Patent US3701322A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3701322A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fluid dampened railway bolster spring
Assignee: Cooper Industries LLC
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Filing: 1971-02-22
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Granted: 1972-10-31
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Expires: 1991-02-22
Abstract
Abstract A fluid suspension system for railway vehicles having a uniformly varying spring rate to achieve a constant natural frequency in the vertical or bounce mode and to resist lateral or rocking motion of the railway car. The suspension system includes a damper supporting each end of a bolster on the side frame of a railway car truck. Each damper employs resilient material such as synthetic rubber in shear for hysteresis damping and utilizes metering of hydraulic fluid between upper and lower fluid metering chambers to provide hydraulic snubbing action during both compression and expansion of the suspension system to control vertical movement of the vehicle and to resist excessive rolling of the vehicle body. The fluid within the suspension system is maintained under a predetermined preload pressure to help support the load and to dissipate energy as the suspension system expands. Interfitting means between the bolster and the dampers maintain rotational alignment between the truck bolster and side frames.
Inventors
- 👤 Ross G Carle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 06:51
CPC Classifications
B; B61; B61F; B61F5/00; B61F5/02; B61F5/04; B61F5/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
276 words
In a railway car truck having a pair of side frames with openings therein receiving the ends of a truck bolster; a damper positioned in the opening of each side frame for supporting the bolster thereon each damper comprising, an outer enclosed housing mounted in supporting engagement on the associated side frame and having a circumferential side wall, an inner enclosed housing disposed in substantially concentric relation to said outer housing and having a circumferential side wall with an upper portion thereof extending upwardly beyond the side wall of said outer housing, and a top horizontal wall over the circumferential side wall of the inner housing having an upper surface in contact with an adjacent lower surface of the bolster, a mass of elastomeric material disposed between and bonded to the walls of the inner and outer housings and cooperating with the inner and outer housings to define a lower fluid chamber, said inner housing defining an upper fluid chamber with a gaseous fluid therein and having a bottom wall defining a partition between said upper and lower fluid chambers, said partition having at least one normally closed metering valve being operable to open at a predetermined pressure differential between the upper and lower chambers to permit the flow of fluid therebetween, and a gas inlet valve in the upper portion of said side wall of the inner housing beneath the top horizontal wall in direct fluid communication with said upper fluid chamber to preload said upper fluid chamber to a predetermined gaseous pressure, said gas inlet valve being positioned at an elevation above the side wall of said outer housing thereby to be easily accessible.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
276 words
In a railway car truck having a pair of side frames with openings therein receiving the ends of a truck bolster; a damper positioned in the opening of each side frame for supporting the bolster thereon each damper comprising, an outer enclosed housing mounted in supporting engagement on the associated side frame and having a circumferential side wall, an inner enclosed housing disposed in substantially concentric relation to said outer housing and having a circumferential side wall with an upper portion thereof extending upwardly beyond the side wall of said outer housing, and a top horizontal wall over the circumferential side wall of the inner housing having an upper surface in contact with an adjacent lower surface of the bolster, a mass of elastomeric material disposed between and bonded to the walls of the inner and outer housings and cooperating with the inner and outer housings to define a lower fluid chamber, said inner housing defining an upper fluid chamber with a gaseous fluid therein and having a bottom wall defining a partition between said upper and lower fluid chambers, said partition having at least one normally closed metering valve being operable to open at a predetermined pressure differential between the upper and lower chambers to permit the flow of fluid therebetween, and a gas inlet valve in the upper portion of said side wall of the inner housing beneath the top horizontal wall in direct fluid communication with said upper fluid chamber to preload said upper fluid chamber to a predetermined gaseous pressure, said gas inlet valve being positioned at an elevation above the side wall of said outer housing thereby to be easily accessible.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
250 words
In a railway car truck, a pair of side frames with openings therein, a bolster having ends fitting within the openings in said side frames, a damper positioned in the opening of each side frame for supporting the bolster thereon and comprising, an outer housing mounted in supporting engagement on the associated side frame and having a circumferential side wall, an inner enclosed housing disposed in substantially concentric relation to said outer housing and having a circumferential side wall with an upper portion thereof extending upwardly beyond the side wall of said outer housing, and a top horizontal wall over the circumferential side wall of the inner housing having an upper surface in contact with an adjacent lower surface of the bolster, a mass of elastomeric material disposed between and bonded to the walls of the inner and outer housings and cooperating with the inner and outer housings to define a lower fluid chamber, said inner housing defining aN upper fluid chamber with a gaseous fluid therein and having a bottom wall defining a partition between said upper and lower fluid chambers, said partition having at least one normally closed metering valve being operable to open at a predetermined pressure differential between the upper and lower chambers to permit the flow of fluid therebetween, and interfitting means on the lower surface of said bolster and on the adjacent upper surface of each of the inner housings cooperating to maintain translational and rotational alignment of the inner housings with the bolster.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
250 words
In a railway car truck, a pair of side frames with openings therein, a bolster having ends fitting within the openings in said side frames, a damper positioned in the opening of each side frame for supporting the bolster thereon and comprising, an outer housing mounted in supporting engagement on the associated side frame and having a circumferential side wall, an inner enclosed housing disposed in substantially concentric relation to said outer housing and having a circumferential side wall with an upper portion thereof extending upwardly beyond the side wall of said outer housing, and a top horizontal wall over the circumferential side wall of the inner housing having an upper surface in contact with an adjacent lower surface of the bolster, a mass of elastomeric material disposed between and bonded to the walls of the inner and outer housings and cooperating with the inner and outer housings to define a lower fluid chamber, said inner housing defining aN upper fluid chamber with a gaseous fluid therein and having a bottom wall defining a partition between said upper and lower fluid chambers, said partition having at least one normally closed metering valve being operable to open at a predetermined pressure differential between the upper and lower chambers to permit the flow of fluid therebetween, and interfitting means on the lower surface of said bolster and on the adjacent upper surface of each of the inner housings cooperating to maintain translational and rotational alignment of the inner housings with the bolster.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
In a railway car truck as set forth in claim 2, said interfitting means comprising projections extending downwardly from the underside of said bolster and depressions in said inner housings receiving said projections.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
70 words
In a railway car truck as set forth in claim 2, a gas inlet valve in the side wall of each inner housing beneath the top horizontal wall in direct fluid communication with said upper fluid chamber to preload said upper fluid chamber to a predetermined gaseous pressure, said gas inlet valve being positioned at an elevation above the side wall of said outer housing thereby to be easily accessible.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-31 | 1976-05-01 | 1976-10-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-31 | 1980-05-01 | 1980-10-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-31 | 1984-05-01 | 1984-10-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |