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US 7,004,079 B2Granted
Rail road car and truck therefor
AssigneeNational Steel Car Limited
InventorJames W. Forbes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An autorack rail road car is provided with a truck that includes a pair of sideframes supported on wheel sets with bearing adapters positioned therebetween. The bearing adapters and the sideframes have associated parts or surfaces with curvatures configured to permit lateral swinging of the sideframes. A bolster is supported by the sideframes, and sets of laterally arranged dampers are provided therebetween to control the relationship between the sideframes and the bolster.
Claims31
A truck for a railroad freight car comprising:
- wheelsets, a pair of first and second sideframes mounted to said wheelsets, and a bolster mounted cross-wise between said sideframes;
- said sideframes being free of unsprung lateral connection interconnecting the sideframes;
- wherein, the lateral connection of which said side frame are being free is chosen from the set consisting of a transom, cross brace members, and lateral extending rods;
- said bolster having a first end borne by a lower region of said first sideframe, and a second end borne by a lower region of said second sideframe;
- a first group of friction dampers being mounted between said first end of said bolster and said first sideframe;
- a second group of friction dampers being mounted between said second end of said bolster and said second sideframe;
- said first group of dampers including a first friction damper and a second friction damper, said first and second friction dampers being independently sprung, and said first friction damper being located more laterally inboard than said second friction damper;
- said sideframes having upper regions having pedestal fittings;
- said wheelsets having bearing adapters mounted thereto, said bearing adapters being mounted in said pedestal fittings;
- said bearing adapters and said pedestal fittings engaging each other at pairs of first and second surfaces that mate in rocking engagement to permit lateral swinging motion of said sideframes such that when said lower region of said first sideframe swings laterally outboard, said upper regions of said first sideframe rock laterally inboard;
- said first surface having a first radius of curvature of less than 25 inches;
- and
- said second surface having a second radius of curvature lying in the range of ¼ to ¾ of said first radius of curvature.
10 more elements
A rail road car truck comprising:
- first and second spaced apart sideframes, and a transversely oriented truck bolster extending between said sideframes;
- said sideframes being free of unsprung lateral connection interconnecting the sideframes;
- wherein, the lateral connection of which said side frame are being free is chosen from the set consisting of a transom, cross brace members, and lateral extending rods;
- wheelsets upon which said sideframes seat;
- said wheelsets having bearing adapters;
- said sideframes having mounting fittings to seat on said bearing adapters;
- said sideframe mounting fittings and said bearing adapters meeting at respective pairs of co-operating surfaces in rolling contact to permit lateral swinging of the sideframe, one of said surfaces having a radius of curvature of less than 25 inches, the other surface having a radius of curvature in the range of ¼ to ¾ as large;
- said sideframes being operable to rock such that when a lower region of said first sideframe swings laterally outboard, an upper region of said first sideframe rocks laterally inboard;
- said truck bolster having a first end resiliently connected to said first side frame and a second end resiliently connected to said second side frame;
- a first biasing member and a second biasing member and corresponding first and second friction dampers mounted to act between said first end of said truck bolster and said first sideframe, said first friction damper being mounted in a laterally inboard position relative to said second friction damper;
- said first and second friction dampers being oriented to provide a squaring restorative moment couple to the bolster relative to the first side frame when said bolster is deflected about a vertical axis relative to said first side frame.
8 more elements
A rail road car truck comprising:
- first and second spaced apart sideframes, and a transversely oriented truck bolster extending between said sideframes;
- said sideframes being free of unsprung lateral connection interconnecting the sideframes;
- wherein, the lateral connection of which said side frame are being free is chosen from the set consisting of a transom, cross brace members, and lateral extending rods;
- wheelsets upon which said sideframes seat;
- said wheelsets having bearing adapters;
- said sideframes having mounting fittings to seat on said bearing adapters;
- said sideframe fittings and said bearing adapters meeting at respective pairs of co-operating surfaces in rolling contact to permit lateral swinging of the sideframe, one of said surfaces having a first radius of curvature of less than 25 inches, the other surface having a second radius of curvature in the range of ¼ to ¾ as large as said first radius of curvature;
- said sideframes being operable to rock such that when a lower region of said first sideframe swings laterally outboard, an upper region of said first sideframe rocks laterally inboard;
- said truck bolster having a first end resiliently connected to said first side frame and a second end resiliently connected to said second side frame;
- a first friction damper and a second friction damper independently biased to act between said first end of said truck bolster and said first sideframe, said first friction damper being mounted in a laterally inboard position relative to said second friction damper;
- said first and second friction dampers also being biased laterally.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.