Abstract: A rail vehicle, in particular a locomotive, includes a chassis, a central buffer coupling, a coupling shaft which is hinged to the chassis and carries a coupling head, and a coupling support which has a spring-mounted transverse beam for supporting the coupling shaft. The coupling support has two retaining sheets which are secured to the chassis, and the transverse beam has two guide grooves which run in the spring direction. Each of the retaining sheets engages into a respective one of the guide grooves in a form-locking manner such that the transverse beam is guided in a movable manner in the spring direction and transversely thereto, and each retaining sheet has a predetermined breaking point. In this way, the coupling support is secured to the chassis in a simple manner.

Abstract: A joint connector of a railway vehicle comprises a concave joint (22) and a convex joint (21). A traction load transfer section and/or a compression load transfer section are provided between the concave joint and the convex joint. The traction load transfer section and the compression load transfer section are detachable assembled in the concave joint. The service life of the concave joint is prolonged due to the arrangement of the traction load transfer section and the compression load transfer section.

Abstract: A supporting device for vertically supporting a coupling rod pivotably articulated in the vertical direction to a car body underframe of a rail-borne vehicle comprises a support able to be brought into contact with the coupling rod and a mount connected to the support and able to be fixed to the car body underframe of the vehicle. The support can move relative to and in the direction of the mount upon exceeding a critical external force acting on the support in the vertical direction. In order to disassociate the response curve of the supporting force from the spring characteristic of a spring element associated with the supporting device, a force-transmitting mechanism is provided enabling the at least one spring element to be coupled to the support and to the mount such that the spring element is elastically deformed by the support moving relative to the mount.

Abstract: A supporting device for vertically supporting a coupling rod pivotably articulated in the vertical direction to a car body underframe of a rail-borne vehicle comprises a support able to be brought into contact with the coupling rod and a mount connected to the support and able to be fixed to the car body underframe of the vehicle. The support can move relative to and in the direction of the mount upon exceeding a critical external force acting on the support in the vertical direction. In order to disassociate the response curve of the supporting force from the spring characteristic of a spring element associated with the supporting device, a force-transmitting mechanism is provided enabling the at least one spring element to be coupled to the support and to the mount such that the spring element is elastically deformed by the support moving relative to the mount.

Abstract: A key retainer for retaining a draft key in the key slot of a railway car yoke is mounted on the outside of the sill of a railway car. Mounting the key retainer with a retainer key system on the outside of the sill, and aligned with the sill cutout, permits ease of visual inspection of the retainer from outside the railway car, and allows for repair of the key retainer without disassembling the coupler from the yoke, or the yoke from the railway car.

Abstract: A supporting device is provided to vertically support a coupling rod of a coupling pivotably articulated in the vertical direction to a car body underframe by a bearing block. The supporting device makes contact with the coupling rod by a support, wherein the supporting device includes a mount connected to the support which is fixed to the car body underframe of the vehicle. In order to enable the interference-free retraction of the central buffer coupling toward the car body in the event of a crash, the mount includes a connecting element by which the support is connected to the mount and which defines a rotational axis about which the support can rotate relative the connecting element.

Abstract: A self-lubricating, non-metallic type F coupler carrier improves upon state of the art railroad car coupler carrier arrangements. The coupler carrier is mounted within a cage, which coupler carrier comprises certain structures formed from an ultra high molecular weight polymer. The coupler carrier is shaped to define a load support surface for supporting a coupler shank. Further, oppositely facing forward and back carrier walls define vertically disposed slide surfaces formed for close fitted engagement with the inner and outer walls of the striker cage. Lugs, integrally formed with the coupler carrier comprise outwardly and upwardly facing slide surfaces for close fitted engagement with cage side walls and retainer plates, respectively. The lugs may further comprise concave relief portions intermediate the lug slide surfaces and the walls to which the lugs are integrally formed to provide stress concentration relief to said type F non-metallic coupler carrier.

