Improvements in Car Trucks.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 13th Nov., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Car Trucks.
I, KENNET WILLIAM BLACKWELL, Inventor, of 517 New York Life Building,
of the City of Montreal, in the Province of Quebec, and Dominion of Canada,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement:-
My invention relates to car trucks and more especially to those used in Street
Railway service.
Its objects are to provide a truck for a four wheeled car that will give the best
results where the car-body is very long, in the way of distributing the strain
evenly and providing a smooth running construction, the prevention of hammering
at uneven rail joints and freedom from rocking from the overhanging length of
Car Body beyond the comparatively short wheel Base of truck.
It has also advantages in simplicity ready adjustability and fewness of parts.
The principal features of my devices are a double cantilever side bar in one
piece, the form of the side bar and the method of suspending it from the axle
box springs.
During the recent rapid growth of Street car construction and the substitution
of mechanical or electrical power for animal power, the most desirable
form of car has been the single truck four wheeled car and the tendency has been
to gradually make these cars longer in order to provide the maximum amount
of accommodation for passengers.
To obtain this additional length various forms of complicated frames have been
devised.
In my device I have adopted an entirely new form of truck frame suspended
between the car-body and the axle boxes by a new arrangement of springs upon
which it rests suspended as shewn.
The intermediate frame does not rest directly on the springs as in the form
generally used, but is suspended therefrom.
Reference is made to the annexed drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents a side
view of truck, with one half showing spring suspension.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of axle box and connections.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of axle box and spring arrangement.
In the construction of my device the usual car body frame 1 is supported on a
series of springs consisting of elliptical end springs 3 and spiral springs 2 on
each side of the yoke 41. This series of springs rests on the sides 4 of the truck
frame.
These side bars 4 are of peculiar shape being thickest vertically at their
centre 42 from whence they reduce gradually outwardly towards the yokes 41
which cover the axles 7 of the wheels 8. Beyond the yokes 41 they are thicker
and rapidly fine down towards their extremities. Solid metal blocks 5 are fitted
into the lower part of the yoke openings and by means of lugs 51 and screws 52
are bolted firmly to the side bars 4.

page_text: The whole truck frame forms a double cantilever which distributes the strain
equally over its various parts and provides a strong, simple and efficient form.
This frame is suspended from quadruple sets of spiral springs 62 which are
supported by lugs GI surrounding the axle box 71 through spindles 63 secured to
saddles 65, which run transversely under the side bars 4 at each side of the bars
of the yoke 41.
These spiral springs 62 fit in cupped lugs 61 and are covered by the inverted
cups 64 which are attached to the spindles 63.
By this arrangement I have been able to use a truck with a spring base 15
feet long and consequently a much larger car-body and still have freedom from
rocking and hammering and obtain thereby a smooth running and evenly sus-
pended car.
By removing the blocks 5 the axles can be readily changed.
The absence of many parts and particularly of a great number of bolts which
are loosened by vibration of the truck, make this truck a great improvement on
the complicated devices which are already in use.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
A Car Truck consisting of the frame made as described, supporting the car
body on a series of springs and suspended from a quadruple series of spiral springs
upon lugs surrounding the axle boxes.
Dated this 13th day of November 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.