Abstract: A railway car truck having a pair of side frames and a bolster and a transom extending transversely between the side frames. A respective rocker seat is rigidly and permanently attached to each end of the transom and is pivotally supported on a rocker bar that is supported by the tension member of a sideframe. The pivotal connection between the rocker seat and the rocker bar disposes the transom perpendicular to the side frame and provides pivotal movement of the side frame with respect to the transom. The railway car truck is assembled by inserting the ends of the bolster and transom into the window of a side frame, and then inserting the rocker bar through a passageway in the side frame to a position under the rocker seat and on the bottom tension member of the side frame. Springs are then inserted between the transom and the bolster such that the bolster is resiliently supported on the side frame.

Abstract: A railway car truck having a pair of side frames and a bolster and a transom extending transversely between the side frames. A respective rocker seat is rigidly and permanently attached to each end of the transom and is pivotally supported on a rocker bar that is supported by the tension member of a sideframe. The pivotal connection between the rocker seat and the rocker bar disposes the transom perpendicular to the side frame and provides pivotal movement of the side frame with respect to the transom. The railway car truck is assembled by inserting the ends of the bolster and transom into the window of a side frame, and then inserting the rocker bar through a passageway in the side frame to a position under the rocker seat and on the bottom tension member of the side frame. Springs are then inserted between the transom and the bolster such that the bolster is resiliently supported on the side frame.

Abstract: A pedestal rocker seat arrangement adapted for use in connection with the side frame of a railway truck and with a roller bearing adapter member. The pedestal rocker seat includes an elastomeric pad adapted to be placed within the pedestal roof cavity of the pedestal of a side frame. The pad includes a base member adapted to engage the pedestal and a generally pyramidal-shaped projection extending downwardly from the base member. The pedestal rocker seat also includes a rocker member having a top side including a generally pyramidal-shaped cavity adapted to matingly receive the pyramidal-shaped projection of the elastomeric pad. The rocker member also includes a convex generally cylindrical-shaped curved rocker surface that is adapted to contact the roller bearing adapter member. The pedestal rocker seat provides resistance to hunting and passive axle steering for improved curving.

Abstract: A roll control mechanism for use with a swing motion railway car truck. The control mechanism comprises a transom stop adapted to be attached to the transom of the truck. The transom stop includes a convex cylindrical surface having a tip that is adapted to engage a bolster stop attached to the bolster of the truck to limit lateral movement of the side frames of the truck. The convex cylindrical surface of the transom stop provides a low point of contact between the tip of the transom stop and the bolster stop thereby reducing the magnitude of the overturning movement created by such contact.

Abstract: A multi-axle railroad car truck or bogie is described as having two very important features; namely, a suspension and snubbing mechanism associated with each axle end to cushion, isolate and dampen vibrations imparted to the axles, and a device for mounting each saddle on an associated pedestal for swinging in a generally vertical plane, such that the axles held captive by the saddles, will each independently move laterally in either of a pair of opposing directions of from 1" to 11/4", measured from a center plane midway between the side frames, when the truck is horizontally disposed in a rest position. Further, the saddles are mounted such that each axle end can move independently in either of a pair of opposing directions of from 3/8" to 1/2", measured from a fixed vertical plane which includes the longitudinal axis of the axle, when the truck is horizontally disposed in the rest position. Further described is a rigid framework for distributing loads to the axles of a tri-axle truck or bogie.

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 railroad car truck or bogie is described as having a pair of sideframes between which are mounted a bolster and either a transom or pair of tie rods which, in turn, are attached to a pair of rocker seats which extend into the sideframes and over open, U-shaped channels that are formed in the sideframes midway between the opposing ends of the sideframes. A pair of hardened steel bearings are maintained in spaced coaxial relation in each of the channels. Each of the bearings has at least a parti-cylindrical head which extends in the direction of the adjacent, juxtaposed rocker seat which is provided with a vertically aligned, matingly curved recess for receiving the head of the adjacent bearing. The recesses have a larger radius of curvature to facilitate relative rocking motion between the rocker seats and bearings. Means are provided for limiting the rocking motion between the rocker seats and bearings. Also described is a unique rigid connection between the ends of the tie rods and the rocker seats.

Abstract: A bolster for a railroad car truck is described as having a generally hollow, box-like construction between its opposing ends which are transformed into I-shaped sections which are rigidly secured to the sideframes. The box-like frame provides the stiffness or rigidity necessary to resist high vertical and longitudinal loads which can cause the bolster to bend during operation of the truck. The I-shaped sections are relatively more flexible than the box-like frame to accommodate or absorb the twist loads that are encountered while being rigid enough to resist the loads that can cause the bolster to bend.

