Fluid truck snubber

Claim 2

A snubbing device comprising, a pair of body members having opposed portions operably movable towards and Away from each other to define a variable volume chamber therebetween, a hydraulic fluid reservoir located to maintain said chamber full of hydraulic fluid in all relative operating positions of said body members, a ring member located in said chamber intermediate said opposed portions and axially movable relative to each of said body members, said ring member upon relative movement of said body members towards each other being in substantially sealing engagement with one of said body members and cooperable with the other of said body members to define a passageway therebetween for the restricted flow of hydraulic fluid from said chamber to said reservoir.

Claim 3

A snubber as defined in claim 1 in which said ring member comprise a plurality of disks.

Claim 4

A snubbing device as defined in claim 1 in which said reservoir is formed by readily deformable estomeric material.

Claim 5

A snubbing device as specified in claim 1 wherein said passageway for restricted flow is defined by the radial outer periphery of said ring member and an adjacent encompassing portion of the other of said body members.

Claim 6

A snubbing device as specified in claim 1 additionally including passageway means communicating between said reservoir and said chamber, and valve means cooperable with said passageway means and being operable to open said passageway means when the hydraulic fluid in said chamber is above a predetermined pressure.

Claim 7

A snubbing device as specified in claim 1 wherein an upper surface of said ring member faces said one of said body members and is submerged below the operating level of the hydraulic fluid in said chamber.

Claim 8

A snubbing device as specified in claim 1 having portions of said reservoir formed integral with said body members, respectively, and movable therewith.

Claim 9

A snubbing device as specified in claim 1 additionally comprising valve means operative only during the reciprocable movement of at least one of said body members towards the other of said body members to damp relative movement of said body members by restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid from said chamber, and said valve means maintaining said restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid at substantially constant pressure.

Claim 10

A snubbing device comprising, a pair of body members having opposed portions operably movable towards and away from each other to define a variable volume chamber therebetween, a hydraulic fluid reservoir located to maintain said chamber full of hydraulic fluid in all relative operation positions of said body members, a ring member in said chamber intermediate said opposed portions and axially movable relative to each of said body members, said ring member upon relative movement of said body members towards each other being in substantially sealing engagement with one of said body members and cooperable with the other of said body members to define a passageway therebetween for the restricted flow of hydraulic fluid from said chamber to said reservoir, and means biasing said ring member towards said one of said body members.

Claim 11

A snubbing device comprising, a pair of body members having opposed portions operably movable towards and away from each other to define a variable volume chamber therebetween, a hydraulic fluid reservoir located to maintain said chamber full of hydraulic fluid in all relative operation positions of said body members, a ring member in said chamber intermediate said opposed portions and axially movable relative to each of said body members, said ring member upon relative movement of said body members towards each other being in substantially sealing engagement with one of said body members and cooperable with the other of said body members to define a passageway therebetween for the restricted flow of hydraulic fluid from said chamber to said reservoir, and means biasing said ring member towards said one of said body members.

Claim 12

A snubbing device as specified in claim 9 wherein a surface of said ring member faces said one body member and is submerged below the operating level of the hydraulic fluid in said chamber.

Claim 13

A snubbing device comprising a first member, a second member normally spaced from and reciprocably movable with respect to said first member to define a variable volume chamber therebetween, a reservoir defining a closed hydraulic system in conjunction with said chamber, said hydraulic system having a hydraulic fluid therein with an upper level thereof movable between upper and lower positions during respective reciprocable movement of said members, said first and second members having cooperable portions defining a passageway means therebetween, said passageway means having a first portion cooperable with one of said members to restrict flow of said fluid between said chamber and said reservoir upon relative movement of said members towards each other, said first portIon of said passageway being continuously located below the normal liquid level of said fluid in said system, and said passageway means having a second portion cooperable with the other of said members to provide hydraulic communication between said reservoir and said chamber substantially only upon relative movement of said members away from each other.

