Abstract: An internal shoe drum brake having a generally C-shaped shoe return spring of which an intermediate portion is retained on the backplate and respective end portions respectively engage brake shoes. The intermediate portion of the spring is retained by a retention device secured to the brake backplate and has opposed tongues embracing a portion of the spring in such a manner as to retain the spring relative to the backplate in directions generally parallel to the latter. The retention device also retains the spring in a direction perpendicular to the backplate and may be associated with or embody a mounting device for an electrical component.

Abstract: A Brake Travel Indicator for use on a vehicle having a plurality of air brake assemblies secured to the undercarriage of the vehicle and stationary with respect thereto, responsive solely to the linear movement of the push rod clevis of each air brake assembly to provide a visible indication of excess linear movement of the push rod clevis and probable need for brake maintenance as well as an indication of the particular wheel where such maintenance is probably needed and comprising a travel indicator tube which slideably engages with a fixed reference tube to slide in and out of said reference tube to provide visible indication of probable need for brake maintenance and an electrical monitoring system cooperating with the travel indicator tube comprising a continuous electrical circuit connected to a remote display panel with a plurality of multicolored lamps to indicate excess brake travel by one colored lighted lamp, to indicate open circuit or power loss condition by lack of lighted colored lamps, and to

Abstract: A strut for a vehicle suspension includes a strut mount insulator including a rod mount bracket, and a shock absorber including a rod mounted to said rod mount bracket. The rod has a longitudinal axis and a sensor mount surface radially extending with respect to the longitudinal axis. The strut further includes means for providing a positive motion connection between the rod mount bracket and the rod. The positive motion connection providing means includes a load sensor pre-loaded between said sensor mount surface of the rod and the rod mount bracket of the strut mount insulator. According to the present invention, the positive motion connection providing means includes a spacer disposed between the sensor mount surface and the rod mount bracket.

Abstract: A variable damping force shock absorber has a hollow cylinder, in which is disposed a thrusting piston for defining upper and lower fluid chambers. A fluid path is defined through the piston and a piston rod for establishing fluid communication between the upper and lower fluid chambers. A first flow restrictive orifice is provided in the fluid path which first flow restrictive orifice has variable flow restriction characteristics according to a first variation characteristic in relation to a piston stroke speed. A second flow restrictive orifice is also provided in the fluid path. The second flow restrictive orifice has a variable multitude flow restriction according to a second variation characteristic in relation to the piston stroke speed, which second variation characteristic is so determined as to establish, linear variation of damping force in relation to the piston stroke speed. A communication path is formed for establishing communication between the first and second flow restrictive orifices.

Abstract: A shock absorbing device is disclosed, allowing reducing the vehicle weight at least by half. The device includes a tubular housing (TH) and within it a resilient shock dampening assembly (SDS) elastically axially movable is secured, through one or more inter coiled preliminary extended tension coil springs 6 and (6a). (SDS) also is locked to (TH) by a locking ring (8), in order to preserve said preliminary extension. (SDS) includes a plurality of telescopic sections, (UTS), (ITS2), (ITS1), and (LTS), resiliently supported by a plurality of compression coil springs (1), (2), and (3), interposed between them, designed to absorb average shocks. When the greater shock forces after entirely compressing the springs reach their predetermined unlocking level, rather than bottoming, ring (8) is opened, allowing the (SDS) to extend axially upward, opposed by springs (6) and (6a).

Abstract: A levitation system of a magnetically levitated train is provided wherein superconducting magnets are installed in a car body, and the first layer and the second layer of levitation coils are so arranged as to be in a shifted location relative to each other in the moving direction of the train. By making the levitation coils two layers and by arranging the two layers in the shifted location relative to each other in the moving direction, amplitude of higher harmonic waves is reduced to a very small level, substantially to zero.

Abstract: A railway car yoke having a rear end portion, a body portion, a top forward portion and a bottom forward portion. Each of the top forward portion and the bottom forward portion include a thickened portion through which one aperture is formed to receive a connecting pin therein. A bottom strap portion of such body portion includes an aperture therein to enable adjustment of a blockout device contained within such yoke.

