US3344893A - Railway car disc brake mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 3, 1967 G. A. PELIKAN RAILWAY CAR DISC BRAKE MECHANISM 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 10, 1965 INVENTORI Q'aig; 1% 7 21161 BY ww 5.

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Oct. 3, 1967 G. A. PELIKAN RAILWAY CAR DISC BRAKE MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 10, 1965 llllllltl IIIK I m T mm \m United States Patent Ofiice 3,344,893 Patented Oct. 3, 1967 3,344,893 RAILWAY CAR DISC BRAKE MECHANISM George A. Pelikan, Closter, N.J., assignor to Buffalo Brake Beam Company, a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 486,311 7 Claims. (Cl. 18858) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A brake mechanism for a railway car truck having a pair of side frame structures, a pair of parallel axles supported on said side structures, and carrying wheels near opposite ends. On each axle midway between the wheels thereon is a double brake disc member presenting confronting brake faces extending transversely of the axes of the axles. A pair of brake shoes are operable into braking engagement simultaneously with confronting sections of said brake disc members and away from such engagement. Equalizer bars on opposite sides of a truck bolster serve as supports for the brake shoes.

The present invention relates to railway car brake mechanism especially of the freight type, in which the brakes are applied to discs rigid with car wheels of a railway car truck.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved brake disc mechanism of the general type described.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved brake disc mechanism of the general type described, which has a minimum number of parts and which applies braking pressure with great mechanical advantages and with minimum of stress on the car wheels and other parts of the railway car truck.

Various other objects of the invention are apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a railway car truck having braking mechanisms constituting an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a fragment of the railway car truck partly in top plan view and partly in section;

FIG. 3 is a section of the railway car truck taken approximately along the lines 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section of the railway car truck taken approximately along the lines 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section of the railway car truck taken approximately along the lines 55 of FIG. 1; and- FIG. 6 is a detail section of the railway car truck taken along the lines 66 of FIG. 5 but on a larger scale.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a railway car truck comprising a pair of side structures or frames 10 having respective guide openings 11 to receive the ends of a conventional truck bolster 12 extending between said frames and projecting at the ends into said openings,

where they are supported on coil springs (not shown) and are guided by side columns 13 of said openings for vertical shock-absorbed movement. The bolster 12 is provided at its ends with lugs 14 engaging the inboard sides of the side columns 13 of the side frames 1%) and lugs (not shown) engaging the outboard side of the side columns, these lugs guiding the bolster 12 for vertical movement. The bolster 12 is also provided with a center conformation 16 for direct pivotal connection to the underside of the railway car body in a conventional manner.

Between the two side frames 10 and supported thereon a by suitable bearings are two parallel axles 17 carrying on opposite ends flanged car wheels 18 which ride on rails 19.

To support certain operating parts of the brake mechanism and to assist the bolster 12 in maintaining the truck side frames 10 parallel to the respective rails, there are provided two horizontal parallel equalizer bars 20 on opposite sides of the bolster 12, each bar being pivotally connected at its ends by means of pins 21 with brackets 22 welded or otherwise fixedly secured to said side frames. In the specific form shown (FIGS. 5 and 6), each bracket 22 is in the form of a tubular member of rectangular cross-section, integral with and projecting horizontally from the inboard side of the corresponding side frame 10, and each equalizer bar 20 is channel-shape with a top horizontal web 23 and depending side flanges 24, straddling at each end the corresponding bracket 22 and rpivotally secured thereto by the pivot pin 21.

The equalizer bars 20 and the truck side frames 10 form a parallelogram, and since these are pivotally joined through the brackets 22 and the hinge pins 21, they operate as a parallel motion permitting the side frames to shift relatively endwise and into limited angular positions with respect to the equalizer bars 20 when the wheels 18 are rounding a curve. The equalizer bars 20 also serve to support the weight of the brake mechanism to be described.

Fixedly secured to each axle 17 centrally between the wheels 18 thereon is a double circular brake disc member 30 concentric with the axle. Each of these brake disc members 30 is formed with an annular V-groove 31 defining two coaxial circular discs 32 extending radially outward-1y from a hub 33. These discs 32 are provided with bevelled confronting faces 34 respectively on their inner sides facing a plane therebetween at right angle to the axis of the axis 17 and converging radially inwardly. These confronting faces 34 serve as braking faces and are cooled by radial fins 35 on the outer sides of the discs 32, serving also as reinforcements for said discs.