Claim 14

A snubbing device comprising a first member, a second member normally spaced from and reciprocably movable with respect to said first member to define a variable volume chamber therebetween, a reservoir defining a closed hydraulic system in conjunction with said chamber, said hydraulic system having a hydraulic fluid therein with an upper level thereof movable between upper and lower positions during respective reciprocable movement of said members, said first and second members having cooperable portions defining a passageway means therebetween, said passageway means having a first portion cooperable with one of said members to restrict flow of said fluid between said chamber and said reservoir upon relative movement of said members towards each other, said first portIon of said passageway being continuously located below the normal liquid level of said fluid in said system, and said passageway means having a second portion cooperable with the other of said members to provide hydraulic communication between said reservoir and said chamber substantially only upon relative movement of said members away from each other.

Claim 15

A snubbing device as specified in claim 1 wherein said second portion of said passageway means is in open hydraulic communication between said reservoir and said chamber only upon relative movement of said members away from each other.

Claim 16

A snubbing device as specified in claim 11 additionally including valve means operative only during the reciprocable movement of at least one of said members toward the other of said members to damp relative movement of said body members by restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid from said chamber, and said valve means maintaining said restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid at substantially constant pressure.

Claim 17

A snubbing device comprising: a pair of body members defining variable volume chambers therebetween; said body members being relatively movable in opposite directions; passageway means communicating between said chambers; valve means in communication with said passageway means and operative only during movement of at least one of said body members in one of said directions to damp relative movement of said body members by restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid through said passageway means and between said chambers; and said valve means and said passageway means cooperating to maintain said restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid at substantially constant operating pressure.

Claim 18

A snubbing device comprising: a pair of body members defining variable volume chambers therebetween; said body members being relatively movable in opposite directions; passageway means communicating between said chambers; valve means in communication with said passageway means and operative only during movement of at least one of said body members in one of said directions to damp relative movement of said body members by restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid through said passageway means and between said chambers; and said valve means and said passageway means cooperating to maintain said restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid at substantially constant operating pressure.

Claim 19

A snubbing device as specified in claim 14 wherein said chambers are upper and lower chambers and said restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid is from said lower chamber to said upper chamber.

Claim 20

A snubbing device as specified in claim 15 wherein said chambers are substantially coaxial.

Claim 21

A snubbing device as specified in claim 14 in which one of said members carries dead band valve means operable to permit relatively free flow of hydraulic fluid between said chambers during the initial relative movement in said one of said directions from a given relative position.

Claim 22

A snubbing device as specified in claim 14 wherein reservoir means for said hydraulic fluid are located laterally of said body members.

Claim 23

In a support configuration for a railway car having a section of a bolster member supported in spaced relationship to a section of a side frame member by spring means, said sections being relatively movable in opposite directions as the railway car traverses a supporting track therefor and a hydraulic snubber assembly located between oppositely facing portions of said sections, the improvement comprising: said snubber assembly including a pair of body members defining variable volume chambers therebetween and said body members being relatively movable in said opposite directions; passageway means communicating between said chambers; and said snubber assembly including valve means in communication with said passageway means and operative only during movement of at least one of said body members in one of said directions to damp said relative movement of said body members by restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid through said passageway means and between said chambers; and said valve means and said passageway means cooperating to maintain said restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid at substantially constant operating pressure.

Claim 24

In a support configuration for a railway car having a section of a bolster member supported in spaced relationship to a section of a side frame member by spring means, said sections being relatively movable in opposite directions as the railway car traverses a supporting track therefor and a hydraulic snubber assembly located between oppositely facing portions of said sections, the improvement comprising: said snubber assembly including a pair of body members defining variable volume chambers therebetween and said body members being relatively movable in said opposite directions; passageway means communicating between said chambers; and said snubber assembly including valve means in communication with said passageway means and operative only during movement of at least one of said body members in one of said directions to damp said relative movement of said body members by restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid through said passageway means and between said chambers; and said valve means and said passageway means cooperating to maintain said restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid at substantially constant operating pressure.

Claim 25

In a support configuration as defined in claim 19 in which said relatively movable members are movable through a distance greater than the closed height of said spring means.

Claim 26

A support configuration as defined in claim 19 in which said snubber assembly has end portions thereof which engage said oppositely facing portions only after initial movement in said one of said directions occurs.

