US3152559A

US3152559A - Railway vehicle

Info

Publication number: US3152559A
Application number: US238325A
Authority: US
Inventors: Russell P Harshberger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-11-14
Filing date: 1962-11-14
Publication date: 1964-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 1981-10-13

Description

Oct. 13, 1964 R. P. HARSHBERGER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 'IIIII-IIIII. I I I l l .1 i i e a s I l. W/V/ INVENTOR Russau. I? HARSHBERGER 1964 R. P. HARSHBERGER 3,152,559

RAILWAY VEHICLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 14, 1962 [NVENTOR Russeu. P. HARSHBERGER A'rws Oct. 13, 1964 R. P. HARSHBERGER 3,

RAILWAY VEHICLE Filed Nov. 14, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 F .IO

lNveNToR I05 Russau. R Hmsuaeaesa Q #,MJAAJ, V .1 $0M ATTYS.

R. P. HARSHBERGER Oct. 13, 1964 RAILWAY VEHICLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 14, 1962 Patented Get. 13, 1964 3,152,559 RAILWAY VEHICLE Russell P. Harshberger, 546 Figueroa Drive, Altadena, Calif. Filed Nov. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 238,325 14 Claims. (Cl. 105144) This invention relates to railway rapid transit systems and more particularly to a light-weight, high-speed railway vehicle for such systems.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of my application, Serial No. 830,674, filed July 30, 1959, now abandoned.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a high-speed railway vehicle for operation on a track constructed with conventional rails. Another object is to provide a. high-speed railway vehicle which may be built using a conventional railway vehicle body.

Another object is to provide a smoother running railway conveyance which operates at high speeds, giving a safe comfortable ride.

Another object is to provide a high-speed railway vehicle for operation on a track particularly but not eX- clusively adapted to be carried on an elevated structure, so that this transit system is adapted for intercity as well as intracity use.

Another object is to provide a railway conveyance for operating on a three-rail track where one of the rails functions to balance the vehicle and to prevent excessive swaying and tipping.

A further object is to provide means on such a vehicle truck by which improved acceleration and braking is obtained without adding significantly to noise of operation of the vehicle.

In more particular detail, a further object is to provide a conveyance using a truck for supporting the vehicle body with its center of gravity offset from the center-line of the truck and having means cooperating with a third rail for balancing the overhung weight.

A still further object is to provide a truck for a railway vehicle affording a spring mounting with a rubber snubber to absorb shocks and dampen vibrations.

Other objects will become apparent as the following description proceeds taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the railway vehicle and track;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing a fragment of the front end of the railway vehicle and the supporting front truck;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the track and supporting structure;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view in front elevation of the truck;

FIG. 5 is a view in side elevation of the truck taken substantially in the plane of lines 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section of the truck taken substantially in the plane of lines 6--6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section view of the truck taken in the plane of lines 77 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a detail view showing the balance spring mounting;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a typical track switching arrangement;

FIG. 10 is a view in section through the track, taken substantially in the plane of lines 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a view in side elevation of a modified form of vehicle truck constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the modified form of vehicle truck shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an elevation view, partially in section, of the modified form of vehicle truck shown in FIG. 12; and

FIG. 14 is a view in front elevation with fragmentary portions in section of said modified form of vehicle truck under a railway car shown in outline.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a railway vehicle 10 supported for movement along a track constructed with a pair of narrowly spaced

conventional rails

14, 16 and a third, parallel safety rail 18. The track is shown supported by a structure of concrete and steel above ground level although it will be appreciated that one of the features of this transit system is that because of the construction of the railway vehicle which rides above the rails, and the track, which is fixed, the railway may be built on a bed at ground level, as is usual for the track for conventional railway systems, as well as above or below the ground, thus providing a system adapted for intraas well as inter-city use.

