Abstract: A rear brake unit for a cargo dolly includes a left and a right brake that each have a leaf spring with an eye end and a loop end. The eye end of the leaf spring is fixed but can rotate about its pin and the loop end of the leaf spring can slide in relation to a loop end pin when the brake shoe is in a braking position. The movement of the leaf spring allows the brake shoe to accommodate uneven tire wear between the pair of tires and apply effective braking force to each tire. The brakes are also connected to one another by a bar arranged to pivot about a center point of the brake unit, thereby allowing the brake unit to accommodate uneven tire wear between the left and right pair of rear tires.

Abstract: A board-level package includes a printed circuit board, a semiconductor die package mounted on the printed circuit board, a tuned mass structure, and a support structure mounted to the printed circuit board and supporting the tuned mass structure.

Abstract: The present invention adds a stabilizing force member to prior art Railway brake systems and greatly improves the control of the spatial orientation of a modified brake beam within a Railway vehicle and provides lateral support to a truck lever connection and levers, which in turn, properly locate actuating bars of the brake system. As a result, service life of brake beam support components and brake shoes are extended, brake lever friction is reduced and brake system efficiency is increased.

Abstract: A brake head positioning means for railcar braking systems. The brake head positioning means is comprised of an attachment means that is engageable with a railcar hanger arm for attaching such brake head positioning means to such railcar hanger arm. An extension means that is engageable with and extends substantially perpendicular to and outwardly from such attachment means is also included. The extension means provides sliding engagement and enables a biasing force to be achieved. Also included is a variable distancing means which is disposed for sliding engagement with and is substantially perpendicular to such extension means adjacent a first end thereof, and is engageable with a brake head adjacent a second end thereof. A biasing means, disposed around and slideably engageable with such extension means for providing a bias to such variable distancing means during service is further included.

Abstract: A brake rigging system which adequately distributes the braking force among all its components, said brake rigging system comprising: a driving beam having a first and a second end; two driving levers having a first and a second end, each driving lever rotary coupled by its first end to an end of the driving beam, and the second end of each driving lever coupled to a brake head; and linking means for linking said driving beam, to driving means which apply a force to said driving beam to push or pull said driving levers together with the brake heads.

Abstract: A brake system for a railroad vehicle having first and second brake beams, two levers pivotally mounting an actuator to the first beam and push rods connecting the levers to the second beam. The first and second brake beams each include a pair of vertically spaced beam members. The levers are mounted to the first brake beam in the space between the beam members to pivot in a plane offset from a center plane of the space. Also, the first and second push rods are mounted to the second brake beam in the space between the beam members to pivot in a plane also offset from the center plane of the space.

Abstract: An adapter system for use in railway vehicle braking systems for increasing the height of a slack adjuster with respect to a force transfer lever in the braking system is provided. Increasing the height of the slack adjuster in the system results in better clearance of the slack adjuster through an opening of the truck bolster through which the slack adjuster extends in single-cylinder, truck-mounted braking systems. The adapter system of the invention comprises a J-shaped member which is engageable with the transfer lever of the braking system. This J-shaped member has a first portion extending above and substantially parallel with at least a portion of the transfer lever, a second portion positioned below an end of the transfer lever, and a third portion positioned adjacent an edge of the end of the transfer lever. The transfer lever is connected between the first and second portions of the J-shaped member.

Abstract: A braking mechanism according to the present invention for braking the wheels of a wheeled truck assembly includes a handle mounted to one beam which, when braking force is applied, urges a rod toward the other beam. The rod operates a lever mounted to the other beam which engages the actuation rod of the vehicle's pneumatic braking system, thereby operating the linkage included in the pneumatic system to separate the beams, bringing the brake pads into contact with the wheels to brake the wheels.

Abstract: A slack adjuster adapted for use in railroad truck car braking mechanisms. The slack adjuster compensates for wear of the truck car brake shoes by automatically adjusting the length of travel of the brake cylinder piston rod as the shoes wear. The slack adjuster of this invention includes a linkage connected between the air cylinder piston rod and one end of the slack adjuster. The invention also includes a bolster mounted linkage stabilizer which interconnects the other end of the slack adjuster, the brake lever, and the piston rod to eliminate oscillation of the piston rod during operation.

