Abstract: An apparatus for determining the integrity of a tube is provided. The apparatus includes: a body having an extension mechanism and configured to be inserted into the tube; and a flexible eddy current sensor including a flexible housing coupled to the body via the extension mechanism, and one or more coils disposed in the flexible housing. The flexible housing is selectively extendable via the extension mechanism between a first position and a second position. The one or more coils are farther away from the body when the flexible housing is in the second position than when the flexible housing is in the first position. The one or more coils electrically couple with an interior surface of the tube when the flexible housing is in the second position, and the flexible eddy current sensor is operative to selectively induce electrical currents within the tube via the one or more coils.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the integrity of a tube is provided. The apparatus includes: a body having an extension mechanism and configured to be inserted into the tube; and a flexible eddy current sensor including a flexible housing coupled to the body via the extension mechanism, and one or more coils disposed in the flexible housing. The flexible housing is selectively extendable via the extension mechanism between a first position and a second position. The one or more coils are farther away from the body when the flexible housing is in the second position than when the flexible housing is in the first position. The one or more coils electrically couple with an interior surface of the tube when the flexible housing is in the second position, and the flexible eddy current sensor is operative to selectively induce electrical currents within the tube via the one or more coils.

Abstract: A spring suitable for use in a vehicle suspension comprises a pair of rigid end members and bonded therebetween a body of elastomeric material which is of solid cross-section over a part of the spring in the vicinity of a first end member and hollow in the vicinity of a second end member for between 10 and 80% of the length of the body. The body is of progressively increasing external cross-sectional dimension over a first part of the length of the body as considered in a direction away from the first end member and of progressively decreasing external cross-section over a second part of the length of the spring extending to the second end member.

Abstract: A pneumatic spring for use in a vehicle suspension has provided within the pneumatic spring an elastomeric spring which is subject to load only in the event of a pressurization failure of the pneumatic spring. The elastomeric spring is secured at one end to the pneumatic spring and is of generally circular cross-sectional shape in a plane perpendicular to the normal direction in which it would be loaded. The spring additionally is of progressively increasing external diameter over a part of its length as considered in a direction from its secured end to the other, free, end whereby both the vertical compression stiffness and horizontal shear stiffness of the spring progressively increase when the spring is subject to an increasing compression loading in the event of a pressurization failure.

Abstract: An elastomeric mounting comprises a plurality of elastomeric layers having a plurality of reinforcement layers interleaved between and bonded to the elastomeric layers wherein confronting surfaces of the reinforcement layers are of corrugated profile having a plurality of peaks and valleys and are arranged so that the peaks of one surface are aligned with the valleys of the other surface. The reinforcement layers may all be the same size and shape and maybe disposed either vertically above one another or in echelon.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension comprises an axle supported at each end by a respective axle box and respective spring means acting between each axle box and an associated rigid vehicle mounting.The spring means has an effective spring center which acts at a point between the axle center and the associated axle box so as to reduce the radius of operation of the suspension in a yaw condition as compared with conventional suspensions in which the effective spring center acts at the axle box.The spring means comprises a pair of spring units arranged one on each side of the axle and each spring unit comprises layers of elastomeric material sandwiched between reinforcement elements.

Abstract: A railway vehicle having a primary suspension with a reduced longitudinal stiffness at the axle comprising a downwardly inclined pair of longitudinally opposed elastomeric material springs mounted to the axlebox such that the axis of the axleset is substantially vertically displaced from the plane of action of the resultant longitudinal stiffness of the suspension.