US3712246A

US3712246A - Elastomerically articulated railway truck

Info

Publication number: US3712246A
Application number: US00175912A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Lich
Original assignee: General Steel Industries Inc
Current assignee: GSI ENGINEERING Inc A CORP OF; Lukens General Industries Inc; General Steel Industries Inc
Priority date: 1971-08-30
Filing date: 1971-08-30
Publication date: 1973-01-23
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-23

Abstract

A six-wheel railway truck includes a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending main side frames supported at their ends on the ends of two adjacent axles, and a pair of similarly spaced longitudinally extending auxiliary side frames supported at their one end on the third axle and at their other end on the main side frames between the two first mentioned axles by a horizontal elastomeric pad device. Between the middle axle and each of the end axles, each side frame supports a pair of elastomeric chevron springs with their compression axes inclined upwardly longitudinally of the truck toward each other, and a load supporting bolster between each of the respective axles has transversely extending tips supported on the chevron springs, and a body supporting center plate over the middle axle.

Description

United States Patent Lich 1 Jan. 23, 1973 541 ELASTOMERICALLY ARTICULATED 3,618,533 11 1971 Hirst ..l05/l96 x RAILWAY TRUCK 75 Inventor: Richard L. Lich, Town and :"l'

Country Mo. sslstant ExammerHoward Beltran v Attorney-Bede" and Burgess [73] Assignee: General Steel Industries, Inc.,

Granite City, ll]. [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Aug. 30, 1971 A six-wheel railway truck includes a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extendin main side frames [21] Appl' 175312 supported at their ends on the en s of two adjacent axles, and a pair of similarly spaced longitudinally exl l Cl 10 /195, 105/197 A, tending auxiliary side frames supported at their one 105/206 R end on the third axle and at their other end on the [51] Int.Cl ..B6li 3/10, B6lf 5/08,B6lf 5/17 main side frames between the two first mentioned [58] Field of Search ..105/l95, 196, 197 A, 199 C, axles by a horizontal elastomeric pad device. Between 105/206 R the middle axle and each of the end axles, each side frame supports a pair of elastomeric chevron springs References Cited with their compression axes inclined upwardly longitudinally of the truck toward each other, and a load sup- UNITED STATES PATENTS porting bolster between each of the respective axles 1,151,386 8 1915 Pilcher ..l05/196 has transversely x ing p supported n h 2,655,117 10/1953 Travilla ..l05/199C chevron springs, and a body supporting center plate 2,981,208 4/1961 Sinclair ..lO5/l97 A over the middle axle, 3,250,23l 5/1966 Travilla et al.. ..l05/l96 3,342,l40 9/1967 Lich .105/196 X 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJIJ 23 ms SHEET 1 OF 3 INVENTOR RICHARD l LICH 1 INVENTDR RICHARD L. LICH WW ATTORN 5 PATENTEDJAH23 I973 3,712,246

SHEET 3 OF 3 INVENTOR RICHARD L. LICH wWiM ATTORNEYS ELASTOMERICALLY ARTICULATED RAILWAY TRUCK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to railway rolling stock and consists particularly in a six-wheel car truck having elastomeric chevron springs supporting the truck bolster on the side frames.

2. The Prior Art The prior art discloses the use of elastomeric chevron springs for supporting a bolster of a two-axle, four-wheel truck on the axle-supported side frames, but does not solve the problem of so supporting the bolster in a three-axle truck in which the wheels at each side must be vertically movable with respect to each other to compensate for vertical irregularities in the track rails.

Conventionally sprung six-wheel freight trucks have included conventional two-axle side frames supported on two of the axles, and single axle side frames each supported at its one end on the third axle and at its other end on the top chord of the corresponding twoaxle side frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a three-axle truck in which bolster supporting rubber chevrons are supported on depressed center beam type side frames, to provide access for assembly and disassembly of the bolster from the side frames, and in which single axle side frames are supported on two-axle side frames between the middle axle journal box and the adjacent chevron spring, by an elastomeric device permitting tilting of the side frames with respect to each other in their common longitudinal vertical planes as well as limited relative longitudinal movement to compensate for variations in distance between the center chevron spring system on each side frame resulting from tilting of the side frames or differential deflection of the chevron spring assemblies on the respective side frames.

An object of the invention is to provide a six-wheel railway truck of the separate side frame and bolster type having noise and vibration insulation superior to any presently known trucks of this type.

