Composite wheel for tracked vehicles
AssigneeXtek, Inc.
InventorsFrank P. Petrek, Steven J. Shaffer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an all metal, single or dual, flanged composite railroad wheel for rollingly engaging a metal rail. A unitary metal railroad wheel having at least one radially extending wheel flange, for intermittently engaging the side surface of the rail, is provided with a metallic inlaid material having a coefficient of friction lower than the coefficient of friction of the wheel's main body. The inlaid low friction material forms an annular band circumscribing the inside surface of the wheel's radially extending flange.
Claims25
A method of producing a composite metal railway wheel for rolling on a metal rail, said wheel having a circumferential tread for rollingly engaging said rail and at least one radially extending side flange for intermittent engagement of the side surface of said rail, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a preformed wheel blank,
- b) forging said preformed wheel blank into a predetermined near net shape wheel configuration,
- c) machining said near net shaped wheel configuration into a final wheel net shape,
- d) removing a portion of said flange inside surface thereby forming an annular offset circumscribing said flange inside surface, wherein an inner side of said annular offset is spaced radially outward from an intersection of said radially extending side flange and said circumferential tread.
- e) filling said annular offset with an overlay material having a coefficient of friction less than the coefficient of friction of said wheel blank,
- f) machining said overlay material to a predetermined wheel flange profile.
A method of producing a composite metal railway wheel for rolling on a metal rail, said wheel having a circumferential tread for rollingly engaging said rail and at least one radially extending side flange for intermittent engagement of the side surface of said rail, comprising the steps of.
- a) providing a preformed wheel blank,
- b) forging said preformed wheel blank into a predetermined near net shape wheel configuration wherein the inside surface of said radially extending side flange includes an annular offset circumscribing said flange inside surface, wherein an inner side of said annular offset is spaced radially outward from an intersection of said radially extending side flange and said circumferential tread,
- c) filling said annular offset with an overlay material having a coefficient of friction less than the coefficient of friction of said wheel blank,
- d) machining said predetermined near net shape wheel configuration, including said overlay material, into a predetermined wheel profile.
A method of producing a composite metal railway wheel for rolling on a metal rail, said wheel having a circumferential tread for rollingly engaging said rail and at least one radially extending side flange for intermittent engagement of the side surface of said rail, comprising the steps of
- a) providing a near net shape wheel blank wherein the inside surface of said radially extending side flange includes an annular offset circumscribing said flange inside surface, and wherein an inner side of said annular offset is spaced radially outward from an intersection of said radially extending side flange and said circumferential tread,
- b) filling said annular offset with an overlay material having a coefficient of friction less than the coefficient of friction of said wheel blank,
- c) machining said predetermined near net shape wheel blank, including said overlay material, into a predetermined net shape wheel profile.
A method of producing a composite metal railway wheel for rolling on a metal rail, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a near net shape wheel blank having a circumferential tread region and a radially extending side flange extending therefrom, the near net shape wheel blank being of unitary construction of a first material, and an inside surface of said radially extending side flange having a continuous offset, wherein an inner side of said continuous offset is spaced radially outward from an intersection of said radially extending side flange and said circumferential tread region, and said circumferential tread region is formed entirely of said first material, b) filling said continuous offset with an overlay material having a coefficient of friction less than a coefficient of friction of said first material, wherein the overlay material is applied using a plasma transfer arc process to bond the overlay material with the first material,
- c) machining at least a portion of said near net shape wheel blank and at least a portion of said overlay material to establish a net shape wheel profile.
A method of producing a composite metal railway wheel for rolling on a metal rail, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a wheel blank having a circumferential tread region and a radially extending side flange extending therefrom, the wheel blank being of unitary construction of a first material, and an inside surface of said radially extending side flange having a continuous offset extending therearound, wherein an inner side of said continuous offset is spaced radially outward from an intersection of said radially extending side flange and said circumferential tread region,
- b) filling said annular offset with an overlay material having a coefficient of friction less than a coefficient of friction of said first material, wherein the overlay material is applied using a plasma transfer arc process to bond the overlay material with the first material,
- c) working the wheel blank and the overlay material to establish a net shape wheel profile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.