Abstract: An articulated coupling apparatus utilized in connecting together, in a substantially semi-permanent fashion, adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway cars includes male and female connection members. A front and rear followers, each having a spherical cavity, are positioned within the female connection member. First and second lubricating liners are positioned within such spherical cavities and a spherical member is operably caged between such lubricating liners. A shaft is attached to the spherical member and extends outwardly from the female connection member for secure connection to the male connection member. A pair of wedges are mounted adjacent the rear surface of the rear follower and exert a force onto such rear follower moving it toward the spherical member and further toward the front follower to compensate for wear of the mating spherical surfaces during service and to prevent formation of a gap between the mating surfaces.

Abstract: The invention relates to a supporting device (1) to vertically support a coupling rod (50) of a coupling (56) pivotably articulated in the vertical direction (V) to a car body underframe (55) by means of a bearing block (51). The supporting device (1) makes contact with the coupling rod (50) by means of a support (2), wherein the supporting device (1) comprises a mount (3) connected to said support (2) which is fixed to the car body underframe (55) of the vehicle. In order to enable the interference-free retraction of the central buffer coupling (56) toward the car body in the event of a crash, the invention proposes that the mount (3) comprise a connecting element (5) by means of which the support (2) is connected to the mount (3) and which defines a rotational axis (R) about which the support (2) can rotate relative the connecting element (5).

Abstract: A joint arrangement for connecting a drawbar to a carriage includes a push/pull device for the transmission of pushing and pulling forces arranged at the carriage end of the drawbar. The push/pull device comprises a mid-piece connected to the carriage side end of the drawbar, extending the drawbar in the longitudinal direction thereof which extends through an opening provided in the baseplate. A front spring plate and a rear spring plate are provided on the mid-piece with a front spring element between the front spring plate and the baseplate in the drawbar longitudinal direction and a corresponding rear spring element is provided between the baseplate and the rear spring plate.

Abstract: A self-lubricating, non-metallic type F coupler carrier improves upon state of the art railroad car coupler carrier arrangements. The coupler carrier is mounted within a cage, which coupler carrier comprises certain structures formed from an ultra high molecular weight polymer. The coupler carrier is shaped to define a load support surface for supporting a coupler shank. Further, oppositely facing forward and back carrier walls define vertically disposed slide surfaces formed for close fitted engagement with the inner and outer walls of the striker cage. Lugs, integrally formed with the coupler carrier comprise outwardly and upwardly facing slide surfaces for close fitted engagement with cage side walls and retainer plates, respectively. The lugs may further comprise concave relief portions intermediate the lug slide surfaces and the walls to which the lugs are integrally formed to provide stress concentration relief to said type F non-metallic coupler carrier.

Abstract: An extended end-sill assembly for a railcar, which assembly is produced by mating a front-sill casting and back-sill casting having a transition region therebetween wherein the endsill includes a cast-in-place center plate, a support arrangement for a cushioning apparatus and a wide-mouthed end for greater lateral travel of the coupler shank arm, and such dual casting assembly is inapposite to present production of such endsill assemblies that require fabrication of numerous plates, pieces and braces.

Abstract: A railcar coupler carrier wear plate is formed in an “L” shaped section for ease of insertion and replacement in a coupler carrier and for efficient manufacture, the coupler carrier wear plate being retained in the coupler carrier with a bracket arrangement that can be readily affixed to the coupler carrier as by welding and which can also be adapted to protect the coupler carrier wear plate in the event of a coupler override.

Abstract: A drawbar for a slackless drawbar coupler assembly which includes a shank portion extending to a truncated butt end portion defining a convex, hemispherical buff load bearing surface adapted to abut against a concave, hemispherical buff load bearing surface on a rear support block. A generally rectangular aperture is provided through the butt end portion at the axis of said hemispherical buff load bearing surface which is adapted to receive a drawbar pivot pin and a three-dimensional bearing block, with the bearing block having a half-cylindrical surface on one side adapted to engage against a cylindrical side surface of the drawbar pivot pin, and a flat, generally rectangular surface opposite the cylindrical surface which is adapted to abut against a flat side of the rectangular aperture, to thereby bias the bearing block against the drawbar pivot pin such that the drawbar is pivotally attached to the pivot pin.

