US3295465A

US3295465A - Railway vehicle underframe construction

Info

Publication number: US3295465A
Application number: US432725A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jack W Borger
Original assignee: Pullman Inc
Current assignee: Pullman Standard Inc; Pullman Inc
Priority date: 1965-02-15
Filing date: 1965-02-15
Publication date: 1967-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 1984-01-03

Description

Jan. 3, 1967 J. W. BORGER RAILWAY VEHICLE UNDERFRAME CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 15, 1965 l-NVENTOR JACK w. BORGER mfl h ATT'Y Jan. 3, 1967 w, BORGER 3,295,465

RAILWAY VEHICLE UNDERFRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 15, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 INVENTOR JACK W BURGER BY M ATT'Y Jan. 3, 1967 J. w. B ORGER RAILWAY VEHICLE UNDERERAME CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 15, 1965'.

I II III 1/ INVENTOR JACK W BURGER ATT'Y United States Patent 3,295,465 RAILWAY VEHICLE UNDERFRAME CONSTRUCTION Jack W. Borger, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 432,725 2 Claims. (Cl. 105-414) The present invention relates to railway cars and more particularly to a new and improved underframe for a railway passenger car.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved underframe of minimum weight and construction so that the longitudinal forces adapted to be applied at one end of the car are transmitted through the length of the car in a manner preventing failure causing forces from permanently deforming the car body except locally at the end to which the force is applied.

It is a further object to provide a railway car underframe in which end frames at each end of the car and including bolsters and the end sills are constructed so as to be freely deflectable relative to floor supporting structure mounted intermediate the length of the car between the bolsters.

It is a further object to provide -a railway car underframe in which the section of the car intermediate of the bolsters is provided with a floor support which is floatably connected between the bolsters so as to be substantially isolated from the forces of impact applied at the ends of the car.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a railway car underframe with end frames each including a bolster and an end sill which are constructed and arranged so that the end sill and bolsters concurrently and proportionally share the stresses transmitted to the car upon impact at one end and wherein the end sill is formed with a sector capable of localized bending in the form of elastic deformation so that upon an impact tending to cause the bolster to fail the end sill is subject to bending beyond the elastic limit and thereby to isolate the failure causing load at the end sill.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an underframe fora railway passenger car and embodying the construction of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the end frame at one end of the railway car shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken generally along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken generally along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken generally along the lines 55 of FIG. 2 and showing in particular the manner in which the side sill is connected to the end sill.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a floating connection of the floor support stanchion at the inner face of the bolster.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the lines 77 and showing the typical connection of the intermediate longitudinal floor support members between the cross-bearers of the underframe.

Referring now to the drawings there is shown an underfi'ame 10 of a railway car of the type employed for passenger cars such as transit cars. The underframe 10 comprises generally a pair of side sills 11 extending Patented Jan. 3, 1967 and 3 include generally an end sill 16 which is fixed to the terminal ends of the side sills 11. Intermediate the ends of the end sill, there is fixed one end of a center sill 17 of which the other end is fixed securely to the respective bolster 12.

The floor support structure includes longitudinally extending

members

18 and 19 which are fixed intermediate the ends of transversely extending cross-bearers 21. The cross-bearers 21 are fixed at the respective ends to the side sills 11. The outer longitudinally extending members 18 adjacent the respective bolsters 12 are floatingly connected to the bolsters 12 so that the impact stresses are not transmitted between hte bolsters, as more fully to be explained hereinafter.

The end sills 16 each include a top plate 22 and a bottom plate 23 vertically spaced therefrom. Connecting the top and

bottom plates

22 and 23 adjacent the outboard edge thereof is a vertical plate 24. A vertical plate 26 is spaced forwardly of the rear edges of the top and

bottom plates

22 and 23 and inwardly of and substantially intermediate the side sills 11. As shown, the top and

bottom plates

22 and 23 are formed to provide a center section or sector 27 of greater Width than the outer ends which are connected to the side sills 11. Provided in the center section 27 of each of the

plates

22 and 23 is a cut-out 28 which is bounded along the lateral edges by a pair of vertical plates 29 extending longitudinally of the car and fixed along the leading edge to the outboard vertical plate 24 and at its inner edge to the inboard vertical plate 26. The top and

bottom plates

22 and 23 may be formed with

openings

31 and 32 for accommodating end posts and the like adapted to be supported on the end sill 16. Fixed to the outboard vertical plate may be a pair of anti-climber plates 33 which may be of more or less conventional structure.

The section or sector 27 of the end sill 16 with the cut-out 28 of which the outboard edge of the latter is spaced from the leading edge of the end sill such that this portion of the end sill 16 is subject to a local bending in the form of elastic deformation upon the application of :an impact to the leading edge. This sector 27, therefore, provides an area of high energy absorption. In addition, it is to be noted that the end sill 16 is contoured so that the end sill 16 is also subject to a high over-all bending capacity; that is to say, the end sill 16 is constructed to have a relatively high spring rate compared to the structure of the bolster 12.

