US2621985A - Journal box lid - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 16, 1952 G. F. COUCH JOURNAL BOX LID Filed May 15, 1950 FIG. 2

Inventor: Glenn E Couch his Aflorney Patented Dec. 16, 1952 JOURNAL BOX LID Glenn F. Couch, Williamsville, N. Y., assignor to The Symington-Gould Corporation, Depew, N. Y., a corporation of Maryland Application May 15, 1950, Serial No. 162,034

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a journal box lid for use in railway trucks and more particularly to an articulated type thereof.

An object of the invention is the provision of an improved articulated journal box lid of a commonly termed two piece type and arranged for controlled universal movement between the two pieces.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved journal box lid wherein a permissible universal movement is arranged between a hood and cover with a loose interlock therebetween to limit the universal movement.

These and many other objects of the invention will become apparent from the succeeding description of an exemplified form of the invention and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the journal box lid of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 22 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now in detail to the drawing wherein like reference characters indicate like parts, the numeral I is employed to designate, in a somewhat general manner, a journal box lid characteristic of the present invention. The journal box lid is designed and intended to form a positive and removable barrier or seal at and over an access opening 2 of a forward extremity of a journal box shown partially and diagrammatically only in Figure 2 of the drawing and designated by the reference numeral 3. The journal box lid is hingedly or pivotally connected to a hinge lug 4 of the journal box through the medium of a hinge pin or pintle 5 (see Figure 2 only of the drawing). No elaborate display or description of the hinge lug and hinge pin will be herein contained because such structures are common and positive barrier and thereby prevent not only the ingress of foreign particles or substance to the interior of the journal box but also prevent the egress of journal lubricant contained within the journal box. For substantially the full periphery of the plate, it is provided with a guard flange 1 which is normal to the cover proper and projects toward the journal box in overlapping but spaced relation therewith so as to function as a deflector and guard the juncture of the cover and journal box against foreign substance which may be directed thereto in service. Also, desirably, the cover is provided with a continuous drip flange 8 which instands normal to the cover toward the interior of the journal box and functions as a means whereby, oil or other lubricant impinged against the inside surface of the lid in service may be redirected or conveyed to the interior of the journal box and not to the juncture between the cover and journal box. This drip flange, as will be noted, is spaced toward the center of the cover from the peripherial flange and extends inwardly of the journal box within the access opening thereof.

The plate or cover is further provided with a spherically formed indentation or depression 9 which is, in actual practice, made preferably semi-spherical in configuration and is positioned substantially centrally of the plate. The indentation or depression is so arranged that it opens or faces what may be considered outward of the plate and therefore the plate is bulged as at H], inwardly of the journal box so as to leave the outer face free for the accommodation of other structure hereinafter considered in detail.

The cover has, outstanding perpendicularly therefrom or normal thereto,'a connecting flange I I semi-circular in conformation when considering the view of Figure 1 particularly. This connecting flange follows the contour of the rim or periphery of the depression and, more particularly, what may be considered the lower half portion of the indentation rim so that while it is joined integrally with the cover it will let the up per part of the depression substantially free for the introduction of another component into the depression. Formed integrally with the edge of the connecting flange removed in outward spaced relation from the cover proper, is a spherically arranged protuberance or ball effect number [2 which is desirably of semi-spherical form and is what may be considered as being in axial alignment with the indentation. This protuberance extends from the connecting flange inwardly of the cover as a reentrant member toward the indentation. As will be noted, the protuberance presents a, substantially spherically disposed surface l3 spaced an appreciable distance from and facing the lid bulged portion I9. In order to reinforce the protuberance and semi-circular flange against stresses to which they will be subjected in service, there is provided a pair of preferably parallel, stiffening flanges l4 arranged, at what may be considered, tangential to the protuberance as viewed particularly in Figure 1 of the drawing. These stiffening flanges are in tegral with the protuberance, the connecting flange and the cover to render the entire combination an integral, rugged and well protected structure.

Functioning as the sole connecting link between the cover and journal box is a hood I5 having upper or horizontally spaced and directed hinge ears I6 which accommodate the hinge pin. The hood, also preferably made of malleable iron because of its characteristics comprises a main body I I which is positioned, in the main, outwardly of or away from the cover in spaced relation thereto. What may be considered as the main body or an intermediate part of the hood is formed with outwardly bulged, cylindrically formed recesses 18. These recesses are horizontally spaced so as to be in substantially balanced position when considering the hood in its vertical and horizontal aspects; for which see Figure I particularly. Since the purpose of the cover is to maintain it, when in closed position, in tight engagement with the journal box, some yieldable or force imparting means must be incorporated in the journal box lid to render its operation positive and complete. Toward the fulfillment of this purpose, there is provided a flexible or spring means I9 formed with double coils 2i) spaced horizontally from one another and nested or bedded in the cylindrically formed recesses to maintain them in a predetermined position and relationship. The adjacent ends of the coils are connected by an intermediate looped leg 2| which extends toward the top of the hood where it is provided with a roller 22 bearing, normally or when in operable position, against the hinge lug to maintain the coils of the spring means stressed as well as assist in holding the lid in closed position and hold the lid in open osition. The remote ends of the coils terminate in downwardly extending spring legs 23 which are horizontally spaced and extend in a direction away from the intermediate looped leg. These spring legs 23 are nested in suitable elongated recesses 23a formed in the cover on each side of the depression in parallel relation and as will be noted, the spring leg-elongated recess relationships maintain these spring legs in a definite position in balanced relation on each side of the depression. This spring disposition is such that when the lid is in open position the cover will not rattle or chatter because the spring legs 23 are in direct bearing relation with the cover and do not press the cover against the journal box through some other intermediate member.

