Abstract: A self-steering wheel truck for use with a railway locomotive or powered transit car in which tractive force is transferred from the axles to the frame through traction rods and steering beams connecting with the end axles. The steering beams are interconnected through upstanding shafts pivotally connected to transverse frame members, control arms and resilient curved diagonal alignment arms. The resilient curved alignment arms move the end axles to equal and opposite angulation under compression for a return to parallel operation upon release of self-steering forces.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for assembling and adjusting a drum brake of the type of those which comprise: a backplate (2); two shoes (3, 4); return springs (5, 6) urging these shoes towards one another; a wheel cylinder (7) secured to the backplate; an anchoring unit (8) secured to the backplate; and a strut (9) of adjustable length limiting the degree to which the shoes are brought together. This method includes a first step consisting in preassembling and adjusting a subassembly of the brake comprising the two shoes, the strut, and the return springs, and a removable wedge can be located between the shoes.

Abstract: A rail car has a sliding sill located within a fixed frame and a shock absorber for absorbing shock. The shock absorber has a housing with inner and outer chambers containing oil and gas. A piston extends from the housing. The housing has an end plate on its end which engages a frame stop. The housing has a base end which engages another frame stop. Limiting stops formed on the housing limit the amount of buff movement allowed.

Abstract: A load carrying unit including a vertically movable pin for engagement with a movable chain of a chain conveyor includes a vertically movable chain engaging pin assembly attached to a front end of a frame structure of the load carrying unit, wherein the vertically moving chain engaging pin assembly includes a cam follower and is vertically movable in response to the position of the cam follower. The cam follower is in cooperating relation with a cam which is provided with a cam surface which follows the contour of a chain guide assembly which includes the movable chain therein.

Abstract: A supporting device (10) for overhead runways comprises a fastening and adjusting coupling for connecting a bracket (12) (the lower end of which is secured to the rail (13)) to an upper suspension beam (11). The coupling comprises a first (20) and a second (23) element for connecting the beam to the bracket, the first element defining a circumferential rim (19), two parallel plates (14, 15) being interconnected by bolts (16, 17, 18) which reciprocally close together to grip the circumferential rim between the plates thereby enabling the reciprocal rotation of the element and plates around a vertical axis. The plates (14, 15) are adjustably connected to the second element to allow adjustment of the reciprocal gap between the first and second elements.

Abstract: An adjustable wheel chock mechanism for use on tandem axle vehicles that includes an adjustable wheel chock to accommodate vehicles with larger or smaller spacing between the tandem axles. The wheel chocks are comprised of a rigid quadrilateral frame which allows the use of a single rotating spindle and eliminates the need for additional hardware to construct each separate wheel chock. The present device also includes a removable crank to provide additional theft deterrence.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for reducing the aerodynamic drag of a cavity in a flow, said device comprising a blade disposed upstream from the cavity so that it overlaps at least one edge of the cavity and the corresponding wall of the corresponding vehicle, and so that it is in the vicinity of said wall. The invention also relates to a vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle, provided with such a device.

Abstract: A lightweight sideframe having a solid and open, unitary cross-sectional I-beam shape, is structurally improved by strengthening both sides of the sideframe with cross-bracing at each pedestal jaw area. The cross-bracing laterally stiffens the sideframe, eliminating the succeptability to twisting of the I-beam shape when a transverse load is experienced. The increased lateral stiffness at the jaw area also strengthens the total lateral strength of the sideframe, allowing some removal of metallic mass from the sideframe spring seat plate. The improved lateral sideframe strength also contributes to an increase in the threshold speed of truck hunting.

Abstract: A crossing apparatus for use with a tunnel-shaped bellows mounted between two vehicles connected to one another in an articulated manner in which an apron bridges a gap between the side wall of the bellows and a turning platform. The apron has folds corresponding to the side walls. It also consists of material strips, two each of which are connected to one another at the longitudinal edges belonging to one another by apparatus of rail-like profiles. The apron-clamping profiles are brought together at their top ends with bellows-clamping profiles of the respective side wall. Each apron-clamping profile has, between its ends, a gap-bridging course located at a corresponding distance from the respective side wall. Each apron is a structural unit comprising a number of apron-clamping profiles and a material web. Each apron-clamping profile forms a frame which is closed in itself from two partial profiles. One partial profile is straight and extends in parallel to the side wall of the bellows.

Abstract: A compression adjustment mechanism for a shock absorber includes a screw cam which is screwed into a bore in the endcap of the shock absorber and which abuts the spring seat for the compression or blow off valve spring. Tightening or loosening the screw cam, relative to the endcap, causes the preload of the compression valve spring to increase or decrease, thereby increasing or decreasing, respectively, the compression forces in the shock absorber. The compression adjustment mechanism can act on the spring seat from any direction, thereby eliminating the need to selectively orient the working cylinder and compression head assembly to the outer cylinder and endcap assembly during assembly of the shock absorber.

Abstract: There is disclosed a rail bogie for connection with an intermodal or rail highway trailer having conventional highway wheels. The rail bogie includes an adapter engageable with a trailer and incorporating a lift mechanism for enabling the adapter to be lowered or collapsed for insertion beneath a trailer, and to be lifted or extended for raising the trailer and lifting the trailer wheels off of the ground.

