 0 5\ 45W 4 mi] I1 I I 2 I u a 2 0 J m & W 9% W [1| 7 r IF FIILI 9 a 0 4 Z 5 United States Patent 3,028,202 JOURNAL STOP Leo B. George, Montreal," Quebec, Canada, assignor to Journal Box'Ser'v'ic'ing Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind.

' Filed Mai-r28, 1960; Ser. No. 17,968

6 Claims. (Ci. 3(i8-3) The present invention relates to an improved stop device for preventing undue lateral displacement of a railway car axle journal relative to its journal bearing when the journal and its'bearing are subjected to forces tending to displace them relative to each other.

It is well known that a railway car is subjected to severe impact force, for example, when it is crashed against another'car during the usual switch yard operations, and that this impact force tends to raise the car body relative to the truck and thereby cause the journal bearing to move upwardly relative to the journal. It is also well known that the car wheels after the sudden stopping of the car body continue their movement under the force of inertia and thereby tends to move the axle journal laterally out of its normal central alignment with its bearing. This displacement of the journal and its bearing frequently permit loose strands of the journal box packing material to be carried, by theimpact force and by the rotation of the journal into the space'between the journal and its bearing. Conditions of this character are highly objectionable, since theyci'eate friction and constitute a principal cause ofso-called hot-box--overheating of railway car journal bearings.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive journalstop of simple construction which may be positioned within a journal box, of conventional construction, at opposite sides of the journal so as to prevent objectionable lateral movement of the journal relative to its bearing element when the journal and its bearing are accidentally displaced vertically relative to each other. e

According to the invention, the stop element is made of wood or of oil resistant materials including neoprene or other plastomers having suitable rigidity to maintain its operative position and suitable compressibility to prevent scoring or indenting the journal by contact therewith. Each stop element is so formed that it extends axially of the journal and has interlocking engagement with a side wall portion of the journal box in which the journal and its associated bearing assembly are housed. The normal position of the stop within the journal box is such as to resist upward displacement of the journal box packing during the presence of impact forces tending to unseat the journal hearing from the journal.

The invention is illustrated in certain preferred embodiments, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a journal box and journal bearing assembly and illustrating, in dotted lines, a journal stop constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1 to illustrate the positions of a pair of journal stop elements positioned in their normal environment within the journal box;

FIG.'3 is a top plan view of one of the journal stop elements;

FIG. 4 is a side view in elevation of the device shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a journal stop element, the view being taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a journal box and bearing assembly similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1 but provided with a difierent formof journal box pack- FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the structure shown FIG. 10' is a cross-sectional view of the stop device shown in FIG. 9, the view beingtaken on line lit-+10 of FIG. 9 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawings: A railway car journal box of a conventional construction is designated in its entirety at 10. In the construction herein shown, the box is formed integrally with

portions

11 and 12 of a side frame of a car truck, but this is not important insofar as the present invention is concerned. If desired, the journal box may be made sepa rate from the truck side frame in accordance with any one of the several known constructions now in general use.

The inner end of the journal box lid is provided with an opening 13 adapted to receive the journal 14 of a wheel axle 15. The outer end of the journal 1'4 is provided with a radial flange or collar 16 which, together with a radial shoulder 17, defines the outer and'inner limits of the journal 14. The shoulder 17 constitutes a bearing surface for a dust guard 18, the latter of which is movably fitted in the usual dust guard slot 19 of the box 10 and has bearing contact with the peripheral surface of the shoulder 17 so as to prevent foreign matter from entering the journal box through the opening 18.

A journal bearing 20 comprising a metallic body having a lining 21 of babbitt or other suitable bearing metal is fitted on the top of the journal 14 between the said collar 16 and the shoulder 17. The journal bearing 2%) is maintained in its operative position on the journal'l lby means of a wedge member 22 which is interposed between the body 2d of the journal bearing and the top 23 of the journal box. The journal bearing has capacity for slight axial movement relative to the journal, but this movement is limited by the collar 16 and shoulder 1'7. The combined lengthwise movements of the journal 14 and bearing 20 are limited by a flange 24 on the top of the bearing body adapted to abut against the inboard end of the wedge 22. The outer end of the wedge 22 has abutting engagement with a lug 25 depending from the top 23 of the journal box.

