US3636886A - High-speed railway vehicle suspension - Google Patents

High-speed railway vehicle suspension Download PDF

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Publication number
US3636886A
US3636886A US45312A US3636886DA US3636886A US 3636886 A US3636886 A US 3636886A US 45312 A US45312 A US 45312A US 3636886D A US3636886D A US 3636886DA US 3636886 A US3636886 A US 3636886A
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United States
Prior art keywords
yoke
transversely
spring support
railway vehicle
suspension according
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Expired - Lifetime
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US45312A
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English (en)
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Richard L Lich
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GSI ENGINEERING Inc A CORP OF
Lukens General Industries Inc
General Steel Industries Inc
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General Steel Industries Inc
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Assigned to LUKENS GENERAL INDUSTRIES, INC.; A CORP OF DE. reassignment LUKENS GENERAL INDUSTRIES, INC.; A CORP OF DE. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: NATIONAL ROLL COMPANY
Assigned to GSI ENGINEERING, INC., A CORP. OF DE reassignment GSI ENGINEERING, INC., A CORP. OF DE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: ENCOAT-NORTH ARLINGTON, INC.
Assigned to LUKENS CORROSION PROTECTION SERVICES, INC. reassignment LUKENS CORROSION PROTECTION SERVICES, INC. CHANGE OF NAME (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: GSI ENGINEERING INC.
Assigned to ENCOAT-NORTH ARLINGTON, INC. reassignment ENCOAT-NORTH ARLINGTON, INC. CHANGE OF NAME (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LUKEN GENERAL INDUSTRIES INC.
Assigned to ENCOAT-NORTH ARLINGTON, INC. reassignment ENCOAT-NORTH ARLINGTON, INC. CHANGE OF NAME (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LUKENS CORROSION PROTECTION SERVICES, INC.
Assigned to LUKENS GENERAL INDUSTRIES, INC. reassignment LUKENS GENERAL INDUSTRIES, INC. CHANGE OF NAME (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). FILED 12-23-82 Assignors: STEWART HOLDING COMPANY
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B61—RAILWAYS
    • B61F—RAIL VEHICLE SUSPENSIONS, e.g. UNDERFRAMES, BOGIES OR ARRANGEMENTS OF WHEEL AXLES; RAIL VEHICLES FOR USE ON TRACKS OF DIFFERENT WIDTH; PREVENTING DERAILING OF RAIL VEHICLES; WHEEL GUARDS, OBSTRUCTION REMOVERS OR THE LIKE FOR RAIL VEHICLES
    • B61F5/00—Constructional details of bogies; Connections between bogies and vehicle underframes; Arrangements or devices for adjusting or allowing self-adjustment of wheel axles or bogies when rounding curves
    • B61F5/02—Arrangements permitting limited transverse relative movements between vehicle underframe or bolster and bogie; Connections between underframes and bogies
    • B61F5/22—Guiding of the vehicle underframes with respect to the bogies
    • B61F5/24—Means for damping or minimising the canting, skewing, pitching, or plunging movements of the underframes