The railway vehicle 10, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, comprises a vehicle body or shell 20 containing the seats for passengers, which is carried by a plurality of trucks 22 constructed according to a first form of the invention, depicted in FIGS. 1-10. Since the invention is not concerned with the details of construction of the vehicle body, it is shown only fragmentarily. Inasmuch as the trucks for carrying the same vehicle body are substantially identical, it is, furthermore, deemed sufiicient to show and describe only the components of the forward truck which is illustrated in side elevation in FIG. 2. In both forms of the invention, a second rear truck will be mounted at the rear part of the vehicle 10, and it is contemplated that several vehicles may be connected to form a train, or they may be individually operated and self propelled.

As depicted in the drawings, the truck 22 includes a pair of longitudinally spaced

Wheel sets

24, 26, each comprising a pair of flanged Wheels joined by an axle 28, St The axles are journaled within bearings supported by longitudinal

side frame members

32, 34. In the present instance, the side frame members are rigidly connected by a crossbeam 36, FIGS. 4-7, on which the body of the vehicle is resiliently carried.

In accordance with an important feature of the invention, the railway vehicle body 29 is supported on the truck 22 with the latter mounted laterally offset to one side of the center of gravity of the vehicle body. As appears from FIGURE 1, the offset is such as to result in the weight of the body being overhung on one side about 12 /2%. Moreover, for balancing the off-center weight of the vehicle body and to prevent excessive tipping or swaying for safety reasons, an outrigger 38 is carried by the truck for cooperation with the fixed safety rail 18. In this form of the invention, the outrigger 38 includes a bar 40 mounted transversely of the truck and having a portion extending toward the safety rail and carrying outrigger means herein shovm as

wheels

42, 44, 46 which run along both the underside and top of the safety rail to prevent overturning in either direction. Moreover, it is a feature of this construction that the

outrigger wheels

42, 44 below the safety rail 18 operate normally in engagement with it and thus exert a constant downward pressure on the outrigger bar 40 to balance the overhung weight of the vehicle body which is effective on the opposite side of the truck 22.

The crossbeam 36 is rigidly connected between the

side frame members

32, 34 and provides means for resiliently supporting the vehicle body. As shown best in FIG. 7, the underside of the vehicle body 20 includes a pair of

frame members

50, 52 which extend along each side of the body and are connected by a horizontal base member 54 which is part of the vehicle body. The base member 54 is provided with a vertical bore 56 in a vertical column 58 mounted spaced laterally from the center line of the vehicle, such bore 56 receiving a main compression spring 60 mounted on the crossbeam 36 of the truck. For this purpose, the crossbeam 36 carries an upright assembly including a rigid pivot stem or shaft 62, pinned in place to prevent rotation and endwise movement within an upstanding collar 64 fixed to the crossbeam. The base of the collar 64 is shaped to provide a seat 66 for an annular plate member 68 on which a rubber snubber 70 is mounted, the upper end of the rubber snubber 79 being received within an enlarged section 72 of the vertical bore in the base member, the rubber snubber serving to provide for pivotal movement of the truck 22 about the vertical axis defined by the pivot shaft 62, as occurs in travel of the vehicle around curved sections of track or in switching, and also allows a limited degree of pivotal movement about a horizontal axis to allow movement of the truck to accommodate grade changes. The main compression spring 60 which provides resilient support for the vehicle body, rests on a fiat annular member 74 carried on the upper end of the fixed collar 64. The upper end of the vertical bore 56 in the base member slidably receives and guides the upper end of the pivot shaft 62. A ring 75 fixed to the end of the shaft and having a sliding fit in the end of the bore serves this purpose and also serves as a final stop for the spring 60 on the pivot shaft. A flat spring retainer 76 is engaged by an annular shoulder 78 in the bore 56 to transmit the downward thrust due to weight or inertial forces to the spring of The rubber snubber 70 is thus constructed so that it supports only a minor portion of the Weight of the vehicle body to avoid overstressing this member, yet the snubber tends to dampen vibration and allows relative pivotal motion of the truck about both vertical and horizontal pivotal axes required for smooth travel around curves and in changing grades.

