US2981207A - Railway trucks and similar carriages - Google Patents

Description

April 25, 1961 J. F. PAULSEN 2,981,207

RAILWAY TRUCKS AND SIMILAR CARRIAGES Filed June 18, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 NVE N TOR JEAN FELIX PAULSENY April 25, 1961 J. F. PAULSEN RAILWAY TRUCKS AND SIMILAR CARRIAGES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 18, 1958 M 4 m A 2 I ATTORNEY A ril 25, 1961 Filed June 18, 1958 J. F. PAULSEN RAILWAY TRUCKS AND SIMILAR CARRIAGES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 25, 1961 J. F. PAULSE N RAILWAY TRUCKS AND SIMILAR CARRIAGES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 18, 1958 lNVE/VTOR JEAN FELIX PAULSEN ATTORNEY RAILWAY TRUCKS AND SHVIILAR CARRIAGES Jean Felix Paulsen, Paris, France, assignor to Societe Luxembourgeoise de Brevets et de Participations, Luxembourg, a Luxembourg society Filed June 18, 1958, Ser. No. 742,886 Claims priority, application France June 18, 1957 7 Claims. (Cl. 105-187) The present invention relates to railway trucks and similar carriages including at least two pairs of wheels, a frame fixed in the transverse direction with respect to the axle bearings of said wheels, and a bolster for pivotally supporting a carriage body or the like, said bolster being movably mounted on said frame so as to be capable of suitable displacements with respect thereto.

The object of this invention is to provide a truck of this kind which is better adapted to meet the requirements of practice than those existing at the present time.

For this purpose, according to the present invention, said bolster is connected with said frame directly by 2,981,207 Patented Apr. 25, 1961 Furthermore, the lateral ends of said bolster 2 form side bearings 10 adapted to cooperate with portions 11, for instance in the form of circular sectors, fixed on the under face of the carriage body and adapted to slide on said bearings 10.

The above mentioned links 3 are each constituted by two plates having a good resistance to compression and pivoted about the geometrical axes of two spindles 19 mounted in fixed position, one with respect to frame 1 and the other with respect to bolster 2. The two plates of each link 3, which are preferably parallel to each other and are braced by a rigid piece 12 extending between them (Fig. 6),'are mounted in the following manner. Said plates 3 carry, rigid therewith, tubular elements 13 (Fig. 6) coaxially surrounding spindles 19 in fixed position with respect thereto. On the other hand, frame two links located on opposite sides, respectively, of the longitudinal middle plane of the frame, each of said links having its lower part pivoted to said frame about a longitudinal axis and its upper part pivoted to said bolster about a longitudinal axis.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, given merely by way of example and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a railway truck made according to the invention.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 show said truck, respectively in elevational view, in plan view with parts in cross-section and in vertical section on the line IV--IV of Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 show, on an enlarged scale, respectively a detail of Fig. 3 and a portion of the truck in section on the line VI-VI of Fig. 4.

Figs. 7 and 8 show, in plan view with parts in crosssection and in vertical section on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7, a modification of a truck made according to the invention.

The railway truck shown by Figs. 1 to 6 includes two pairs of wheels 7, a frame 1 fixed in the transverse direction with respect to the bearings 5 of the axles 6 of said wheels, and a bolster 2 for pivotally supporting a carriage body or the like, said bolster 2 being movably mounted on frame 1 so as to be capable of suitable displacements with respect thereto.

According to the present invention, bolster 2 is connected with frame 1 directly by two links 3 located on opposite sides, respectively, of the longitudinal middle plane of frame 1, each of said links 3 having its lower part pivoted to said frame about the longitudinally extending axis of a spindle 19 and its upper part pivoted to said bolster about the longitudinally extending axis of a spindle also designated by reference numeral 19. I

The axle bearings 5 are mounted on levers 4 pivoted to frame 1 about transverse axes, respectively, as visible at 22 (Figs. 1 and 2), said levers including upwardly extending arms the top portions of which are applied against opposite ends of a spring structure 8 arranged resiliently to oppose compression thereof by said arms of levers 4.

Bolster 2 is provided, in its central part, with a housing 9 adapted to accommodate the pivot'of the carriage body.

1 (at the bottom end of links 3) or bolster 2 (at the upper end of said links) carry, rigid therewith, tubular elements 14 coaxial with elements 13. Between said elements 13 and 14 is interposed an annular rubber mass 15 which ensures a resilient'action tending to return parts 13 and 14 into a predetermined position with respect to each other. Mass 15 is adhesively connected to tubular elements 13 and 14. About the middle portion of each of the'spindles 19there is provided a cylinder 17, rigid with parts 13, housed inside a sleeve 14, rigid with elements 14. The interstice between parts 17 and 14 is very small and it is filled with a viscous material 16 which damps the rotary oscillations between parts 13 and 14. Sleeve 14, may be given any suitable thickness so as to adjust the thickness of the interstice between them and cylindrical element 17. Of course, this sleeve 14, might be dispensed with, the viscous material being placed between cylindrical part 17 and a. tubular part integral with elements 14.