The hub 33 between the two brake discs 32 is prolonged axially outwardly beyond said brake discs to form end hub extensions 36 with mounting flanges 37, and the disc member 30 is diametrically split into two similar parts held together by bolts 38 passing through said flanges. A pad 40 (FIG. 2) of resilient material, such as rubber, and diametrically split, fits snugly into an annular groove 41 in the interior of the hub 33 between the brake discs 32. This resilient pad 40 is thick enough, so that when the two halves of the brake disc member 30 are bolted together tightly enough to connect the hub 33 and the axle 17 through the rubber pad 40 for rotation in unison, even during braking action, the brake disc member is permitted to yield radially during braking action relative to the axle against the resiliency of said pad for shock absorption. This resilient mounting of the brake disc member 30 also permits the disc member to tilt relative to the axis of the disc member to accommodate the brake shoes conformably ,to the brake faces 34 upon the application of the brakes. The fit between the hub extensions 36 and the axle 17 is close but there is enough clearance to permit the limited movements of the brake disc member 30 relative to the axle 17, as described.

For applying the brakes to each of the brake disc members 30, there is a lined brake shoe 45 pivotally supported on a hinge coupling member 46, which in turn is suspended from a bracket 47 aifixed to the corresponding equalizer bar 20 midway thereof. The coupling member 46 is in the form of a jaw having integral therewith a finger 48 at its upper end pivotally secured to the bracket 47. The bracket 47 comprises a stanchion plate 50 afiixed to the corresponding equalizer bar 20, as for example, by welding, and upstanding therefrom. Secured to the upper pivotally secured thereto by means of a brake shoe hinge pin 54 extending substantially at right angles to the axis of the corresponding pivot pin 52. The brake shoe 45 is segmental in form and is wedge shape in radial crosssection. The opposite faces 55 of the brake shoe 45 to which brake linings are applied converge radially inwardly and are substantially parallel to the braking faces 34 of the brake disc member 30. The opposite faces 55 of the brake shoe 45 are lined with brake blocks 56 of suitable braking material, and these blocks are of substantial uniform thickness, so that when the brake shoe is inserted to the full allowable extent into the groove 31 of the brake disc member 30 by braking action, the outer faces of the brake blocks 56 will lie in conforming contact with the braking faces 34 on said brake disc member.

For applying braking power to the brake shoes 45, there is provided on one side of the bolster 12 a live inclined lever 60, extending at its lower end between offset confronting flanges 61, inclined at an angle corresponding to the angle of inclination of the lever 60, and integral with the corresponding coupling member 46 on said side of the bolster 12. The lower end of the live lever 60 is pivotally connected to the flanges 61 by means of a pivot pin 62. The upper end of the live lever 60 is pivotally connected by means of a pivot pin 63 to one end of a pull or power rod 64 operated from a lever (not shown) of the air cylinder (not shown). This air brake cylinder is supported in the usual manner on the railway car body and forms part of the conventional air brake equipment.

The intermediate section of the live lever 60 is pivotally connected by means of a pivot pin 65 to one end of a connecting rod 66 shown passing through the bolster 12 from one side to the other side of the bolster, although as far as certain aspects of the invention are concerned, the connecting rod 66 could extend below and across the bolster, with little change in its environment. The other end of the connecting rod 66 is pivotally connected by means of a pivot pin 67 to the intermediate section of an inclined dead lever 68 on the other side of the bolster 12 extending at its lower end between a pair of confronting flanges 70 integral with the corresponding hinge coupling member 46 on said side of the bolster 12. These flanges 70 extend at an angle corresponding to the angle of inclination of the lever 68 and are pivotally secured to the lower end of said lever by means of a pivot pin 71.

The upper end of the dead lever 68 is secured by means of a pivot pin 72 to a shackle 73 interlocked with one end of a link 74, the other end of the link being interlocked with a shackle 75 pivotally connected by means of a pivot pin 76 to an anchor bracket 77 secured to the adjacent side of the bolster 12 near its upper part.

The connecting rod 66 is provided with at least two sets of pivot holes 80 at each end for the pivot pin 65 and the pivot pin 67, to permit adjustments in the ef fective length of said rod, to compensate for wear in the brakes. The shackle 73 is also provided with two sets of pivot holes 81 for the pivot pin 72 to permit adjustments in the elfective length of said rod, to compensate for wear in the brakes.