As previously set forth, an important feature of the invention is the means for balancing the off-center weight of the vehicle body 20. The outrigger 38 cooperating with a fixed safety rail 18 provides a smooth running vehicle which may operate safely at high speeds. To this end, as shown best in FIGS. 4-7, in this form of invention the crossbeam 36 of the truck 22 also provides means for pivotally supporting the transverse outrigger bar 40. To allow relative pivotal motion of the bar, it is carried within a sleeve 80 of resilient material, such as rubber, in a transverse bore 82 through the crossbeam. The bar 40 in this instance is cylindrical and projects laterally from both sides of the truck 22. Preferably, it is held by a transverse pin 84 fastened to the crossbeam which supports the bar for pivotal motion in a vertical plane. A vertical slot 86, 83 in each

side frame member

32, 34 constrains the bar to such pivotal motion. The pivotal mounting of the bar accommodates unevenness of the rails and permits the weight load of the vehicle to be distributed evenly between the wheels of the truck. With this arrangement, one end of the outrigger bar extends beneath the vehicle body 20 to a point on the opposite side of its center line and there provides means for supporting a balance spring 90 used to resiliently balance the overhung weight, as shown in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8. In this manner, the weight of the vehicle body is supported on the center of the truck and the offset is counterbalanced.

To exert thrust on the outrigger bar 40 in a direction to oppose the drag of the outrigger means on the fixed rail 18, and normally engaged with the underside of the rail, the balance spring 90 is inclined forwardly, in the normal direction of movement of the vehicle body, and is received at its lower end in a cup-shaped support 92 anchored to the bar 40. At its upper end the balance spring 90 is seated on a section of a radius bar 94 pivotally carried by a lever 96 mounted on one truck side frame member 32. As shown in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7, the radius bar 94 is curved in its longitudinal direction and provided with a projection 96 facing downwardly so as to provide a seat for the open upper end of the spring 90 with the final turns of the spring fitting around the projection. A slot in the curved section of the radius bar provides for mounting a small wheel or roller 98 which engages the underside of the base member 54 of the vehicle. In the normal loaded, partially compressed position of the balance spring 90, shown in FIGS. 2 and 8, the force of the spring acts against the bar tending to urge the adjacent end toward the rear of the vehicle body 20. This imparts a resilient thrust in the opposite forward direction to the other end of the bar. On the other end of the bar, as shown in FIGURES l and 47, the outrigger wheel assembly is carried. This outrig ger wheel assembly includes the pair of horizontally spaced

wheels

42, 44 suspended from the bar 4-0 by means of an inverted U-shaped member 1632, and running along the underside of the safety track or rail. The single wheel 46 carried at a point between the lower wheels and spaced vertically above the latter, is normally carried with clearance between the wheel and the rail, as shown in FIG. 4, and will be effective should the truck be tipped to the right as viewed in FIG. 7.

Any increased weight or inertial forces tending to lower the side of the vehicle carried by the balance spring 90, and which compresses the balance spring, has the result of swinging the outer end of the radius bar 94, receiving the upper end of the balance spring, forwardly-thus increasing the angle of inclination of the spring. The force of the spring is greater, exerted on the balance shaft or bar 40, and the effective line of application of the spring force becomes closer to horizontal, increasing the forward thrust effective on the other end of the bar 40 to resist the drag due to friction from engagement between the outrigger wheels and the under surface of the safety rail.

In travel around a curve in the direction where the safety rail 18 is on the outside of the curve, the banking of the rails increases the effective offset of the center of gravity laterally from the center line of the truck and rails measured laterally between the center line of the truck 22 and a vertical line through the center of gravity of the vehicle body 20. Any tendency toward excessive lean due to this increase in effective offset is, however, opposed by the outrigger means including the

wheels

42, 44 engaging the underside of the safety rail acting through the bar and balance spring beneath the opposite side of the car. Any excessive lean toward the outside of the curve will be prevented by the single top outrigger wheel 46 engaging the upper surface of the safety rail 18 acting through the bar 40 and balance spring 90.

