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US 8,997,949 B2Granted
Brake beam assembly
AssigneeA. Stucki Company
InventorJorge Alberto De la Fuente Farias
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A low weight and low cost brake beam assembly having high static strength and fatigue resistance having two independent brake heads each including a receiving section for receiving and retaining an end of a tension member, an end of a compression member and a portion of an end extension.
Claims25
A brake beam assembly comprising:
- a generally V-shaped tension member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion and an apex portion located between the first end portion and the second end portion, the first end portion of the generally V-shaped tension member having a first aperture and a second aperture, and the second end portion of the generally V-shaped tension member having a first aperture and a second aperture;
- a compression member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end and a central portion positioned between the first end portion and the second end portion, the first end portion of the compression member having a first aperture and a second aperture, and the second end portion of the compression member having a first aperture and a second aperture;
- a strut member positioned between the generally V-shaped tension member and the compression member, the strut member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the strut member attached to the apex portion of the generally V-shaped tension member, the second end portion of the strut member attached to the central portion of the compression member;
- a first end extension having a pocket guide coupling portion and a brake head coupling portion integrally formed, the brake head coupling portion having a first opening and a second opening, the pocket guide coupling portion sized and configured for attachment to a portion of a railway car;
- a second end extension having a pocket guide coupling portion and a brake head coupling portion integrally formed, the brake head coupling portion having a first opening and a second opening, the pocket guide coupling portion sized and configured for attachment to a portion of a railway car;
- a first brake head having a cavity sized and configured to receive the first end portion of the tension member, the first end portion of the compression member and the brake head coupling portion of the first end extension, the cavity being in communication with a first hole and a second hole formed in the first brake head, the first end portion of the compression member, the first end portion of the tension member and the brake head coupling portion of the first end extension positioned within the cavity of the first brake head such that the first aperture of the first end portion of the tension member, the first aperture of the first end portion of the compression member, the first opening of the brake head coupling portion of the first end extension and the first and second holes of the first brake head are aligned to receive a first fastener, the first fastener being a lone fastener directly attaching the first end portion of the compression member, the first end portion of the tension member and the brake head coupling portion of the first end extension to the first brake head when the first fastener extends through the first aperture of the first end portion of the tension member, the first aperture of the first end portion of the compression member, the first opening of the brake head coupling portion of the first end extension and the first and second holes of the first brake head;
- and
- a second brake head having a cavity sized and configured to receive the second end portion of the tension member, the second end portion of the compression member and the brake head coupling portion of the second end extension, the cavity being in communication with a first hole and a second hole formed in the second brake head, the second end portion of the compression member, the second end portion of the tension member and the brake head coupling portion of the second end extension positioned within the cavity of the second brake head such that the first aperture of the second end portion of the tension member, the first aperture of the second end portion of the compression member, the first opening of the brake head coupling portion of the second end extension and the first and second holes of the second brake head are aligned to receive a second fastener, the second fastener being a lone fastener directly attaching the second end portion of the compression member, the second end portion of the tension member and the brake head coupling portion of the second end extension to the second brake head when the second fastener extends through the first aperture of the second end portion of the tension member, the first aperture of the second end portion of the compression member, the first opening of the brake head coupling portion of the second end extension and the first and second holes of the second brake head,
- wherein the first end extension, the first end portion of the tension member and the first end portion of the compression member are aligned such that the second opening of the brake head coupling portion of the first end extension, the second aperture of the first end portion of the tension member and the second aperture of the first end portion of the compression member are aligned to receive a third fastener attaching the first end extension, the first end portion of the tension member and the first end portion of the compression member together at a position external to the first brake head cavity and positioned closer to the central portion of the compression member than the first brake head,
- wherein the second end extension, the second end portion of the tension member and the second end portion of the compression member are aligned such that the second opening of the brake head coupling portion of the second end extension, the second aperture of the second end portion of the tension member and the second aperture of the second end portion of the compression member are aligned to receive a fourth fastener attaching the second end extension, the second end portion of the tension member and the second end portion of the compression member together at a position external to the second brake head cavity and positioned closer to the central portion of the compression member than the second brake head,
- wherein the first end extension and first brake head are independent structures,
- wherein the second end extension and the second brake head are independent structures,
- wherein the first brake head is removable by removal of the first fastener with the tension member, compression member and first end extension remaining attached via the third fastener such that the first brake head is removable from the brake beam assembly without disassembly of any of the first end extension, compression member and tension member that are attached together via the third fastener, and
- wherein the second brake head is removable by removal of the second fastener with the tension member, compression member and second end extension remaining attached via the fourth fastener such that the second brake head is removable from the brake beam assembly without disassembly of any of the second end extension, compression member and tension member that are attached together via the fourth fastener.