Abstract: A fluid-filled elastic mount including first and second support members and an elastic body interposed between these members for elastic connection thereof. The elastic mount has a pressure-receiving chamber partially defined by the elastic body, first and second equilibrium chambers defined by first and second flexible diaphragms and communicating with the pressure-receiving chamber through first and second orifice passages, respectively. The second orifice passage has a higher ratio of the cross sectional area to the length than the first orifice passage. The present elastic mount further includes a pressure control device for selectively applying a vacuum pressure to a vacuum-receiving chamber which lies behind the second equilibrium chamber via the second diaphragm, to thereby restrict elastic deformation of the second diaphragm.

Abstract: A rail type underwater travel vehicle includes a passenger observation room, an engine room housing drive apparatus and a flotation adjustment tank chamber. The vehicle can travel freely from land into water by means of drive tires that are rotated by the drive apparatus, the drive tires riding on a pair of travel guides extending from the land into the water.

Abstract: An improved propulsion system for a magnetically levitated vehicle comprising a vehicle mounted superconductor coil and a propulsion coil comprising an inner and outer coil wherein the levels of mutual inductance developed between the inner propulsion coil and the superconductor coil is about the same as the mutual inductance developed between the outer propulsion coil and the superconductor coil.

Abstract: A railway vehicle bogie has a pair of levers and twos pairs of links driven by the pair of levers so as to swivel axles. The front and rear axle boxes are spaced longitudinally of the bogie frame and are angularly displaceably mounted at the centers thereof to the bogie frame. The axle boxes carry a vehicle body thereon and support axles therein. First links are angularly displaceably connected to the front axle box while second links are angularly displaceably connected to the rear axle box. A pair of levers are spacedly disposed transversely of the bogie frame and angularly displaceably connected at their intermediate portions to the bogie frame. One of the levers is angularly and displaceably connected to the distal ends of one of the first links and one of the second links thereto while the other is angularly and displaceably connected to the distal ends of the other of the first links and the other of the second links thereto.

Abstract: Since slide-pin support portions and first braking-torque support portions are independent of each other in the body of a bracket included in a reaction force type disk brake, even if the first braking-torque support portions have deflected more or less by supporting the braking torque of a first friction pad, the deflections are not transmitted to the slide-pin support portions. Accordingly, no twists take place between slide pins and the slide-pin support portions. Besides, in the bracket, the support points of the respective slide pins are arranged in a region defined between second and third straight lines, so that even when the braking torque of a second friction pad has acted on the slide-pin support points through second braking-torque support portions as well as the slide pins on account of the shortened distances between the slide-pin support points and bracket fixation points, turning moments which arise about the fixation points are small.

Abstract: An engine mount for motor vehicles having two enclosed chambers containing hydraulic fluid, which chambers are separated from each other by a partition containing a damping channel passing therethrough to permit hydraulic fluid to flow back and forth between the chambers to damp vibrations imparted to the mount. The engine mount is equipped with a decoupling unit within one of the hydraulic chambers for coupling and decoupling the damping action of the mount in response to varying driving conditions and engine performance. The decoupling unit has a rigid member forming a cavity into which a flexible diaphragm is deflected when vibrations occur when the decoupling unit is set in a decoupling mode to prevent fluid from being pumped back and forth through the damping channel.

Abstract: A portable snow skier rope towing system comprises: an endless loop of flexible tow rope; a series of pulleys supporting the endless loop of tow rope for driving about an elongated enclosed path, the elongated path having opposed extreme ends, each extreme end being defined by at least one pulley; a supporting frame; a motor operably mounted relative to the supporting frame, the motor having an output drive; and a winch apparatus operably connected with the motor output drive and relative to the supporting frame, the tow rope passing through the winch at a location within the enclosed path which is displaced from each of the extreme end pulleys, the winch apparatus comprising: a drive wheel mounted for rotation and engagement with the output drive, the drive wheel having a circumference with a tapered groove formed thereabout which receives the tow rope; a rope inlet wheel mounted for rotation adjacent the drive wheel, the inlet wheel having a circumferential groove which receives the tow rope; and a rope out