The safety rail 18, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 9, includes spaced, fixed, elongated members 1%, 163 defining an upwardly facing rail surface, for cooperation with the upper single outrigger Wheels, and a lower downwardly facing rail surface of suitable configuration for receiving the pair of lower outrigger wheels. As part of an elevated track, as shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 9, the safety rail is carried laterally of the narrowly spaced rail members supporting the vehicle truck, and may be mounted on a flat plate member 110. The yoke 102 carrying the

lower outrigger wheels

42, 44 is positioned laterally beyond the edge of the plate member and the safety rail 18, to provide for uninterrupted movement of the outrigger wheel assembly. While the form of the safety rail 18 may be varied, a preferred form is shown Where the upper and lower rail surfaces are defined by

separate rail members

106, 108 individually bolted to the plate member 110 forming the means of support. Each rail has a section engaged by the wheels and therefore must have sufficient strength and resistance to wear as to withstand the stresses applied to it, so that it is preferred steel rails be used.

The parallel sets of tracks shown in FIGURE 1 are carried by a concrete and steel column 112 bridged by a cross member 114 to form a T. As shown in FIG. 9, with a track like that illustrated, a switch including a pair of pivotal switch rails 116, 118 may be used to divert the vehicle onto a section of track including rails 14', 16'

joining the straight section. Where a switch is used, a continuous, uninterrupted slot 120 is provided through the support plate member 110 and across the

tracks

14, 16 for uninterrupted travel of the outrigger assembly to the connected section of safety rail 18'. In the present case,

the slot 120 is wider than the thickness of the yoke 102 to provide clearance for the latter while the truck moves across the rails onto the section of track joining the straight section. In FIG. 10, a section of lower safety rail 108' is shown under the support plate 11% bridging the space between the rails 14, 15, while similarly a section of upper safety rail 1% is shown above the support plate 110 between these rails. A spacer 121 in sections between and on opposite sides of the rails 1 16 raises the surface of the upper safety rail 166 and the intermediate section 155 to the height of the track rails 14, 16.

While different means of propulsion may be used for the vehicle, for example, a power driven car or locomotive type vehicle may be used to pull a railway vehicle or a train of the latter provided with no means of propulsion, it is contemplated that the railway vehicle of this invention may be self-propelled, and for this purpose an electric motor 122 is mounted by means of a bracket 124 on one side frame member 34 of the truck 22, and connected by suitable gearing 126 to one of the axles 128. By locating the motor 122 on the side of the truck adjacent the safety rail 18, the weight of the motor assists in balancing the off-center load of the vehicle body 26. Electric power to operate the motor may be provided by any conventional means, such as an overhead trolley cable, or underneath rail.

Now turning to FIGS. 11-14, an alternative vehicle truck construction is shown. In this particular form of the invention, separate wheel means are provided for driving and acceleration from wheel means used for guidance and safety. To this end, a truck 132 which is fixed to a frame member 134- which is adapted to be fixed to the underside of a vehicle body 136, includes for guidance purposes longitudinally spaced flanged wheel sets 138, 14h, which run along

parallel rails

142, 144. For safety purposes, the vehicle body 135 is supported on the truck 132 with the latter offset to one side of the center of gravity of the vehicle body, and outrigger means 145 are provided for balancing the off-center weight and to prevent excessive tipping or swaying. Such outrigger means 146 cooperates with the fixed safety rail 148. In keeping with the invention, separate wheel means for driving and acceleration are provided, herein shown as longitudinally spaced pairs of pneumatic rubber tired wheel sets 15%, 152.