Abstract: A slackless drawbar coupler assembly for use in combination with a railway car having a center sill wherein the drawbar has a shank portion extending to an enlarged truncated butt end portion defining essentially a convex, hemispherical buff load bearing surface, with an aperture at the axis of the hemispherical buff load bearing surface, and includes a rear support block having a concave hemispherical buff load bearing surface on one side adapted to engage the convex, hemispherical buff load bearing surface on the drawbar.

Abstract: A non-metallic wear plate assembly for railroad car couplers comprises a wear plate of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene having an upper surface with side edges and a middle portion therebetween, the upper surface of the wear plate sloping downwardly from the side edges to the middle portion, and a number of counter-bored holes in the wear plate with a larger diameter and a smaller diameter with the larger diameter of the counter-bored holes facing up, the wear plate being mounted on a steel filler plate by weld washers which are positioned in the holes and are welded to the filler plate, with optional weld washer plugs being positioned in the holes above the weld washers and flush with the upper surface of the wear plate. A method of using the non-metallic wear plate for railroad car couplers to center a coupler and protect it against wear.

Abstract: A support housing for supporting a slackless drawbar coupler assembly within a center sill of a railway car, in which the slackless drawbar assembly has a drawbar pivotally attached within a spool by a pivot pin, the support housing including a generally rectangular three-dimensional body having a generally rectangular, three-dimensional cavity in an underside surface, a forward end wall and a pair of generally parallel side wall portions with a pair of opposed and axially aligned apertures through the generally parallel side wall portion of the cavity, each aperture adapted to receive a disk pin insertable therethrough and also insertable through one each of a second pair of opposed and axially aligned apertures through parallel side walls of the spool, such that said spool is pivotal within said cavity on the axially aligned disk pins.

Abstract: A self-lubricating plastic coupler carrier wear plate is formed in a generally T-shape having an outer flange and an inner flange conforming to said T-shape, said web being notched proximate said inner flange for adequate clearance with railcar draft gear.

Abstract: A locking wedge assembly for use in a slackless drawbar assembly designed to connect together, in a substantially semi-permanent fashion, adjacently disposed ends of a pair of railway cars. Such locking wedge assembly including a locking wedge member having a top surface and a bottom surface. A crushable support member has a top surface engageable with at least a portion of the bottom surface of such wedge member. An aperture is formed through the crushable support member and an anchoring member is engaged with the locking wedge member and extends through such aperture formed in the crushable support member for securing the locking wedge member in such slackless drawbar assembly. Such anchoring member includes at least a threaded portion for at least one of receiving a nut thereon and for threadedly engaging a threaded aperture formed in the wedge member adjacent the bottom surface of such wedge member to enable tightening of such locking wedge member in place.

Abstract: A coupler carrier wear plate for a long-shank coupler which includes a mild steel base plate weldable to the carrier, a manganese steel wear plate engageably supporting the coupler shank and connected to the base plate by a resilient bonding material. The bonding material is of a thickness to accommodate flatness variations encountered on a coupler carrier.

Abstract: A slackless drawbar assembly connecting adjacent ends of a pair of freight cars together. Such assembly includes a first pair of vertically disposable rear draft stop members and a first pair of radially opposed front draft stop members engageable with and securable to respective ones of a pair of side wall portions of a center sill member disposed on a first car. Each of such first pair of rear and front draft stops include a flat and respectively facing surface portion formed thereon. Additionally, each flat surface portion on at least one of such first pair of rear and front draft stops include a taper. There is a drawbar member provided which has a predetermined length. A first aperture is formed through this drawbar adjacent a first end thereof. There is a first ball member provided which has at least a portion thereof disposed in such first aperture. A first race assembly is secured to such drawbar adjacent such first aperture.