A further object is to provide, in a six-wheel railway truck of the type in which the framing consists of a pair of separate side frames at each side and a bolster mounted thereon, elastomeric means insulating all the relatively movable components of the framing from each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view of a truck embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view partially sectionalized along line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are transverse vertical sectional views along line 33 and 4-4 respectively of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The truck has six wheels I mounted in spaced pairs on

axles

3, 4, 5, the ends of which are rotatably received within the usual bearings 7.

A pair of cast steel side frames 9, each comprising a box section beam depressed as at 11 intermediate its ends and formed at its ends with downwardly open pedestal jaws 17 in which are fixedly received bearings 7 of end axle 3 and middle axle 4.

Auxiliary side frames 19 are also generally of box section depressed as at 21 intermediate their ends and formed at their end remote from middle axle 4 with downwardly open pedestal jaws 27, in each of which is fixedly received one of the bearings 7 on end axle 5. The box section auxiliary side frames 19 slope upwardly longitudinally inwardly of depression 21 to from an extension 29 of generally downwardly open channel cross section extending over the middle axle end of main side frame 9, receiving the end portion of the latter within its downwardly open channel opening, and terminating intermediate the ends of the main side frame.

For supporting the end of each auxiliary side frame extension 29 on main side frame 9, the inclined leg 31 of the latter nearest the middle axle 4 is formed with an upwardly facing horizontal surface 33 surrounded by an upstanding rectangular rim 35, on its longitudinally inboard side, and the extremity of extension 29 is formed with a corresponding downwardly facing horizontal surface 37 bounded by a depending rim 39. Between

surfaces

33 and 37 is interposed a sandwich device comprising a plurality of flat horizontal elastomeric pads 41 and metal plates 43 bonded to the outer and intermediate horizontal surfaces of the pads, so as to permit relative tilting between the main and auxiliary side frames through vertical distortion of the pads and limited relative longitudinal movement between the main and auxiliary side frames through horizontal shear in the elastomeric pads.

The inclined end portions of each main side frame and auxiliary side frame are formed respectively with abutments 45 extending generally upwardly from the ends of side frame depressed portions 11 and 21 and slightly inclined toward the ends of the respective side frames. The abutments 45 adjacent the middle axle on the main side frames underlie and form a support for side frame pad support surfaces 33. The transverse faces of abutments 45 are of shallow V-shape in plan, with their apices pointed toward each other in the respective side frames, and chevron springs, each comprising a plurality of V-shaped elastomeric pads 47 interleaved by and bounded by V-shaped metal plates 49, are seated on abutments 45.

Each of a pair of transversely extending sub-bolsters 51 is formed at its end with slightly inwardly and downwardly sloping depressions 53, V-shaped in plan in both of their sides and the sub-bolster ends are positioned between the opposing chevron springs 47, 49 on the respective side frames. Plates 49 of chevron springs 47, 49 are received in depressions 53 to provide a resilient support for the sub-bolsters on the respective For swivelly supporting a car body on the truck, a truck center comprising a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending beams 55 rigidly connected midway between their ends by a pair of transverse beams 57 is rigidly supported on sub-bolsters 51 by the end portions of beams 55 which are positioned thereon by pairs of opposing flanges 59 depending from the ends of beams 55 and embracing the respective subbolsters 51 to form with the latter a rigid bolster. A central bearing 60 of the type disclosed in J. C. Travilla U.S. Pat. No. 2,655,117 is formed integrally with transverse beams 57 to provide a swivel support for a mating member (not shown) on a car body.

Whenever either wheel on axle 5 becomes vertically disaligned from the corresponding wheels on axles 3 and 4, due to a low or high spot in a track rail, the respective auxiliary side frame 19 will pivot vertically slightly on sandwich device 41, 43 and the end of bolster 51, 55, 57 supported on the auxiliary side frames will be raised or lowered slightly, as the case may be, subject to the yieldability of the chevron springs, causing the entire bolster to tilt longitudinally about its support on the chevron springs carried by the main side frames. The longitudinal yieldability in shear of sandwich devices 41, 43, by which the auxiliary side frames are supported on the main side frames, permits sufficient relative longitudinal movement between these members to compensate for any foreshortening or lengthening of the distance between the chevrons on the respective side frames resulting from such longitudinal tilting.

To effect equal distribution of the weight to the three axles, the distance of elastomeric sandwiches 41, 43, which support the auxiliary side frames on the main side frames, from the center of the chevron spring systems on the auxiliary side frames, is twice the distance of the latter from axle 5, and the centers of the chevron spring systems on the main side frames are the same distance from the middle axles as the centers of the chevron spring systems on the auxiliary side frames.

