Resilient railway car truck

Claim 2

The combination of: I. a car body and; II. a railway truck comprising a. longitudinally extending side frames; b. a transverse suspension adapter disposed in supporting relationship to the underside of said car body and having side sections extending over said side frames, each of said side sections having an opening therein above said side frames and, c. resilient support means for supporting said car body from said side frames including spring means mounted on each of said side frames, said spring means having first resilient support portions extending through said openings in said side sections of said suspension adaptor between said side frames and the underside of said car body and second resilient support portions extending between said side frames and said side sections of said suspension adaptor, whereby said car body is in part resiliently supported directly from said side frames and in part resiliently supported from said side frames through said suspension adaptor.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1, each spring means being a fluid spring providing a fluid pressure chamber with the upper end thereof communicating with the opening in the associated side section of the suspension adaptor, a first portion of the fluid in said chamber thereby passing through said opening in said side section and exerting a first upwardly directed force on the underside of said car body, and a second portion of the fluid in said chamber exerting a second upwardly directed force on the side section of said suspension adaptor.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1, wherein said car body and said suspension adaptor have means cooperating to constrain said car body to pivotal movement relative to said suspension adaptor.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1, together with means for absorbing vertical, longitudinal and lateral shock loads.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 4, together with means for limiting movement of the suspension adaptor vertically, laterally, and longitudinally relative to said truck frame.

Claim 7

The combination of: I. a car body; and II. a railway truck comprising a. side frames; a transverse suspension adaptor having side sections extending over said side frames, said side sections having upper support surfaces disposed in supporting relationship to the underside of said car body; and c. resilient support means for supporting said car body from said side frames including spring means mounted on each of said side frames, said spring means each having a first support portion for directly supporting said cAr body in part from said side frames and a second support portion for supporting said side sections of said suspension adaptor from said side frames, whereby said car body is in part resiliently supported directly from said side frames and in part resiliently supported from said side frames through said side sections of said suspension adaptor.

Claim 8

The combination of: I. a car body; and II. a railway truck comprising a. side frames; a transverse suspension adaptor having side sections extending over said side frames, said side sections having upper support surfaces disposed in supporting relationship to the underside of said car body; and c. resilient support means for supporting said car body from said side frames including spring means mounted on each of said side frames, said spring means each having a first support portion for directly supporting said cAr body in part from said side frames and a second support portion for supporting said side sections of said suspension adaptor from said side frames, whereby said car body is in part resiliently supported directly from said side frames and in part resiliently supported from said side frames through said side sections of said suspension adaptor.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 6, comprising means for pivotally connecting said car body to said suspension adaptor.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 6, wherein there are openings in said side sections of said suspension adaptor above said side frames, said first support portions of said spring means extending through said openings between said side frames and the underside of said car body, and said second support portions of said spring means extending between said side frames and said side sections of said suspension adaptor.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 8, each spring means being a fluid spring providing a fluid pressure chamber with the upper end thereof communicating with said opening in the associated side section of the suspension adaptor, a first portion of the fluid in said chamber thereby passing through said opening in said side section and exerting a first upwardly directed force on the underside of said car body, and a second portion of the fluid in said chamber exerting a second upwardly directed force on the side section of said suspension adaptor.

Claim 12

The combination of: I. a car body; and II. a railway truck comprising a. side frames; b. a transverse suspension adaptor having a central section and side sections extending over said side frames, said side sections having upper support surfaces disposed in supporting relationship to the underside of said car body; c. means for pivotally connecting said car body to the central section of said suspension adaptor and; d. resilient support means for supporting said car body from said side frames including spring means mounted on each of said side frames, said spring means each having a first support portion for directly supporting said car body in part from said side frames and a second support portion supporting said side sections of said suspension adaptor from said side frames, whereby said car body is in part resiliently supported directly from said side frames and in part resiliently supported from said side frames through said side sections of said suspension adaptor.

Claim 13

The combination of: I. a car body; and II. a railway truck comprising a. side frames; b. a transverse suspension adaptor having a central section and side sections extending over said side frames, said side sections having upper support surfaces disposed in supporting relationship to the underside of said car body; c. means for pivotally connecting said car body to the central section of said suspension adaptor and; d. resilient support means for supporting said car body from said side frames including spring means mounted on each of said side frames, said spring means each having a first support portion for directly supporting said car body in part from said side frames and a second support portion supporting said side sections of said suspension adaptor from said side frames, whereby said car body is in part resiliently supported directly from said side frames and in part resiliently supported from said side frames through said side sections of said suspension adaptor.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 10, wherein there are openings in said side sections of said suspension adaptor above said side frames, said first support portions of said spring means extending through said openings between said side frames and the underside of said car body, and said second support portion of said spring means extending between said side frames and said side sections of said suspension adaptor.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 11, each spring means being a fluid spring providing a fluid pressure chamber with the upper end thereof communicating with said opening in the associated side section of the suspension adaptor, a first portion of the fluid in said chamber thereby passing through said opening in said side section and exerting a first upwardly directed force on the underside of said car body, and a second portion of the fluid in said chamber exerting a second upwardly directed force on the side section of said suspension adaptor.

Claim 16

The combination of: I. a car body; and II. a railway truck comprising: a. a first frame section comprising a first side frame and a first transom rigidly fixed to said first side frame and extending laterally therefrom; b. a second frame section comprising a second side frame and a second transom rigidly fixed to said second side frame and extending laterally therefrom; c. the transoms of said first and second frame sections being spaced from each other longitudinally of said truck; d. wheel and axle assemblies hournalled in said frame sections at opPosite ends of the truck and providing wheels at locations corresponding generally to the four corners of said truck; e. first and second means for so connecting said first frame section to said second frame section as to permit vertical displacement of any one of said wheels relative to the remaining wheels while maintaining said side frames substantially in rectangular and vertical tram, said first and second connecting means confining the relative movement between said first and second frame sections to an axis extending diagonally across said truck through said connecting means; f. a suspension adaptor disposed in supporting relationship to the underside of said car body; and g. resilient support means for supporting said car body from said first and second side frames, each of said resilient support means including a first support portion which directly supports said car body in part from said side frames and a second support portion which supports said car body in part through said suspension adaptor, so that the weight of said car body is in part supported directly from said side frames and in part supported from said side frames through said suspension adaptor.

Claim 17

The combination of: I. a car body; and II. a railway truck comprising: a. a first frame section comprising a first side frame and a first transom rigidly fixed to said first side frame and extending laterally therefrom; b. a second frame section comprising a second side frame and a second transom rigidly fixed to said second side frame and extending laterally therefrom; c. the transoms of said first and second frame sections being spaced from each other longitudinally of said truck; d. wheel and axle assemblies hournalled in said frame sections at opPosite ends of the truck and providing wheels at locations corresponding generally to the four corners of said truck; e. first and second means for so connecting said first frame section to said second frame section as to permit vertical displacement of any one of said wheels relative to the remaining wheels while maintaining said side frames substantially in rectangular and vertical tram, said first and second connecting means confining the relative movement between said first and second frame sections to an axis extending diagonally across said truck through said connecting means; f. a suspension adaptor disposed in supporting relationship to the underside of said car body; and g. resilient support means for supporting said car body from said first and second side frames, each of said resilient support means including a first support portion which directly supports said car body in part from said side frames and a second support portion which supports said car body in part through said suspension adaptor, so that the weight of said car body is in part supported directly from said side frames and in part supported from said side frames through said suspension adaptor.

Claim 18

The combination of: I. a car body having a pressure vessel therein, there being openings through the under side of said car body and means providing fluid communication between said pressure vessel and said openings; and II. a railway truck comprising: a. side frames; b. a suspension adaptor disposed in supporting relationship to the under side of said car body, there being an opening through said suspension adaptor above each of said side frames communicating with an opening through the under side of the car body; c. means disposed between each of said side frames and said suspension adaptor providing a pressure chamber therebetween, there being an opening in the upper end of each of said pressure chambers in fluid communication through the opening in said suspension adaptor and the associated opening in the car body with the pressure vessel in the car body; and d. the effective sizes of the openings through the car body relative to the effective cross-sectional areas of said pressure chamber providing means being such that fluid compressed in the pressure chambers will exert a first upwardly directed force on the suspension adaptor and a second upwardly directed force on the car body, whereby said car body is in part fluid-supported directly from said side frames and in part fluid-supported from said side frames through said suspension adaptor.

Claim 19

The combination of: I. a car body having a pressure vessel therein, there being openings through the under side of said car body and means providing fluid communication between said pressure vessel and said openings; and II. a railway truck comprising: a. side frames; b. a suspension adaptor disposed in supporting relationship to the under side of said car body, there being an opening through said suspension adaptor above each of said side frames communicating with an opening through the under side of the car body; c. means disposed between each of said side frames and said suspension adaptor providing a pressure chamber therebetween, there being an opening in the upper end of each of said pressure chambers in fluid communication through the opening in said suspension adaptor and the associated opening in the car body with the pressure vessel in the car body; and d. the effective sizes of the openings through the car body relative to the effective cross-sectional areas of said pressure chamber providing means being such that fluid compressed in the pressure chambers will exert a first upwardly directed force on the suspension adaptor and a second upwardly directed force on the car body, whereby said car body is in part fluid-supported directly from said side frames and in part fluid-supported from said side frames through said suspension adaptor.

Claim 20

The combination of: I. a car body comprising: a. a floor supporting underframe; b. members fixed to said underframe having apertures therethrough opening onto the under side of said car body; c. at least one pressure vessel supported from said underframe; and d. conduit means providing communication between the apertures through said members and the interior of the pressure vessel; and II. a railway truck comprising: e. a truck frame comprising laterally spaced, longitudinally extending side frames; f. a suspension adaptor disposed in supporting relationship to the under side of said car body and engaging the apertured members, there being an opening in said suspension adaptor beneath each of the apertures through said members; g. a vertically extensible tubular member having a closed bottom end extending from a side frame to said suspension adaptor beneath each of the openings in said adaptor h. means providing a seal between each of said tubular members and said suspension adaptor around the associated opening in the adaptor whereby, when said pressure vessel is pressurized, there is compressed fluid in each of said tubular members producing a first upwardly directed force on the suspension adaptor and a second upwardly directed force on one of said apertured car body members, said car body thereby being in part supported directly from said side frame by the compressed fluid and being in part supported from said side frame by said compressed fluid through said suspension adaptor.

