Abstract: There is a damper wedge for a railroad car truck. It has a removable and replaceable friction element that reciprocates on the wear plate of the side frame column of the railroad car truck. It has a non-metallic wear surface; a spring seat that, in use, engages a spring of the railroad car truck; and an inclined damper wedge surface having a primary angle, alpha, and a secondary angle, beta. The inclined damper wedge surface has a curvature. The curvature has a working point. The working point is located in a central region of a contact patch, or working surface patch. The nonmetallic wear surface material is mounted to a carrier that mounts removably to the damper wedge body. The carrier has fingers that span the wedge and that transfer shear and resist torsion, the fingers preventing the non-metallic member from migrating out of position.

Abstract: A railway car truck incorporating an interconnection between the side frame and bearing adapter is characterized by a low lateral spring constant relative to the longitudinal spring constant. The interconnection provides a proportional restoring force with minimal internal friction and hysteresis. In embodiments, the interconnection comprises compressed elastomeric members positioned between the thrust lug of the side frame and the bearing adapter in the longitudinal direction and a low friction interface between the roof of the pedestal jaw and the top of the bearing adapter.

Abstract: A wear plate for use with a railway truck, the wear plate being configured for installation on a downwardly facing surface of a pedestal opening of a side frame of a railway truck. The wear plate includes a base and a pair of side walls extending upwardly from opposite sides of the base with inwardly disposed locking features designed to engage the pedestal when the wear plate is installed, the locking features in a preferred embodiment being configured as resilient projections that engage, clamp or drag lock onto opposite sides of the pedestal with the base of the wear plate protecting the downwardly facing pedestal surface. The wear plate may be constructed from malleable or ductile metals or plastics.

Abstract: A wear plate for use with a railway truck, the wear plate being configured for installation on a downwardly facing surface of a pedestal opening of a side frame of a railway truck. The wear plate includes a base and a pair of side walls extending upwardly from opposite sides of the base with inwardly disposed locking features designed to engage the pedestal when the wear plate is installed, the locking features in a preferred embodiment being configured as resilient projections that engage, clamp or drag lock onto opposite sides of the pedestal with the base of the wear plate protecting the downwardly facing pedestal surface. The wear plate may be constructed from malleable or ductile metals or plastics.

Abstract: A resilient pad having a base with two side arms and two side lips for resiliently holding the base on a pedestal wear plate, the pad being configured with dome shaped portions disposed substantially perpendicular to the direction of the pad and being spaced apart from each other, where the pad, when installed with a pedestal wear plate serves to improve the force load handling and preferably re-distributes the load bearing surface from the edges and center of the adapter to the flat load bearing surface of the adapter, thus eliminating load on areas that have no support. Because the spring arms do not depend on bending of the base for their resiliency, the pad of the invention provides improved service stress capabilities and allows for longer life of the wear plate.

Abstract: The present invention provides an journal box rubber pad and a bogie, wherein the journal box rubber pad comprises a glue-injection hole and a conductive mechanism: the glue-injection hole comprises a cavity formed in a rubber layer, a first hole formed on an upper wear liner and a second hole formed on a lower wear liner. The cavity, the first hole and the second hole are communicated with each other; the conductive mechanism is placed internally in the glue-injection hole; the two ends of the conductive mechanism pass through the first hole and the second hole respectively and be in contact with two conducted apparatuses. The journal box rubber pad and the bogie of the present invention have the advantages that: the journal box rubber boxes not only can overcome the disadvantages that the upper and the lower wear liners are easy to be abraded and have poor contact with a bogie side frame and an adapter because of the requirements of high manufacturing accuracy but also can realize conductive function.

Abstract: A wear plate for use with a railway truck, the wear plate being configured for installation on a downwardly facing surface of a pedestal opening of a side frame of a railway truck. The wear plate includes a base and a pair of side walls extending upwardly from opposite sides of the base with inwardly disposed locking features designed to engage the pedestal when the wear plate is installed, the locking features in a preferred embodiment being configured as resilient projections that engage, clamp or drag lock onto opposite sides of the pedestal with the base of the wear plate protecting the downwardly facing pedestal surface. The wear plate may be constructed from malleable or ductile metals or plastics.