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A suspension is provided for railway passenger cars, to enable such cars to round curves at extremely high speeds without undue discomfort to passengers by providing power means for tilting the car body transversely about a longitudinal axis at a high level, well within the car body, the angle of tilt being responsive to car speed and track curvature.
  • the suspension comprises a yoke mounted on wheel supported truck framing to swivel about a vertical axis and spring support means supported from the yoke by transversely swingable hangers inclined such that their projections intersect at the desired axis of tilt of the car, the body of which is supported on high and widely spaced springs seated on the spring support means and arranged to provide vertical and lateral cushioning independently of the tilting.
  • Transverse movements of the spring support structure on the yoke and consequent tilting of the spring support structure and the car body are effected by transversely acting power means mounted between the yoke and the spring support structure.
  • the yoke supports separate spring support elements at each of its ends by transversely spaced upwardly converging swing hangers, and transversely acting power means is connected to the yoke and both spring seats to cause the latter to move transversely and tilt correspondingly about the axis of their convergence, thereby causing corresponding tilting of the vehicle body.
  • the invention relates to railway rolling stock and consists particularly in a truck for high-speed passenger cars having power means for tilting the body transversely about a highlevel longitudinal axis when rounding curves.
  • the Prior Art Conventional railway passenger car trucks incorporate a transverse bolster, supported from the truck frame by transversely inwardly inclined swing hangers so arranged that when rounding curves the centrifugal force urging the car body radially outwardly will also cause the body to tilt transversely toward the inside of the track curve. While at lower speeds, the conventional centrifugal force responsive means is sufficiently responsive to eliminate some passenger discomfort; at higher speeds, e.g., in excess of 100 miles per hour, it is not sufficiently responsive to changes in track alignment to oppose adequately the effect of centrifugal force on the passengers themselves.
  • the invention provides a railway passenger car suspension in which lateral and vertical forces received by the wheels from the track are cushioned by lateral and vertical deflection of high and widely spaced springs, thus avoiding objectionable body roll as in conventional trucks wherein lateral forces are cushioned solely through swinging movements of inclined swing hangers, which also produces objectionable body roll.
  • the truck incorporates a transverse beam mounted on the truck frame to swivel about a vertical axis, and spring support structure supported from the transverse beam by transversely swingable hangers inclined so that their projections intersect at a higher level preferably at the center of gravity of the car, and the spring support structure is connected to the transverse beam by transversely acting power means arranged to hold the spring support structure against relative lateral movement except when rounding curves and to cause the same to move transversely of the transverse. beam when rounding curves, responsive to train speed and radius of track curvature, thereby causing the swing hangers to tilt the spring support structure and the body about the center of gravity.
  • FIG. 1 is a top view of a railway car suspension system embodying the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the suspension system illustrated in FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the transom, yoke and bolster along line 44 of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 5 is a top view of a modified embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 5.
  • FIG. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view along line 7-7 of FIG. 6.
  • the numeral 1 denotes flanged railway wheels mounted on the ends of longitudinally spaced parallel axles 3 and 5. Inboard of each wheel the axles are rotatably received in their journal boxes 7. At each side, longitudinally extending equalizer beams 9 may be supported at their ends on boxes 7, and longitudinally inwardly from the supporting boxes, beams 9 mount longitudinally spaced groups of upright springs.
  • a rigid truck frame includes transversely spaced longitudinally extending side members 13 supported on spring groups 11 and formed at their ends with pairs of depending pedestal legs 15 vertically slidably embracing journal boxes 7, so as to hold the axles in parallel relation with each other and in right angle relation with frame side members 13, while permitting .the frame to move vertically on spring groups 11 and equalizers 9 at opposite sides of the truck to tilt individually in their longitudinal vertical planes with respect to the frame to accommodate to vertical irregularities in the track rails.