The bottom extremity of the hood is formed, centrally thereof intermediate the lateral or side edge, as a hollow, ball-like shaped or spherically formed dependant or extremity 24. Actually, in practice, this extremity of the hood is semispherical in shape and is of such depth as to be easily threaded or inserted into the depression between the protuberance and bulged portion of the plate. The hood lower extremity is provided with a curved or spherically formed, outwardly facing surface 25 which neatly engages with the surface l3 so as to present an appreciable hearing area between the hood and cover. These mating, spherically disposed surfaces therefore afiord a universal or articulate movement between the hood and cover so that the cover will be free to adjust itself relative to the hood and journal box and become fully seated against the journal box when in closed position. Also, it will be noted that the hood, spring and cover arrangement is such that the lower extremity of the hood is constantly being urged away from the cover and in bearing relation with the protuberance to maintain this interlock between the hood and cover.

While, as pointed out, it is highly desirable to incorporate structure in a journal box lid to llow a universal movement between the hood and cover, it is also desirable to provide for limitations of such movement. Prompted by this last mentioned thought the cover protuberance has, instanding of the plate therefrom, a pin means, shank or shaft 26 formed integrally with the protuberance and centrally thereof. The shaft is in axial alignment with what may be considered a center of rotation 21 of the cover or more specifically it is disposed normal or perpendicular to the cover or plate to project for a given distance into the cover indentation. It is to be noted that suflicient distance is provided between the inner free extremity of the pin means and cover bulged portion to permit or allow a free and full introduction of the hood semi-spherical extremity into the cover depression. For the accommodation of the pin means the hood lower extremity is provided with an opening or orifice 28 which is centrally disposed and loosely received by the pin means. The clearance or free space about the pin means is determinative of the permissible universal movement of the cover relative to the hood. Upon an opening movement of the journal box lid such as a clockwise movement of the journal box lid about the pintle 5 when considering the showing of Figure 2, the cover will rotate about the protuberance until the pin means comes into contact with the portion of the hood lower extremity which defines the orifice 28 and at this time a continued clockwise rotation of the cover will result in the cover picking up the hood and then both the hood and cover will rotate as a unit about the pintle 5 allowing the entire journal box lid to be rotated to open position.

From the above it will be noted that various changes and alterations in the illustrated and described construction will become apparent to those skilled in this art without a departure from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a journal box lid, the combination of, a hood, a cover, a depression formed in an outer face of said cover, a circular flange outstanding from said cover and terminating in a spherically shaped protuberance spaced outwardly from said depression, a spherically shaped lower extremity on said hood interposed between said depression and protuberance, said protuberance nesting neatly in said hood lower extremity for affording a universal movement between said hood and cover, and a shank formed integrally with said protuberance centrally thereof and projecting toward and terminating short of said cover said shank extending through an opening in said hood lower extremity for limiting said universal movement between said hood and cover.

2. In a journal box lid, the combination of, a hood, a cover, a spherically formed depression in said cover disposed substantially centrally thereof and opening outwardly thereof, a circular flange defining a lower portion of said depression and disposed normal to said cover, a spherically shaped member formed integrally with said flange and positioned in spaced relation with said depression in axial alignment therewith, a hollow spherically shaped extremity formed on said hood and positioned between said member and depression, said hood extremity being in bearing relation with said member in spaced relation with said cover to afiford a universal movement between said hood and cover, and pin means formed integral with said member projecting inwardly of said depression normal to and spaced from said cover, said pin means projecting through an opening in said hood extremity for limiting said universal movement between said hood and cover.

3. In a journal box lid, the combination of, a hood, a cover, a semi-spherical depression in said cover substantially centrally thereof and facing outward thereof, a semi-circular flange defining a portion of a periphery of said depression and outstanding from said cover normal thereto, a semi-spherical member supported solely by said flange in outward spaced relation to said depression, spaced flanges tangential to said member and joined to said member, semi-circular flange and cover, a semi-spherical extremity formed on said hood and positioned between said member and cover; said hood extremity neatly accommodating and bearing against said member, and pin means normal to and terminating short of said cover and projecting into said depression from said member; said pin means extending loosely through an aligned opening in said hood extremity to limit a universal movement between said hood and cover.

4. In a journal box lid the combination of a hood, a cover, a semi-circular flange disposed substantially centrally of and outstanding from said cover, a member supported solely by said flange and having a spherically shaped surface confronting said cover, pin means secured to and projecting from said member toward and substantially normal to said cover, said pin means and member being spaced from said cover, and a spherically shaped extremity formed on said hood and insertible between said pin means and cover, said hood extremity neatly accommodating and bearing against said member for universal movement between said hood and cover, and said extremity having an opening loosely receiving said in means for limiting said universal movement.

GLENN F. COUCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,136,937 Christianson Apr. 27, 1915 2,206,498 Couch July 2, 1940 2,445,984 Weber July 27, 1948

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