Abstract: A low profile mounting assembly for use between a rail car side frame pedestal and the rail car roller bearing includes a shear pad and a bearing adapter. In one embodiment, the shear pad has relatively thin plates joined by an elastomeric layer. In another embodiment, the shear pad includes a projection extending downwardly from a plate to be received and retained by a recess defined in a top surface of the adapter. In another embodiment, a central cavity formed in a lower plate of the shear pad cooperates with the adapter top surface to distribute forces on the roller bearing. In another embodiment, an elastomeric projection of a shear pad plate bears against ridges on the adapter top surface to prevent disengagement.

Abstract: A rail road freight car truck has a truck bolster and a pair of side frames, the truck bolster being mounted transversely relative to the side frames. The mounting interface between the ends of the axles and the sideframe pedestals allows lateral rocking motion of the sideframes in the manner of a swing motion truck. The lateral swinging motion is combined with a longitudinal self steering capability. The self steering capability may be obtained by use of a longitudinally oriented rocker that may tend to permit resistance to deflection that is proportional to the weight carried across the interface. The truck may have auxiliary centering elements mounted in the pedestal seats, and those auxiliary centering elements may be made of resilient elastomeric material. The truck may also have friction dampers that have a disinclination to stick-slip behavior. The friction dampers may be provided with brake linings, or similar features, on the face engaging the sideframe columns, on the slope face, or both.

Abstract: A rail car truck has a pair of side frames, connected by a bolster, with the side frames each having pedestals at the opposite ends thereof which are designed to seat upon roller bearing adapters which are supported on the rail car truck wheel sets. Shear pads are positioned between each of the side frame pedestals and the corresponding roller bearing adapter. The shear pads include notches designed to interlock with projections on each side frame pedestal and notches designed to interlock with projections on each roller bearing adapter, whereby the shear pad is interlocked to both the side frame pedestal and the roller bearing adapter, preventing relative movement between the shear pad and the side frame pedestal and between the shear pad and roller bearing adapter in a direction parallel with the longitudinal dimension of the side frame.

Abstract: A mount for use in the suspension system of a railway that truck limits the relative lateral movement between a side frame member and a bearing adapter. In one embodiment, the mount includes a rigid material layer having at least four sections laterally angled between a horizontal axis and a vertical axis. A first and second elastic material layer are respectively positioned between the side frame member and rigid material layer, and between the rigid material layers and bearing adapter. The first elastic material layer has least four sections abutting and conforming to at least four sections of the rigid material layer. In addition, the second elastic material layer has at least four sections abutting and conforming to at least four sections of the rigid material layer. The angled sections cooperate to increase the lateral spring rate of the mount, and improve the ride characteristics and high speed stability of the railway truck.

Abstract: A wear plate for a side-frame column surface of a railcar truck assembly side frame has corner relief at the corners of the surface in proximity to the bolster and the friction shoe in the friction-shoe pocket, which friction shoe is still operable to damp the harmonic oscillations of the railcar by contact with the surface of the wear plate, but the bolster lands in proximity to the wear plate are protected from harm and wear through indiscriminate contact with a sharp corner of the wear plate.

Abstract: A resilient clip on pedestal wear plate comprises a base with two opposing side lips for resiliently holding the base on a railway car side frame. When installed, the wear plate serves to prevent wear on the load bearing surface of the pedestal. The side lips of the wear plate comprise a center portion with spring arms extending therefrom to resiliently attach the plate to the side frame. Because the spring arms do not depend on bending of the base for their resiliency, the wear plate of the invention provides improved service stress capabilities.

