Abstract: A motor-assisted joint system is provided to improve maneuverability and safety of an articulated bus. The motor-assisted joint system is enabled when the articulated bus is operated in an active damping mode. An articulated joint with a flat motor is used. According to the velocity of the articulated bus, a highly sensitive damping force is calculated and an opposing force is generated to balance the inertia of the articulated bus when an oversteering event or a tire slip event occurs. Consequently, the driving performance of the articulated bus in various aspects is enhanced.

Abstract: A railcar damping device includes: a tank storing a liquid; a first opening/closing valve provided in a first passage connecting a rod side chamber and a piston side chamber, which are defined by a piston, to be capable of opening and closing the first passage; a second opening/closing valve provided in a second passage connecting the piston side chamber and the tank to be capable of opening and closing the second passage; a pump that is driven to rotate at a predetermined normal rotation speed in order to supply the liquid from the tank to the rod side chamber; and a temperature determination unit that determines a temperature of the liquid supplied to the actuator, wherein a rotation speed of the pump is reduced below a normal rotation speed when the temperature determination unit determines that the temperature of the liquid is lower than a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A railcar damping device includes: a tank storing a liquid; a first opening/closing valve provided in a first passage connecting a rod side chamber to a piston side chamber, which are defined by a piston, to be capable of opening and closing the first passage; a second opening/closing valve provided in a second passage connecting the piston side chamber to the tank to be capable of opening and closing the second passage; a pump that supplies the liquid from the tank to the rod side chamber; a motor that rotates at a fixed rotation speed in order to drive the pump to rotate; and a section determination unit that determines whether a section type of a current travel section of the railcar is an open section or a tunnel section on the basis of a speed deviation between a target rotation speed and an actual rotation speed of the motor.

Abstract: A multiple track railroad system for use with two adjacent sets of parallel continuous tracks with the tracks having a distance therebetween and each set of tracks including two continuous rails having a distance therebetween. The railroad system includes an engine for pulling a train that has a set of wheels riding on at least two of the rails, and the engine has a width equal to at least one set of the tracks. The railroad system also includes at least one rail car connected to and propelled by the engine, wherein the rail car spans and extends beyond the outer rails of both sets of tracks.

Abstract: A multiple track railroad system for use with two adjacent sets of parallel continuous tracks with the tracks having a distance therebetween and each set of tracks including two continuous rails having a distance therebetween. The railroad system includes an engine for pulling a train that has a set of wheels riding on at least two of the rails, and the engine has a width equal to at least one set of the tracks. The railroad system also includes at least one rail car connected to and propelled by the engine, wherein the rail car spans and extends beyond the outer rails of both sets of tracks.

Abstract: On an outer periphery of a link 30 for connecting a member car body 20 and a bogie car frame 11, vessel is provided and 42 into which particle shaped members 41 are inserted. A rotation vibration generated from a drive system of a running electric motor 14, a transmission apparatus and a shaft coupling is transmitted to the link 30. The vibration energy generated at link 30 is converted to the kinetic energy in response to the collision of the particle-shaped members 41 contained in the vessel 42 so that the vibration at the link 30 is reduced. Accordingly, the propagation of the vibration to a car body can be restrained. The particle-shaped members 41 can be inserted into a cylindrical portion 31 of the link 30. Further, the particle-shaped members 41 can be inserted movably into a column 32. In a railway vehicle having a bogie car, the vibration caused by the unbalance of the drive system can be restrained and the noise in a car accompanied with the vibration can be reduced.

Abstract: The car under-frame of the invention comprises a planar coupling member 2 projecting from a first car C toward a second car B, a bearing inner ring 3 positioned on the upper side of planar coupling member 2 and secured rigidly thereto, a bearing outer ring 6 disposed on the outer peripheral side of bearing inner ring 3 through balls, a bearing step 5 positioned on the upper side of bearing outer ring 6 and to which the bearing outer ring is rigidly secured, and an articular coupling member 7 projecting from the second car B toward the first car C to grip a mounting arm 5b of bearing step 5. The mounting arm 5b of bearing step 5 is integral with a generally discoid body segment 5a and disposed below the top end face of body segment 5a and extending radially outwardly from either side of body segment 5a. In accordance with the invention there can be provided a under-frame structure which makes it possible to lower the car floor level without interfering with strength and coupler performance.