Claim 27

A snubbing device comprising: a pair of body members defining a variaBle volume chamber therebetween; said body members being relatively movable in opposite directions; passageway means communicating between said chamber and the exterior thereof; valve means in communication with said passageway means and operative only during movement of at least one of said body members in one of said directions to damp relative movement of said body members by restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid from said chamber through said passageway means; and said valve means and said passageway means cooperating to maintain said restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid at substantially constant operating pressure.

Claim 28

A snubbing device comprising: a pair of body members defining a variaBle volume chamber therebetween; said body members being relatively movable in opposite directions; passageway means communicating between said chamber and the exterior thereof; valve means in communication with said passageway means and operative only during movement of at least one of said body members in one of said directions to damp relative movement of said body members by restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid from said chamber through said passageway means; and said valve means and said passageway means cooperating to maintain said restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid at substantially constant operating pressure.

Claim 29

A snubbing device as specified in claim 22 wherein reservoir means for said hydraulic fluid are located laterally of said body members.

Claim 30

In a support configuration for a railway car having a section of a bolster member supported in spaced relationship to a section of a side frame member by spring means, said sections being relatively movable in opposite directions as the railway car traverses a supporting track therefor and a hydraulic snubber assembly located between oppositely facing portions of said sections, the improvement comprising: said snubber assembly including a pair of body members defining a variable volume chamber therebetween and said body members being relatively movable in said opposite directions; passageway means communicating between said chamber and the interior thereof; and said snubber assembly including valve means in communication with said passageway means and operative only during movement of at least one of said body members in one of said directions to damp said relative movement of said body members by restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid from said chamber through said passageway means; and said valve means and said passageway means cooperating to maintain said restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid of substantially constant operating pressure.

Claim 31

In a support configuration for a railway car having a section of a bolster member supported in spaced relationship to a section of a side frame member by spring means, said sections being relatively movable in opposite directions as the railway car traverses a supporting track therefor and a hydraulic snubber assembly located between oppositely facing portions of said sections, the improvement comprising: said snubber assembly including a pair of body members defining a variable volume chamber therebetween and said body members being relatively movable in said opposite directions; passageway means communicating between said chamber and the interior thereof; and said snubber assembly including valve means in communication with said passageway means and operative only during movement of at least one of said body members in one of said directions to damp said relative movement of said body members by restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid from said chamber through said passageway means; and said valve means and said passageway means cooperating to maintain said restrictive flow of hydraulic fluid of substantially constant operating pressure.

Claim 32

In a support configuration as defined in claim 24 in which said relatively movable body members are movable through a distance greater than the closed height of said spring means.

Claim 33

A snubbing device comprising, a body member having an elongated bore therein, a piston member axially reciprocal within said bore and defining variable volume chamber portions within said body member adjacent opposite axial ends thereof, said body member having hydraulic fluid within the bore thereof, dead band valve means in at least one of said members connecting said chamber portions to maintain full of hydraulic fluid the one of said chamber portions which increases in volume upon axial movement in one direction of said body member from a given relative position with respect to said piston member, means in at least one of said members operable to restrict flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid between said chamber portions upon movement of said members in a direction opposite said one direction occurring immediately subsequent to each movement in said one direction, and said dead band valve means being operable to maintain said one chamber portion full of hydraulic fluid by relatively free flow of hydraulic fluid between said chamber portions upon axial movement of said piston member in said opposite direction without having any substantial pressurization of said hydraulic fluid in said one chamber portion and said dead band valve means being initially responsive to hydraulic pressure in said one chamber portion to maintain said relatively free flow for an initial period and being further responsive to discontinue said relatively free flow subsequent to said initial period.