Abstract: A mount for use in the suspension system of a railway truck that limits the relative lateral movement between a side frame member and a bearing adapter. In one embodiment, the mount includes a rigid material layer having at least four sections laterally angled between a horizontal axis and vertical axis. A first and second elastic material layer are respectively positioned between the side frame member and rigid material layer, and between the rigid material layers and bearing adapter. The first elastic material layer has at least four sections abutting and conforming to the at least four sections of the rigid material layer. In addition, the second elastic material layer has at least four sections abutting and conforming to the at least four sections of the rigid material layer. The angled sections cooperate to increase the lateral spring rate of the mount, thereby improving the ride characteristics and high speed stability of the railway truck.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for compensating for wheel wear to maintain a constant car floor height above the railroad track where the compensating shim is at all times attached to the railway truck. The method comprises generally the steps of providing a wheel wear compensating shim that, when not being used, is removably attached to the underside of the bearing housing or other suitable location, lifting of the side frame away from the primary suspension, disposing the compensating shim between the side frame and the primary suspension, and finally lowering the side frame back onto the shim and primary suspension. The railway truck can thus be shimmed for wheel wear at any location where the side frame and accompanying car body can be lifted without the need to take the railcar to a retrofit service shop.

Abstract: A side frame for a railway car is disclosed comprising a pedestal jaw and an integral crown shaped pedestal jaw roof. A liner matching the shape of the crowned pedestal jaw roof is removably mounted to the pedestal jaw roof. In operation, the crown shaped pedestal jaw roof and snap-on liner reduce wear on the pedestal jaw roof and permit swinging of the side frames relative to the railcar axles. The integral crown shaped pedestal roof and snap-on liner eliminate the traditional rocker seat, shims, and welded retainers, thereby reducing the maintenance and cost of traditional side frames.

Abstract: An improved adapter assembly for use in a railcar truck where an axle and bearing are loosely journaled in the pedestal area of a side frame, the adapter assembly being mounted above the bearing in the pedestal opening and including a novel adapter and a novel adapter pad which is mounted on top of the adapter, the adapter together with the bearing, axle and wheels being capable of predetermined lateral movement relative to the side frame.

Abstract: An improved sliding bearing system for railroad locomotives having pedestal legs includes a channel-shaped unit of a wear resistant thermoplastic, including a base and two upstanding flanges ported with mounting apertures, plus two inserts made of strips of a more resilient thermoplastic, with one of the inserts mounted in the base adjacent to one of the flanges and the other insert mounted in the base adjacent to the other flange, so they are operable to compress and expand under loading variations, along with fastening members with undersized bosses relative to the diameter of the apertures in the flanges, operable to secure the unit to the pedestal leg in a manner that its flanges will slip on the associated pedestal leg under loading variations to accommodate the resiliency of the inserts, enabling the unit to shift on the face of the leg to better distribute the loading on the unit more uniformly, whereby the service life of the unit is extended.

Abstract: A railcar truck side frame has a pedestal jaw arrangement, which inclines the bearing adapter for the axle and bearing assembly with a relative slope in the side-frame longitudinal direction, to provide transfer of the forces causing angular displacement of the axle to stop lugs on the side-frame outer surface and to minimize axle angular displacement and, consequently, truck warping and hunting.

Abstract: A clip-on wear plate to protect the downwardly facing flat surface of the pedestal opening of a railway truck is provided. The wear plate has a first flat surface in contact with the downwardly facing flat surface of the pedestal and an opposed second surface in contact with the bearing adaptor. The first surface is provided with a relatively high coefficient of friction relative to the second surface to an minimize movement of the wear plate.

Abstract: An improved adapter assembly for use in a railcar truck where an axle and bearing are loosely journaled in the pedestal area of a side frame, the adapter assembly being mounted above the bearing in the pedestal opening and including an adapter plate which is mounted on the top of the adapter, the adapter together with the bearing and axle being capable of lateral movement relative to the side frame.

Abstract: A railcar adapter for the side frame pedestal of the truck assembly for a railcar. The adapter creates a clearance with the inboard and outboard lugs of the pedestal side frame to permit lateral movement of the adapter relative to the side frame. Plugs of a solid lubricant are provided on the crown of the adapter to facilitate movement.

