US673727A - Radial truck. - Google Patents

Description

m w 7., v. a M d 6 t n an t DI R E A IL P i 7 2 7 3 7 6 0 N RADIAL TRUCK.

(Application filed Mar. 5, 1901.!

.2 Sheets-Shoat I.

{No Model.)

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JOI-IN PLAYER, OF DUNKIRK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE BROOKS LOCO- OF SAME PLACE.

RADIAL TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,727, dated May '7, 1901.

Application filed March 5, 1901. Serial No. 49,987. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN PLAYER, of Dunkirk, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Radial Trucks, of which improvement the following is a specification.

My invention relates to so-called radial trucks for locomotive-engines and other railroad rolling-stock in which lateral motion or radial movement of a bearing-axle of the vehicle relatively to the main frame thereof is provided for to facilitate and reduce strains in the passage of the vehicle into, through, and from curved portions of the track.

The object of my invention is to provide efiiective and desirable means whereby an increased range of lateral movementin the axle may be permitted, the construction of the axle-box guides and their connection to the main frame simplified and cheapened, and improved facilities provided for transmitting theweight carried by the springs to the radial axle and equalizing it with that borne by the adjacent driving-axle. The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of a radial trailingwheel truck for locomotive-engines, illustrating an embodiment of my invention, the trailing wheel nearer the observer being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 2, a plan or top view of the same; Fig. 3, a vertical transverse section at the line a Ct of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 a front view in elevation with the engine frame and springs in transverse section.

My invention is herein shown as applied in a trailing truck employed to support the rear portions of the main-frame bars 1 of a locomotive-engine and the weight which is carried thereon. The trailing wheels 2 are secured in the usual manner upon the outer ends of the truck-axle 3, the journals 4 of which rotate in j onrnal-bearings 5, set in axleboxes 6, each of which is fitted with the capacity of relative lateral as well as vertical movement between a pair of pedestals 7. The front and rear sides of the axle-boxes 6 are curved concentrically upon radii struck from a center located at a proper distance forward of the truck-axle in the longitudinal central plane of the engine, and the opposite axleboXes are connected by an upper horizontal plate 8 and vertical front and rear plates 9, 5 which are preferably, as shown, cast integral with the axle-boxes. The continuous structu re thus formed may descriptively be termed the axle-box frame. The inner faces of the pedestals 7 are curved correspondingly with the axle-boxes, and the members of each pair of pedestals are connected at their lower ends by pedestal tie -bolts 10, which pass through thimbles or spacing-pieces 11, interposed between the pedestals, and are provided with nuts 12, by which they are drawn to the proper bearing. Each of the pedestals forms the outer end portion of an axle-box guide, which is composed of two pedestals on opposite sides of the engine and an inter- 7o mediate connecting-plate 13, cast integral therewith, and each pedestal is provided at its top with an upwardly-extending lug or flange 14, which abutsagainst the inner side of the adjacentmain-frame bar 1 and is secured thereto by bolts or rivets 15. This construction obviates the necessity of forging separate pedestals or horn-plates upon the main-frame bars, thereby effecting a material structural simplification and economy and, moreover, permitting increase of lateral or radial movement, as desired, by simply reducing the length of the axle-box guides.

In order to control the lateral movements of the axle-box frame in passing curves and return it to and maintain it in its normal central position on tangents, a centering-spring 16 is provided, said spring being illustrated as inclosed in a spring-box 17, fixed to the lower sides of the vertical plates 9 of the axlebox frame, with its ends abutting against followers 18, which in turn abut against shoulders 011 the ends of the spring-box. Two thrust-rods 19, the outer ends of which are fixed to members connected with the main- 5 frame bars 1, abut at their inner ends against the followers 18, the distance between the inner ends of the followers being equal to the maximum amount of traverse of the axle-box frame and axle on either side of the central plane of the engine. In the instance shown the thrust-rods 19 are connected at their outer ends to the thimbles ll of the follower tiebolts 10 by nuts 20, by the adjustment of which the distance between the inner ends of the thrust-rods may be increased or diminished, as desired, so as'to thereby increase or diminish, respectively, the degree of lateral traverse permitted to the axle-box frame. Under the above construction it will be seen that the centering-spring will be compressed by lateral movement of the axle-box frame in either direction and will return the same to normal central position as the compression is released by the opposite movement of the axle-box frame, thereby preventing jars or shocks and reducing liability to strain in the movements of said frame,

The specificlocation of the centering-spring relati vely to the axle-box frame is not an essential of my invention, and it may, if preferred, be located on the top or on the sides of the axle-box frame,-as may be found most convenient in different forms of construction of the radial truck. It will also be obvious that the relative positions of the centering-spring and thrust-rods may be changed without departure from the spirit of my invention-that is to say, centering-springs may be attached to the pedestals or other parts which are fixed to the frame members and thrust-rods acting thereon attached to the axle-box frame.