The journal bearing Eli and its associated wedge 22 have capacity for vertical movement relative to the journal during the presence of forces tending to move the journal box Til upwardly relative to the journal. Forces of this character are present to some extent during the bouncing of the car wheels as they pass over rail joints and railway crossings, but they are more pronounced when a car is subjected to sudden starting or when the car is subjected to impact force as when it is caused to crash into another car, as is customary practice in a railway switch yard. However, the said bearing 2t and wedge 22 are maintained in a central position within the journal box by means of vertical sliding engagement of the wedge 22 against Vertical ribs 2627 formed on the forward and rear side walls of the journal box.

Lubricant is applied to the rotating journal by means of a body 28 of intertwined strands of wool or cotton waste material impregnated with lubricant, the body 28 of material being positioned in the lower portion of the journal box so as to bear against the under portion of the journal. It frequently happens that one or more strands of the waste material 28 finds entrance between the journal and the lining 21 of the bearing when the bearing is thrust upwardly relative to the journal by the cipal causes of overheated journal bearings or so-called hot box.

In order to overcome the above mentioned objections incident to the vertical displacement of the bearing 29 relative to the journal 14 and the consequent lateral movement of the journal away from the vertical center of the bearing, a pair of stop elements 29 are positioned between opposite sides of the journal 14 and the adjacent side walls 3% 31 of the journal box so that, during lateral displacement of the journal relative to the journal box, the journalwill come into contact with a stop element 29 before its lateral movement becomes excessive. The said stops 29 comprise elongated elements of wood or other suitable material having the rigidity and the compressibility of wood so that it will not score or indent the highly polished surface of the journal 14 when the latter moves out of its normally centralized position relative to the journal bearing 29 and comes into contact with one or the other of the stops 29, in the manner hereinabove described. The said stops extend lengthwise of the journal 14 and are adapted to seat on

flanges

32, 33 which project inwardly from opposite side walls of the box ll? toward the axle journal. The length of each stop is less than the length of the journal. Consequently, the stops have capacity for axial movement relative to the journal 14. The flat vertical side faces 34, 34 of the stops normally project into the annular space surrounding the journal 14- between the collar 16 and the shoulder 17 whereby the opposite ends of the stops may be brought into abutting engagement with the said collar or shoulder, respectively, during relative axial movements of the juornal and stops. Accordingly, the

end portions

35, 36 of the stops are curved to conform with the curvature 37, 38 of the fillets at the bases of the collar 16 and the shoulder 17. Accordingly, the stops will present an end surface of substantial area to the collar 16 and shoulder 17 when an end of a stop is moved into abutting engagement therewith.

The .stop elements 29 are supported on the

said flanges

32, 33 with capacity for both lengthwise and vertical movements relative to the

side walls

30, 31 of the journal box. Each stop element is provided with a recess 3h which embraces an associated

vertical rib

26 or 27 of the journal box 16 to provide an interlocking engagement therewith. The length of the recess 39 is somewhat greater than the width of the associated

vertical rib

26 or 27. Consequently, the stop may be moved lengthwise of the box when the end portion of the stop is engaged by the collar 16 or shoulder 17 of the journal structure, but the end walls of the recess 39 serve as abutments for limiting this movement of the stop element. The bottom surface 46 of the recess 39 conforms substantially to the configuration of the lower end portion of the

rib

26 or 27 embraced by the said recess. The bottom surface 40 of said recess is normally spaced a slight distance downwardly from the lower end of the vertical rib 26-27 when the stop is seated on its associated

flange

32 or 33.

The seat portions 41 of the stop elements 2? correspond to the configuration of the top surface of the

flange

32 or 33 on which the stop is supported. The stops 29 are also formed with depending portions 42 which extend downwardly below the longitudinal inner edges of the

stop supporting flanges

32, 33 so as to partially close the spaces 43, 44 existing between the journal and the said longitudinal inner edges of said

flanges

32, 33 and thereby restrain upward displacement of the body 28 of lubricant impregnated packing material relative to the journal box and thereby remove the likelihood of one or more strands of the packing material being carried upwardly between the journal 14 and the bearing 20.

In the event of an upward thrust of the journal box, the packing material 28 will engage the portion 42 of one or both of the stops 2d. Any ensuing upward movement of the stop relative to the

flanges

32 or 33 will press the bottom surfaces 4d of the recesses into camming engagement with the lower end portions of the

vertical rib

26, 27 and thereby move the stops inwardly toward the journal so as to further restrict the spaces 43, 44- between the stops and the journal.

After the upward thrust on the various components of the journal and box assembly has subsided, the journal,

19 hearing, and the journal stops will resume their normal positions shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing.

