Abstract: A convertible semi-trailer for highway and railroad modes of travel includes a coupler device to releasably couple adjacent vehicles end-to-end to form a train for the railroad mode. The coupler includes a male member extending from the end of one of the vehicles and the housing attached to the opposed end of the adjacent vehicles and having an opening therethrough for receiving the male member of the one vehicle. The male member is releasably locked in the housing opening for railroad mode of operation. A resilient pad is positioned in the opening of the housing and has the male member resting thereon to accommodate limited rolling, pitching and relative vertical displacement between the coupled vehicles.

Abstract: A self-steering radial truck having steering arms with side arms, the side arms being contoured and located so that they provide visual and physical access to the trucks brake beam head and brake shoe, place said cross beam at a position clear of the brake beam and car body members and position the connecting post at a preferred location to prevent interference with one of the standard bolster brake rod openings for interconnection with the mating steering arm by a metal male member on one connecting post member slidably engaging a recess in the other connecting post member with metal to metal contact and means to provide for angling articulation of the two arms and the associated wheelsets.

Abstract: A railway car coupler includes a shank, a head connected to a head end portion of the shank, a knuckle pivoted to the head having closed and open positions, and a lock axially movable within a chamber formed in the shank between a knuckle engaged position for maintaining the knuckle in the closed position and a knuckle disengaged position for enabling the knuckle to be pivoted to the open position. A thrower is pivotally connected to the lock and has an arm disposed to one side of the pivot for engaging the knuckle to rotate the knuckle to its open position. An actuating mechanism is connected to the thrower-lock assembly and is axially movable within the chamber. The actuating mechanism functions to axially move the lock towards its knuckle disengaged position, with continued movement of the actuating mechanism in the same direction pivoting the thrower and consequentially the knuckle to its open position after the lock has obtained its knuckle disengaged position.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a resilient side bearing of the type utilized between a truck and body of a railway vehicle includes the steps of providing a bearing housing; sealing the bearing housing to form an enclosed bearing chamber, pouring liquid resilient bearing material into the bearing chamber; permitting the liquid resilient bearing material to cure and become bonded to the interior surface of the housing to form the bearing; and removing the seals after the bearing material has cured.

Abstract: A truck for a railway vehicle including wheelsets each comprising a pair of wheels with an axle rigidly joining the wheels. A bearing assembly is provided at each end of the axle. A side frame having a pedestal jaw at each end accommodates therebetween one of the bearing assemblies, with the bearing assembly including an adapter member. The truck further includes a steering assembly operatively connected to the bearing adapter and thereby to the wheelset for radially steering the truck. The adapter member includes a main body portion underlying the pedestal jaw of the side frame, and an extension section extending axially of the axle inward from the main body portion towards the center of the truck. The adapter member extension section includes an upwardly facing, generally planar surface underlying a steering arm of the steering assembly. The arm is connected to and supported by the surface. Two spaced buttress type ribs project upward from the surface to receive the steering arm therebetween.

Abstract: A railroad freight car truck designed for the installation of steering arms for radial tracking in curves and high speed stability, and truck mounted air brake rigging of the standard type utilizing dual push-rods through the bolster to eliminate the truck biasing forces developed by conventional brake rigging with holes for accommodating the push-rods through the bolster and lugs for allowing the steering arms to engage and guide the brake beams in the lateral direction.

Abstract: A steering assembly for a radially steerable articulated railway car truck has a pair of steering arms that are operably joined to the truck axles and connected together by a linkage passing over the truck bolster adjacent the side frames. The steering arms can be retrofitted to an existing conventional (non-radially steerable) three piece railway truck regardless of the type of brake rigging the truck employs. The linkage structure includes a pivotable link located at each end of the bolster and joining the steering arms for articulated movement.

Abstract: An adapter pad centering device for the side frame of a radially steerable railway car truck with pedestal jaws on opposed end portions thereof for mounting railway car wheel assemblies equipped with a resilient bearing adapter pad mounted between the bearing adapter and the pedestal jaw roof. The adapter pad centering device includes a pair of rigid adapter pad stops on the side frame at opposed sides of the pedestal jaw opening at the roof thereof. Each of the stops has an abutment extending transverse to the side frame. These abutments are spaced so that when the adapter pad is positioned between them, an upper portion of the pad is restrained from significant movement in the longitudinal direction of the side frame. The lower portion of the adapter pad is attached to the bearing adapter and temporarily displaced during steering motions of the truck.