US3831530A

US3831530A - Railway car center bearing assembly

Info

Publication number: US3831530A
Application number: US00298965A
Authority: US
Inventors: G Cope; L Smith
Original assignee: Dresser Industries Inc
Current assignee: Amsted Industries Inc
Priority date: 1972-10-19
Filing date: 1972-10-19
Publication date: 1974-08-27
Anticipated expiration: 1991-08-27
Also published as: AU6118373A; NL7313792A; BR7308164D0; ZA737568B; FR2203733A1; BE805954A; IT994362B; DE2352549A1; JPS4972815A; FR2203733B3

Abstract

A center plate assembly for railway cars including a detachably mounted center filler which may consist of one or more separate sections disposed between a body center plate and a truck bolster center plate bowl of the railway car, the bearing surfaces of the center filler having a hardness greater than the bearing surface of the truck center plate bowl and no less than the hardness of the body center plate to produce a very low rate of wear. Also, means are provided to inhibit relative movement of all bearing surfaces except those required to move.

Description

United States Patent 1191 1 11 3,831,530 Cope et al. 1 Aug. 27, 1974 4] RAILWAY CAR CENTER BEARING .72 1 1 12s g/lggg was: 2/220 ASSEMBLY ,0 l 1 mg teta.. l 7 2,258,640 lO/194l Beckette IDS/199C X Inventors: Geoffrey Wilton p Williamsville; 3,473,854 l0/l969 Shafer 308/137 Loren William Smith, Eggertsville, 3,709,151 1/1973 Cook et a1. 105/199 C both of NY. 2,229,925 1/1941 Jackson 105/199 C X [73] Assignee: Dresser Industries, Inc., Dallas, Tex. Primary Henson wood Jr [22] Filed: Oct. 19, 1972 Assistant Examiner-Howard Beltran 1 .N 9 9 5 [2 1 App] 2 6 57 ABSTRACT A center plate assembly for railway cars including a [52] U.S. Cl. 105/199 C, 105/226, 308/137 detachably mounted center finer which may Consist of [51] Int. Cl. B61f l/14, B6lf 5/16, B6lf 5/18 0 e or more Se arate secti ns dis d betw 58] Field of Search 105/199 c 200 226- n p 0 can a 3O8/136 body center plate and a truck bolster center plate bowl of the railway car, the bearing surfaces of the center filler having a hardness greater than the bearing [56] References cued surface of the truck center plate bowl and no less than UNITED STATES PATENTS the liardness o; the bilcly center plate to pjroluce a 403,560 5/1889 Schoen 308/137 very ow rateo wear. so, means are provi e to 1n- 905,754 12/1908 Skahcn 3308/13; hibit relative movement of all bearing surfaces except 1,009,306 11/1911 Hennessey 08 13 h d t 1,147,210 7/1915 Coleman 308/137 088 requlre 0 njove 1,653,564 12/1927 Hawley 308/137 16 Cla ms, 9 a na igures I RAILWAY CAR CENTER BEARING ASSEMBLY The field of art to which the invention pertains includes the art of railway rolling stock and more specifically to a car body underframe for mounting onto the bolster of a supporting truck.

It is conventional that the entire car weight is carried on two circular center plates secured to two body bolsters and which engage two mating female bowls on cooperating truck bolsters. As a consequence, the center plates must endure not only the weight of the car and lading distributed over their engaging surfaces under standing conditions, but also the shifting concentration and dynamic augment of these loads with associated wear encountered under rolling in-service conditions. In accordance with the prior art, a preferred construction has been the combination of a fabricated or cast steel center filler with or without draft lugs, a through bottom cover plate and a separate center plate bolted or welded to the bottom cover plate. This permits easy removal of the center plate when it has become worn or cracked and over the years has been found to provide a center plate life expectancy of about to years.

With the recent advent of higher, longer and heavier cars for increased loading capacity, it has been found that such prior designs of center plates have been unable to withstand the greater loading forces imposed. Center plates under these conditions have been generally characterized by reduced life expectancies on the order of l to 2 years, rendering maintenance and car down time costs unduly excessive if not prohibitive. From the standpoint of minimizing down time and repair costs, it is desirable to provide regularly detachable center fillers which may be utilized in an initial installation or as a replacement and which may be readily attached to the existing body bolster-center sill structure, and which is rugged enough to produce a repair assembly having a significant life expectancy for the existing load conditions.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel center plate assembly for conventional center sill-body bolster and truck bolster assemblies that will provide increased service life.

Another object of this invention is to provide a center plate assembly that may be utilized to replace existing center plate components on preexisting center sill-body bolster and truck bolster assemblies.