Claim 34

A snubbing device comprising, a body member having an elongated bore therein, a piston member axially reciprocal within said bore and defining variable volume chamber portions within said body member adjacent opposite axial ends thereof, said body member having hydraulic fluid within the bore thereof, dead band valve means in at least one of said members connecting said chamber portions to maintain full of hydraulic fluid the one of said chamber portions which increases in volume upon axial movement in one direction of said body member from a given relative position with respect to said piston member, means in at least one of said members operable to restrict flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid between said chamber portions upon movement of said members in a direction opposite said one direction occurring immediately subsequent to each movement in said one direction, and said dead band valve means being operable to maintain said one chamber portion full of hydraulic fluid by relatively free flow of hydraulic fluid between said chamber portions upon axial movement of said piston member in said opposite direction without having any substantial pressurization of said hydraulic fluid in said one chamber portion and said dead band valve means being initially responsive to hydraulic pressure in said one chamber portion to maintain said relatively free flow for an initial period and being further responsive to discontinue said relatively free flow subsequent to said initial period.

Claim 35

A snubbing device as set forth in claim 26 in which said dead band valve means is at least in part open-sided grooves extending between said chamber portions and axially beyond said piston member when said piston member is in said given relative position.

Claim 36

A snubbing device as set forth in claim 27 in which said grooves have a decreasing cross-sectional area along the length thereof in said one direction.

Claim 37

A snubbing device as set forth in claim 26 in which said dead band valve means has lost motion with respect to movement of said piston member in said opposite direction.

Claim 38

In a side bearing assembly for a railroad car wherein a side bearing means cooperates with a bearing plate means to limit relative rocking movement between a car truck member and a car body member, the improvement which comprises, a hydraulic damping device supported by one of said members and supporting one of said means, the other of said members supporting the other of said means, and said damping device including means maintaining a normal clearance between said bearing plate means and said side bearing means.

Claim 39

In a side bearing assembly for a railroad car wherein a side bearing means cooperates with a bearing plate means to limit relative rocking movement between a car truck member and a car body member, the improvement which comprises, a hydraulic damping device supported by one of said members and supporting one of said means, the other of said members supporting the other of said means, and said damping device including means maintaining a normal clearance between said bearing plate means and said side bearing means.

Claim 40

In a railway truck assembly of the type in which a laterally extending bolster pivotally supports the underside of a car body and wherein a side bearing is mounted on the truck bolster and arranged to contact a bearing plate, the improvement comprising, a hydraulic damping device interposed between said bearing plate and said body and supported with respect to said body and arranged to cushion the impact between said side bearings and said bearing plate as said car body sways, and said damping device including means maintaining a normally separable relationship between said bearing plate and said bearing.

Claim 41

In a railway truck assembly of the type in which a laterally extending bolster pivotally supports the underside of a car body and wherein a side bearing is mounted on the truck bolster and arranged to contact a bearing plate, the improvement comprising, a hydraulic damping device interposed between said bearing plate and said body and supported with respect to said body and arranged to cushion the impact between said side bearings and said bearing plate as said car body sways, and said damping device including means maintaining a normally separable relationship between said bearing plate and said bearing.

Claim 42

In a railway truck assembly of the type in which a laterally extending bolster pivotally supports the underside of a car body and wherein a bearing plate is mounted on the car body and arranged to contact a side bearing, the improvement comprising, a hydraulic damping device interposed between said side bearing and said truck bolster and supported with respect to said truck bolster and arranged to cushion the impact between said side bearing and said bearing plate as said car body sways, and said damping device including means maintaining a normally separable relationship between said bearing plate and said bearing.

Claim 43

In a railway truck assembly of the type in which a laterally extending bolster pivotally supports the underside of a car body and wherein a bearing plate is mounted on the car body and arranged to contact a side bearing, the improvement comprising, a hydraulic damping device interposed between said side bearing and said truck bolster and supported with respect to said truck bolster and arranged to cushion the impact between said side bearing and said bearing plate as said car body sways, and said damping device including means maintaining a normally separable relationship between said bearing plate and said bearing.

Claim 44

In a railway truck assembly of the type in which a laterally extending bolster member pivotally supports the underside of a car body member and wherein a side bearing means cooperates with a bearing plate means to limit relative rocking movement between said car body member and said bolster member, the improvement comprising, a hydraulic damping device supported by one of said members and supporting one of said means, the other of said members supporting the other of said means, said damping device being arranged to cushion the impact between said side bearing means and said bearing plate means as said car sways and said damping device including means maintaining a normally separable relationship between said bearing plate means and said bearing means.