In somewhat more detail, the vehicle truck 132 includes rigidly interconnected

side frame members

154, 156 on which are journalled and spring suspended the flanged wheel sets 138, 140, each such set comprising a pair of flanged wheels 158 joined by an axle 166. The

pneumatic tires

150, 152 are mounted on wheel and assembly axles 162 which are journalled preferably unsprung on thes

ide frame members

154, 156, the axles being connected by means such as drive and differential gears in the gear housing 164 to individual drive motors 166 which may be electric powered. Suitable wheel brakes 168 are included on each wheel of the assemblies 162 which may be operated by air or hydraulic fluid as desired. By having the flanged wheel sets 110 spring suspended from the truck frame, and the pneumatic tired wheel sets 120, 122 journalled thereon, the car body weight will be divided between the separate wheel sets. The preferred arrangement is to apply about sixty percent of the total weight on the rubber tires by setting the spring suspension at a predetermined tension.

Among the features of the first form of the invention, shown in FIGS. 1-10, which are carried forward to the present form is that relating to the resilient balancing on the outrigger means 145 of the off-center weight of the vehicle body, and the arrangement whereby such weight is employed to evert thrust on the outrigger means in a direction to oppose the drag of the outrigger on the fixed rail 148. In this case, the outrigger means 146 includes a bar 171i which projects from both sides of the truck frame and is pivotally mounted therein within a sleeve 172 of resilient material carried by the crossbeam 174 of the truck frame. The bar 179 is constrained to pivotal motion in a vertical plane by vertical slots 178 (FIG. 13) in the

side frame members

154, 156. One end of the outrigger bar 174 extends beneath the vehicle body and supports a balance spring 130.

The balance spring is substantially vertical and is received at its lower end on a support 181 fixed to the bar 1'79. The balance spring 186 engages at its upper end a bar 132 which is pivotally mounted for vertical movement, and which carries a roller 183 engaging the underside of the member 134 fixed to the vehicle body. For opposing the drag of the outrigger wheels by the fixed safety rail 148, and at the same time for providing a truck which will be operable in either direction along the track, the truck in this case is joined to the vehicle body by an eccentric connection provided by an upright stem 184 which is laterally offset (by the distance a in FIG. 14) from the center line of the truck. This upright stem 184 fits rotatably within a collar 185 resiliently supported on the horizontal frame member 134 which is used to fasten the truck assembly to the vehicle body. The resilient support of the collar 185 allows limited relative vertical movement and tipping movement of the vehicle body whereby a portion of its weight is sustained by the balance spring 18%. The stem 184 is fixed by a crosspin 186 to a transversely extending member 187 formed with a cylindrical lower surface resting on a seat 188 defined by a crosspiece 189 between the

side members

154, 156 of the truck frame. The stem is supported for rocking movement by including a layer 199 of resilient material between the rocker member 187 and its seat 188.

The truck with outrigger means on the side as shown in FIG. 12 is arranged to operate in the direction to the left in that figure. By means of this eccentric connection, it will be observed the truck may be swung horizontally through 180 from the position in which it is shown in FIG. 12 such that the positions of the outrigger means 146 and balance spring 180 will be reversed and thus the truck and a vehicle body 135 carried thereby will be positioned to operate in the opposite direction. How the truck can be reversed will be readily apparent. Being suspended from the vehicle body, truck reversal can be achieved by a track turntable on which one truck and then another is positioned, or by other such means.