Abstract: A railway vehicle having twelve wheel and axle assemblies grouped into six 2-axle truck assemblies. Three truck assemblies are mounted on each of two span bolsters which in turn are mounted on opposite ends of a railway vehicle. All of the truck assemblies are rotatably mounted to the span bolster and the span bolster is rotatably mounted to the rail vehicle. The center assembly can be rotatably mounted about an axis common with the axis of the center plate of the span bolster. In some embodiments the spring assembly on the center truck assembly of each span bolster is lighter than the spring assemblies on the other truck assemblies mounted to the same bolster. In some embodiments the center truck assembly can move laterally more than the other truck assemblies on the span bolster.

Abstract: An apparatus specifically tailored to transporting pipes in a tunnel is disclosed. A pair of low slung bogies are used to support and transport a pipe to pipe junction location. The bogies move over a pair of rails on rollers. The pipe rests on a set of inflatable devices which may be selectively inflated in a controlled manner to move the pipe in two axes during transport to the junction site. At the junction site, the inflatable devices are used to "jockey" the pipe on the transport device to provide limited roll, pitch and yaw movement of the pipe to facilitate mating the transported pipe with the end of a previously set pipe string.

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: On undercarriages for railway vehicles with at least four wheelsets which are combined into trucks, the invention teaches that force-controlled or displacement-controlled actuators are located on the end wheelsets of the trucks. These actuators thereby act on the wheelset bearings, and in terms of their effect, they are connected in parallel, in the case of the force-controlled actuators, and in series, in the case of the displacement-controlled actuator with a wheelset restraint. This system makes possible a controlled rotation of the wheelset in relation to the truck frame.

Abstract: A multiple track rail transportation system provides cars having a greater than standard width to span adjacent parallel tracks, and apparatus providing for such cars to ride on standard wheel trucks on each of the parallel tracks. Laterally spaced apart and coupled conventional engines may be used to pull such cars, and interconnection between the laterally spaced apart locomotives is provided to enable the train to be operated by a single crew in the cab of one locomotive. Alternatively, a single locomotive spanning the two adjacent parallel tracks may be used. Couplings are provided to enable conventional cars to be coupled to the wider cars and/or engine as needed. The system provides gains in efficiency over relatively narrow trains limited by a single track, allowing shorter trains to still carry the same amount of cargo and/or passengers, and moreover allows wider loads to be carried without disassembly or transfer to smaller cars.

Abstract: The driven running gear is intended for low-platform rail vehicles with at least two body parts which are articulated to each other. It is provided with two individual running gears (2, 2') fitted with steering means (15, 15', 16). The running gears are interconnected to pivot about their horizontal axis beneath the axial center of the wheels (8, 8') by a connecting member (3). The connecting member has at its ends transversely directed support arms (4, 4') for the support of a body part. On the latter there are fastened at least one motor (21, 21') and a brake (23, 23', 24, 24') which drive and brake the running gear (1) via telescopic universal shafts (25, 25') and bevel gearings (26, 26') arranged on the outside of the wheels on both individual running gears (2, 2').

Abstract: The present invention pertains to the connection of two multi-axle running gears into a running gear group for rail vehicles with low-lying platform, wherein the running gears have at least two wheel sets with small wheel base and a running gear frame consisting of side walls and crossbeams betweenn two axles. The wheel sets are mounted in the running gear frame via axle bearings, and each running gear is connected to the platform with false pivot only via a leaf spring and link suspension located transversely in front of and along each side wall. To ensure that the correct turn-out angle of each running gear and each running gear group is freely guaranteed during cornering, and at a correct axle load equalization of the running gears of each running gear group is ensured.