Abstract: A bolster of a railroad car truck is shallow and has a unique reinforcement rib which extends longitudinally of the bolster between a pair of stops which are designed to engage adjacent abutments which are carried by a transom to limit relative axial movement between the bolster and transom. The transom is generally flat and is provided with an elongated slot between the abutments to receive the reinforcement rib should the bolster, under load, deflect toward the transom a distance where the rib would contact the transom, if it were not for the slot in the transom.

Abstract: A new improved mechanism is described for dampening forces between the sideframes and bolster of a railroad car truck or bogie. The mechanism comprises a pair of triangularly shaped wedges which are positioned between a pair of wear plates carried by each of the sideframes and an adjacent pair of inclined wear plates which are disposed in a pair of wedge pockets which are formed adjacent each of the opposing ends of the bolster. The inclined wear plates of the bolster are bolted, in place, rather than being conventionally welded. Space is provided for the nuts and bolts by removing and redirecting the top side of the bolster, adjacent the inclined wear plates, to intersect the inclined wear plate in the area of line contact between the inclined wear plate and adjacent curved surface of the wedge to buttress or reinforce the slotted bolster in this area.

Abstract: A railroad car sideframe of a truck is provided with a pair of identical twin ribs which are designed to reinforce and strengthen each of the pedestal frames against stress failures caused by the large railroad cars being built today and the heavier loads which they are capable of hauling. The use of these twin ribs simplifies the machining operation used in the fabrication of the pedestal frames.

Abstract: A connection is described for securing the ends of a transom to rocker seats which are each supported on a pair of rocker seat bearings that are designed to rest in u-shaped channels which are formed in the sideframes of a railroad car truck or bogie. The aligned holes in the overlapped transom ends and rocker seats are provided with oppositely tapered conical seats to matingly receive a conically shaped end of a nut which threadably engages the shaft of a bolt which has a conically shaped head which matingly fits in the conically tapered seat of the hole opposite the nut. A metal lock nut or an elastomeric locking ring can be provided to engage the nut and bolt to prevent them from loosening and eventually coming apart.

Abstract: An improved swing-motion truck in which the transom has been replaced by a pair of transverse radius or tie rods for coupling the two rocker seats of the two side frames of the truck. The ends of the rods are directly coupled to anchor brackets formed as part of the side-frame rocker seats via an elastomeric connection. The suspension springs of the railway freight car truck are seated directly upon the upper flat surface of the two rocker seats of the side frames of the truck, so that lighter-weight freight cars may be accommodated, without a friction-dependent coupling between the rocker seats and rods interconnecting the rocker seats, and where an overall lower height truck results to provide a low-deck car. The cooperating limit stops for lateral motion of the truck are mounted directly on the rocker seats themselves.

Abstract: An improved articulated connector or coupler in which the connection between the male connecting member and female connecting member via a king pin is provided with an elastomeric bushing housed in the male connecting member. The bushing has an outer metallic ring, and inner metallic ring, and a middle ring of elastomeric material, by which a coupling free of uncontrolled slack is achieved and by which all normal draft and buffing, as well as train-action and angling, forces, are damped and partially absorbed by the elastomeric ring. For excessive loads, in order to protect the elastomeric ring, over solid metal-to-metal stops are provided which shunt the force transmittal from the eleastomeric ring to metal stop-surfaces. The king pin is also frustro-conical in shape at the intermediate portion thereof passing through the bushing of the male connecting member, which bushing has a similarly-shaped frustro-conical passageway.

Abstract: An improved saddle frame for a passive steering single-axle truck for a railway freight car that allows for unobstructed passage of infrared rays from the wheel bearings, so that they may be sensed by a hot-box detector mounted on a rail bed. The saddle frame has a center web section including a pair of parallel lower flanges, which flanges are cut back on the inboard sides thereof to allow for the unobstructed passage of the infrared rays. Each inboard section is of considerably reduced width as compared to the outboard sections, with compensatory thickening being provided for both inboard and outboard sections of the flanges. The inboard sides of the saddle frame's upright columns and spring arms are also cut back at a forty-five degree slope in order to ensure that the infrared rays reach the hot-box detector.

Abstract: A bolster for a railroad car is described as having larger than normal wedge shoes which necessitate enlarged pockets that reduce the strength of the bolster casting, thereby making it more susceptible to fracturing, unless the high force concentrations in the areas of the pockets are eliminated or substantially reduced. This is accomplished primarily by the removal of portions of the bolster sidewalls between the pockets and outboard lugs for restricting movement of the sideframes longitudinally of the bolsters.