Three-axle railway truck steering linkage
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorMostafa Rassaian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A three-axle powered self-steering railway truck is disclosed having a five link steering linkage connected between the axles on either side of the truck and interconnected laterally to provide radial steering action of the end axles linked to lateral translation of the center axle during curve negotiation. The steering and traction linkage is positioned to be free of interference with the traction motors and drive gears.
Claims7
Steering and restraining mechanism in combination with a three-axle steering railway truck including a frame support by front, center and rear sequentially longitudinally spaced axles, each having a pair of flanged wheels secured near its opposite ends, and yieldable suspension means between the axles and the frame, and nominally urging the axles into centered positions for motion along straight paths but permitting limited yawing and lateral movement of said axles, said steering and restraining mechanism carrying all traction and braking forces between the axles and the frame, and comprising
- restraining means establishing an essentially fixed longitudinal relation between the frame and said center axle and transmitting all its traction and braking forces to the frame but permitting relative vertical and lateral motion therebetween,
- a pair of linkages, one on each side of the truck and interrelating the ends of the axles on its respective side, the linkages being interconnected laterally across the frame for equal and opposite motion, each linkage including
- first and second levers operatively laterally engaging one end of the center axle and pivoted at points of the frame longitudinally spaced toward the front and rear axles, respectively, from said one end of the center axle,
- a front traction rod longitudinally connecting a point of said first lever laterally outboard of its pivot with one end of the front axle, and
- a rear traction rod longitudinally connecting a point of said second lever laterally outboard of its pivot with one end of the rear axle,
- said front and rear traction rods exclusively carrying all traction and braking forces from their respective axles to the frame,
- said levers, rods and points being related in a manner to require equal and opposite yawing movements of the front and rear axles to correspond with predetermined lateral movements of the center axles to provide substantially radial positioning of the axles during negotiation of a constant curve.
Steering and restraining mechanism in combination with a three-axle self-steering railway truck including a frame supported by front, center and rear sequentially longitudinally spaced axles, each having a pair of flanged wheels secured near its opposite ends, and yieldable suspension means between the axles and the frame, and nominally urging the axles into centered positions for motion along straight paths but permitting limited yawing and lateral movement of said axles said steering and restraining mechanism carrying all traction and braking forces between the axles and the frame, and comprising
- restraining means establishing an essentially fixed longitudinal relation between the frame and said center axle and transmitting all its traction and braking forces to the frame but permitting relative vertical and lateral motion therebetween,
- a pair of linkages, one on each side of the truck and interrelating the ends of the axles on its respective side, each linkage including
- first and second levers operatively laterally engaging one end of the center axle and pivoted at points of the frame longitudinally spaced toward the front and rear axles, respectively, from said one end of the center axle,
- a front traction rod longitudinally connecting a point of said first lever laterally outboard of its pivot with one end of the front axle, and
- a rear traction rod longitudinally connecting a point of said second lever laterally outboard of its pivot with one end of the rear axle,
- said front and rear traction rods exclusively carrying all traction and braking forces from their respective axles to the frame,
- said first levers having arms extending longitudinally in one direction from their pivots, said arms being connected laterally across the frame by a link interconnecting the linkages for equal and opposite motion,
- said levers, rods and points being related in a manner to require equal and opposite yawing movements of the front and rear axles to correspond with predetermined lateral movements of the center axle to provide substantially radial positioning of the axles during negotiation of a constant curve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.