Patent GB-793436-A (GB)
Title: Articulated rail car with individually guided axles
Inventor: FURRER JOHN RUDOLPH
IPC: B61F3/12
Filed: 1955-05-05
Abstract: 793,436. Railway vehicles. AFC INDUSTRIES, Inc. May 5, 1955, No. 13047?55. Classes 103(4) and 103(6) A railway train consists of at least two cars, each comprising an intermediate unit F, Fig. 3, and a pair of end units T pivotally secured at their inner ends to the adjacent end of the intermediate unit, the unit F having two axles and each unit T having one axle remote from the unit F. The movement of the axles of unit F is guided by means which include connections between each axle and the inner end portion of the adjacent unit T and the movement of the axle of each end unit is guided independently of its coupling to the adjacent car by means which include parts projecting outwardly of the end unit, and actuated by movements between the adjacent' ends of adjacent cars. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7. the unit F at each end has two wheels 23 journalled on stub axles 32 secured to downwardly extending arms 34 which are clamped to a transverse beam 37 to provide a drop axle structure. The body of the unit F is resiliently supported on the drop axle by strut members 39, each consisting of telescoping cylinders 41, 42 enclosing a coiled compressed spring. The cylinder 41 is pivotally mounted at 47 on a body bracket 49, a rubber bushing being provided on the pivot to allow substantial universal movement between the strut member 39 and the body. The lower cylinder 42 has a yoke member 51 pivotally secured to an arm 55.depending from the stub axle. The yoke member is also pivotally connected to the body by a hydraulic shock absorber 58 the strut and shock absorber mounting permitting some transverse movement and longitudinal movement of the end of the axle. The drop axle beam 37 is connected bv a resilient pivot 68 to a rod 63<SP>1</SP> pivoted to a body bracket 67. Lateral rolling movements of the body are damped by means of a torsion bar 70 mounted at each end in a body bracket 71 and provided with longitudinally extending arms 73 each connected through resilient pivots and a link 75 to bracket 79 on yoke member 51. The units F and T are coupled together by means of a tongue 83 mounted for rotation about a horizontal pivot in an end weldment 85 of unit F and connected by a vertical pivot 90 to a link 88 which is secured by a horizontal pivot 91 to a bracket'86 on unit T. Relative rotational movement between the two units is restricted by means which include a shelf 95 on unit F secured by an eye-bolt 97 and rubber washers to a bracket 109 on the unit T. The guiding means for the axle of unit F consists of a linkage arrangement secured at one end to the yoke 51 and at the other end to a bracket 81 depending from the unit T. A pair of rods 112 are rotatably journalled on clevis brackets 113, 114 projecting from the end framing of unit F. Each rod has downwardly extending arms 116, 117 with clevises at their lower ends, one clevis being pivotally connected to a rod 119 connected to the yoke 51, and the other clevis being pivotally connected to a link 123 connected to the bracket 81. When the car rounds a curve the link 123 on the inside of the curve will be in compression resulting through the linkage in movement to the left of the axle structure on the inside of the curve. Similarly the axle structure on the outside of the curve will move to the right, so that the wheel flanges are held tangential to the edges of the track rails. Axle guiding means for the axle of end unit T which is claimed more broadly in Specification 793,437 is shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Each car end has a horizontal rod 127 journalled in brackets 129, 130, the rod having downwardlyextending arms 132, 133. The arm 133 has a clevis at its lower end in which is pivotally mounted a rod 119 secured at its opposite end to a bracket 121 on yoke 51. The arm 132 has also a clevis at its lower end for mounting a clevis 138 which co-operates with a clevis 139 on a bracket 142 to. mount a buffing bar 146. Movement of the buffing bar towards or away from the car will cause rotation about its pivot 144 resulting through movement of arms 132, rod 127, arm 133 and rod 119 in movement of the axle structure to maintain the wheel flange tangential to the track rails. The rod 127 at its outer end is bonded to a soft rubber mass which is bonded to a metal cover 151 bolted to the unit T, thereby providing a torsion spring, the purpose of which is to maintain the buffing bar 146 in a position for easy connection to a co-operating buffer bar on an adjacent car. Buffing bars on adjacent cars are secured together by an air line 178, 179 which passes through holes in the bars, one bar having a tapped hole to receive the threaded end of an air line fitting. When one end unit T forms the end of the train, means are provided for locking the end linkage so that the last axle on the train is held perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the car.