It will also be observed that due to the eccentricity of the mounting to the underside of the vehicle body, and due to the swivellable connection between the stern 184 and the collar 185, forward movement of the truck due to operation of the drive motors produces a reaction force transmitted from the vehicle body through the swivellable connection and the truck frame which opposes drag in the wheels of the outrigger means 146 and tends to maintain such an alignment. Thus, the reaction force imparts a forward thrust through the truck frame to the outrigger means wheel assembly. In this case, the wheel assembly includes horizontally spaced

wheels

192, 193 suspended from the outrigger bar 174 by a frame assembly 194 and running along the underside of the safety rail 148. The single wheel 195 carried by such frame assembly 194 and spaced vertically above the

lower wheels

192, 193 is normally carried with clearance above the rail and will be effective upon the car tipping to the left in FIG. 14.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a railway vehicle body, a truck for carrying said vehicle body with the center of gravity of the latter offset to one side of the longitudinal axis of the truck, a track including a rail for supporting said truck, means carnied by the truck for balancing the offcenter weight of the vehicle body including an outrigger mounted on said truck and extending laterally therefrom on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis of the truck, and fixed means for cooperation with said outrigger including a downwardly facing rail extending parallel to said track, the off-center weight of the vehicle body tending to lift said outrigger into engaging relation with said rail.

2. In combination, a railway vehicle body, a truck having a wheel for carrying said vehicle body with the center of gravity of the latter offset to one side of the longitudinal axis of the truck, a track including a rail for supporting said truck wheel, a motor mounted on said truck and connected to said wheel for driving the latter along the rail, means carried by the truck for balancing the off-center weight of the vehicle body including an outrigger mounted on said truck and extending laterally therefrom on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis of the truck, and fixed means for cooperation with said outrigger including a downwardly facing rail extending parallel to said track, the off-center weight of the vehicle body tending to lift said outrigger into engaging relation with said rail.

3. In combination, a railway vehicle body, a truck for carrying said vehicle body with the center of gravity of the latter offset to one side from the center line of the truck, a track including a rail for supporting said truck and a parallel safety track having means defining upwardly and downwardly facing rails, and an outrigger carried by the truck for balancing the off-center weight of the vehicle body including an outrigger bar mounted on the other side of said truck to extend laterally toward said safety track and having vertically spaced means for engagement with the rails of said safety track, the offcenter weight of the vehicle body tending to lift the lower of said outrigger means into engagement with the downwardly facing rail, the upper of said outrigger means being spaced from engagement with said upwardly facing rail while said lower outrigger means is in rail engagement.

4. The combination comprising, a railway vehicle body, a truck carrying said body including longitudinally spaced wheel sets each including a pair of wheels, transversely spaced longitudinally extending truck side frame members, a crossbeam rigidly connecting said side frame members, means for resiliently supporting the vehicle body on said truck with the latter mounted laterally offset to one side of the center of gravity of the vehicle body, and means for balancing the off-center weight of the vehicle body including a bar extending transversely of said truck and pivotally supported by said crossbeam, a resilient balance member carried under the opposite side of said vehicle body by one end of said bar, outrigger means carried by the other end of said bar on the opposite side of said truck, and fixed rail means for cooperation with said outrigger means.

5. The combination comprising, a railway vehicle body, a truck carrying said body including longitudinally spaced wheel sets each including a pair of wheels, transversely spaced longitudinally extending truck side frame members, a crossbeam rigidly connecting said side frame members, means for resiliently supporting the vehicle body on said truck with the center of gravity of the vehicle body laterally offset to one side from the center line of the truck, and means carried by the truck for balancing the off-center weight of the vehicle body including a cantilever bar extending transversely of said truck and pivotally supported by the latter, a balance spring resiliently supporting said one side of the vehicle body and engaging one end of said cantilever bar, outrigger means carried by the end of said cantilever bar on the opposite side of said truck, and fixed rail means for cooperation with said outrigger means opposing vertical movement of the cantilever bar.

6. In combination, a railway vehicle truck including longitudinally spaced wheel sets each including a pair of wheels, and transversely spaced longitudinally extenda ing truck side frame members, a crossbeam rigidly connecting said side frame members, means for resiliently supporting the vehicle body on said truck with the center of gravity of the vehicle body laterally offset from the center line of the truck, including an upstanding member fixed on said crossbeam, and resilient means including a compression spring and a rubber snubber supported on said upstanding member and carrying said vehicle body for vertical movement and pivotal movement about the vertical axis of said upstanding member, and means for balancing the off-center weight of the vehicle body including a bar extending transversely of said truck and pivotally supported by said crossbeam, a reislient member mounted under the vehicle body and engaging said bar on said one side of said truck, outrigger means carried by the oth r end of said bar, and fixed rail means for cooperating with said outrigger means.