Abstract: A brake rod protector for a brake rod in a braking system of a railway vehicle to repair a worn brake rod or to provide protection against wear along an area where wear normally occurs. The protector includes a metal base plate shaped to conform with the brake rod and be attached thereto by welding or the like and a body of plastic material bonded to the outer surface of the base plate and to be slidably engageable with a member of the braking system or the railway vehicle.

Abstract: In a block brake with brake block regulator, which maintains the brake block shoe (6) in a predetermined rotational position about its rotational axis (5) through friction blocks (20) and friction surfaces (14), the friction surfaces (14) are in the form of wedge surfaces, such that, upon rotation of the brake block shoe (6) under the influence of gravity, the friction blocks (20) must be forced back through the friction surfaces (14) against their spring loading (18). This enables compensation of the turning moment brought to bear on the brake block shoe (6) by the gravitational force.

Abstract: A brake system for a railway vehicle and method of making same are provided and such brake system comprises a brake rod member, a horizontal supporting member which is adapted to support the rod member for sliding movements thereon, and an antifriction component carried by the supporting member with the component serving to minimize wear and enable antifriction movements during the sliding movements and wherein the component comprises a solid strip portion of substantially rectangular cross-sectional configuration with the system further comprising at least one self-contained clip device for locking the strip portion against the supporting member and the clip device comprises a pair of resilient parallel legs and locking projections extending from the outer end portions of the parallel legs toward each other, with the clip device being disposed with the parallel legs embracing opposed vertical surfaces of the supporting member and with the projections snap locked beneath a bottom surface thereof.

Abstract: A radial axle railway truck has a pair of depressed center side frames supported at their ends from the axles by horizontal elastomeric pad devices carried on the sides of outboard journal bearing adapters to permit steering movements of the axles, the horizontal pad devices nearest the ends of the side frames being elongated transversely of the truck and the horizontal pad devices remote from the ends of the sideframes being elongated longitudinally of the truck. A transverse truck frame is supported at each side above the depressed center portion of the respective side frames by a pair of generally V-shaped elastomeric pad devices supported on the inclined portions of the side frames connecting the high end portions and the depressed center portions thereof.

Abstract: A shutoff device comprises a housing having a closable flow passage which is closed by a closing plate member which moves into a recess defined in said housing forming a receiving seat. The closing plate member is closed by the movement of a fluid pressure operated piston which moves the closing plate member rapidly into the closed position. In order to prevent the closing plate member from slamming into the valve seat and damaging the valve seat, there is provided a bolster member in the form of a stop which is disposed in the path of movement of a stop face connected to a piston rod of the fluid pressure's piston which is connected to the closing member.

Abstract: A weight transfer rail traction vehicle adapted for travel on alternate sets of rail or road wheels which is characterized by a number of features including: a spring and shock absorber system which cooperate to maintain the springs, while in a rail travel mode, in an active condition despite substantial weight transfer loads being placed thereon; a hydraulic system which enables the differential axles to be optionally spring supported to the frame or in a rigid fixed relationship therewith; a differential axle suspension system wherein the spring supported axle moves in a substantially vertical plane without lateral shifting; a shock absorbing coupler; a coupler mounting arrangement which includes a coupler carriage directly mounted to a lateral frame member of the vehicle which serves as a guideway for directing travel of the coupler carriage and hence the coupler mounted thereto in a horizontal direction and wherein the coupler itself is mounted for vertical movement with respect to the coupler carriage; a

Abstract: A support arrangement for brake rods of railroad car brake rigging comprising a U-shaped support member suspended from the underside of the car, a slotted sleeve snap fitted on the brake rod and located to rest on the bight portion of the support member, with the slot facing upwardly, and a retainer member comprising a shank portion received in said slot and having its end portions extending beyond the ends of the sleeve and enlarged to embrace the upwardly facing side of the brake rod on either side of the sleeve slot, with the retainer member end portions being bonded to the brake rod. The sleeve is formed from an ultra high molecular weight polymer material that is of dry self-lubricating nature and resists adherence thereto of foreign materials and serves as a sound deadener and energy absorber. Such material is also characterized by its polishing action on the brake rod support surface it rides on to reform same to define a mirror finish that substantially inhibits further wear on the support during use.