In the operation of the brake mechanism so far described, when the brakes are to be applied, the rod 64 is pulled to the left (FIGS. 1 and 2) by the air cylinder (not shown). This causes the live lever 60 on the right hand side of the bolster 12 (FIG. 1) to rotate counter-clockwise about the axis of the pivot pin 65, thereby moving the lower end of this lever towards the. right (FIG. 1). As a result, the brake shoe 45 with attached brake blocks 56 on the right hand side of the bolster 12 move substantially radially into the groove 31 of the corresponding brake disc member 30 until the brake blocks are in braking engagement with the brake faces 34 on the brake discs 32 of said brake disc member. During this operation, the pivotal pin connections 52, 54 and 62 permit the corresponding coupling member 46 to slide along the pivot pin 52, and this permits the corresponding brake shoe 45 with its brake blocks 56 to adjust themselves relative to the corresponding brake disc member 30, so that said braking blocks will engage the brake faces 34 on this brake disc member with effective conforming braking contact.

The braking action described immobilizes the axle 17 on the right hand side (FIGS. 1 and 2) of the bolster 12, and the corresponding brake shoe 45 having reached the limit of its braking movement, acts as a fulcrum for continued angular movement of the live lever 60. As the upper end of the live lever 66 is continued to be pulled to the left by the power action of the air cylinder (not shown) through the pull rod 64, the live lever 60 swings counter-clockwise about the axis of the pivot pin 62 at the lower end of said lever and this causes the connecting rod 66 to move towards the left. As this connecting rod 66 moves towards the left, it swings the dead lever 68 on the left hand side of the bolster 12 (FIGS. 1 and 2) clockwise about the' axis of the pivot pin 72 at the upper end of said lever and that moves the lower end of the dead lever towards the left and causes thereby the corresponding brake shoe 45 with its brake blocks 56 to move radially inwardly info the braking engagement with the brake disc member 30, in the manner described with reference to the brake mechanism on the right hand side of the bolster. This effects the immobilization of the axle 17 on the left hand side of the bolster 12.

Although the operation of the brakes has been described as being applied in sequence upon the two brake mechanisms on opposite sides of the bolster 12, this Sequential operation is not necessarily followed. Both brake mechanisms, for example, may operate substantially simultaneously until both brake shoes 45 are braking position. In this position, the two brake mechanisms cooperate so that any one mechanism first reaching braking position, will serve as anchor means by which the other brake mechanism will move relatively thereto into braking position relative to its corresponding brake disc member 30.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to a specific embodiment, it is to be understood that it is not to be limited thereto but is to be construed broadly and restricted solely by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway car truck, the combination comprising a pair of coaxial car wheels, an axle rigidly connecting said wheels together for rotation in unison, a double brake disc member on said axle rigid therewith and presenting confronting brake faces facing a plane therebetween at right angles to the axis of said axle, a brake shoe between said faces, means supporting said brake shoe for movements substantially along said plane towards said axis into braking position in contact with said faces and away from said axis out of braking position, and comprising a coupling member, means pivotally supporting said coupling member for movement about a first pivot axis substantially parallel to said axle axis, and means pivotally connecting said brake shoe to said coupling member for movement relative to said coupling member about a second pivot axis substantially at right angles to said first pivot axis, and brake applying means for applying power to said brake shoe for movement into said braking position and comprising means for at plying power to said coupling member causing said coupling member to swing about said first pivot axis.

2. In a railway car truck, the combination described in claim 1, wherein said power applying means comprises a lever having a pivotal connection to said coupling member, means supporting said lever for angular movement causing the latter pivotal connection to move about said first pivot axis, and thereby said coupling member about said first pivot axis, and means for applying braking power to said lever in a direction to cause said lever to undergo said angular movement.

3. In a railway car truck, the combination described in claim 2, wherein said lever is inclined relative to the axle axis, and the pivotal connection between the lever and the coupling member has an axis substantially at right angles to the direction of inclination of said lever.

4. In a railway car truck, the combination comprising a pair of opposed side frames extending along the longitudinal direction of the truck, two parallel axles extending between and supported on said side frames, a wheel near each end of each axle to form two pairs of coaxial wheels, the coaxial wheels of each pair being rigidly secured to the corresponding axle extending therebetween, two double brake disc members on said axles respectively, rigid therewith and each presenting confronting brake faces extending transversely of the axes of said axles, each of said brake disc members being located substantially midway between the wheels on the corresponding axle, a single brake shoe for each brake disc member, means supporting each of said brake shoes for movement into braking contact with the brake faces simultaneously of the corresponding brake disc member and in the section of the corresponding brake disc member closest to the other brake disc member and for movement out of braking contact with the latter brake faces, and means for applying braking power substantially simultaneously to both brake shoes to move said brake shoes in substantially opposite directions into braking contact with their corresponding brake faces.

