Patent ID: 7681506
Filing Date: 2010-03-23
Classification: B61F

Abstract:
1. A truck bolster for a railroad freight car truck, wherein: said truck bolster is a casting; and said truck bolster includes a beam having an upper flange portion, a lower flange portion, a first web portion and a second web portion, said upper and lower flange portions and said first and second web portions being outside walls of said beam defining a hollow box section; said beam having a deep central region, shallow first and second ends for mounting to rail road car truck sideframes, and intermediate regions extending between said deep central region and said shallow ends, said upper flange portion running lengthwise between said ends; a centerplate bowl located at mid-span between said first and second ends, said centerplate bowl surmounting said deep central region; said beam having brake rod openings formed in said first web portion and said second web portion in said deep central region of said beam to permit brake rods to extend through said beam; a shear transfer reinforcement mounted cross-wise within said beam substantially centrally under said centerplate bowl, a first portion of said shear transfer reinforcement being mounted to receive downward forces from said centerplate bowl, a second portion of said shear transfer reinforcement having a shear force transfer connection to said first web portion, and a third portion of said shear transfer reinforcement having a shear transfer connection to said second web portion; and in said deep central region, said beam is free of lengthwise extending internal vertical shear webs joining said upper flange portion to said lower flange portion intermediate said outside walls of said beam.