Abstract: A railcar adapter for the side frame pedestal of the truck assembly for a railcar. The adapter creates a clearance with the inboard and outboard lugs of the pedestal side frame to permit lateral movement of the adapter relative to the side frame. Plugs of a solid lubricant are provided on the crown of the adapter to facilitate movement.

Abstract: A pedestal liner for a railway truck or the like is generally U-shaped in horizontal section with a central web portion of anti-friction material which fits between the wear face of the pedestal and a side of a journal box positioned therein, and a flange or leg on each side bearing on the inner or outer face respectively of the pedestal leg. The flanges are not integral with the web portion but fit into the web and have holes in their outer ends which correspond with the bolt holes in the pedestal. Separate flanges may be provided for different bolt hole locations.

Abstract: A door finger guide for doors an auto rack cars to guide the upper ends of the doors along an upper track during opening and closing operations. The door finger guide includes a metal supporting member or base plate having a lower end secured to the door and an upper end in alignment with the upper door track. Plastic bearing means is secured to the upper ends of the door guides which are mounted in opposing relation for coaction with the track. The door guides and plastic bearing portions are diminished so that the tolerance with the track is minimized to reduce vibration in the door and all components associated with the door and located below the guides.

Abstract: A pedestal wear liner for trucks of diesel electric locomotives and other railway vehicles has a bight and a flange on each side. Each flange has openings in it corresponding to liner bolt holes in a pedestal leg but greater in area than those holes. Plugs which can be indexed in those openings are provided, one set of plugs having bolt holes aligned with pedestal bolt holes arranged in a first pattern; another set which has bolt holes aligned with pedestal bolt holes arranged in a second pattern and so on so that the same liner can be adapted for several vehicles.

Abstract: A dual purpose wear plate for use in a railway truck, disposed between the pedestal jaw and the roller bearing adapter, consisting of a flat base portion having downwardly extending legs that protect the outboard lug and maintain the proper position of the wear plate.

Abstract: A pedestal liner for a railway vehicle and method of making same are provided wherein such liner comprises a roughly U-shaped metal support comprising the main structural portion of the liner with the metal support having a bight and a pair of parallel legs and an insert is provided and carried by the metal support. The insert has a pair of roughly parallel members which have outer portions disposed outwardly of and parallel to the parallel legs of the support and the parallel members are comprised of antifriction material; and, the insert has an integral arm extending transverse its members with the arm also being comprised of antifriction material. The insert is adapted to be readily installed on and removed from the metal support and is held in position mainly by surface portions of the metal support to define the pedestal liner.

Abstract: A method of making a wear member for a railway vehicle is described, a wear member having a U-shaped support that is provided with a bight and a pair of parallel legs and carrying on the bight thereof anti-friction polymeric material. The support is made of structural material of substantially uniform thickness throughout, the structural material having a plurality of corrugations defining the bight of the support with each corrugation having the uniform thickness throughout substantially its entire configuration and having an end surface spaced from and coplanar with the end surfaces of the corrugations adjacent thereto whereby the corrugations provide structural strength for the bight of the support, the polymeric material being supported by certain of the corrugations at just the adjacent and coplanar end surfaces thereof.

Abstract: A wear member for a railway vehicle is provided, the wear member having a U-shaped support that is provided with a bight and a pair of parallel legs and carrying on the bight thereof anti-friction polymeric material. The support is made of structural material of substantially uniform thickness throughout, the structural material having a plurality of corrugations defining the bight of the support with each corrugation having the uniform thickness throughout substantially its entire configuration and having an end surface spaced from and coplanar with the end surfaces of the corrugations adjacent thereto whereby the corrugations provide structural strength for the bight of the support, the polymeric material being supported by certain of the corrugations at just the adjacent and coplanar end surfaces thereof.

Abstract: The bearing housing of a railway vehicle includes a pair of stop members spaced from respective pedestals of the truck frame and engageable with such pedestals to absorb lateral thrust loads upon relative movement between the bearing housings and truck frame. Each stop member includes an elastomer pad mounted to the bearing housing and a wear plate engageable with the pedestal of the truck frame.

