Patent Application
20070137516
The present invention relates to railway freight car trucks and, more particularly, to railway freight car truck sideframes having an improved pad arrangement on the top surface of the top compression member.
Railway freight car trucks are usually comprised of a three piece arrangement wherein each truck includes two sideframes laterally spaced from each other. Each sideframe includes a centrally located opening formed by vertical columns. Such centrally located opening is usually referred to as the bolster opening or pocket and is adapted to receive the ends of a bolster extending laterally from and perpendicular to the sideframes. The ends of each sideframe are laterally aligned to receive an axle wheel set in what is usually termed the pedestal jaw of the sideframe.
A typical railway freight car truck sideframe is comprised of an elongated top compression member that extends in a longitudinal direction parallel to the railway track. The sideframe also comprises two diagonally extending tension members that extend generally downwardly at an acute angle from near the ends of the top compression member. A bottom member extends longitudinally and joins the lower ends of the diagonal tension members. Column members extend generally vertically between the bottom member and the top compression member from a point near the junction of the diagonal tension members and the bottom member. Such column members form the bolster opening in the sideframe. A top portion of the bottom member of a sideframe is usually referred to as the spring seat of the sideframe as it is adapted to receive the spring group upon which the ends of the bolster are supported. The bolster extends laterally between each sideframe with the ends of the bolster extending into the bolster pockets and supported on a spring group. Side sections join the top compression member and the tension members.
It should be understood that the sideframe is an engineered structural member that is largely hollow to accomplish weight saving. It should also be understood that the sideframe is a unitary cast steel structure made in a foundry casting operation. Accordingly, it is possible to strengthen the sideframe by the addition of various supporting structures that would become part of the unitary sideframe. However, such addition of strengthening members is always balanced against the need for lighter weight freight car trucks. It is desirable to provide the top surface of the top compression member with pad to provide for the attachment of contact plates or brackets to the sideframe. Such brackets are welded onto the sideframe, leaving open the possibility of failure and loss of the bracket.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved railway truck sideframe with cast in pads to allow the connection of contact plates or brackets.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a railway truck sideframe having an improved structure thereby particularly providing surface contact pads to allow the connection of contact plates or brackets to the sideframe.
The present invention provides an improved top compression member of a railway truck sideframe. Each sideframe of a railway car truck is formed in a unitary cast steel structure. Each sideframe includes an elongated top compression member that extends longitudinally and parallel to the railway tracks. Two end sections each extend longitudinally from each end of the top compression member and form pedestal jaws adapted to receive the axle bearing end of the wheel sets. Two diagonal tension members extend generally downwardly from near the end of the top compression member at an acute angle to the top compression member. A bottom member extends longitudinally and joins the lower ends of the diagonal members. Two column members are longitudinally spaced from each other and extend vertically between the bottom member and top compression member. The column members form the bolster opening or pocket of each sideframe. The top surface of the bottom member is referred to as the spring seat and is adapted to receive the spring group upon which the end of the bolster is supported.
Each column is a generally structural member having a cross section comprised of the main section extending laterally across the width of the column member. Two wearplate support sections protrude longitudinally inwardly toward the bolster opening from lateral ends of the main section of the column member. Two sidewalls protrude longitudinally outwardly away from the bolster opening from lateral ends of the main section of the column member.
The top compression member includes pads on its top outer surface. Such pads may be individual raised surfaces or an elongated, lateral surface. Each car has one or two fastener openings that extend through the pad and through the top compression member. Further, side fastener openings extend through the sidewalls of each sideframe.
In the drawings:
A typical railway truck in accordance with the present invention comprises two sideframes 12 that are identical and are laterally spaced from each other. Axle wheel sets (not shown) are received in pedestal openings 27 and 29 formed at respective end sections 26 and 28 of each sideframe, a bolster (not shown) extends laterally between the sideframes and is received in bolster openings 40 intermediate the pedestal ends of both sideframes.
Referring now to
It should be understood that sideframe 12 is a unitary cast steel structure. Such structures are cast in accordance with modern foundry practice that includes the use of cores to form the structural components of sideframe 12 in a generally hollow fashion such that each structural component such as top compression member 24 and bottom section 34 are generally hollow, each comprised of a bottom section and a top section and two side sections joined to the top and bottom sections. Top compression member 24 includes side sections 25 and 27.
Pad section 42 is seen to be located on top surface 23 of top compression member 24. Pad section 42 is either even with or slightly raised from top surface 23, and extends laterally across a majority of the width of top surface 23. Two laterally spaced fastener openings 44 and 47 extend through pad section 42 and top compression member 24.
Pad section 46 is longitudinally spaced from pad section 42, but it is similar to pad section 42 and includes laterally spaced fastener openings 45 and 49.
Side section 25 includes side fastener openings 52 and 54, which are longitudinally spaced and extend through side section 25. Side section 27 includes similar side fastener openings that are aligned with openings 52 and 54, but are not shown.
Referring to
It should be understood that sideframe 112 is a unitary cast steel structure. Such structures are cast in accordance with modern foundry practice that includes the use of cores to form the structural components of sideframe 112 in a generally hollow fashion such that each structural component such as top compression member 124 and bottom section 134 are generally hollow, each comprised of a bottom section and a top section and two side sections joined to the top and bottom sections. Top compression member 124 includes side sections 125 and 127.
Pad section 142 is seen to be located in top surface 123 of top compression member 124. Pad section 142 is either even with or slightly raised from top surface 123, and has fastener opening 144 extending through pad section 142 and top compression member 124.
Pad section 147 is similar to pad section 142, is spaced laterally therefrom and has fastener opening 174 extending through pad section 147 and top compression member 124.
Pad section 146 is longitudinally spaced from pad section 142, is similar to pad section 142 and has fastener opening 149 extending through pad section 146 and top compression member 124.
Pad section 145 is similar to pad section 146, is spaced laterally therefrom and has fastener opening 164 extending through pad section 145 and top compression member 124.
Referring now to FIGS.4 and 5, sideframe 12 is shown with bracket 180 mounted thereto. Side bolt 182 extends into side fastener opening 52 in side section 25, and side bolt 184 extends into the side fastener opening (not shown) in side section 27 aligned with side fastener opening 52.
Bracket 180 is seen to be generally rectangular, with a configuration complementary to that of top surface 23 of top compression member 24. Top bolt 185 extends into fastener opening 45 in top surface 23, and another fastener bolt (not shown) extends into fastener opening 49 in top surface 23.