To dampen vertical movements of the bolster on

chevron spring systems

47, 49, vertical snubbers 61 are connected between outboard brackets 63 on the end of sub-bolsters 51 and similar brackets 65 on the depressed center portions 11 and 21 of the main and auxiliary side frames.

Trucks embodying the invention may be modified in various respects as will occur to those skilled in the art and the exclusive use of all such modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

Iclaim:

1. A railway vehicle truck comprising three axles spaced apart longitudinally of the truck, wheels mounted in transversely spaced pairs on each of said axles, a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending main side frames supported at their opposite ends on end portions of an end axle and of the middle axle, a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending auxiliary side frames supported at one end on the end portions of the other end axle and having their other end portions extending longitudinally past said middle axle over said first side frames, substantially horizontal surfaces on said main side frames facing upwardl fvl intermediate said middle axle and said first end axle, at elastomeric pad elements seated on said upwardly facing surfaces, said auxiliary side frame other end portions having downwardly facing surfaces seated on said elastomeric pad devices, each of said side frames being formed intermediate its ends, with pairs of longitudinally spaced generally transverse surfaces inwardly inclined in opposite directions longitudinally of the truck, elastomeric pad devices seated on said side frame transverse surfaces, load supporting bolster structure extending longitudinally of the truck over the middle'axle and having transversely extending end portions supported directly on said pad devices.

2. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 1 wherein said side frame transverse surfaces of each side frame are of V-shape in plan with their apices pointing in opposite directions lengthwise of the truck.

3. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 2 wherein each said bolster end portion is formed with a pair of transverse surfaces of V-shape in plan downwardly and inwardly inclined and adapted respectively for spaced mating relation with said side frame surfaces, said pad devices being received between said spaced inclined surfaces of said bolster end portions and said side frames.

4. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 3 wherein said pad devices are of chevron shape.

5. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 4 wherein said pad devices are sandwiches comprising elastomeric pads and metal plates.

6. A railway vehicle .truck according to claim 4, wherein said side frames have depressed intermediate portions defined between upwardly extending legs, said inclined transverse surfaces being formed on said legs in longitudinally spaced facing relation with each other.

7. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 6 wherein said substantially horizontal surfaces are formed on the legs of said main side frames adjacent said middle axle, said pad elements being supportedon said substantially horizontal surfaces between the inclined transverse surfaces on said last-names legs and the support of said main side frames on said middle axle.

8. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 7 wherein said side frames are entirely open above said depressed intermediate portions to facilitate applications and removal of said chevron pad devices and said bolster structure thereto and therefrom.

9. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 6 wherein both ends of said main side frames and the first named ends of said auxiliary side frames mount journal boxes rotatably receiving the ends of the respective axles, said side frames being generally of box section, but said other end portion of said auxiliary side frames being at least partially of inverted channel cross section overlying receiving the adjacent ends of said main side frames.

Claims

1. A railway vehicle truck comprising three axles spaced apart longitudinally of the truck, wheels mounted in transversely spaced pairs on each of said axles, a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending main side frames supported at their opposite ends on end portions of an end axle and of the middle axle, a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending auxiliary side frames supported at one end on the end portions of the other end axle and having their other end portions extending longitudinally past said middle axle over said first side frames, substantially horizontal surfaces on said main side frames facing upwardly intermediate said middle axle and said first end axle, flat elastomeric pad elements seated on said upwardly facing surfaces, said auxiliary side frame other end portions having downwardly facing surfaces seated on said elastomeric pad devices, each of said side frames being formed intermediate its ends, with pairs of longitudinally spaced generally transverse surfaces inwardly inclined in opposite directions longitudinally of the truck, elastomeric pad devices seated on said side frame transverse surfaces, load supporting bolster structure extending longitudinally of the truck over the middle axle and having transversely extending end portions supported directly on said pad devices.

6. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 4, wherein said side frames have depressed intermediate portions defined between upwardly extending legs, said inclined transverse surfaces being formed on said legs in longitudinally spaced facing relation with each other.

7. A railway vehicle truck according to claim 6 wherein said substantially horizontal surfaces are formed on the legs of said main side frames adjacent said middle axle, said pad elements being supported on said substantially horizontal surfaces between the inclined transverse surfaces on said last-names legs and the support of said main side frames on said middle axle.