Such resilient and damping devices have been de scribed in particular in the French Patent No. 1,152,493, of February 18, 1958.

The viscous material which tends to prevent rotation of the parts 14 and 17 with respect to each other is for instance constituted by a polymer obtained from an organic monomer, such as a hydrocarbon of the ethylene series C H the molecular structure of which has only one double link. Advantageously, such a material comprises polyisobutylene of molecular weight ranging from 5,000 to 25,000, possibly mixed with polyisobutylene of still higher molecular weight averaging 80,000.

Some silicone elastomers or other analogous substances may also be used.

The thickness of the interstice in which said viscous material is placed (for instance the distance between elements 17 and 14 preferably ranges from to some tenths of a millimeter.

It will be noted that the bolster element 2, which is supported by frame 1, is located above said frame. In order to ensure stability of this arrangement, links 3 are given, as shown by Fig. 4, a slight inclination (p (preferably ranging from 4 to 10) with respect to the vertical, the upper axes 19 being at a smaller distance from each other than the lower axes 19. A torque due to the action of gravity is thus constantly added to the resilient return torque due to the rubber articulations that are used.

Preferably, bearings 10 are disposed in line with the plates forming links 3, so that the stresses on bolster 2 are reduced to a minimum, and said bolster may be made of a weight as reduced as possible.

Elastic abutments 20 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4), carried by frame 1, limit the displacements of bolster 2 with respect to said frame by preventing links 3 from moving, during their oscillations, beyond the vertical position.

Fig. 3 shows, in horizontal axial position, the articulainner element 21 (Figs. 3

rigidly assembled, by means of a bolt 22 and a nut I with aroller 25; b. An external tubular element 26 rigid with the corresponding lever 4; V a

0. At least one annular mass ofrubber 27 made adhesive to both of the above mentioned elements 21 and 26;

d. A film '28 of viscous material as above mentioned interposed between the corresponding walls of roller 25 and element 26; J j e. .A jacket or sleeve 29. f Levers 4 are provided with hearing portions 30 (Fig. 3).adapted to bear against the ends of a spring structure 8 located above frame 1 and adapted resiliently to resist compression. p

' For this purpose, each lever 4 is provided with an upwardly extending arm the end of which carries said bearing 30. .Structure 8 is constituted by the juxtaposition of a plurality of rubber discs 31 (Figs. 2 and 3) and metal plates 32 each interposed between two rubber discs. ,Saidmetal plates 32 are provided with projections which ensure their centering with respect to the rubber discs. This system constitutes a kind of. compression spring of a type known. under the name of Batra. Such a; resilient structure has the advantage of being oflighter weight than an equivalent steel coil spring and of being provided with substantial damping properties. Of course, it is possible, according to the invention, to make use of any other typeof compression springs made either of a metal or an elastomer, and in particular of pneumatic or mixedstructure springs, preferably constituted byhelix-shaped bellowsvmade of a reinforced fabric and combined with at least one coil spring'of the 23, with at least one lug 24 integral with frame '1 and same pitch as described in, the French Patent No.

1,100,501 of March 3, 1958..

In order to eliminate high frequency vibrational components in various directions radial to the articulations, use is made of annular cushions of a resilient material (rubber or elastomer):

- At 33 (Fig. 3) between the axle boxes 5 and levers 4, 4 And at 34 (Fig. 4) between the pivot of the carriage body and the housing 9 of bolster 2. 7

In the embodiment illustrated by Figs. 1 we, the axle boxes are located, in the usual manner, on the outer side of the wheels, which ensures a relatively strong opposition to rolling. Suspension springs, 8 are then located slightly toward the outside with respect to levers 4, and the bolster and other suspension elements thereof are disposed between these springs.

According to a modification, illustrated by Figs. 7 and 8, the axle boxes 5 are located on the inner sides of the wheels and levers 4 are therefore also disposed on the inner sides of said wheels.

In this case, since the opposition to rolling is relatively low, it is advantageous to provide means for increasing this opposition, and for instance the following means:

Resilient means, for instance a rubber mass (on the right hand side of Fig. 7) connecting together the two levers 4 located on the same axle so that every angular displacement of one of these levers resiliently urges the other one to have a similar displacement; v

A rigid connection between these two levers when it is desired to obtain a high rigidity against rolling action,

' which connects the two levers.

to itself, save for the torsional resiliency of the body In this case, as shown by Figs. 7, the two arms 4 are pivoted to the bolster by means of a double articulation of the type above described.

It may be advantageous to substitute for suspension spring 8 two springs 8 and 8 (Figs. 7 and 8) so as to reduce the vertical dimensions of the truck and to be able to mount bolster 2 so that it extends beyond said resilientstructures 8 8 links 3 being then located on the outer sides of said resilient structure.

'In a general manner, while I have, in the above decription, disclosed what I deem to be practical and efficient embodiments of my invention, it should be well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the accompanying claims.

' What I claim is: v

v 1. A truck which comprises, in combination, two pairs of wheels, axles mounted on said wheels, bearings mounted to support said axles, a frame unit supported by said bearings so as to be fixed in the transverse direction with respect thereto, a bolster unit, two links of fixed length located on opposite sides respectively of the longitudinal vertical middle plane of said frame unit for directly connecting said bolster unit with said frame unit, each of said links having its lower part pivoted to said frame unit about a longitudinal axis and its upper part pivoted to said bolster unit about a longitudinal axis, said links constituting the only weight transmitting means between said bolster unit and said frame unit, and return means interposed between at least one of said links and that of said two units to which it is pivoted for resiliently urging said links toward symmetrical positions with respect to said longitudinal middle plane. T 2. A truck according to claim 1 in which said return means include a member rigid with said last mentioned unit, a member rigid with said last mentioned link, said two members coaxially surrounding each other about the axis of pivoting of said last mentioned link with respect to saidlast mentioned unit, an annular mass of a resilient material packed between said two members and having its inner and outer surfaces in adhesive contact therewith respectively for resiliently urging said members toward a given relative position with respect to each other for which said links occupy said symmetrical positions with respect to said vertical middle plane, said two members having respective coaxial cylindrical surfaces thereof adjacent to each other so as to leave a narrow interstice between them and a viscous substance maintained in said interstice so as to damp the movements of said members this connection being obtained for instance by moldng into a single piece 36 (lefthand side of Fig. 7) said two levers, which compels the axle to move always parallelly with respect to each other.

3. ,A truck according to claim 1 in which each of said links is made of two portions parallel to each otherand the center lines of which are located in the planes determined by the two axes about which each link is pivoted to said frame and said bolster respectively, said bolster being provided with two bearing surfaces for supporting a carriage body, each of said bearing surfaces being located on the portion of said bolster extending between said two portions of one of said links. a

4. A truck which comprises, in combination, two pairs of wheels, axles mounted on said wheels, bearings mounted to support said axles, a frame unit supported by Said bearings so as to be fixed in the transverse direction withrespect thereto, a bolster unit, two links of fixed length located on opposite sides respectively of the longitudinal vertical middle plane of said frame unit for dif rectly connecting said bolster unit with said frame unit, each, of said links having its lower part pivoted to said frame'unit about a longitudinal axis and its upper part pivoted to saidbolster unit about a longitudinal axis, an l n ssn i mins. t e nl weight t s t i ea between said bolster unit and said frame unit, and return means interposed between each of said links and said two units to which it is pivoted for resiliently urging said links toward symmetrical positions with respect to said longitudinal middle plane.

5. A truck which comprises, in combination, two pairs of wheels, axles mounted on said wheels, bearings mounted to support said axles, a frame unit supported by said bearings so as to be fixed in the transverse direction with respect thereto, a bolster unit, two links of fixed length located on opposite sides respectively of the longitudinal vertical middle plane of said frame unit for directly connecting said bolster unit with said frame unit, each of said links having its lower part pivoted to said frame unit about a longitudinal axis and its upper part pivoted to said bolster unit about a longitudinal axis, said links constituting the only weight transmitting means between said bolster unit and said frame unit, and means interposed between at least one of said links and that of said two units to which it is pivoted for resiliently urging said links toward symmetrical positions with respect to said longitudinal middle plane, the respective axes about which the upper parts of said links are pivoted to said bolster unit being at a distance from each other smaller than the distance between the respective axes about which said links are pivoted to said frame unit.

6. A truck according to claim 5 in which the angle made by each of said links with the vertical rangesfrom 4 to 10 in the state of rest.

7. A truck according to claim 5 further including resilient abutment means carried bysaid frame and arranged to cooperate with said bolster to prevent either of said links from pivoting outwardly beyond the position where it is vertical.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,194,792 Herdon Mar. 26, 1940 2,271,195 Joy Jan. 27, 1942 2,630,079 Cottrell Mar. 3, 1953 2,638,058 Williams May 12, 1953 2,720,847 Hedin Oct. 18, 1955 2,730,048 Coskun Jan. 10, 6

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