Abstract: A slackless drawbar comprising a female member with one end engaging an end of a car body center sill and another end extends outwardly from the center sill end. A cavity formed in such other end defined by inner surfaces of the back wall, top wall and pair of side walls and open at a bottom and outer end thereof. Openings are formed through each side wall. A male member includes a first end movably disposed in such cavity and a second end. An aperture is formed through such male member first end. A portion of a spherical shaped member is disposed in such aperture. A pair of shaft members extend from outer surfaces of such spherical member. A portion of each shaft member is disposed in respective side wall openings. Each shaft member has a flat surface formed thereon. A race having a portion thereof disposed in such aperture and secured to such male member. The race inner surface is disposed around the spherical member.

Abstract: A support housing for a rotary end of a slackless drawbar adapted to be secured within an end of a center sill of a railroad car having an elongated cavity defined by a pair of side wall portions, a top wall portion and a back wall portion, said cavity being adapted to receive the rotary end portion of a rotary drawbar such that a shank portion of such rotary drawbar extends through an open front of the support housing, said cavity being further adapted to receive a buff load bearing block and a slack adjusting gravity wedge between the back wall portion and the rotary end of the rotary drawbar and having a specially configured surface therein adapted to receive a specially configured draft load bearing insert and a flange to retain the specially configured draft load bearing insert within the cavity and against the spherical draft load bearing surface on the rotary end of the rotary drawbar.

Abstract: Slackless drawbar includes female member, having a cavity, engaging end of a railway car. Openings through first and second side walls of cavity. A male member has portion movably disposed in cavity. An aperture formed through such male member. A ball has portion disposed in such aperture and shafts extending from outer surfaces thereof. A portion of one shaft disposed in one opening and a portion of another one disposed in another opening. Such shafts have flat surface portions. A race assembly disposed in such aperture and secured to male member. An inner surface of race surrounds such ball. A second female member, having a cavity, engages end of second car. Openings are formed through second pair of side walls. Another male member has portion movably disposed in second cavity. An aperture formed through the second male member. Another ball includes portion disposed in second aperture and shafts extending from outer surfaces thereof.

Abstract: The present invention involves the addition of a device attached to each of the follower block side walls in order to prevent metal-to-metal contact between the follower block side walls and the center sill side walls. The preventative device comprises an elastomeric wear pad attached to a base plate, a base plate being anchored to each of the follower block side walls. The pads are made of a softer, low-friction material, compared to the carbon steel side walls. Since the elastomeric wear pads are softer than the center sill side walls, only the restrictive means will wear, thereby preventing destruction of the center sill side walls no matter how much slack has been developed in the coupling system. The present invention is also adaptable to either E or F type couplers.

Abstract: A slackless drawbar system includes a support member comprising a top plate, a bottom plate and a pair of spaced apart side plates joining the top and bottom plates to form a hollow rectangular member closely fitting inside the rectangular longitudinal opening of a railway car center sill. A back wall joins the top and bottom plates and the pair of side plates at a point spaced from one end of the support member and the top and bottom plates are provided with aligned bores each of which has a bushing therein, one of which bushings receives one end of a cylindrical pivot pin and the other of which bushings receives the other end of the pivot pin. The side plates of the support member are secured to the railway car center sill through weld slots in the center sill and at weld chamfers provided at each end of each of the side plates. The support member also includes reinforcing ribs connecting the back wall to the side plates and to the top and bottom plates.

Abstract: A novel wear pad assembly (22) allows worn coupler carrier wear pads of locomotives and train cars to be easily removed, replaced or reversed. A holder-tray (30) attached to the coupler housing (14) of a train car or locomotive receives a removable wear pad (32). A holder plate (34) holds removable wear pad (32) in place within holder-tray (30). When removable wear pad (32) becomes worn and must be replaced, holder plate (34) is removed, worn pad (32) is replaced with a new removable wear pad (32), and holder plate (34) is put back in place. Coupler (16) is not removed from coupler housing (14) during the replacement process. Removable wear pad (32) may be made of materials that increase lubrication and decrease friction between coupler (16) and removable wear pad (32).