Abstract: A clip-on wear plate for protecting the downwardly facing surface in the pedestal opening of a side frame of a railway truck. The wear plate is especially adapted to be used on worn pedestal surfaces and comprises either a pair of separate plates or a plate with a central portion removed.

Abstract: A pedestal wear liner is described for attachment to a pedestal leg of a truck of a railroad vehicle having a journal box with a journal box wear plate facing the pedestal leg. The novel pedestal wear liner includes a unitary metallic support structure generally U-shaped in cross section with a central web portion and a pair of mounting legs for mounting the pedestal wear liners on a pedestal leg. The central web portion has a pair of flat portions adjacent the mounting legs and a central flat portion outwardly offset from the pair of flat portions. A hard elastomeric urethane polymer is bonded to the outer face of the metallic support structure, the elastomeric layer forming an outer flat wear surface across the entire central web of the metallic support and extending uninterrupted over at least part of the mounting legs.

Abstract: A substantially U-shaped pedestal liner is provided for disposal between an associated pedestal leg and journal box of a railway pedestal truck and the liner is comprised of ultra high molecular weight polymeric material and has a reinforcing structure embedded in the polymeric material which serves as a matrix therefor and substantially completely surrounds the structure and the structure has openings therein for receiving the polymeric material completely therethrough while enabling better embedment of the structure whereby the structure provides reinforcement while preventing cold flow of the polymeric material.

Abstract: A pedestal liner for a pedestal truck of a railway vehicle and method of making same are provided wherein such pedestal liner is of roughly U-shaped configuration having a bight and a pair of parallel legs and comprising a continuous uninterrupted backing material defining the bight and parallel legs, a first antifriction material for the bight fixed against the backing material and adapted to engage a vertically disposed planar guide surface of an associated journal box, a second antifriction material for the parallel legs fixed against the backing material and adapted to engage vertically disposed parallel side surfaces of the journal box which are disposed on opposite sides of the guide surface with the backing material providing optimum structural support for the antifriction materials and the first and second antifriction materials having different wear characteristics determined by the different wear rates to which they are subjected.

Abstract: A railway car truck having side frames with an opening for receiving the ends of a bolster, and spaced columns with removable wear resistant wear plates, secured thereto and retained by L-shaped retainers at the corners.

Abstract: A pedestal liner for a railway vehicle and method of making same are provided wherein such liner comprises a roughly U-shaped metal support comprising the main structural portion of the liner with the metal support having a bight and a pair of parallel legs and an insert is provided and carried by the metal support. The insert has a pair of roughly parallel members which have outer portions disposed outwardly of and parallel to the parallel legs of the support and the parallel members are comprised of antifriction material; and, the insert has an integral arm extending transverse its members with the arm also being comprised of antifriction material. The insert is adapted to be readily installed on and removed from the metal support and is held in position mainly by surface portions of the metal support to define the pedestal liner.

Abstract: A wear member is provided wherein such wear member is used between relatively movable components of a railway vehicle and wherein the wear member comprises a main body made primarily of a polymeric material, a support for the main body with the support having opposed surface portions, and a plurality of openings in the support having integral rivet-like portions of the polymeric main body corresponding in number and configuration to the plurality of openings extending therethrough and holding the main body to the support with such polymeric main body having parts thereof disposed in embracing relation around the opposed surface portions.

Abstract: A railway vehicle wear member is provided between a pair of relatively movable components of the railway vehicle, wherein such wear member has a rigid planar supporting portion used to support a polymeric antifriction wear material and an extension which comprises the planar supporting portion and is formed in position against one of the relatively movable components to hold the wear member against a particular movement relative to the one component.

Abstract: A wear member for use between a pair of relatively movable components of a railway vehicle is provided where the wear member comprises a metal support adapted to be supported on one of the pair of components and a liner attached to the metal support wherein the liner is made of a polymeric matrix material which is reinforced by a metal structure having openings therein and such metal structure is disposed substantially centrally between opposed surfaces of the polymeric material and the opposed surfaces include a smooth antifriction wear surface engageable by the other of the pair of relatively moveable components; and, the liner is attached in position by metal members extending between the metal structure and the metal support through polymeric material disposed therebetween with a plurality of welds welding the metal members in position between the metal structure and the metal support.