The weight carried upon the truck-axle 3 is in the instance shown transmitted thereto through two semi-elliptical springs 21, the rear ends of which are coupled by springhangers 22 to the main-frame bars 1 and the forward ends of which are coupled by springhangers 23 to equalizers 24:. The equalizers 24 are pivoted by bolts 25 to the main-frame bars and are coupled at their forward ends to the springs of the rear pair of driving-wheels in the ordinary or any preferred manner. The'spring-bands 26 rest upon a carrying-bar 27, the ends of which may, as shown, he turned upwardly, and form thrust-blocks bearing against chafing-plates or rubbing-castings 28, fixed to the inner sides of the main-frame bars 1 and interposed between the same and the spring-bands 26. The under side of the carrying-bar is a true surface, which rests upon the top of the axle-box frame, to which the weight carried by it and by the truck axle and wheels is transmitted by the springs in such manner as to permit its lateral movements to be effected without interference with the position or action of the springs.

The carrying-springs may, if preferred, be underhung or located below the axle-box frame instead of above it, as shown, and for use in connection with a leading truckasingle transverse spring or system of coiled springs may be employed instead of the two longitudinal springs shown. When so placed, the spring is connected centrally with an equalizer and rests at its ends upon a carrying-bar, such as above described, or, equivalently, upon two short sections thereof, each of which bears, in the manner described, upon the top of the axle-box frame.

My improvement has been applied in practice in the construction of a number of locomotive-engines and has in regular service been found to successfully attain the objects for which it was designed. The employment. of trailing wheels for the support of wide and deep fire-boxes has in recent practice been very generally approved and adopted by railroad managers, and my invention enables their application to be desirably effected, by

reason of its capability, generally, of promoting the safe and easy passage of the engine through curves and also of the fact that its spring arrangement is one which will not in terfere with the sloping ash-pans which are used with wide fire-boxes. The construction is free from complication or undue expense and is particularly suited to the requirements of American practice.

I claim my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverse axle-box guides secured thereto, an axle-box frame fitted to traverse between said guides, an axle journaled therein, a centering-spring supported on the axle-box frame, followers abutting against the opposite ends of said spring, thrust-rods, each abutting at its inner end against one of the followers and connected, at its outer end, to the axle-box guides, and means for varying and adjusting the distance between the inner ends of the thrust-rods.

2. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverse axle-box guides having end pedestals secured thereto, an axleboX frame fitted to traverse between said guides, an axle journaled therein, pedestal tie members connecting the two pedestals on each side of the frame,a centering-spring supported on the axle-box frame, followers abutting against the opposite ends of said spring, thrust-rods, each abutting, at its inner end, against one of the followers, and nuts engaging screw-threads on the thrust-rods and connecting the same adj ustably to the pedestal tie members.

3. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverse axle-box guides, each having an integral end pedestal and an upwardly-extending lug or flange abutting against and secured to the adjacent mainframe member, an axle-box frame fitted to traverse between the pedestals of said guides, and an axle journaled in said axle-box frame.

at. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverse axle-box guides secured thereto, an axle-box frame fitted to traverse between said guides, an axle journaled therein, a transverse carrying-bar, the under surface of which rests and bears truly on the axle-box frame, and a spring bearing upon the carrying bar and transmitting weight to the truck-axle through said bar.

5. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverse axle-box guides secured thereto, an axle-box frame fitted to traverse between said guides, an axle journaled therein, a transverse carryingbar, the under surface of which rests and bears truly on the axle-box frame, a spring bearing upon the carrying-bar, and an equalizer coupled to the main frame and to said spring.

6. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverse axle-box guides secured thereto, an axle-box frame fitted to traverse between said guides, an axle journaled therein, a transverse carrying-bar, the

under surface of which rests and bears truly on the axle-box frame, and having end-thrust blocks bearing on the main-frame members, and a spring bearing on the carrying-bar and transmitting weight to the truck-axle through said bar. 7

7. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame,.two transverse axle-box guides secured thereto, an axle-box frame fitted to traverse between said guides, an axle journaled therein, a transverse carrying-bar, the under surface of which rests and bears truly on the axle-box frame, and having end-thrust blocks bearing on the main-frame members, and springs coupled at their ends to the mainframe members and bearing intermediately upon the carrying-bar.

8. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverse axle-box guides secured thereto, an axle-box frame fitted to traverse between said guides, an axle journaled therein, a transverse carrying-bar, the under surface of which rests and bears truly 0n the axle-box frame and which is provided with end-thrust blocks, chafing-plates interposed between and' abutting against the thrust-blocks and the main-frame members, 'and a spring bearing on the carrying-bar and transmitting weight to the truck-axle through said bar.

9. In a radial truck, the combination of a main frame, two transverse axle-box guides secured thereto, an axle-box frame fitted to traverse between said guides, an axle journaled therein, a transverse carrying-bar, the under surface of which rests and bears truly on the axle-box frame, and having end-thrust blocks bearing on the main-frame members, springs, bearing intermediately of their ends upon the carrying-bar, equalizers pivoted to the main-frame members and coupled to the springs, and connections coupling the opposite ends of the springs to the main-frame members.

' JOHN PLAYER. Witnesses:

J. SNoWDEN BELL, CLARENCE A. WILLIAMS.

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