Abstract: An actuating lever for a parking and emergency brake mechanism for use in a vehicle drum brake assembly includes a backing plate mounted on the vehicle for supporting a pair of brake shoes. A service brake mechanism is provided for selectively moving the brake shoes apart from one another into frictional engagement with an inner friction surface of a brake drum mounted on a wheel of the vehicle. The brake shoes include respective web portions which are generally flat and crescent-shaped. Arcuate table portions are secured to the opposed outer curved surfaces of the web portions, such as by welding, and friction pads are secured to the outer arcuate surfaces of the table portions of the brake pads. An aperture is formed through the upper end of the web portion of one of the brake shoes. The actuating lever for the parking and emergency brake mechanism is pivotally supported on the one brake shoe.

Abstract: A safety system for restraining and preventing a person from falling off an elevated structure such as a locomotive. The safety system includes a segmented rail structure comprising a plurality of releasable and/or removable rail sections that are supported by a series of rail posts. The rail sections can be released and/or removed in order to provide access to an adjacent locomotive compartment to be serviced. A pair of spring biased support members are attached to each of the rail posts and automatically extend when corresponding section is removed. A moveable trolley apparatus engages the rail sections with a plurality of wheels, and has an extendable arm that can be connected to a lanyard worn by a maintenance person. When extended, the raised support members prevent the trolley from coming off the end of a rail section adjacent to a rail section that has been removed.

Abstract: An article carrying apparatus for carrying an article by utilizing pressure of fluid such as compressed air, comprising a cylinder tube, a guide rail extending along the cylinder tube, a piston movable by an action of fluid pressure in the cylinder tube, a moving piece for carrying an article supported in such a manner that its movement is restricted in all directions except in an axial direction by the guide rail and movable in the axial direction along the guide rail and the cylinder tube, and a magnet coupling mounted on each of the moving piece and the piston, whereby the cylinder tube and the guide rail are arranged as independent members and are connected with each other by a connecting mechanism with a degree of freedom.

Abstract: A suspension attachment apparatus is described suitable for use in a motor vehicle having an elongate suspension member interposed and connecting a sprung mass to an unsprung mass. The apparatus includes an isolator and a mechanism for fastening the suspension member to the sprung mass. The mechanism ensures proper orientation of the suspension member during the assembly process. Additionally, the mechanism simultaneously prevents rotation of the suspension member along its longitudinal axis relative to the isolator and prevents rotation of the isolator relative the sprung mass while isolating the sprung mass from vibrations of the unsprung mass.

Abstract: A rope locking device and method are provided to prevent inadvertent rope movement of counterbalanced riggings as used in theaters and auditoriums. The locking device housing is rigidly supported on a floor or wall and includes a handle to manually release a handline passing therethrough as needed. Resiliently mounted jaws with teeth within the housing adjustably grip the handline and prevent slippage thereof. When there is an out-of-balance condition, the jaws grip the handline even though the manual release handle is moved to its release position.

Abstract: Track laying apparatus and associated methods are provided for installing rails on blocks. In a preferred embodiment, a track laying apparatus has an installation portion for installing the blocks to the rails at predetermined lateral and longitudinal spacings, relative to the lengths of the rails, and a positioning portion for propelling and steering the apparatus and lifting and laterally spacing the rails.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pusher dog, which is mounted on a driving conveyor chain and normally urged to a standing position, and which is detachably hooked on a truck. The pusher dog tilt operation plate is mounted on a storage conveyor. An upward urging member pushes up the pusher dog tilt operation plate to abut a lower end portion of the pusher dog in such a direction that the pusher dog is made to tilt and is released from engagement with the truck. A press down member presses down the pusher dog tilt operation plate against the upward urging force.

Abstract: A specially designed single axle truck is designed for use on extra long railroad cars which are sixty feet or longer to accommodated bigger and heavier loads. The single axle trucks are secured to rigid subframes which, in turn, are mounted on the under carriage of a railroad freight car, adjacent each of the opposing ends of the car, for rotation in a horizontal plane, when the car is resting on a horizontal trackway. The rigid subframes are each provided with a pair of outstanding arms which are designed to engage the car coupler means. whether it be a single drawbar, fixed jaw coupler, or a knuckle type coupler such as an AAR standard F coupler, to engage and transfer lateral movement of the car coupler means into rotary movement of the rigid subframes to actively steer the attached single axle trucks safely through curves in the trackway which the single axle truck would be unable to negotiate, if it were rigidly secured to the under carriage of the railroad car.

Abstract: A trolley system is provided which includes a powered tow trolley that travels along a rail, an end trolley that is fixed to an end of the rail, and several intermediate trolleys that travel along the rail between the tow and end trolleys. All trolleys are interconnected with a flexible tow line. Each intermediate trolley is provided with an individual mechanical brake for preventing movement along the rail until the brake is actively released by either a pulling or pushing force exerted on the corresponding trolley. The trolleys may include saddles for supporting for example, a load of cables or hoses festooned between the trolleys that are used for powering a moving machine connected to the tow trolley.