Abstract: The shoe hold down spring (40) comprises a single wave form or serpentine shaped leaf spring (40) which is engaged at opposite ends (42, 44) by hold down pins (53, 55) of a drum brake. The hold down pins (53, 55) are connected with the backing plate (12) and extend through respective openings (21, 23) within a brake shoe web (20). The hold down spring (40) includes opposite ends (42, 44) and a middle portion (41) all of which extend away and are spaced-apart from the shoe web (20), and two intermediate curved portions (47, 49) which engage the web (20). The opposite ends (42, 44) of the hold down spring (40) have slots (43, 45) extending inwardly from spring edges (42A, 44A), and small curved recesses (42B, 44B) which effect securement of ends (53A, 55A) of the pins (53, 55) to the spring (40). The pins (53, 55) have laterally extending wings (53B, 55B) at the pin ends (53A, 55A) which are received within the small curved recesses (42A, 44A) at the respective ends (42, 44) of the spring (40).

Abstract: A heat shield installation on a tire supporting wheel and brake assembly having a rim member with an inner surface that surrounds a heat sink composed of stator and rotor brake discs. A plurality of circumferentially spaced drive keys are located between the heat sink and the inner surface of the rim member with such keys slidably mounting the rotor discs. A heat shield is located between the inner surface and the drive keys with a plurality of circumferentially spaced spacers secured thereto. Fastener members interconnect the drive keys to the rim members through the spacers while securely locking the heat shield radially and axially relative to the rim member of the tire supporting wheel.

Abstract: A conveyor system for transporting wheeled trucks along a roadway that has straight and curved portions, in the center of which lies a chain conveyor. The trucks selectively engage the chain so as to be impelled thereby to move along the roadway and are supported on four wheel casters that traverse the roadway. The trucks have an upper turntable surface which can rotate in 90.degree. segments as the trucks follow around a corner of the roadway. The turntable is rotated by a four arm cross-lever connected to the turntable below the truck and non-rotatable with respect to the turntable. Turntable turning assemblies located adjacent the roadway, extend upward from the roadway to engage an arm of the four arm cross-lever to rotate the turntable as the truck encounters the turntable turning assembly. A tow pin hangs from the trucks and can be actuated to separate it from the chain to stop the truck by two different lifting mechanisms.

Abstract: A height compensation device for a railway truck having at least two pairs of rail engaging support wheels. The height compensation device is secured at opposed ends of a truck bolster and compensates for car body height loss after the wheels are re-profiled. The compensation device comprises a bearing element having a top support surface on which the car body rests. A displaceable height adjustment plate having one or more shim sections of different thicknesses is provided with one of the sections being disposed between the bearing element and the truck bolster by lifting the car body off the bearing element whereby to dispose the top support surface of the bearing element at a predetermined desired height above the truck bolster to maintain the car body at a substantially constant height from track level after wheel profiling.

Abstract: An axially adjustable blockout apparatus positionable in a draft gear pocket of a yoke to allow equipping a railway car with a slackless drawbar coupling arrangement. The apparatus has a pair of spaced end blocks, a pair of spaced wedge members disposed between such end blocks and a threaded member engageable with each of the wedge members for adjustable securing a confronting pair of wedge members together a slidable connection provided to connect the wedge members with the end blocks.

Abstract: A flexible conveyor line comprises (i) an integrally-formed central nonflexible rail which is movable in a horizontal plane, (ii) a first integrally-formed outer nonflexible rail which is immovable, (iii) a second integrally-formed outer nonflexible rail which is immovable, (iv) a first horizontally-flexible rail connected between the first outer nonflexible rail and the central nonflexible rail, and (v) a second horizontally-flexible rail connected between the central nonflexible rail and the second outer nonflexible rail. Each flexible rail comprises rail pieces and connecting plates connecting the rail pieces together. The rail pieces are in contact with each other. Each connecting plate is fixed to one of adjacent rail pieces, and is pivotally connected to the other rail piece. Thus, the rail pieces, together with the connecting plates fixed thereto, are capable of horizontal arcing motion relative to adjacent rail pieces.