Systems and methods for balancing a single truck industrial locomotive
AssigneeTractive Power Corporation
InventorFrank Wegner Donnelly
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bolster system and method of balancing a locomotive on a bolster system is provided. The bolster system is configured such that weld seams interconnect the locomotive to the bolster, and the weld seams are oriented such that when the truck or locomotive impacts another device on the rail track, the weld seams experience a shearing force along the lengths of the weld seams. In addition, prior to welding, scales such as hydraulic jacks with gauges may be used to center and balance a locomotive on a bolster. In one embodiment, four hydraulic jacks elevate the truck, bolster, and locomotive, and the locomotive is repositioned on the bolster until the hydraulic jacks have substantially similar measures.
Claims21
A bolster system for a locomotive, comprising:
- a truck configured to travel along a rail, the truck having an axle with a rotation axis and the truck having at least one suspension device with a suspension axis, wherein the suspension axis is substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis;
- a bolster interconnected to the at least one suspension device such that the bolster moves relative to the truck along the suspension axis;
- a first underframe plate and a second underframe plate of the bolster, wherein the underframe plates define an upper surface of the bolster;
- and
- a locomotive body interconnected to the bolster, wherein a first weld seam interconnects the locomotive body to the first underframe plate, and a second weld seam interconnects the locomotive body to the second underframe plate such that the locomotive body is interconnected and fixed relative to the bolster, and wherein the weld seams are oriented substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis of the axle of the truck and substantially perpendicular to the suspension axis of the at least one suspension device.
A method for positioning a locomotive on a bolster, comprising:
- providing a truck having an axle with a rotation axis and having at least one suspension device with a suspension axis, wherein the suspension axis is substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis;
- positioning a bolster on the at least one suspension device of the truck such that the bolster moves relative to the truck along the suspension axis;
- positioning a locomotive body on the bolster;
- determining, by at least one scale, a weight measurement underneath four points of the truck;
- repositioning the locomotive body on the bolster such that the at least one scale determines a weight measurement within a predetermined range;
- and
- welding a first seam and a second seam between the locomotive body and the bolster, wherein the seams are oriented substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis of the axle of the truck and to the suspension axis of the at least one suspension device.
A method for positioning a locomotive on a bolster, comprising:
- providing a truck having an axle with a rotation axis and having at least one suspension device with a suspension axis, wherein the suspension axis is substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis;
- positioning a bolster on the at least one suspension device of the truck such that the bolster moves relative to the truck along the suspension axis;
- positioning a locomotive body on the bolster;
- providing a scale underneath a first point of the truck, wherein the scale is configured to determine a weight measurement;
- determining, by the scale, a first weight measurement underneath the first point of the truck;
- repositioning the scale underneath a second point, a third point, and a fourth point of the truck to determine a second weight measurement, a third measurement, and a fourth measurement, respectively;
- repositioning the locomotive body on the bolster such that the weight measurements are within a predetermined range;
- and
- welding a first seam and a second seam between the locomotive body and the bolster, wherein the seams are oriented substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis of the axle of the truck and substantially perpendicular to the suspension axis of the at least one suspension device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.