Abstract: An apparatus which provides versatility in securing an articulated coupling arrangement to a center sill member of a railway car is provided. Such apparatus includes a bottom wall portion which matingly engages a bottom wall of such center sill member and a top wall portion which matingly engages one of a top wall of such center sill member and a bottom surface of such railway car. A pair of vertically disposed side wall portions are disposed between such top wall portion and such bottom wall portion. Each of such pair of side wall portions have a predetermined configuration which provides such enhanced versatility in securing such articulated coupling arrangement to such center sill member.

Abstract: An improved arrangement for retention of a drawbar is provided in which a single retention member of unitary construction extends laterally within the center sill and fits completely about a longitudinal portion of the butt end of the drawbar. A vertical connecting pin passes through a vertical opening in the drawbar and is also received in aligned vertical openings in the retention member to connect the drawbar to the retention member. The longitudinal draft loads of the drawbar are distributed over the entire interfacing portions of the vertical connecting pin and the retention member for transfer to striker members which are integrated with the center sill and ultimately dispose the longitudinal draft loads into the center sill. The retention arrangement is easily installed and removed and no welding is required between the retention member and the center sill.

Abstract: A castable draft gear pocket blockout apparatus for use in retrofitting slackless drawbar coupler assemblies to existing railroad cars having draft gear pockets, the blockout apparatus being a cast metallic structure having a web, a top flange and a bottom flange connected along the upper and lower sides of the web, and the first and second end flanges connected to the first and second vertical sides of the web.

Abstract: A drawbar coupler for a railway car having a center sill is disclosed for connecting two railway cars together in a slackless arrangement and provide uni-train service. The drawbar coupler is particularly characterized by a quick disconnect feature. The coupler includes a drawbar having at each end a vertical pin hole to receive a cylindrical pin that is held at its top and bottom end portions in a drawbar support casing that is in turn connected by weld to the center sill. Draft loads are imposed on a bearing block having curved bearing surfaces and fitted in the pin hole between the drawbar and the pin. Buff loads are transferred from the butt portion of the drawbar to a bearing block that is acted upon by a gravity actuated wedge placed between the bearing block and end wall of the support casing. Two support plates extend across the bottom of the casing and can be removed to permit removal of the vertical pin as well as the bearing block.

Abstract: An improved center sill construction is provided having sill side castings for laterally positioning and holding a drawbar evenly within a center sill, the sill side castings being easily removable without substantial damage to the center sill. The sill side castings are open ended in the direction of the draft loads and center sill reinforcement means are provided to accept the longitudinal draft load of the drawbar. Thus, the heavy loads are eliminated from upon the sill side castings and the sill side castings may be adequately secured within the center sill by a light weld which is external to the center sill.

Abstract: A railway vehicle drawbar slackless rotary dump arrangement having one end fixed against rotation to one railway vehicle and the other end connected to be rotatable in a second adjoining railway vehicle. Slack elimination is provided by a wedge at each connection. The rotatable connection includes a drawbar ball end held between concentric pulling blocks and follower block with a shim and cradle arrangement to maintain alignment of the concentric parts. Appurtenances are provided to the drawbar shank to simulate striker castings and interlocked E and F type couplers so as to accommodate the drawbar for use with indexing apparatus at the unloading site. Means are also incorporated to move cars in case of failure of system components.

Abstract: A slackless railcar connector system includes a gravity wedge shim that has a tail piece extending from the narrow edge of the sim through an aligning groove in a sill pocket casting, or the like. A biasing member may also be located adjacent the aligning groove to engage the tail piece.

Abstract: A striker carrier assembly for a railway coupler is constructed to engage and support the shank of the coupler at an adjustably established elevation. For an E-type coupler, the striker carrier assembly includes a spacer retained on the stirker carrier by an overlying wear plate which includes downwardly extending lugs on opposite sides of the wear plate. For an F-type coupler, the striker carrier includes a striker casting supported by springs against a stop in a carrier basket. A spacer is held on top of the striker casting by a wear plate through the use of prongs which extend downwardly from the plate through openings in both the spacer and striker casting.

Abstract: An improved railway car striker assembly including a spring supported coupler carrier wherein the carrier has laterally extending lugs with chevron shaped bearing surfaces engageable with congruent surfaces on retainer plates to restrain longitudinal and lateral movement of the carrier.

Abstract: A coupler for rotary dump cars having a coupler head cast integral with a rotating spindle. The coupler includes a widened shank-spindle housing to accommodate the enlarged end of the spindle for better load characteristics.

Abstract: A railway coupler connection is provided for use in a coupler shank-yoke or a drawbar-yoke configuration. Self adjusting slack reduction is provided by a wedge shaped shim or an angled follower block. Vertical and horizontal angling of the coupler connection is provided for by the curved shape of the contacting surfaces of the butt portion of the shank or drawbar and the follower block and the yoke.

Abstract: A rotary railroad car coupler assembly is described as having a unique carrier which is designed for limited angling or tilting in the vertically elongated chamber of the striker, as the coupler rotates. The projecting lugs of the carrier which interlockingly engage the stops in the chamber of the striker, have sloping sides which diverge from the sidewalls of the chamber in a direction away from the coupler, rather than being parallel to the sidewalls as are the sides of the lugs of AAR Standard carriers. This improvement eliminates chattering that is normally occasioned when AAR Standard carriers are used in connection with a rotary railroad car coupler assembly and helps to prevent undue stress of the striker caused when the carrier becomes momentarily frozen or bound up in the striker as the coupler rotates.

Abstract: An improved coupler carrier assembly comprises a spring basket, having front, rear, end and bottom walls, with a plurality of compression springs disposed therein; a coupler carrier having a lower portion disposed in the spring basket and being supported on the compression springs for vertical movement in the basket; and a wear element defined by a front wall, a rear wall and a bottom wall and located so that the front, rear and bottom walls are adjacent to at least a portion of the inside surfaces of the front, rear and bottom walls of the spring basket, respectively. Reduced wear between the spring basket and the coupler carrier is obtained.

Abstract: A fixed sill includes a pair of lower, outwardly extending fixed sill flanges. A generally vertical longitudinally extending support plate is integrally connected to each fixed sill flange on each side of the fixed sill. A sliding sill support is rigidly connected to each support plate. The sliding sill support includes a horizontal inwardly extending portion that also extends longitudinally inboard. The sliding sill support is located slightly below the fixed sill flange. A pair of low friction wear plates are adopted to be slipped in place upon each sliding sill support. The low friction wear plates include horizontal body portions on each side of the fixed sill upon which the sliding sill rides in moving back and forth. Each wear plate includes "U" shaped end portions which wrap around in the inner and outer ends of the sliding sill support.

Abstract: A composite coupler carrier assembly for railroad cars comprising a lower metallic attachment plate shaped and arranged to be mounted on the car structure supporting the coupler shank, and an upper planar polymeric bearing body of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene that defines an upwardly facing planar bearing surface on which the coupler shank rides. The metallic attachment plate and the polymeric bearing body are fixed to each other by the practice of a spin welding technique involving the forming of a plurality of apertures of frusto-conical edging in the attachment plate, in which the small sides of the apertures are on the same side of the plate, and placing the underside of the polymeric bearing body against said side of the mounting plate, and spin welding in each aperture, to the bearing body, a polymeric disc that is of the same material as the bearing body, and that is proportioned to thereby anchor the attachment plate to the bearing body.

Abstract: A coupler carrier arrangement for railroad cars, in which the car center sill ends are equipped with a striker casting through which the car coupler shank extends for connection to the car center sill, with the striker casting having the familiar cage, in which the coupler carrier is mounted, including an upwardly opening socket on the underside of the casting defining a coupler carrier chamber, in which the coupler carrier itself comprises a body formed from an ultra high molecular weight polymer of dry self lubricating characteristics that replaces both the conventional coupler carrier and the carrier iron, and is shaped to define a horizontally disposed upwardly facing load support surface on which the coupler shank rests, and oppositely facing forward and rearward side walls defining vertically disposed slide surfaces formed for close fitting relation to the coupler carrier chamber inner and outer walls.