  • transom 19 is formed with a central bearing comprising a circular vertical axis recess 21 surrounded by an upwardly facing horizontal annular surface 23, and a yoke 25 is formed with a mating depending cylindrical boss 27 and downwardly facing horizontal annular surface 29, which rests on an annular pad 21 of friction material seated on surface 23, with boss 27 rotatably received in recess 21.
  • Yoke 25 extends transversely of the truck and is provided at its sides, on both sides of the central bearing, with outwardly and upwardly projecting brackets 33, the outer ends of which are formed with cylindrical apertures 35 extending longitudinally of the truck, and pins are joumaled in apertures 35 with both ends protruding from the apertures to mount short depending switch hangers 39.
  • swing hangers 39 mount pins 41, also extending longitudinally of the truck, and the latter in turn are joumaled in bearing apertures 43 in the sidewalls 45 of transversely extending inverted channel section bolster having a top wall 47.
  • Bolster swing hanger bearings 43 are spaced-apart transversely of the truck a slightly greater distance than the yoke bearings 33 so that the swing hangers are inclined inwardly and upwardly transversely of the truck and their projections intersect at a point C well above the bolster, preferably at the center of gravity of the supported car body B.
  • the purpose of the swinger hanger support of bolster 45, 47 on yoke 25 is to provide controlled tilting or banking of the car body when rounding curves to provide a radially inwardly directed force component to oppose the tendency of passengers to be forced radially outwardly by the centrifugal force.
  • the bolster is formed with bottom walls 49, which with cross walls 51 define air reservoirs in the bolster end portions, their tops being circular in plan to form seats 53 for pneumatic springs 55, the tops of which are received in suitable pockets in car body underframe U.
  • Springs 55 are transversely as well as vertically resilient whereby to cushion the supported underframe and body from transverse as well as vertical impacts received by the truck wheels from the rail surfaces.
  • the ends of the bolster are provided with rigid depending brackets 54, to which are pivotally secured longitudinally extending anchor links 56, the other ends of which are pivotally secured to brackets 58 rigidly depending from underframe U.
  • a double-acting motor 59 which may be of the pneumatic screw type is mounted within the bolster by pivotal securement to the top wall thereof, and its transversely extending output rod 58 is connected to one of yoke brackets 33 so that, when the vehicle enters curved trackage, motor 59 will be energized to move the output rod 58 in a direction outward radially of the curve, and thereby cause the bolster to move transversely of the truck in that direction, causing corresponding tilting of the bolster about a longitudinal axis generally coincident with the point of intersection of the converging swing hangers 39, and
  • motor 59 is stabilized in centered position, as shown in FIG. 3, thus maintaining the bolster transversely centered and level and the body correspondingly upright.
  • Means for energizing and deenergizing the motor 59 may include a reversing valve 60, connected to a source of compressed air by conduit 61 and to pneumatic motor 59 by conduits 62, and a sensing device preferably comprising a damped pendulum, shown schematically at 63, responsive to vehicle speed, direction and degree of track curvature, and amount of track superelevation.
  • Sensing device 63 is operatively connected to valve 60 to cause the same to maintain output rod 58 of motor 59 centered when the car is operating on tangent track, and to cause the output rod to move radially outward with respect to the direction of track curvature when the car is on curved track.
  • frame side members 13 are provided in their depressed center portions 17 with upwardly facing horizontal surfaces 66 and the underside of the bolster is formed with vertically spaced opposing surfaces 68, which are adapted to engage in the event the bolster tilts excessively.
  • FIGS. -7 A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. -7 in which the truck structure from wheels 1 up to and including the central bearing is identical to that of the first embodiment.
  • a yoke 65 incorporates central bearing parts 27 and 29 in its lower portion and is thereby swivelly supported on transom l9.
  • Yoke 65 is elongated transversely of the truck and outwardly of truck frame side members 13 the end portions of the yoke are slightly elevated and bifurcated to form pairs of brackets 67 spaced apart from each other longitudinally of the truck.