Abstract: A pedestal liner for a pedestal truck of a railway vehicle is provided wherein such pedestal liner is of roughly U-shaped configuration having a bight and a pair of parallel legs. A continuous uninterrupted backing material defining the bight and parallel legs, and a first antifriction material for the bight fixed against the backing material to engage a vertically disposed planar guide surface of an associated journal box. A second antifriction material for the parallel legs fixed against the backing material to engage vertically disposed parallel side surfaces of the journal box which are disposed on opposite sides of the guide surface with the backing material providing optimum structural support for the antifriction materials and the first and second antifriction materials having different wear characteristics determined by the different wear rates to which they are subjected.

Abstract: A wear member is provided for use between a pair of relatively movable components of a railway vehicle. The wear member is mounted on a support having a continuous supporting surface, with polymeric material having an antifriction wear surface to support the same against the continuous supporting surface while providing integral reinforcement for the polymeric material.

Abstract: A pedestal liner for a pedestal truck of a railway vehicle is provided wherein such pedestal liner is of roughly U-shaped configuration having a bight and a pair of parallel legs. A continuous uninterrupted backing material defining the bight and parallel legs, antifriction material for the bight engages a vertically disposed planar guide surface of an associated journal box. Antifriction material for the parallel legs engages vertically disposed parallel side surfaces of the journal box and disposed on opposite sides of the guide surface, and fixes the antifriction material against the backing material with the backing material providing optimum structural support for the antifriction material.

Abstract: A wear plate is installed on the downwardly facing surface of the pedestal opening of the side frame of a railway truck. The wear plate includes a base and a pair of lips extending upward from opposite sides of the base. The lips resiliently engage or clamp onto opposite sides of the pedestal with the base protecting the downwardly facing surface. The base is slightly bowed and is formed a convex shape relative to the downwardly facing surface before installation, such that upon installation, the base of the plate is free of undesirable distortions.

Abstract: A wear liner is provided for the roof of the pedestal jaw of a side frame. Movement of the wear liner relative to the pedestal roof is inhibited by projections extending upwardly from the lateral edges of the wear liner and/or depending legs which extend from the wear liner and cooperate with the stop lugs of the pedestal jaw. The need for conventional welding is reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: A pedestal assembly for use in a railroad vehicle having a journal box which slides vertically with respect to the pedestal assembly, said assembly including a pedestal liner consisting of elastomer having a wear face and a non-wear face, said wear face confronting the journal box, a pedestal liner insert consisting of an elastomer having a first and second side, the first side confronting the non-wear face of the pedestal liner and the second side confronting the pedestal leg, a plurality of spacing washers and a means attaching said pedestal liner and pedestal liner insert to said pedestal leg through said spacing washers and a process for producing the pedestal liner and the pedestal liner insert by injection molding.

Abstract: A floating pedestal liner for railroad trucks and a method for its mounting are disclosed in which the liner is restricted from moving in a vertical direction but is free to move in a horizontal plane either laterally or longitudinally.

Abstract: A pedestal liner for railroad trucks is disclosed in which the liner is not bolted to the pedestal leg, but instead is allowed to "float" -- that is, to move relative both to the journal box and to the pedestal leg.

Abstract: A replaceable bolster gib comprises a U-shaped holder block fixed to the bolster, a trough-shaped wear shoe block having a pocket complementary to the holder block and mounted in embracing force transmitting relation thereon, and an interlocking means such as a spring steel cotter pin drive in force fit relation through the holder and overlapping portions of the wear shoe to removably retain the blocks.

Abstract: A wear liner is provided for the roof of the pedestal jaw of a side frame. The liner is welded in place only along the lateral edges of the liner and is retained in place, in the event of weld failure, by depending legs engageable with pedestal jaw stop lugs. Additional retaining lugs may be provided in the pedestal jaw roof.