Abstract: A rigidifying arrangement for self lubricating wear plate assemblies employed for supporting the inner end of the vertical yoke used in railroad car coupler draft gear rigging, in which the wear plate is in the form of a support plate of channel shaped transverse cross section configuration having a planar web portion equipped with a special polymeric liner for supporting the yoke inner end at its operative level within the car center sill. The support plate is rigidified to maintain its planar configuration under the weight of the draft gear and yoke acting on it, by forming same to be of the indicated channel shaped configuration defining along either side edge of the plate web portion a depending flange, in which the flanges are proportioned relative to the plate web portion to provide a yoke support plate of one piece construction that is three times as strong as the conventional draft gear wear plate while being only approximately one third the weight of same.

Abstract: A wear member for a railway vehicle and method of making same are provided wherein such wear member is comprised of a metal support having a substantially planar sheet portion which has a continuous supporting surface and ultra high molecular weight polymeric material disposed against the supporting surface on a common interface with such metal support and polymeric material being attached and interlocked together as a unitary structure by cooperating formed means in the two components at the interface and free of additional attaching components.

Abstract: To maintain horizontal alignment of a shank and attached coupler head of a rotary railroad coupler system, a middle portion of the shank is supported by a carrier assembly connected to a striker casting of the coupler system. During rotation of the shank and coupler head in a dumping procedure, for example, the shank interfaces with a saddle casting portion of the carrier assembly to cause wear thereof. To facilitate replacement of the saddle casting portion once wear becomes excessive, the saddle casting portion is provided with spaced inverted T-shaped lugs which allow the saddle casting portion to be removed from a carrier portion of the carrier assembly by means of spaced grooves provided in the carrier portion. Separation of the saddle casting portion from the carrier portion, however, is prevented when the saddle portion and carrier portion are misaligned.

Abstract: A wear member for use between a pair of relatively movable components of a railway vehicle and method of making the same are provided wherein the wear member has a support provided with a continuous supporting surface. Polymeric material is attached to the support and is supported by the continuous supporting surface thereof whereby the polymeric material has an outer antifriction wear surface. A comparatively rigid load-carrying member is embedded in the polymeric material and the load-carrying member serves to maintain the polymeric material free of substantial indentation under conditions of high impact loads applied simultaneously against the load-carrying member and the polymeric material, the load-carrying member having a peripheral side surface being engaged by the polymeric material completely around the entire peripheral side surface so that the load-carrying member is completely surrounded at the peripheral side surface thereof by the polymeric material.

Abstract: A wear member is provided wherein such wear member is used between relatively movable components of a railway vehicle and wherein the wear member comprises a main body made primarily of a polymeric material, a support for the main body with the support having opposed surface portions, and a plurality of openings in the support having integral rivet-like portions of the polymeric main body corresponding in number and configuration to the plurality of openings extending therethrough and holding the main body to the support with such polymeric main body having parts thereof disposed in embracing relation around the opposed surface portions.

Abstract: A railway vehicle wear member is provided between a pair of relatively movable components of the railway vehicle, wherein such wear member has a rigid planar supporting portion used to support a polymeric antifriction wear material and an extension which comprises the planar supporting portion and is formed in position against one of the relatively movable components to hold the wear member against a particular movement relative to the one component.

Abstract: A wear member for use between a pair of relatively movable components of a railway vehicle is provided where the wear member comprises a metal support adapted to be supported on one of the pair of components and a liner attached to the metal support wherein the liner is made of a polymeric matrix material which is reinforced by a metal structure having openings therein and such metal structure is disposed substantially centrally between opposed surfaces of the polymeric material and the opposed surfaces include a smooth antifriction wear surface engageable by the other of the pair of relatively moveable components; and, the liner is attached in position by metal members extending between the metal structure and the metal support through polymeric material disposed therebetween with a plurality of welds welding the metal members in position between the metal structure and the metal support.