  • Each bracket 67 pivotally mounts respectively at 74 and 75 a pair of depending transversely swingable hangers 69 and 71, the bottom ends of which are pivotally connected respectively at 76 and 77 to the lower portion of cylindrical air reservoirs 73 and, in their normal or tangent track position, hangers 69 and 71 at both sides are inwardly and upwardly inclined from their bottom pivots 77 and 79, to converge in the region of the center of gravity of car body B, as shown in FIG. 7, the underframe U of which is formed with pockets 57 receiving pneumatic springs 55, which are seated on seats 53 formed by the top of individual reservoirs 73.
  • a transversely double-acting motor 81 which may be of the pnuematic screw type, is mounted within yoke 65 by securement to its top wall.
  • the normally centered screw 83 is provided with an output rod 85 which projects from both ends of motor 81 and has at its terminals clevises 87, to which transverse links 89 are pivotally connected at their inner ends, their outer ends being pivotally connected, on axes longitudinal of the truck, to inboard clevis brackets 91 on air reservoirs 73.
  • Pneumatic motor 81 preferably is controlled by a valve 60 operated by a damped pendulum 61 as in the first embodiment so that, when the car enters a curve, air is admitted to motor 81 through one of the conduits 62 to urge output rod 85, links 89 and reservoirs 73 transversely outwardly radialiy of the curve, causing radially outer swing hangers 69 and 71 to raise outer reservoir 73, spring 55 and the corresponding side of body B while causing radially inner swing hangers 69 and 71 to lower inner reservoir 73, springs 55 and the corresponding inner side of body B, the effect being to tilt the body inwardly with respect to the curve, about an axis through point C.
  • a railway vehicle body suspension comprising wheeled axles, truck framing supported on said axles, a transverse yoke supported on said framing to swivel about a vertical axis.
  • swing hangers supported at their upper ends from said yoke on longitudinal axes spaced apart transversely of the vehicle, spring supporting structure supported from the lower ends of said swing hangers on longitudinal pivot axes spaced apart transversely of the truck a greater distance than said upper end pivot axes whereby said swing hanger projections con verge at a substantially higher level than said spring support structure, power means connecting said spring support structure and said yoke for selectively retaining the same against relative transverse movements and for moving said spring support structure transversely of said yoke whereby to tilt said spring support structure through operation of said swing hangers, and transversely spaced body support springs seated on said spring support structure and yieldable vertically and transversely of the vehicle.
  • a railway vehicle suspension according to claim 1 including a sensing device mounted on the vehicle for sensing vehicle speed and the degree and direction of track curvature, and means connecting said sensing device to said power means whereby to actuate said power means to maintain said spring supporting structure transversely centered on tangent track and to move said spring supporting structure radially outwardly on curved track a distance proportional to vehicle speed and radius of track curvature.
  • a railway vehicle suspension according to claim 3 including draft transmitting devices at the ends of the bolster adapted for connection to a supported body.
  • a railway vehicle suspension according to claim 1 including mating central bearing elements on said framing and said yoke forming the sole support of said yoke on said framing.
  • a railway vehicle suspension according to claim 7 including downwardly facing surfaces on the end portions of said bolster and opposing upwardly facing surfaces on said framing normally vertically spaced from said downwardly facing surfaces and adapted for engagement therewith only when normal tilting movements of said bolster are exceeded.
  • said spring-supporting structure comprises separate spring support elements spaced apart transversely of the vehicle framing and supported independently of each other by said swing hangers.
  • a railway vehicle suspension according to claim 9 wherein there are pairs of said swing hangers spaced-apart transversely of the vehicle at each side of the vehicle, said separate spring support elements being supported by the pairs of swing hangers an their respective ends.
  • said power means comprises a transversely acting motor mounted on said yoke, and links connecting said motor to both said separate spring support elements.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)
  • Springs (AREA)
US45312A 1970-06-11 1970-06-11 High-speed railway vehicle suspension Expired - Lifetime US3636886A (en)