11 more elements
A brake beam assembly comprising:
- a compression member having first and second end portions;
- a tension member having first and second end portions;
- a strut member attached between the tension member and the compression member;
- a first end extension having first and second portions integrally formed;
- a first brake head having a generally U-shaped retaining member;
- and
- first and second fasteners,
- wherein the generally U-shaped retaining member of the first brake head receives the first end portion of the tension member, the first end portion of the compression member and the first portion of the first end extension such that the first fastener extends through apertures formed in the generally U-shaped retaining member, compression member, tension member and first end extension to attach the first brake head, tension member, compression member and first end extension together, the first fastener being a lone fastener directly attaching the first end portion of the tension member, the first end portion of the compression member, the first portion of the first end extension and the first brake head together,
- wherein the second portion of the first end extension extends beyond the generally U-shaped retaining member and is positioned external to the generally U-shaped retaining member of the first brake head such that the second portion of the first end extension is closer to the strut than the generally U-shaped retaining member of the first brake head,
- wherein the second fastener extends through apertures formed in the second portion of the first end extension, the compression member and the tension member to attach the tension member, compression member and first end extension together at a position located external to the generally U-shaped retaining member of the first brake head, and
- wherein the first brake head is removable by removal of the first fastener with the tension member, compression member and first end extension remaining attached via the second fastener such that the first brake head is removable from the brake beam assembly without disassembly of any of the first end extension, compression member and tension member that are attached together via the second fastener.
8 more elements
A brake beam assembly comprising:
- a V-shaped tension member having a first and a second end portion, said V-shaped tension member having a flat-shaped cross section and a first and a second surface;
- a compression member having an L-shaped cross-section and including a first plate and a second plate which extend the entire length of the compression member and having an approximately 90 degree angle between them, wherein the first and second plates each having a first and a second end portion;
- two end extensions, each having a pocket guide coupling section and a brake head coupling section integrally formed;
- two brake heads, each of the brake heads having a retaining member for tightly receiving an end of the tension member, an end of the first plate of the compression member, and the brake head coupling section of an end extension;
- a fulcrum joined to the tension member and compression member, so that the fulcrum remains between the tension and compression members;
- wherein:
- each end portion of the tension member is retained and joined to a respective retaining member of a respective brake head,
- each end portion of the first plate of the compression member is retained and joined to a respective retaining member of a respective brake head,
- the brake head coupling section of each end extension is retained and joined to a respective retaining member of a respective brake head,
- each end portion of the tension member, each end portion of the first plate of the tension member, and the brake head coupling section of each end extension are joined together at the respective brake head retaining member by means of a respective first bolt passing through coinciding perforations located at:
- each end portion of the tension member, at each end portion of the first plate of the compression member, at the second section of the brake head coupling section of each end extension, and through at least one coinciding perforation located at each brake head retaining member, the first bolt being a lone fastener directly attaching the end portion of the tension member, end portion of the first plate of the tension member, and the brake head coupling section of the end extension and brake head retaining member,
- each end of the tension and compression members, and a corresponding end extension are further joined together at a position remote from the brake head retaining member by a bolt passing through coinciding perforations located at:
- each end portion of the tension member, at each end portion of the first plate of the compression member, and at the first section of the brake head coupling section of each end extension, and
- each brake head is removable by removal of the first bolt passing through the brake head retaining member with the tension member, compression member and end extensions remaining attached via the second bolt located at the position remote from the brake head retaining member such that each brake head is removable from the brake beam assembly without disassembly of any of the end extensions, the compression member and the tension member.
11 more elements
A brake beam assembly comprising:
- a V-shaped tension member having a first and a second end portion, said V-shaped tension member having a flat-shaped cross section and a first and a second surface;
- a compression member having an L-shaped cross-section and including a first plate and a second plate which extend the entire length of the compression member and having an approximately 90 degree angle between them, wherein the first and second plates each having a first and a second end portion;
- two end extensions, each having a pocket guide coupling section and a brake head coupling section;
- two brake heads, each having a retaining member for tightly receiving an end of the tension member, an end of the first plate of the compression member, and the brake head coupling section of an end extension;
- a fulcrum joined to the tension member and compression member, so that the fulcrum remains between the tension and compression members;
- wherein:
- each end portion of the tension member is retained and joined to a respective retaining member of a respective brake head,
- each end portion of the first plate of the compression member is retained and joined to a respective retaining member of a respective brake head, and
- the brake head coupling section of each end extension is retained and joined to a respective retaining member of a respective brake head,
- wherein each brake head coupling section comprises:
- a first section comprising a round section having a first and a second surface and including a perforation in a central portion thereof, and
- a second section comprising an irregular-shaped section having a first and a second surface which are coplanar with the first and second surfaces of the round section and including a perforation in a central portion thereof.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.