The stop elements 29, as shown in FIG. 2, seat on the

horizontal flanges

32, 33 at opposite sides of the journal and project, as previously described, into the annular space surrounding the journal 14 between the collar 16 and the shoulder 17. However, the stop members can be readily installed in their operative positions within the journal box by merely following the conventional practice in connection with the insertion and removal of the journal bearing 2t} and its associated wedge 22. For example, the journal box may be jacked up relative to the journal 14 and the journal bearing 2% and wedge 22 removed. The

stop elements

29, 29 may be then insorted into the journal box above the journal and thereafter seated in their operative positions on the

horizontal flanges

32, 33. The journal bearing 26) and the wedge 22 may be then re-applied in their operative positions and the journal box lowered sufliciently'to permit the journal bearing 2% to seat on the journal.

Referring now to the modified embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, inclusive, of the drawing: The various elements of the journal asembly may be, and preferably are, of the same construction shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the execption that the inwardly projecting

flanges

32, 33 of FIG. 2 are omitted from the modified embodimerit and the journal stop elements and journal box packing are different from constructions of FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive. Therefore, for the sake of brevity of description the journal box, axle journal, journal bearing and its associated wedge element are identified in the modified construction by the same reference used in FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, but distinguished by the addition of the letter (a),

The modified journal stops are designated 4-5 and are 45 arranged in the same relative positions as the stops 29 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but they are preferably, though not necessarily, of shorter length. The said stop members 45 are recessed as indicated at 46 to embrace and thereby interlock with the lower end portions of the ver- 59 tical ribs .26a27a of the journal box 10a in a manner similar to that shown in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2, but the said stop elements 45 are wholly supported in their operative positions by the journal box packing 47. The said packing 47 is in the form of a lubricant applying pad of known construction. It is saturated with lubricant and positioned in the lower portion of the journal box lila so as to contact the bottom side of the journal 14a. The longitudinal side edges of the lubricant applying pad 47 are slit to receive a depending web 48 (30 formed on each of the stop members 45. The web 48 is provided with a series of apertures 4% for receiving a means for attaching the stop elements to the lubricant applying pad, whereby the

stops

45, 45 and the lubricant pad 47 may be inserted into or removed from the jour- 5 nal box as a unitary assembly without disturbing the journal bearing 20a and wedge 22a. The said securing means is preferably a cord 50 laced through portions of the pad 47 and through the several apertures 49.

The stops 45, it will be observed, have capacity for 76 vertical and lengthwise movements relative to the journal and journal box, but the longitudinal movement is limited by the length of the recesses 46 embracing the lower end portions of the ribs 2611-2711 of the journal box 19a. It will also be observed that the stop elements 45, being of less length than the stop elements 29, will not normally come into abutting engagement with the end collar 16a and the dust guard shoulder 17a of the journal 14a. 1

The outer ends of the journal boxes 10, a may be closed by means of a hingedly supported lid of conventional construction such as shown in FIGS. 1 and'6.

I claim:

1. The combination with a railway car axle journal,

a journal box of conventional construction for housing said journal and having at least one integral rib on each side of the box having an edge projecting in wardly toward the journal,

a resilient lubricant carrying body carried in the box under and in contact with said journal, and

means comprising a bearing seated on the upper side of said journal;

a one piece, journal stop loosely positioned in said box 2. The structure of claim 1, in which said box ribs each has a lower end portion sloping from said rib edge downwardly and away from said journal merging into said box wall;

said stop recess having a floor sloping upwardly and 6 away from the side of the stop side adjacent a box side; said floor sliding over said rib lower end portion upon upward travel of the stop causing the stop to shift toward said journal.

3. The structure of claim 1, in which there is a substantially horizontally disposed flange projecting toward and terminating short of said journal from each of said box sides;

said stop in each instance resting on a flange by an underside portion; and

a downwardly directed stop portion extending between the flange and the journal.

' 4. The structure of claim 2, in which there is a depending member extending from and along the underside of said stop;

said depending member being over said body, the body abutting said member and lifting the stop thereby upon travel of said body upwardly thereagainst and inducing said stop shift toward the journal.

5. The structure of claim 1, in which there is means attaching said stop to said body.

6. The structure of claim 5, in which said body constitutes the sole vertical support of said stops.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,941,486 Pilcher Ian. 2, 1934 2,684,878 Foss July 27, 1954 2,733,966 Ryan Feb. 7, 1956 2,941,849 Sale June 21, 1960 2,957,733 Hare Oct. 25, 1960