7. In combination, a railway vehicle body, a truck for carrying said vehicle body, and means for balancing the truck including a transverse outrigger bar extending on both sides of said truck having a pair of vetrically spaced outrigger means on one end portion of said bar, a track including a rail for supporting said truck and a parallel safety track comprising means defining upwardly and downwardly facing surfaces for cooperation with said outrigger means respectively to limit the vertical movement of the latter, said outrigger means being spaced apart greater than the vertical distance between said safety track surfaces, and means acting downwardly between said vehicle body and the opposite end portion of said outrigger bar for resiliently urging a lower one of said outrigger means carried by the opposite end of said outrigger bar upwardly into engaging relation with the opposing track surface during travel of said vehicle along the track while an upper outrigger means is spaced from the other track surface.

8. In combination, a railway vehicle body; a truck substantially narrower than said body including longitudinally spaced wheels, transversely spaced longitudinally extending side frame members straddling said wheels, and a crossbeam rigidly connecting said frame members; means for resiliently supporting said vehicle body on said truck with the center of gravity of the vehicle body laterally offset from the longitudinal axis of the truck such that one side of the vehicle body is mounted substantially laterally of said truck and the opposite side of said vehicle body is mounted substantially above said truck, said means including an upstanding member fixed on said crossbeam, and resilient means including a compression spring and a rubber snubber supported on said upstanding member and carrying said vehicle body for vertical movement and pivotal movement about the vertical axis of said upstanding member; and means including a balancing member connected to said truck frame members extending transversely of the latter under said one side of the vehicle body, resilient means carried by said balancing member supporting said vehicle body, and an outrigger member connected to said balancing member and extending transversely of the truck under the opposite side of said vehicle body for cooperation with fixed means exerting a downward force on said outrigger member to counterbalance the off-center weight of the vehicle body.

9. In combination, a railway vehicle body, a truck for carrying said vehicle body with the center of gravity of the latter offset to one side of the longitudinal axis of the truck, a track including a rail for supporting said truck, means for balancing the off-center weight of the vehicle body including an outrigger mounted on said truck and extending laterally therefrom on both sides of said truck, fixed track means adajcent the track engageable with one end portion of said outrigger, and resilient means acting between said vehicle body and the opposite end portion of said outrigger for imparting a forward thrust tending to counteract the drag of said fixed means on said outrigger.

10. In a vehicle for operating on rails, the combination comprising, a railway vehicle body, a truck carrying said body including longitudinally spaced wheel sets each including a pair of wheels for riding on said rails, transversely spaced longitudinally extending truck side frame members, a crossbeam rigidly connecting said side frame members, means for resiliently supporting the vehicle body on said truck with the latter mounted laterally oifset to one side of the center of gravity of the vehicle body, and means for balancing the off-center weight of the vehicle body including a transverse bar mounted on said truck and having portions extending on both sides of the latter, means mounting said bar for pivotal movement in a substantially vertical plane, outrigger means carried by said bar laterally of the side of said truck most distant from the center of gravity of the vehicle body, fixed rail means mounted parallel with said rails providing an under surface for cooperation with said outrigger means to limit upward pivotal movement of the adjacent portion of the bar, and a resilient balancing member carried under said vehicle body and cooperating with a lateral portion of said bar on the opposite side of said truck from said outrigger means, said resilient member being inclined in the direction of forward movement of the truck along the rails so as to give a horizontal rearward thrust to the adjacent portion of the bar and a corresponding forward thrust to the outrigger means.

