Device for improving warp stiffness of a railcar truck
AssigneeAMSTED Industries Incorporated
InventorsDavid J. Goding, V. Terrey Hawthorne
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A structural device is attached to each sideframe pedestal jaw of a railcar truck wherein the bearing adapter is joined to the sideframe and is prevented from rotating within the pedestal jaw opening. The bearing adapter inboard and outboard faces maintain a parallel relationship with the sideframe inboard and outboard faces during operations, including curving, thereby causing the truck axles to remain at a right angle with respect to the sideframes. Maintaining this right angular relationship substantially curtails truck wheel misalignment, which directly effects truck hunting and curving.
Claims17
An improved truck for a railway vehicle having a longitudinal axis, said truck including a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced sideframes, said sideframes each having a first end with a first pedestal jaw, a second end with a second pedestal jaw, an inboard face and an outboard face,
- each of said first and second pedestal jaws formed by a vertically disposed forward wall, a vertically disposed rearward wall, and a horizontally disposed pedestal roof interconnecting said forward and rearward walls,
- each said pedestal jaw forward and rearward walls and said pedestal roof defining a pedestal jaw opening,
- each pedestal jaw opening including a vertical axis substantially perpendicular to said pedestal jaw roof,
- a plurality of wheel bearing adapters, each said pedestal jaw opening accommodating a wheel bearing adapter,
- at least one axle, each said axle having a first axle end and a second axle end,
- a plurality of bearing assemblies, one of said bearing assemblies mounted on each said axle end,
- each said sideframe pedestal jaw having a bearing adapter mounted within said pedestal jaw opening, each said bearing adapter having an inboard face and an outboard face,
- each of said first and second pedestal jaws including a set of horizontally aligned thrust lugs for longitudinally centering and laterally restraining said bearing adapter within said pedestal jaw opening, the improvement comprising:
- means for rigidly joining each of said bearing adapters to said sideframe inboard and outboard faces to prevent said bearing adapter from rotational movement about said pedestal jaw vertical axis, to maintain each said axle end and said sideframe at a substantially right angular relationship, and to increase truck warp stiffness,
- said rigidly joining means allowing said bearing adapter to retain limited lateral freedom within said pedestal jaw opening, said lateral freedom being transverse to said longitudinal axis,
- said rigidly joining means at each said sideframe pedestal jaw including a pair of connection members mounted at each said sideframe pedestal jaw, a first of said connection members coupling said adapter and sideframe inboard faces and a second of said connection members coupling said adapter and sideframe outboard faces, each of said first and second connection members having a front end with a front hole and a rear end with a rear hole, each said front end connected to a respective said bearing adapter and each said rear end connected to said sideframe at an anchoring point on each said respective sideframe inboard and outboard face.
An improved sideframe of a railway truck having a longitudinal axis, a first end with a front pedestal jaw, a second end with a rear pedestal jaw, an inboard face and an outboard face, each of said first and second pedestal jaws formed by having a vertically disposed forward wall, a vertically disposed rearward wall, and a horizontally disposed pedestal roof interconnecting said forward and rearward walls, each said pedestal jaw forward and rearward walls and said pedestal roof defining a pedestal jaw opening, each of said pedestal jaw openings including a vertical axis centered within said opening, said vertical axis substantially perpendicular to said pedestal jaw roof, a plurality of wheel bearing adapters, each said pedestal jaw opening accommodating a wheel bearing adapter, at least one axle, each said axle having a first axle end and a second axle end, a plurality of bearing assemblies, one of said bearing assemblies mounted on each said axle end,
- each said first and second pedestal jaws including a set of horizontally aligned thrust lugs for longitudinally centering and laterally restraining said bearing adapter within said pedestal jaw opening, the improvement comprising:
- means for rigidly joining each said bearing adapter to said inboard and outboard faces to prevent said bearing adapter from rotational movement about said pedestal jaw vertical axis, and to maintain each said axle end at a substantially right angular relationship with said sideframe, in order to increase truck warp stiffness,
- said rigidly joining means allowing said bearing adapter to retain limited lateral freedom within said pedestal jaw opening, said lateral freedom transverse to said longitudinal axis,
- said rigidly joining means at each said pedestal jaw including a pair of connection members mounted at each said sideframe pedestal jaw, a first of said connection members coupling said adapter and sideframe inboard faces and a second of said connection members coupling said adapter and sideframe outboard faces, each of said first and second connection members having a front end with a front hole and a rear end with a rear hole, each said front end connected to said bearing adapter and each said rear end connected to said sideframe at an anchoring point on each said respective sideframe inboard and outboard faces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.