Abstract: A suspension for a rail vehicle includes a bogie pedestal 10, an axle box 11 and suspension springs 16, 18 and 19 arranged such that the axle box supports load exerted on the pedestal via the springs. The suspension includes a pair of wedge elements 20 urged, by means of springs 18 and 19, into engagement with faces 30 of the pedestal and faces 21 of the axle box. This engagement causes damping of axle box movements. Wedge elements 20 are urged resiliently in opposing directions A and B into frictional slidable contact at the faces 21 by means of additional preset springs 40 mounted at the pedestal 11. This further urging is independent of the load carried by the springs and provides improved suspension characteristics.

Abstract: A suspension for a rail vehicle includes at least one spring (18) carrying a wedge element (20) constrained to move in a vertical direction and a load application member (24) for engaging the wedge (20) to transmit the load to the wedge (20) along a direction. The damping ration of the suspension is variable by altering the engagement between the load application member (24) and the wedge (20) and hence the direction.