The bolster 12 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is formed as a substantially box-like member to provide a rigid and stifl" structural component and includes a top plate 34 and a vertically spaced bottom plate 36 which are connected by longitudinally spaced

vertical webs

37 and 38. The ends of the bolsters 12 are suitably fixed to the side sills 11. a

Fixed as by Welding to the outboard web 38 ofthe bolster 12 is the center sill 17 including a pair of longitudinally extending channel members 39 connected as by welding at one end to the bolster vertical web 38 and at the other end to the end sill plate 26. The channel member 39 serves primarily to transmit and distribute the impact forces applied on the end sill 16 to the bolster 17.

Extending longitudinally as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 and intermediate the channels 39, is floor support member 41 formed to provide a horizontal web 42 upon which the floor structure is adapted to be supported. The floor support member 41 may include downwardly depending flanges 43 for imparting stiffness to the member 41. The member 41 is connected at its outboard end to the leading edge of the end sill top plate 22 as by welding and at its inner end the horizontal web 42 is out away and the ends of the vertical flanges 43 are fixed to the outboard web 38 of bolster 12. A draw bar plate 44 is disposed intermediate the bolster 12 and the end sill 16 and is seated within a cut-out section 46 of the horizontal web 42. The draw bar plate 44 may be fixed at the ends to the vertical webs 57 of the channels 39. It is to be not-ed that the upper horizontal flanges 48 of the channel members 39 are coplanar with the top surface of the draw bar plate 44 so as to provide a smooth uninterrupted surface for supporting the floor members (not shown) there- As shown in FIG. 1 the left end frame 13 of the underframe has a floor supporting structure including two transversely extending members 49 which are fixed at their ends to the center sill channels 39 and supported intermediate thereof by the longitudinal floor support member 41. The floor supporting structures at both end frames 13 do not contribute any substantial strength to the center sill particularly insofar as transmitting stresses between the end sills 16 and bolsters 12.

Referring .now in particular to FIGS. 2 and 5, the side sill 11 which may be spliced in theend frame 13 of the underfr ame and is formed essentially of a channel member including a horizontal web 51, a downwardly depending vertical web 52, and a lower horizontal web 53 of somewhat shorter length than the upper horizontal length 51. The end of the side sill 11 abuts against a reinforcing plate 54 and is fixed thereto as by welding. The reinforcing plate 54 extends and is fixed between the upper and

lower plates

22 and 23 of the end sill 16 and rigidifying the connection is a gusset plate 56 which is fixed between the inner edge of the reinforcing plate 54 and the outboard vertical plate 24. Each corner side sill 11 is rigidly secured to the end sill 16 so as to be capable of transmitting and receiving forces imposed on the end sill 16. The remainder of the side sill 11 extending in- -.wardly from the corners may be of a suitable configura- As shown, the plates 29 bounding the cut-out sector 28 are fixed to the end sill 16 in substantial alignment with the vertical web 57 of the channel members 39 of the center sill 17. At the bolster 12 there are provided two longitudinally extending plates 58 which are disposed between

webs

37 and 38 of the bolster and in alignment with the vertical web 57 of the channels 39. In this manner the plates 58, vertical webs 57 andplates 29 provide a substantially continuous stress transmitting and absorbing center sill member extending from the inboard side of the bolster outwardly to the outboard face of the vertical plate 24.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and '7, the intermediate floor support structure 14 comprises a plurality of lengthwise spaced and transversely extending cross-bearers 21 which may be substantially channel shaped section including a -vertical web 59 from the upper and lower edges of which webs 64 and-65 abut the web 59 of the cross-bearer 21.

-In accordance with the present invention outer longitudinal members 18 extending between outermost of the cross-bearers 21 and the inner wall or web 37 of the bolster 12 are floatingly connected at one end to the inboard face web 37 of the bolster 12 and the other end is rigidly secured to the cross-bearers 21. As shown in FIG. 6, there is fixed as by welding to the underside of the overhanging flange of the top plate 34 of the bolster 12 a pair of transversely spaced and vertically disposed plates 66 which are also fixed as by welding to the inboard face 37.

Fixed across the bottom edges of the plates 66 is a base plate 67 which forms with the overhanging ledge and the vertical plates 66 a pocket 68. Disposed within the pocket 68 is the outboard end of the longitudinally extending support member 18 which is cut-out along its upper edge so that the lower horizontal flange 69 and vertical flange 71 are slidable on the base plate 67 and.

two bolsters 12. In the absence of a substantial load.

being transmitted through the floor support structure, it is possible to utilize the minimum strength structure shown. This results in the reduction of the over-all weight of the car.

As stated above, the bolster 12 and end sill 16 share the load proportionally in accordance with their design capabilities. the sector 27 including the opening 28, is deflectable with some elastic deformation to absorb a portion of the kinetic energy of the impact. At the same time the end sill 16 has an over-all bending capacity greater than the bolster 12 so as to absorb further energy of the impact force. This ability of the end sill 16 to absorb a portion of the kinetic energy materially reduces the stresses transmitted through the length of the car and to the adjacent bolster 12. The kinetic energy is absorbed by the end sill 16 concurrently with the transmission of the load to the adjacent bolster which is of greater stiffness and rigidity than the end sill 16.

If the impact force is of a magnitude such that the proportionate load distributed to the bolster- 12 via the side sills 11 and center sill 17 would tend to cause the bolster 12 to fail, the end sill construction is such that the sector 27 in the vicinity of the opening 28 would be bent beyond its elastic limit. At the same time the end sill may also be bent along its length.

the failure causing load is transmitted to the bolster that only the end frame structure may be damaged. Moreover, since the center sill 17 terminates at the bolster 12 the destructive loading is not transmitted to the intermediate floor structure which is only floatingly attached to the bolster 12 by way of the longitudinal floor support member 19 slidably disposed within the pocket- 68.

Thus, substantially all the damage to the car upon a severe impact is isolated at the end frame so that only this portion ofthe car need be repaired. The remainder 1 underframe and fixed to the outer faces of the respective ones of said bolsters and extending outwardly toward the respective ends of said underframe, an end sill connected to the respective ends of said side sills and center sills so that the impact load adapted to be applied on the end sill 1s proportionally distributed between said end sill and said bolsters, means mounted on at least one of said center sills between said end sill and said bolster for connecting a draw bar thereto, said end sill having a cut-out intermediate the ends thereof in alignment with said center sill to provide a sector subject to localized bending in the form of elastic deformation and said end sill having an over-all bending capacity higher than said bolsters to provide a high energy absorbing member which upon an Moreover, the end sill 16, provided with It should be. evident since such crushing or destruction occurs before impact tending t-o distribute a failure causing load to said bolster is subject to bending beyond the elastic limit so that said failure causing load is isolated at said end sill.

2. A railway car underframe structure comprising a pair of laterally spaced and lengthwise extending side sills, a pair of lengthwise spaced bolsters extending transversely between said side sills and fixed thereto inwardly of the ends of said underframe, a center sill at each end of the underframe and fixed to the outer faces of the respective ones of said boltsers and extending outwardly toward the respecitve ends of said underframe, floor supporting means disposed between said side sills andtthe inner faces of said bolsters, said floor supporting means including a longitudinally extending means, means fioatingly supporting the ends of said longitudinally extending means on said bolsters so as to isolate said center floor support from the load on said bolster, and an end sill connected to the respective ends of said side sills and center sills so that the impact load adapted to be applied at said end sill is proportionally distributed between said end sill and said bolsters, said end sill having a cut-out section between the leading and trailing edges to provide a sector subject to local bending in the form of elastic deformation and having an over-all bending capacity higher than said bolsters to provide a high energy absorbing member which upon an impact tending to distribute a failure causing load to said bolster is subject to bending beyond the elastic limit so that said load is precluded from being distributed to said bolster.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,080,024 12/ 1913 Stevens et al -402 2,219,286 10/ 1940 Anderson et al 105-402 2,801,597 8/1957 Ecofi 105-414 3,138,118 6/1964 Dean 105-3925 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

DRAYTON E. HOFFMAN, Examiner.

Claims

1. A RAILWAY CAR UNDERFRAME STRUCTURE COMPRISING A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED AND LENGTHWISE EXTENDING SIDE SILLS, A PAIR OF LENGTHWISE SPACED BOLSTERS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN SAID SIDE SILLS AND FIXED THERETO INWARDLY OF THE ENDS OF SAID UNDERFRAME, A CENTER SILL AT EACH END OF THE UNDERFRAME AND FIXED TO THE OUTER FACES OF THE RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID BOLSTERS AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY TOWARD THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID UNDERFRAME, AN END SILL CONNECTED TO THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID SIDE SILLS AND CENTER SILLS SO THAT THE IMPACT LOAD ADAPTED TO BE APPLIED ON THE END SILL IS PROPORTIONALLY DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN SAID END SILL AND SAID BOLSTERS, MEANS MOUNTED ON AT LEAST ONE OF SAID CENTER SILLS BETWEEN SAID END SILL AND SAID BOLSTER FOR CONNECTING A DRAW BAR THERETO, SAID END SILL HAVING A CUT-OUT INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID CENTER SILL TO PROVIDE A SECTOR SUBJECT TO LOCALIZED BENDING IN THE FORM OF ELASTIC DEFORMATION AND SAID END SILL HAVING AN OVER-ALL BENDING CAPACITY HIGHER THAN SAID BOLSTERS TO PROVIDE A HIGH ENERGY ABSORBING MEMBER WHICH UPON AN IMPACT TENDING TO DISTRIBUTE A FAILURE CAUSING LOAD TO SAID BOLSTER IS SUBJECT TO BENDING BEYOND THE ELASTIC LIMIT SO THAT SAID FAILURE CAUSING LOAD IS ISOLATED AT SAID END SILL.