5. In a railway car truck, the combination comprising a pair of opposed side frames extending along the longitudinal direction of the truck, two parallel axles extending between and supported on said side frames, a wheel near each end of each axle to form two pairs of coaxial wheels, the coaxial Wheels of each pair being rigidly secured to the corresponding axle extending therebetween, a truck bolster midway between said axles extending between said side frames for support from said side frames, two equalizer bars substantially parallel to the axes of said axles and located on opposite sides of the bolster between the bolster and the corresponding axle, said equalizer bars being pivotally connected at their ends to said side frames, two double brake disc members on said axles respectively, rigid therewith and each presenting a pair of confronting brake faces extending transversely of the axis of the corresponding axle, a brake shoe for each brake disc member, means supporting each of said brake shoes for movement into braking contact with the brake faces simultaneously of the corresponding brake disc member and for movement out of braking contact with the latter brake faces, including means supporting said brake shoe on the corresponding equalizer bar for angular movement relative thereto about an axis extending between said side frames, and means for applying braking power substantially simultaneously to both brake shoes to move said brake shoes into braking contact with their corresponding brake faces, and comprising means for moving said brake shoes about the axes respectively extending between said side frames.

6. In a railway car truck, the combination as described in claim 5, said power applying means comprising a live lever on one side of the bolster, means pivotally connecting the brake shoe on said side of the bolster to said lever, a dead lever on the other side of the bolster, means pivotally connecting the brake shoe on said other side of the bolster to said dead lever, a connecting rod extending from one side of the bolster to the other side and pivotally connected at its ends to said levers respectively, and means for applying power to said live lever.

7. In a railway car truck, the combination comprising a pair of opposed side frames extending along the longitudinal direction of the truck, two parallel axles extending between and supported on said side frames, a Wheel near each end of each axle to form two pairs of c'oaxial wheels, the coaxial wheels of each pair being rigidly secured to the corresponding axle extending therebetween, a truck bolster midway between said axles extending between said side frames for support from said side frames, two equalizer bars substantially parallel to the axes of said axles and located on opposite sides of the bolster between the bolster and the corresponding axle, said equalizer bars being pivotally connected at their ends to said side frames, two double brake disc members on said axles respectively, rigid therewith and each presenting confronting brake faces facing a plane therebetween at right angles to the axis of the corresponding axle, brake shoes for said brake disc members on opposite sides of the bolster, each located between the brake faces of the corresponding brake disc member, means supporting each of said brake shoes for movements towards the axis of the corresponding axle into braking position in contact with the brake faces on the corresponding brake disc member and away from the latter axis out of braking position, and comprising a coupling member, means supporting said coupling member on the corresponding equalizer bar for angular movement rela tive to said equalizer bar about a first pivot axis substantially parallel to the axis of the corresponding axle, and means pivotally connecting said brake shoe to said coupling member for movement relative to said coupling member about a second pivot axis substantially at right angles to said first pivot axis, and brake applying means for applying power to said brake shoes for substantially simultaneous movements into said braking positions, and comprising means for applying power to said coupling members, causing said coupling members to swing about their respective first pivot axes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,079,554 5/1937 Hedgcock ..188-58 DUANE A. REGER, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A RAILWAY CAR TRUCK, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A PAIR OF COAXIAL CAR WHEELS, AN AXLE RIGIDLY CONNECTING SAID WHEELS TOGETHER FOR ROTATION IN UNISON, A DOUBLE BRAKE DISC MEMBER ON SAID AXLE RIGID THEREWITH AND PRESENTING CONFRONTING BRAKE FACES FACING A PLANE THEREBETWEEN AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE AXIS OF SAID AXLE, A BRAKE SHOE BETWEEN SAID FACES, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID BRAKE SHOE FOR MOVEMENTS SUBSTANTIALLY ALONG SAID PLANE TOWARDS SAID AXIS INTO BRAKING POSITION IN CONTACT WITH SAID FACES AND AWAY FROM SAID AXIS OUT OF BRAKING POSITION, AND COMPRISING A COUPLING MEMBER, MEANS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING SAID COUPLING MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT A FIRST PIVOT AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID AXLE AXIS, AND MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID BRAKE SHOE TO SAID COUPLING MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID COUPLING MEMBER ABOUT A SECOND PIVOT AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID FIRST PIVOT AXIS, AND BRAKE APPLYING MEANS FOR APPLYING POWER TO SAID BRAKE SHOE FOR MOVEMENT INTO SAID BRAKING POSITION AND COMPRISING MEANS FOR APPLYING POWER TO SAID COUPLING MEMBER CAUSING SAID COUPLING MEMBER TO SWING ABOUT SAID FIRST PIVOT AXIS.

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