A further object of the invention is to provide a two piece hardened detached center plate filler that will permit the rotational movement of the truck action to be limited to the flat hard surfaces between the two halves.

An additional object is to provide a one-piece center plate filler designed to cause the rotational movement of the truck action to be limited to the top surface thereof and the lower bearing surface of the body bolster center plate.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel center plate assembly designed to resist eccentric forces due to impact and lateral parallelograming forces normally sustained to a larger extent by other structural components.

The novel features of the invention, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will be more fully understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view in partial cross section of a center plate assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a body center plate;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevation view in cross section of a center plate assembly containing a two piece center filler according to another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevation view in cross section of a center plate assembly containing a two piece center filler showing a center filler retaining means according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevation view in cross section of another form of a two piece center filler illustrating another center filler retaining means;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevation view partially in cross section of the same type of center filler shown in FIG. 5 but with a different type of retaining means;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevation view partially in cross section of a center plate assembly illustrating still another form of a two piece center filler assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an elevation view in cross section of still another two piece center filler construction in a center plateassembly according to the invention; and

FIG. 9 is a partial plan view topside of the assembly illustrated in FIG. 8.

Broadly, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a center plate assembly for a railway car. The assembly comprises a body bolster center plate having a lower bearing surface and a truck bolster center plate having an upper bearing surface and an outer peripheral flange surrounding said surface and projecting upwardly therefrom to define a cavity therein. Between the body center plate and the truck center plate is disposed a detached center filler having upper and lower bearing surfaces which cooperate with the bearing surfaces of the truck and body center plates to carry vertical and horizontal loads therebetween. The surfaces of the center filler have a hardness greater than that of the bearing surfaces of the truck center plate bowl and a hardness compatible with the bearing surface of the body center plate. The filler and all of the plates contain a substantially centrally located opening therein in vertical alignment for receiving a pin means.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a center plate assembly 10 containing a one piece center filler l2 having a frusto-conical configuration. The center filler is disposed within the cavity 14 defined by an upwardly projecting flange 16, generally circular, extending from the truck bolster 18. The lower surface 20 of the center filler is disposed adjacent the upper bearing surface 22 of the truck center plate bowl. A resilient pad 24, such as, an elastomer mat or hard particle impregnated cloth or hard particle in.a soft matrix may be disposed between these

surfaces

20 and 22 as a friction-increasing means. The upper bearing surface 26 of the center filler is in contact with the lower bearing surface 28 of the body center plate 30 which also is disposed within the cavity defined by the peripheral flange on the truck bolster. The center filler is preformed of cast steel or the like and the bearing surfaces are case hardened by known metallurgical methods for long service life. The

body center plate may be secured to the center sill 32 by means of a weldment 34 located at the underside of said sill. However, it could be attached by other known means, i.e., bolting, riveting or it could be cast integral with the car body bolster. Preferably the body center plate also is preformed of cast steel and the bearing surfaces are case hardened. The ideal condition would be that the upper bearing surface of the center filler have a hardness slightly less than the bearing surface of the body center plate so that any wear will be taken by the detached center filler which is easily replaced. A vertical king pin 36 extends upwardly from a bore 38 in the truck bolster through the center filler and body center plate, each having a centrally located opening 40 and 42 to provide a safety measure against separation in the event of any vertical displacement in service. Such a connection is conventional in the industry and will not be further described.

The topmost portion of the body center plate 30, illustrated in FIG. 2, is represented by four corner positioning pads 44, each having a finished horizontally extending surface and connecting with intermediate beveled welding surfaces 46. The upper section includes a thin encircling wall 48 which extends integrally upward from the plane of pads 44 and slopes approximately 2 to 3 inward to permit easy insertion within the center sill pocket. Providing additional reinforcement to the central hub 50 are a plurality of web flanges 52, extending radially to merge with each of the enclosing side walls 48.

Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a center plate assembly 54 in which the center filler 56 is a two piece unit having a top section 58 and a bottom section 60. The two piece center filler is disposed within the cavity 62 of the truck center plate 64 defined by peripheral flange 66 projecting upwardly from the body bolster 68. In this embodiment, the upper and lower sections of the center filler are opposed frusto-conical shapes and the lower bearing surface 70 of the body center plate 72 and the upper bearing surface 74 of the truck center plate 64 are of similar opposed concave frustoconical shape. The body center plate 72 contains an outer peripheral flange 76 surrounding the lower bearing surface and projecting downwardly therefrom and overlapping the upwardly projecting flange 66 of the truck center plate to restrain lateral movement therebetween. The body center plate is shown as being secured to the center sill by a weldment 78, and in turn, the center sill 80, which is generally U-shaped in configuration, is attached to the body bolster 82 by a weldment 84.- This two piece design relies upon friction between the body center plate bearing surface 70 and the top surface 86 of the upper section 58 of the center filler and the truck center plate bearing surface 74 and the bottom surface 88 of the two piece center filler in order to make the relative rotational movement take place at the intermediate surfaces 89 of the hardened center filler. The relative hardness of bearing surfaces can readily be determined by those skilled in the art with Rockwell & Vickers testing apparatus and procedures or others known in the art. Preferably, resilient but hard urethane mats 90 are disposed between the upper and lower bearing surfaces of the two piece center filler and the bearing surfaces of the truck center plate and body center plate to increase the friction of these surfaces. Other friction increasing means, such as. a bitumastic compound or composite materials, i.e.,

hard particles on cloth or in a soft matrix, may also be employed.

In FIG. 4 there is shown a two piece center filler 92 in which the upper and

lower sections

94 and 96 have at least one

vertical projection

98 and 100 extending therefrom. Also the upper and

lower bearing surfaces

102 and 104 of the truck and body center plates 106 and 108, respectively, have at least one vertical recess 110 and 112 for mating with the projections and restraining rotational movement therebetween.

In FIG. 5 there is shown a center plate assembly 114 containing a two piece center filler 116 having relatively flat upper and lower surfaces 118 and 120. The filler is disposed within the cavity 122 of the truck center plate 124 defined by the upwardly extending peripheral flange 126 from the truck bolster. The body center plate 128 contains an outer peripheral flange 130 which overlaps the flange 126 of the truck center plate to restrain lateral movement therebetween. Between the upper bearing surface 118 of the upper section 132 of the center filler 116 and the lower bearing surface 134 of the body center plate, there is disposed an elastomer mat 136 for increasing friction therebetween. The lower section 138 of the center filler contains at least one lateral projection 140 extending therefrom which mates with at least one lateral recess 142 in the upwardly projecting flange 126 of the truck center plate for restraining rotational movement therebetween. It should be understood that both the upper and lower sections of the center filler may contain a plurality of projections which mate with a plurality of recesses in the upwardly projecting flange, or the upwardly projecting flange of the truck center plate may be segmented or discontinuous to provide vertical slots between segments of the flange for restraining rotational movement of both sections.

In FIG. 6 there is shown a center plate assembly 144 having a two piece relatively flat center filler 146 disposed within the cavity 148 of the truck center plate 150. The upper and

lower sections

152 and 154 of the center filler and the bearing surfaces 156 and 158 of the body and

truck center plates

160 and 150 all contain aligned openings in which dowels 162 are disposed to preclude rotational movement between the upper and

lower surfaces

164 and 166 of the center filler and body and truck center plate surfaces 156 and 158 and to make the relative rotational movement take place at the intermediate surfaces 168 of the hardened center filler. The dowels in the figure are shown in line only for the purpose of illustration. In service the dowels are positioned so that they could not become aligned.

Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown another construction for a two piece center filler. The upper section 170 of the filler 172 has a frusto-conical surface 174 that is roughened and frictionally engages the lower bearing surface 176 of the body center plate 177. The upper section also contains an outer peripheral lip 178 which projects downwardly to define a cavity 180. The lower section 182 which has a lower frusto-conical bearing surface 184 which is roughened and in engagement with the upper bearing surface 186 of the truck center plate 187 is disposed within the cavity of the upper section 170. This construction which is partially disposed within the cavity 188 of the truck center plate and which is overlapped by a downwardly projecting peripheral flange 190 of the body center plate 177 inhibits lateral shifting of the lower section 182 with respect to the truck center plate 187 and the upper section 170 with respect to the body center plate 177. The downwardly projecting lip 178 prevents lateral shifting of the lower section 182 with respect to the upper section 70.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, there is shown a center plate assembly 192 having a two piece center filler. The upper section 194 has a centrally located downwardly projecting lip 196 surrounding the central opening 198. The remainder of the upper section of the center filler is relatively flat. The bottom section 200 is also relatively flat and contains a central opening 202 of a size sufficient to accommodate the downwardly projecting lip 196 in a mating relationship. The upwardly projecting flange 204 of the truck center plate contains cutouts 206 for interlocking with one or more laterally extending flanges 208 on the bottom section 200 of the center filler. The downwardly projecting peripheral flange 210 of the body center plate also contains cutouts 212 or recesses for interlocking with laterally projecting flanges 214 of the upper section 194 of the center filler. Thus, the rotational movement is limited to the intermediate surfaces 216 and also adequate lateral restraint in all directions is provided. The same method of interlock can be provided on any or all of the configurations.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

