Abstract: Control of vehicle body tilting when a railway vehicle travels along a curve includes: detecting a pressure of compressed air in an air tank; driving a compressor that supplies compressed air to the tank when detecting a pressure drop in the tank to or below a first threshold level P1 in association with introduction of compressed air into air springs; and limiting the amount of compressed air to be introduced from the tank into the springs to a level equal to or lower than the amount of compressed air to be supplied from the compressor to the tank while continuing the introduction from the tank into the springs. This ensures that the tank pressure is maintained at a level equal to or higher than a minimum level required for braking actuation of the railway vehicle to have ride comfort when traveling along a curve and without causing braking trouble.

Abstract: A safety device for a banking vehicle includes a pair of cylinders which extend to hold the superstructure in an upright position. The cylinders are hydraulically connected to an accumulator which provides a pressurized fluid reservoir. A valve controls flow from the accumulator to the cylinders. Upon detection of a failure in one of the vehicle systems the valve moves to a position in which fluid flows from the accumulator to extend the cylinders. A pilot operated check valve is positioned between the accumulator and the cylinders to hold the cylinders in the extended position until the failure is rectified.

Abstract: A tilt system for a railway car includes mechanism for tilting the car only when lateral acceleration forces exceed preselected minimum levels and to limit the amount of tilting of the car.

Abstract: A railway truck with a load-bearing structure resiliently supported on two live-axle, self-steering wheelsets, axle bearings being provided on the wheelsets and damping elements being connected longitudinally between axle bearings on the same side of the longitudinal axis of the truck. The damping elements change length with constantly applied forces and transmit rapidly changing forces between the wheelsets with the attenuation of energy. Thus, the damping elements do not interfere with the self-steering ability of the wheelsets and act to counteract wheelset hunting. The wheelsets may be connected to couple any yawing movement of each wheelset in opposite sense to the other wheelset.

Abstract: The low slung traction means serves to transmit traction or braking forces between the rail vehicle body and the supporting undercarriage. In one embodiment, the traction means has a horizontal intermediate member connected to the undercarriage via inclined rods and connected to the body via a second longitudinal connecting rod. In addition, the intermediate rod is coupled to the vehicle body via a guide means formed by a linkage. The traction and braking forces are transmitted exactly at the force attack point given by the imaginary intersection of the inclined rods and the moment exerted on the intermediate rod by the traction and/or braking forces is compensated by a corresponding reaction moment via the guide linkage. Other embodiments utilize transverse cross-pieces, T-shaped intermediate members, lever cross-intermediate members and the like.

Abstract: A tilt control system comprises a roll bar structure having two separate opposite rotatable members attached on the bottom of both sides of the car body between the car body and bolster. A pair of lever arms connect the ends of the rotatable members to the bolster. Means are provided for selectively rotating the rotatable members to actuate the lever arms in opposite directions to force the car body to tilt laterally with respect to the bolster.

Abstract: A railway locomotive has three power trucks with the end trucks each having a bolster resiliently supported on the truck frame and connected to the underframe by cooperating vertical axis pivot-forming means, the middle truck bolster being connected to the underframe by a Watts linkage arranged to directly transmit longitudinal forces from the bolster to the underframe while accommodating substantial excursions of the bolster and middle truck frame transversely of the locomotive underframe for operation of the locomotive on the curved track.

Abstract: A rail vehicle having a driving bogie frame and a vehicle frame, in which these frames are interconnected by means of supporting springs and at least one of the end faces of said frames are interconnected by air springs. The air springs communicate with a source of compressed air through a conduit system having two branch lines respectively connected to the interior of the air springs while adjustable pressure control valves are respectively arranged in these branch lines. The two branch lines are interconnected by a conduit having an adjustable throttle valve interposed therein. Depending on the respective driving direction of the vehicle by adjusting the valves in the branch lines a differential pressure is established between the air pressures in the air springs connected to the branch lines so that the respective end of the bogie frame is pulled up or pressed down so that the wheel set relief is compensated for.

Abstract: A railway truck suspension including a load-bearing member, a pair of wheelsets supporting the load-bearing member, each wheelset being self-steering, and means interconnecting the wheelsets such that they yaw in opposite sense, the interconnecting means comprising a pair of arms on each side of the longitudinal axis of the truck in its direction of travel, each arm being secured at one end to an axle-supported bearing on a wheelset to transmit moments to that wheelset and the arms on the same side of the longitudinal axis extending generally towards each other, and means coupling the other ends of the arms together to allow lost motion between these ends while transmitting rotation of either arm to the other arm.

Abstract: A railway car includes a central steering axle transversely movable on the car body in response to track curvature. Actuating members connected to the transversely movable axle include longitudinally extensible and retractable elements which steer end axle assemblies about vertical pivot axes, the actuating members and associated elements including helical gearing.

Abstract: A railway truck employs air springs at either side of the truck to provide a secondary suspension to support a car body, or an intermediate member between the car body and truck which in turn supports the car body. Protection against possible rupture of one of the air springs is provided by pressure responsive control valves connected to and associated with each of the air springs whereby when open, the valves exhaust fluid pressure from their associated air spring. Each control valve is pressure operated to be held in closed position by the pressure in the air spring on the other side of the truck. When one air spring ruptures the valve associated with the other air spring will open to exhaust fluid pressure from the other air spring. In the absence of a rupture each valve is held closed by the pressure in the other air spring.

Abstract: A control system for a stabilizing apparatus for a rail vehicle body, which is tiltable on a bogey by means of jacks, comprises a lateral accelerometer and an angular accelerometer mounted on the vehicle body, two servo-mechanisms respectively responsive to operation of the lateral and angular accelerometers, and a control valve for the tilting jacks, the control valve being coupled to output members of the servo-mechanisms so that tilting movement of the vehicle body in response to operation of the lateral accelerometer is sensed by the angular accelerometer so as to urge the control valve in a direction to oppose the aforesaid tilting movement.

Abstract: A damping suspension for a railway truck having load-bearing members supported on at least two live wheelsets which are self-steering and which are directly interconnected to couple their yawing movements in opposite senses. The wheelsets are self-steering in that they each have profiled treads of high effective conicity and each is suspended by resilient elements having a low elastic yaw constraint to the load-bearing members. The yaw constraints imposed by the resilient elements are lower than the steering forces generated on the wheelsets on curved track as a result of the tread profile. The coupling between the wheelsets takes the form of diagonally connected resilient members for ensuring that the wheelsets do not oscillate in phase with the load-bearing members to thereby damp any hunting oscillations that may tend to occur.

Abstract: A railroad passenger car suspension system in which a car body is supported on trucks in the running mode through rotary hydraulic actuators. All of the necessary conditions for passenger comfort, increased train speed and safety are met. The level of centrifugal force at curves is sensed and the car tilted so that the direction of force is felt by the passengers in a comfortable manner. Flush floor level of the car with station platforms, regardless of passenger load, wheel wear or platform level is attained. Lowered spring rate in the suspension system provides improved ride characteristics. Means are provided for steering the car trucks.