Abstract: Railcar coupling knuckles having areas of improved structure, improved surface characteristics, and reduced stress under loading, and systems and methods for shot peening railcar components such as, but not limited to, coupling knuckles. Such shot-peening systems and methods may include robotic and/or fixed-position shot-peening devices equipped with shot-emitting mechanisms for expelling shot media against desired areas of a railcar component.

Abstract: Railcar coupling knuckles having areas of improved structure, improved surface characteristics, and reduced stress under loading, and systems and methods for shot peening railcar components such as, but not limited to, coupling knuckles. Such shot-peening systems and methods may include robotic and/or fixed-position shot-peening devices equipped with shot-emitting mechanisms for expelling shot media against desired areas of a railcar component.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for molding a freight car yoke with a one piece core is disclosed herein. An exemplary one piece core may be used with a core mold upper half and a core mold lower half mated at a common split line to define a mold cavity which replicates the molded exterior features of a freight car yoke. The one piece core may replicate all of the molded internal features of a freight car yoke. An apparatus may use a pair of one piece cores to produce a pair of freight car yokes. An exemplary method can utilize the apparatus to produce a pair of freight car yokes through a single pour, using a pair of one piece cores. In an exemplary embodiment the one piece cores are constructed from a cold box with phenolic urethane treated molding sand.

Abstract: This invention teaches an improved apparatus and method to make metal alloy castings, such as freight car yokes. One embodiment of the invention comprises a core mold assembly unit, wherein the mold unit is filled with molten metal. The core mold assembly units may be further formed of the same material, such as phenolic urethane impregnated sand, which is used to accurately replicate the desired shape of a final desired product.

Abstract: This invention teaches an improved apparatus and method to make metal alloy castings, such as subway car undercarriage bearing housings. One embodiment of the invention comprises a core mold assembly unit, wherein the mold unit is filled with molten metal. The core mold assembly units may be further formed of the same material, such as phenolic urethane impregnated sand, which is used to accurately replicate the desired shape of a final desired product.

Abstract: This invention teaches an improved method and apparatus to make metal alloy castings, such as railroad car connector knuckles. One embodiment of the invention comprises a plurality of core mold assembly units contained within a single molding flask, wherein the mold units are filled with molten metal by way of a common runner and riser system. The said core mold assembly elements may be further comprised of a mold and core assembly formed of the same material, such as phenolic urethane impregnated sand, which is used to accurately replicate the desired shape of a final desired product. This invention eliminates the need to carefully gauge a plurality of part patterns within a single mold flask and reduces the potential for loss of parts, for example by cold shunting, by segregating each part to its own mold isolated mold unit.

Abstract: A railcar truck bolster side bearing mounting pad milling machine and method. A milling machine of the present invention includes a pair of milling heads and associated cutters suspended from an overhead frame member. A sliding saddle unit is provided for transporting the bolster into and out of a work envelope of the milling machine. At least one fixturing assembly is attached to the sliding saddle unit to support and fix the position of the bolster in three directions. The bolster is rigidly supported from its underside, thereby eliminating the risk that the bolster may move downward during machining. Since the vertical position of the bolster when presented to the cutters is fixed, thereby the need to raise the bolster into a working position is also eliminated.