l. A center plate assembly for a railway car comprising a body bolster center plate having a lower bearing surface; a truck bolster center plate having an upper bearing surface and an outer peripheral flange surrounding said surface and projecting upwardly therefrom to define a cavity therein; and a detached center filler having upper and lower bearing surfaces disposed within the cavity between the body and truck center plate bearing surfaces cooperating therewith to carry vertical and horizontal loads therebetween; interengaging means restraining the filler from lateral and rotational movement; the surfaces of the center filler having a hardness greater than that of the bearing surfaces of the truck center plate and a hardness compatible with the surfaces of the body center plate, the filler and all of said plates having a substantially centrally located opening therein in vertical alignment for receiving a pin means.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 in which a friction increasing means is disposed between the upper bearing surface of the truck center plate and the lower bearing surface of the center filler.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 in which the friction increasing means is an elastomer mat.

4. An assembly according to claim 1 in which the center filler has at least one lateral projection extending therefrom and the upwardly projecting flange of the truck center plate has at least one lateral recess for mating with said projection and restraining rotational movement therebetween.

5. An assembly according to claim 1 in which the lower bearing surface of the body center plate is disposed within the truck center plate cavity in mating relation to the upper bearing surface of the center filler.

6. An assembly according to claim 1 in which the body center plate has an outer rounding the lower bearing surface and projecting downwardly therefrom for mating with the upwardly projecting flange of the truck center plate to restrain lateral movement therebetween.

7. An assembly according to claim 1 in which the center filler is two piece having a top section and a bottom section.

8. An assembly according to claim 7 in which the upper and lower sections are opposed frusto-conical shapes and the lower bearing surface of the body center plate and the upper bearing surface of the truck center plate are of similar opposed concave frusto-conical shape.

9. An assembly according to claim 7 in which the upper and lower sections are relatively flat.

10. An assembly according to claim 7 in which the body center plate has an outer peripheral flange surrounding the lower bearing surface and projecting downwardly therefrom and overlapping the upwardly projecting flange of the truck cenlter plate.

11. An assembly according to claim 10 in which the upper and lower sections of the center filler have at least one lateral projection extending therefrom and the upwardly projecting flange has at least one lateral recess for mating with said projections and restraining rotational movement therebetween.

12. An assembly according to claim 7 in which the upper and lower sections are opposed frusto-conical shapes and the upper section has an outer peripheral lip downwardly projecting therefrom to define a cavity, the lower section being disposed within said cavity.

13. An assembly according to claim 7 in which a friction increasing means is disposed between the top section of the center filler and the lower bearing surface of the body center plate and between bottom section of the center filler and the upper bearing surface of the truck center plate.

14. An assembly according to claim 13 in which the friction increasing means is an elastomer mat.

15. An assembly according to claim 7 in which the upper and lower sections of the center filler have at least one vertical projection extending therefrom and the upper and lower bearing surfaces of the truck and body center plates, respectively, have at least one vertical recess for mating with said projections and restraining rotational movement therebetween.

16. An assembly according to claim 7 in which the upper section has a centrally located downwardly projecting lip surrounding the central opening and the central opening of the bottom section is of a size sufficient to accommodate said lip in a mating relationship.

a: a a:

peripheral flange sur-

Claims

1. A center plate assembly for a railway car comprising a body bolster center plate having a lower bearing surface; a truck bolster center plate having an upper bearing surface and an outer peripheral flange surrounding said surface and projecting upwardly therefrom to define a cavity therein; and a detached center filler having upper and lower bearing surfaces disposed within the cavity between the body and truck center plate bearing surfaces cooperating therewith to carry vertical and horizontal loads therebetween; interengaging means restraining the filler from lateral and rotational movement; the surfaces of the center filler having a hardness greater than that of the bearing surfaces of the truck center plate and a hardness compatible with the surfaces of the body center plate, the filler and all of said plates having a substantially centrally located opening therein in vertical alignment for receiving a pin means.

6. An assembly according to claim 1 in which the body center plate has an outer peripheral flange surrounding the lower bearing surface and projecting downwardly therefrom for mating with the upwardly projecting flange of the truck center plate to restrain lateral movement therebetween.

10. An assembly according to claim 7 in which the body center plate has an outer peripheral flange surrounding the lower bearing surface and projecting downwardly therefrom and overlapping the upwardly projecting flange of the truck center plate.