Claim 21

The combination of: I. a car body comprising: a. a floor supporting underframe; b. members fixed to said underframe having apertures therethrough opening onto the under side of said car body; c. at least one pressure vessel supported from said underframe; and d. conduit means providing communication between the apertures through said members and the interior of the pressure vessel; and II. a railway truck comprising: e. a truck frame comprising laterally spaced, longitudinally extending side frames; f. a suspension adaptor disposed in supporting relationship to the under side of said car body and engaging the apertured members, there being an opening in said suspension adaptor beneath each of the apertures through said members; g. a vertically extensible tubular member having a closed bottom end extending from a side frame to said suspension adaptor beneath each of the openings in said adaptor h. means providing a seal between each of said tubular members and said suspension adaptor around the associated opening in the adaptor whereby, when said pressure vessel is pressurized, there is compressed fluid in each of said tubular members producing a first upwardly directed force on the suspension adaptor and a second upwardly directed force on one of said apertured car body members, said car body thereby being in part supported directly from said side frame by the compressed fluid and being in part supported from said side frame by said compressed fluid through said suspension adaptor.

Claim 22

The combination of claim 15, wherein there is a member of a material having a low coefficient of friction disposed said adaptor suspension adaptor and each apertured member of the car body to reduce sliding friction between said suspension adaptor and said car body.

Claim 23

The combination of claim 15, wherein there is a dirt shield extending between the apertured car body member and the suspension adaptor around each of the apertures in such members.

Claim 24

The combination of claim 15, together with cooperating means on said car body and said suspension adaptor confining said car body to pivotal movement relative to said suspension adaptor comprising a depending flange providing a centrally located recess in said suspension adaptor a fitting fixed to the under side of said car body and depending into said recess, and a bearing in said recess between said fitting and said flange.

Claim 25

The combination of claim 18, together with a member abutting the lower end of said flange and fixed to the fitting to resist vertical movement of the car body relative to the suspension adaptor.

Claim 26

The combination of claim 15, wherein said suspension adaptor has a generally rectangular configuration and including cooperating means on said car body and said suspension adaptor confining said car body to pivotal movement relative to said suspension adaptor comprising bearing surfaces formed on the suspension adaptor at the corners thereof, said surfaces being generally vertical and including segments of an arc having its center located at the center of the suspension adaptor and one or more fittings fixed to the under side of the car body, said fittings having depending portions engaging the bearing surfaces on the suspension adaptor.

Claim 27

The combination of claim 15, together with an arrangement for absorbing and transferring longitudinal loads comprising a first longitudinally extending radius rod, means fixing the forward end of said radius rod to the front portion of said suspension adaptor at one side of said truck and the rear end of said rod to one of said side frames, a second longitudinally extending radius rod, means fixing the rear end of said second radius rod to the rear portion of said suspension adaptor on the other side of said truck, means for fixing the forward end of said second radius rod to the other of said side frames, and resilient members arranged to cushion longitudinal movement between the radius rods and the truck components to which they are fixed.

Claim 28

The combination of claim 15, together with means for limiting lateral movement of the suspension adaptor relative to the side frames comprising stops extending vertically from said side frames and bumpers fixed to said suspension adaptor and disposed in laterally spaced relation to said vertically extending stops on opposed sides thereof.

Claim 29

The combination of claim 22, together with a transversely oriented shock absorber connected between said truck frame and said suspension adaptor for cushioning lateral shock loads.

Claim 30

The combination of claim 15, together with means for absorbing vertical shock loads comprising shock absorbers on opposite sides of the truck, the upper ends of said shock absorbers being pivotally fixed to said suspension adaptor and the lower ends of said shock absorbers being pivotally fixed to said side frames.

Claim 31

The combination of claim 24, wherein said truck frame further includes transoms extending laterally between said side frames and including at least one down stop extending upwardly from one of said transoms for limiting the downward movement of said suspension adaptor toward said side frames.

Claim 32

The combination of claim 25, together with an up stop on at least one of said transoms and a member depending from said suspension adaptor and engageable with said up stop to limit upward vertical movement of said suspension adaptor relative tO said truck frame.

Claim 33

The combination of claim 15, together with a valve means in said conduit means between said pressure vessel and each of the apertures in said apertured car body members capable of isolating the aperture from the pressure vessel upon a decrease in the pressure in the vertically extensible tubular member communicating with the aperture to thereby isolate said tubular member in the event of a failure thereof.

Claim 34

The combination of claim 15, wherein there are two vertically extensible tubular members at each side of said truck, one of the tubular members at each side of the truck being beneath the forward portion of the suspension adaptor and the other being beneath the rear portion of the suspension adaptor.