Retractable auxiliary bumper for hydraulic or pneumatic railway suspensions
AssigneeBuckeye Steel Castings Company
InventorRichard B. Polley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An auxiliary suspension for hydraulic or pneumatic railway car suspensions is disclosed. The auxiliary suspension includes a bumper assembly which is located below the railcar body. The bumper assembly further includes a bumper pad that is retracted when a certain level of pressure is present in the hydraulic or pneumatic suspension. In a retracted position, the passenger car has room to “kneel” at a station platform to align the car floor height with the station platform height. When pressure in the hydraulic or pneumatic suspension is absent, the bumper pad of the auxiliary suspension extends to allow safe operation of the passenger train.
Claims19
An auxiliary suspension assembly for a railway truck having a spring suspension, the railway truck supporting a railcar body, the auxiliary suspension comprising:
- a pressurized spring suspension element mounted to the railway truck,
- a first supply line containing pressurized fluid and connected to the spring suspension element,
- a bumper assembly mounted to the railway truck, the bumper assembly including a pressurized cylinder, a spool slidably mounted within the cylinder, a spool spring mounted below the spool and within the cylinder, a bumper pad mounted above the spool, and
- a second supply line in fluid communication with the first supply line, the second supply line connected to the cylinder,
- whereby a change in fluid pressure in the first supply line causes slidable movement of the spool and mounted bumper pad.
An auxiliary suspension assembly for a railway truck having a spring suspension, the railway truck supporting a railcar body, the auxiliary suspension comprising:
- a pressurized spring suspension element mounted to the railway truck,
- a supply line containing pressurized fluid and connected to the spring suspension element,
- a transducer mounted within the supply line, and
- a bumper assembly mounted to the railway truck, the bumper assembly including a cylinder having a top wall and a bottom wall, a spool slidably mounted within the cylinder, a spool spring mounted between the spool and the bottom wall of the cylinder, a solenoid valve mounted within the cylinder and between the spool and the top wall of the cylinder, the solenoid valve electrically connected to the transducer, and a bumper pad mounted above the spool,
- whereby a change in fluid pressure in the supply line is detected by the transducer, which signals the solenoid valve to cause slidable movement of the spool and bumper pad.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.