Abstract: A linear motor driven conveyor which includes a carrier rail and primary members provided within a pit, main trolleys adapted to run along the carrier rail and connected with a carrying frame, and front and rear trolleys. The connecting members are pivotably connected vertically and horizontally with each trolley within the pit, the lower surfaces of the connecting members each having a reaction plate of a linear induction motor.

Abstract: An axle for a rail vehicle is pivotally connected to two equal length swinging arms, each of which is pivotally connected to the rail vehicle. The axle rotates about a virtual vertical axis away from the axle and nearer to the center of the rail vehicle. The axle is then radial for all curves over which a rail vehicle would usually traverse. In addition, the overhang of the rail vehicle while traversing a curve is reduced since the rail vehicle chords between virtual axes.

Abstract: The traction bogie comprises two wheel sets each coupled with a traction motor. The bogie frame is mounted resiliently on the wheel sets with provision for movement at least lengthwise of the bogie. Each of the casings of the traction motors is carried on the associated wheel set and is connected to the bogie frame to be movable in three dimensions. Also, each casing is connected to the bogie frame by way of two links which are adapted to transmit traction and braking forces and which are articulated to the bogie frame and to the casing to be pivotable around substantially vertical axes. The links are so disposed that their longitudinal axes converge and the imaginary extensions of the longitudinal axes intersect one another at an intersection point disposed in the vicinity of the wheel set and casing. The intersection point determines the position of an imaginary vertical rotational axis around which the wheel set and the associated traction motor can pivot relatively to the bogie frame.

Abstract: A self-steering railway truck having interconnected steering arms associated with the axled wheelsets and having mechanism for yieldingly resisting yawing motion of the wheelsets including at least two devices, at least one of which provides a relatively high rate of increase of resistance per unit of deflection in the initial portion of the yaw motion and at least another of which provides a relatively low rate of increase of resistance per unit of deflection in a portion of the motion beyond the initial portion.

Abstract: A three-axle powered self-steering railway truck is disclosed having a five link steering linkage connected between the axles on either side of the truck and interconnected laterally to provide radial steering action of the end axles linked to lateral translation of the center axle during curve negotiation. The steering and traction linkage is positioned to be free of interference with the traction motors and drive gears.

Abstract: A frameless self-steering radial wheeled support vehicle for a railroad car body includes:(a) a pair of wheelsets,(b) a support at opposite ends of each wheelset for independently mounting a railroad car body on each end of the wheelset,(c) resilient shear pads for mounting each support upon an end of a wheelset, which pads permit both lateral and yaw movement of a wheelset relative to its supports, and(d) a linkage connecting adjacent ends of each wheelset constraining the wheelsets to yaw in opposite sense and permitting lateral movement of one wheelset relative to the other.

Abstract: A bottom discharge hopper rail car train includes a pair of hopper rail cars each having a hopper body mounted on a chassis. Adjacent ends of the two hopper rail cars are supported by a split bogie assembly having bogie parts each pivotally mounted at an end region of a respective rail car and each including a pair of flanged wheels rotatable about a common axis. In this invention, the bogie parts are mounted adjacent to one another and each have formations for co-operating with complementary formations on the other bogie part for co-operating movement of the bogie parts of the assembly with respect to one another when the assembly moves along a curved track. The invention also extends to a split bogie assembly.

Abstract: A semi-articulated railway power truck has in preferred embodiment a pair of dual axle sub-trucks semi-articulated for creep force balancing turning control while retaining freedom of rocking and relative longitudinal motion. An equalized centered bolster suspension and low traction rod linkage maintain high equalization of loads and tractive forces at the wheels to provide overall high adhesion and curving efficiency.

Abstract: A railway bogie is disclosed with wheels of high effective conicity and supported on the wheels through pads with low yaw constraint so that they are self-steering. Cross-members connecting diagonally opposed wheels interconnect yawing movements of the wheelset in opposite senses to counteract the tendency to hunt. Wheels on the same side of the bogie are connected by links pivoted on a lever pivoted on the bogie frame at one end and on the bearings of the wheelsets at the other end. This interconnection inhibits the bogies frame from moving longitudinally when braking or traction forces are present and ensures that yawing movements of the frame are effectively transmitted through the wheelsets and then to the wheel/rail contact area.