11. In combination, a railway vehicle body, a truck for carrying said vehicle body with the center of gravity of the latter ofiset to one side of the longitudinal axis of the truck, a track including a rail for supporting said truck, means for balancing the off-center weight of the vehicle body including an outrigger mounted on said truck and extending laterally therefrom on both sides of said truck, fixed track means adjacent the track engageable with one end portion of said outrigger, vehicle weight sustaining resilient means acting between said vehicle body and the opposite end portion of said outrigger, and means mounted between said vehicle body and the other end portion of said outrigger for imparting a forward thrust ending to counteract the drag of said fixed means on said outrigger.

12. In combination, a railway vehicle body, a truck for carrying said vehicle body with the center of gravity of the latter offset to one side of the longitudinal axis of the truck, a swivellable connection between said truck and said vehicle body whereby said truck may be swivelled end for end under said body, a track including a rail for supporting said truck, means carried by the truck for balancing the ofl-center weight of the vehicle body including an outrigger mounted on said truck and extending laterally therefrom on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis 10 of the truck, and fixed means for cooperation with said outrigger including a downwardly facing rail extending parallel to said track, the off-center weight of the vehicle body tending to lift said outrigger into engaging relation with said rail.

13. In combination, a railway vehicle body, a truck for carrying said vehicle body with the center of gravity of the latter offset to one side of the longitudinal axis of the truck, a swivellable connection between said truck and said vehicle body whereby said truck may be swivelled end for end under said body, a track including a rail for supporting said truck, means carried by the truck for balancing the off-center weight of the vehicle body including an outrigger mounted on said truck and extending laterally therefrom on both sides of the longitudinal axis of the truck, and fixed means for cooperation with said outrigger including a downwardly facing rail extending parallel to said track, the off-center weight of the vehicle body tending to lift one end of said outrigger into engaging relation with said rail, and means including said swivellable connection transmitting reaction force from said vehicle body to said truck outrigger thereby imparting a forward thrust to the other end of said outrigger tending to counteract the drag of said fixed means on said outrigger.

14. In combination, a railway vehicle body, a truck for carrying said vehicle body with the center of gravity of the latter offset to one side from the center line of the truck, wheel means on said truck including longitudinally spaced wheel sets each having a pair of flanged metal wheels, said wheel means further including a pair of pneumatic tired wheels, a track including a pair of rails for supporting said truck, said flanged metal wheels being adapted to ride along said rails and said pneumatic tired wheels being adapted to ride along said track, a motor mounted on said truck and connected to said pneumatic tired wheels for driving the latter along said track, means carried by the truck for balancing the elf-center weight of the vehicle body including an outrigger mounted on said truck and extending laterally therefrom on the opposite side of the longitudinal axis of the truck, and fixed means for cooperation with said outrigger including a downwardly facing rail extending panallel to said track, the off-center weight of the vehicle body tending to lift said outrigger into engaging relation with said rail.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 411,104 France Apr. 5, 1910 432,263 Germany July -31 192-6 906,816 Germany Mar. 18 1954

Claims

1. IN COMBINATION, A RAILWAY VEHICLE BODY, A TRUCK FOR CARRYING SAID VEHICLE BODY WITH THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF THE LATTER OFFSET TO ONE SIDE OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE TRUCK, A TRACK INCLUDING A RAIL FOR SUPPORTING SAID TRUCK, MEANS CARRIED BY THE TRUCK FOR BALANCING THE OFFCENTER WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE BODY INCLUDING AN OUTRIGGER MOUNTED ON SAID TRUCK AND EXTENDING LATERALLY THEREFROM ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE TRUCK, AND FIXED MEANS FOR COOPERATION WITH SAID OUTRIGGER INCLUDING A DOWNWARDLY FACING RAIL EXTENDING PARALLEL TO SAID TRACK, THE OFF-CENTER WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE BODY TENDING TO LIFT SAID OUTRIGGER INTO ENGAGING RELATION WITH SAID RAIL.