Claim 45

In a railway truck assembly of the type in which a laterally extending bolster member pivotally supports the underside of a car body member and wherein a side bearing means cooperates with a bearing plate means to limit relative rocking movement between said car body member and said bolster member, the improvement comprising, a hydraulic damping device supported by one of said members and supporting one of said means, the other of said members supporting the other of said means, said damping device being arranged to cushion the impact between said side bearing means and said bearing plate means as said car sways and said damping device including means maintaining a normally separable relationship between said bearing plate means and said bearing means.

Claim 46

In a railway truck assembly, a laterally extending bolster provided with a central bearing surface, a laterally extending saddle member overlying and spaced above said bolster and having a downwardly depending central bearing surface adapted to engage the bearing surface on said bolster, and upper bearing surface on the saddle member for supporting the downwardly depending center plate on a car body, the saddle member being adapted to rock from side to side on the central bearing surface of the bolster as the car body above it rocks from side to side, a pair of compressible and expandable fluid-damping devices carried beneath said bolster on opposite sides of said central bearing surface, and means connecting the saddle member to the damping devices such that when one damping device compresses the other expands and vice versa.

Claim 47

In a railway truck assembly, a laterally extending bolster provided with a central bearing surface, a laterally extending saddle member overlying and spaced above said bolster and having a downwardly depending central bearing surface adapted to engage the bearing surface on said bolster, and upper bearing surface on the saddle member for supporting the downwardly depending center plate on a car body, the saddle member being adapted to rock from side to side on the central bearing surface of the bolster as the car body above it rocks from side to side, a pair of compressible and expandable fluid-damping devices carried beneath said bolster on opposite sides of said central bearing surface, and means connecting the saddle member to the damping devices such that when one damping device compresses the other expands and vice versa.

Claim 48

The truck assembly of claim 34 wherein each damping device is operatively connected to an end of the saddle member through a reciprocable column which extends through said bolster.

Claim 49

The truck assembly of claim 33 wherein the weight of the car body is normally carried by the damping devices with the damping devices compressed, and wherein the saddle member normally does not rest on the central bearing surface of the bolster.

Claim 50

The truck assembly of claim 34 wheRein the damping devices are carried on bearing plates depending downwardly from said saddle member and movable therewith as a unit, the damping devices being sandwiched between the bearing plates and the bolster such that when the saddle member rocks to one side, only one damping device will be compressed while the other expands and vice versa.

Claim 51

The truck assembly of claim 37 wherein the downwardly depending bearing surface on the saddle member normally rests on said central bearing surface such that the weight of the car body is normally carried by said truck.

Claim 52

The truck assembly of claim 34 and including side bearings carried on opposite ends of said saddle member, and wear plates on said car body adapted to engage the side bearings as the car body rocks from side to side, the wear plates being normally spaced from the side bearings when the car body is not rocking.

Claim 53

In a railway vehicle, in combination, a car body having a center plate thereon, a truck having a bolster for pivotally supporting said center plate, a hydraulic damping device interposed between said center plate and said bolster for dissipating energy by restricted flow of hydraulic fluid through a passageway, said damping device comprising upper and lower relatively movable members defining a fluid cavity of variable volume therebetween and said passageway upon at least a portion of the relative movement between said members being of a variable volume.

Claim 54

In a railway vehicle, in combination, a car body having a center plate thereon, a truck having a bolster for pivotally supporting said center plate, a hydraulic damping device interposed between said center plate and said bolster for dissipating energy by restricted flow of hydraulic fluid through a passageway, said damping device comprising upper and lower relatively movable members defining a fluid cavity of variable volume therebetween and said passageway upon at least a portion of the relative movement between said members being of a variable volume.

Claim 55

The combination of claim 40 wherein said upper and lower members form integral parts of said center plate and said truck bolster, respectively.

Claim 56

The combination of claim 40 including a plurality of stacked washers disposed in said fluid cavity between said upper and lower members.