Abstract: A radial axle railway truck has separate depressed center beam-type side frames mounted at their ends on journal bearing assemblies by means of elastomeric pad devices between downwardly facing surfaces on the side frames and upwardly facing surfaces on the bearing assemblies, the pad devices near the ends of the side frames being at a level higher than the axle centers and laterally inboard of the side frames and those remote from the ends of the side frames being at a level lower than the axle centers and laterally outboard of the side frames, thereby conforming with sloping end portions of the side frames and stabilizing the side frames against tipping transversely. The main frame of the truck has longitudinally extending side members and the side frames mount vertically acting resilient means for supporting the main frame on the side frames.

Abstract: The cross-coupling connects the two trucks of the vehicle together and employs a torsion shaft which is mounted on the vehicle body with torsionally stiff levers. The cross-coupling also has a shaft mounted on each truck with a pair of torsionally stiff arms. The innermost arms of the shafts are articulated via a hinged rod to an associated lever of the torsion shaft while the outermost arms are articulated through a rod to the vehicle body. In addition, piston cylinder units are provided for damping the rotational movements of the trucks relative to the body as well as independent damping means for damping the transverse movements of the vehicle body relative to the trucks.

Abstract: A rail vehicle is disclosed which includes a bottom discharge hopper supported on an elongated, rectangular base frame. A bogie frame is provided beneath the base frame at each end thereof, the bogie frames carrying the vehicle wheels. Each bogie frame comprises two laterally spaced longitudinal members and a transverse member. Bearings are provided between the bogie frame members and the longitudinal and transverse members of the rectangular base frame. These bearings comprise rolling elements in arcuate grooves, the grooves being generated about the vertical pivotal axis of the adjacent bogie frame. Pins are provided which extend downwardly from the base frame and through arcuate slots in the bogie frames. The pins have structures at their lower ends for preventing upward withdrawal thereof through said slots. The slots are generated about the pivotal axis of the adjacent bogie frame.

Abstract: The cross-coupling arrangement for coupling the end trucks to each other has a longitudinal shaft which is mounted via universal bearings at opposite ends on journal pins which are fixedly mounted relative to the vehicle. The shaft is articulated to the trucks via levers which are disposed at least approximately in the proximity of the transverse plane of the universal bearings.

Abstract: The transverse coupling assembly for the end trucks utilizes a hollow shaft which is mounted via a bearing to a middle truck or vehicle body and connected via linkages to the two end trucks. In one embodiment, the shaft houses a torsion spring element which is pretensioned and which connects the shaft to a linkage. In another embodiment, the shaft can be provided with partitions to form a storage space for a fluid operating medium, diesel oil or the like.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided in vehicles and particularly rail vehicles which utilizes the spacing variation between two trucks or undercarriages of the vehicle progressing through a curve to cause a tilting movement of the vehicle chassis in the curve to accommodate the centrifugal forces generated by the vehicle in the curve. This is achieved by transposing the generally horizontal forces of the above mentioned spacing variation into opposing vertical forces on each side of the chassis through various mechanical linkages. This avoids provision for elevations of the roadway in curves.

Abstract: A rail vehicle, especially self-propelled vehicle, in which pulling and braking forces are transmitted between pivotless bogies and the main frame of the rail vehicle, and in which on both vehicle sides, symmetrically with regard to the longitudinal central axis of the rail vehicle, pressure and pull rods are on one hand connected to the outside of the bogies and on the other hand to hydraulic cylinder-piston systems connected to the main frame. The corresponding working chambers of the hydraulic cylinders on both sides of the vehicle are respectively adapted to communicate with each other. On each vehicle side between two bogies, there is arranged one hydraulic cylinder-piston only which has two separately acting working pistons each respectively connected to a pressure rod and pull rod.