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US4531270A 1970-06-11 1970-06-11

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GB (1) GB1290799A (enExample)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3817186A (en) * 1972-08-18 1974-06-18 R Walsh Interaction railway track and vehicle stabilizing system
US3906869A (en) * 1974-09-16 1975-09-23 Dominion Foundries & Steel Safety device for banking vehicles
EP0040105A1 (en) * 1980-05-13 1981-11-18 Dofasco Inc. Safety device for banking vehicles

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1444918A (en) * 1972-11-08 1976-08-04 Lucas Industries Ltd Vehicle body having hydromechanical stabilising apparatus
US4069767A (en) * 1972-11-08 1978-01-24 Lucas Aerospace Pneumatically controlled hydromechanical railway car stabilizing apparatus
IT1175889B (it) * 1984-10-22 1987-07-15 Socimi Carrello ferroviario per veicoli ferroviari del tipo ad assetto variabile

Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2371796A (en) * 1943-08-05 1945-03-20 Railroad Rolling Stock Patentz Torsionally neutralized railway truck
US2474471A (en) * 1945-02-09 1949-06-28 Charles H Dolan Shock absorber and stabilizer
US2488768A (en) * 1946-07-16 1949-11-22 Budd Co Railway truck
US2505256A (en) * 1947-07-18 1950-04-25 Robert A Poage Hydraulic balancing system for vehicle bodies
US2633811A (en) * 1948-11-10 1953-04-07 Robert A Poage Pneumatic balancing system for tiltable bodies
US2877720A (en) * 1953-11-23 1959-03-17 Gen Steel Castings Corp Railway vehicle truck
US2925790A (en) * 1958-01-08 1960-02-23 Gen Steel Castings Corp Railway vehicle truck
US3022749A (en) * 1959-04-03 1962-02-27 Gen Steel Ind Inc Pneumatic suspensions for vehicles
US3231257A (en) * 1963-11-04 1966-01-25 Gen Steel Ind Inc Fluid spring device
US3459139A (en) * 1967-03-23 1969-08-05 Amsted Ind Inc Railway car and truck roll stabilizer
US3486466A (en) * 1967-06-26 1969-12-30 Amsted Ind Inc Railway car hydraulic roll stabilizer

Patent Citations (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2371796A (en) * 1943-08-05 1945-03-20 Railroad Rolling Stock Patentz Torsionally neutralized railway truck
US2474471A (en) * 1945-02-09 1949-06-28 Charles H Dolan Shock absorber and stabilizer
US2488768A (en) * 1946-07-16 1949-11-22 Budd Co Railway truck
US2505256A (en) * 1947-07-18 1950-04-25 Robert A Poage Hydraulic balancing system for vehicle bodies
US2633811A (en) * 1948-11-10 1953-04-07 Robert A Poage Pneumatic balancing system for tiltable bodies
US2877720A (en) * 1953-11-23 1959-03-17 Gen Steel Castings Corp Railway vehicle truck
US2925790A (en) * 1958-01-08 1960-02-23 Gen Steel Castings Corp Railway vehicle truck
US3022749A (en) * 1959-04-03 1962-02-27 Gen Steel Ind Inc Pneumatic suspensions for vehicles
US3231257A (en) * 1963-11-04 1966-01-25 Gen Steel Ind Inc Fluid spring device
US3459139A (en) * 1967-03-23 1969-08-05 Amsted Ind Inc Railway car and truck roll stabilizer
US3486466A (en) * 1967-06-26 1969-12-30 Amsted Ind Inc Railway car hydraulic roll stabilizer

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3817186A (en) * 1972-08-18 1974-06-18 R Walsh Interaction railway track and vehicle stabilizing system
US3906869A (en) * 1974-09-16 1975-09-23 Dominion Foundries & Steel Safety device for banking vehicles
EP0040105A1 (en) * 1980-05-13 1981-11-18 Dofasco Inc. Safety device for banking vehicles
US4363277A (en) * 1980-05-13 1982-12-14 Dofasco Inc. Stabilizing high speed railway truck safety device

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Publication number Publication date
FR2096211A5 (enExample) 1972-02-11
GB1290799A (enExample) 1972-09-27

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AS Assignment

Owner name: LUKENS GENERAL INDUSTRIES, INC.; A CORP OF DE.

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:NATIONAL ROLL COMPANY;REEL/FRAME:004124/0674

Effective date: 19830414

AS Assignment

Owner name: GSI ENGINEERING, INC., A CORP. OF DE,MISSOURI

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ENCOAT-NORTH ARLINGTON, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004854/0841

Effective date: 19880301

Owner name: GSI ENGINEERING, INC., 8000 MARYLAND AVENUE, ST. L

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:ENCOAT-NORTH ARLINGTON, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004854/0841

Effective date: 19880301

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Owner name: LUKENS GENERAL INDUSTRIES, INC.

Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:STEWART HOLDING COMPANY;REEL/FRAME:004860/0384

Effective date: 19821221

Owner name: LUKENS CORROSION PROTECTION SERVICES, INC.

Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:GSI ENGINEERING INC.;REEL/FRAME:004860/0381

Effective date: 19870612

Owner name: ENCOAT-NORTH ARLINGTON, INC.

Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:LUKENS CORROSION PROTECTION SERVICES, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004860/0378

Effective date: 19870623

Owner name: ENCOAT-NORTH ARLINGTON, INC.

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Effective date: 19870101