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US 11,613,281 B2Granted
Railway truck assembly having compressible side bearings
AssigneeAmsted Rail Company, Inc.
InventorZachary B. Harris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A side bearing assembly for a truck assembly of a rail vehicle includes a base, a cap moveably coupled to the base, and one or more elastomer springs disposed between the base and the cap. The one or more elastomer springs include a foam having air pockets that are configured be compressed.
Claims21
A side bearing assembly for a truck assembly of a rail vehicle, the side bearing assembly comprising:
- a base comprising an internal chamber;
- a cap moveably coupled to the base, wherein the cap comprises a perimeter wall extending from a top surface, and wherein a retaining chamber is defined between the top surface and the perimeter wall;
- and
- one or more elastomer springs disposed between the base and the cap, wherein the one or more elastomer springs comprise at least a portion contained within the retaining chamber between the top surface and the perimeter wall, and
- wherein the one or more elastomer springs comprise:
- a foam having air pockets that are configured to be compressed;
- a head having a first width, wherein the at least a portion contained within the retaining chamber includes the head;
- and
- a neck having a second width that is less than the first width, wherein the neck is within the internal chamber and outside of the cap, and wherein an intermediate width between the first width and the second width gradually and constantly decreases from the first width to the second width.
6 more elements
A method of forming a side bearing assembly for a truck assembly of a rail vehicle, the method comprising:
- moveably coupling a cap to a base, wherein the cap comprises a perimeter wall extending from a top surface, wherein a retaining chamber is defined between the top surface and the perimeter wall, and wherein the base comprises an internal chamber;
- and
- disposing one or more elastomer springs between the base and the cap, at least a portion of the one or more elastomer springs being contained within the retaining chamber between the top surface and the perimeter wall,
- wherein the one or more elastomer springs comprise:
- a foam having air pockets that are configured to be compressed;
- a head having a first width, wherein the at least a portion contained within the retaining chamber includes the head;
- and
- a neck having a second width that is less than the first width, wherein the neck is within the internal chamber and outside of the cap, and wherein an intermediate width between the first width and the second width gradually and constantly decreases from the first width to the second width.
5 more elements
A truck assembly that is configured to travel along a track having rails, the truck assembly comprising:
- a first side frame;
- a second side frame;
- a bolster extending between the first side frame and the second side frame;
- a first wheel set coupled to the first side frame and the second side frame;
- a second wheel set coupled to the first side frame and the second side frame;
- a first side bearing assembly coupled to the bolster;
- and
- a second side bearing assembly coupled to the bolster, wherein the first side bearing assembly is mounted on a top surface of the bolster between a bolster center bowl and a first end, and wherein the second side bearing assembly is mounted on the top surface of the bolster between the bolster center bowl and a second end, wherein each of the first side bearing assembly and the second side bearing assembly comprises:
- a base comprising an internal chamber;
- a cap moveably coupled to the base, wherein the cap comprises a perimeter wall extending from a top surface, and wherein a retaining chamber is defined between the top surface and the perimeter wall;
- and
- one or more elastomer springs disposed between the base and the cap, wherein the one or more elastomer springs comprise at least a portion contained within the retaining chamber between the top surface and the perimeter wall, and
- wherein the one or more elastomer springs comprise:
- a foam having air pockets that are configured to be compressed;
- a head having a first width, wherein the at least a portion contained within the retaining chamber includes the head;
- and
- a neck having a second width that is less than the first width, wherein the neck is within the internal chamber and outside of the cap, and wherein an intermediate width between the first width and the second width gradually and constantly decreases from the first width to the second width.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.