Abstract: The coupling arrangement includes a longitudinally extending shaft, means for supporting the shaft on the vehicle body and a linkage which connects the trucks to the shaft. Each linkage employs a transverse steering rod which is articulated to the end of a truck at a predetermined connection point which lies in an inclined plane passing through a guide member connecting the truck to the vehicle body and through a transverse center plane of the vehicle body.

Abstract: A shift control arrangement is provided for rail vehicles to bring about the simultaneous shifting of all directional guide wheels on the vehicle at the same time, including those in both the front and rear undercarriages of the vehicle. This is achieved by interconnecting the shift linkages of each undercarriage and, preferably, by placing the connection in the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

Abstract: The bogies are connected together via fluid pressure operated reciprocating actuators and pressure lines in order to have the trailing bogie carry out complementary lateral movements to the lead bogie. The actuators each have a longitudinal axis directed at a downwardly inclined angle relative to the central vertical plane of the vehicle and bogies and are each mounted for universal movement on a respective bogie as well as on the vehicle body or a middle bogie.

Abstract: The structural arrangement relates to a steering apparatus for rail vehicles which have a vehicle body, at least two trunks movably mounted to the body, at least two sets of wheels rotatably mounted in each truck by lateral wheel bearings. At least one of the set of wheels must be mounted for rotation about a vertical axis. In the steering apparatus, there are at least two guide rods pivotally mounted around the circumference of at least one of the wheel bearing housings. One of the guide rods is pivotally mounted to the truck and the second guide rod is pivotally connected to a positioning lever which is pivotally mounted to the vehicle body.

Abstract: A railway car includes a chassis supported on two sub-frames which are relatively pivotally movable. The sub-frames support propulsion motors, differentials, and driven flanged wheels. And intermediate steering axle and wheel assembly are transversly movable in response to track curvature and a steering beam extending outwardly from the steering axle pivots the sub-frames for steering movement.

Abstract: A load-carrying railway truck having a longitudinal axis in its direction of travel and including at least one load-bearing member for supporting a load; a pair of live wheelsets supporting the load-bearing member, each wheelset being so mounted in the truck and having such a profile that it is substantially self-steering; means interconnecting the wheelsets to transmit yawing and lateral movements of either wheelset in the opposite sense to the other wheelset; and elastic elements suspending the load to the wheelsets, at least some of the elastic elements having a lateral stiffness in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the truck which is lower than the stiffness provided by them in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A vehicle running gear with articulated, self-aligning, wheelsets having means providing elastic restraint of steering moments. This means ensures that the axles of the wheelsets, while free to yaw conjointly to assume a radial position in curves, are restrained from unstable steering motions when operating in a relatively straight line at high speeds.The wheelset bearings are each carried by a subtruck which is shaped to provide a steering arm, and these arms are movably coupled in a region intermediate the axles, to accommodate conjoint yawing motions of the axles with respect to each other and in the general plane of the axles.

Abstract: A railroad car truck has a pair of wheelsets and means for providing relative restraint between wheelsets. A pair of side frames are supported on the wheelsets through resilient pads with the resilient pads providing greater shear resistance in a lateral direction than in a longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A damping suspension for a railway truck having load-bearing members supported on at least two live wheelsets which are self-steering and which are directly interconnected to couple their yawing movements in opposite senses. The wheelsets are self-steering in that they each have profiled treads of high effective conicity and each is suspended by resilient elements having a low elastic yaw constraint to the load-bearing members. The yaw constraints imposed by the resilient elements are lower than the steering forces generated on the wheelsets on curved track as a result of the tread profile. The coupling between the wheelsets takes the form of diagonally connected resilient members for ensuring that the wheelsets do not oscillate in phase with the load-bearing members to thereby damp any hunting oscillations that may tend to occur.

Abstract: A railcar unit includes a pair of railcars, each having a car body supported by single-axle, forward and rearward trucks which are pivotally mounted to the car bodies. Conventional drawbars couple the car bodies and independent, interconnectable members connect the trucks of the adjacent railcars for rotational and longitudinal relative movement while maintaining the truck axles in parallel alignment.