Improvements in Car Trucks.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1899
Improvements in Car Trucks.
I, WILLIAM SEBASTIAN GROFF BAKER, a Citizen of the United States, residing
at Fulton Junction, in the City of Baltimore and State of Maryland, U.S.A.,
Mechanical Engineer, 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 following statement:-
This invention relates to that class of car trucks in which a motor is supported
on the truck frame and is applied to one of the axles, and in which a bolster is
employed located midway between the axles and which has a center-bearing for
the car body.
The object of my present invention is to so divide that part of the weight of
the car body under which the truck is placed as to cause the driving wheels
to bear a greater proportion of the weight than the idle wheels. The object of
my invention also is to provide improved brake mechanism especially adapted
for trucks of this class.
In carrying out my invention, I locate the bolster approximately midway
between the axle of the drivers and the axle of the idle wheels. I support a
portion of the weight of that end of the car body under which the truck is
placed directly on the bolster, and the remaining portion of the weight is carried
at points located between the bolster and the motor end of the truck. Preferably
the bolster is spring supported on the truck frame, and it is preferably provided
with arms which project toward the motor end of the truck, and these arms are
provided with devices which in part support the car body at opposite sides. I
preferably employ rollers on which the car body rests, and the outer ends
The brake
of the arms are preferably spring-supported on the truck frame.
mechanism is so arranged that greater power is applied to the brakes of the
drivers than to the brakes of the idle wheels.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 is a plan view of a car truck embodying my improvements, the motor
being shown by dotted lines.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of my improved trucks; this figure shows
also the manner in which the car body is supported on the truck.
Fig. 3 is a detail view showing particularly the brake mechanism.
Fig. 4 is another detail view of the brake mechanism.
Fig. 5 shows a transverse section, on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is a detail plan view, showing part of the brake mechanism.
Fig. 7 shows details of the chafe-plates employed.
Fig. 8 is a detail view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, showing
the manner of pivotally connecting the car body to the bolster.
Fig. 9 is a plan view of the same with parts broken away.
Fig. 10 is a view on an enlarged scale, and in section, showing particularly
the devices for supporting the car body.
Fig 11 is a detail view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing a
modified form of the devices for supporting the car body.
Fig. 12 is a plan view of the devices shown in Fig. 11, and
Fig. 13 is a sectional view on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12.

page_text: The driving wheels, A, are shown as of larger diameter than the idle wheels, B,
and each pair of wheels has its axle mounted in suitable axle-boxes, C, C¹, which
are arranged to move vertically in pedestals, d, d', of the side-frame, D. The
axle, B, of the wheels, B, being somewhat lower than that of the wheels, A,
the pedestals, of this axle depend from the side-frames, while the pedestals, d,
of the axle, A¹, of the wheels, Â, extend upwardly from the side-frames. I wish
it understood, however, that my invention is not confined to the details of
construction above mentioned, but I am now describing the details of construction
of the particular truck shown in the drawings, the subject-matter deemed novel,
and as within the scope of my invention, will be set forth in the claims.
In the truck shown in the drawings, the side frames have housings, F, E',
for springs which rest on the axle boxes, the entire load being supported by
these springs.
The life-guard, F, is secured to the end of the side frames below
the motor-supporting frame, G. A motor, H, is hung on the axle, A', of the
drivers, and it is also supported by a voke, I, the middle portion of which is
attached to the motor by securing devices, i, while the ends of the yoke are
attached to a motor-supporting frame, G; the details of which form no part of
the present invention. A holster, L is located approximately midway between
the driving axle and the axle of the idle wheels. It is important that the
bolster should be thus located, because where the bolster is located nearer to the
driving wheels than to the idle wheels, a leverage is exerted which tends to raise
the idle wheels, which is objectionable.
I have said that the bolster is located midway between the two axles, but,
of course, the exact position of the bolster may be varied so long as one point
of support is located approximately midway between the axles and the other
points of support are out of line with the first mentioned support, and so that
a greater part of the load is made to rest on one pair of wheels than on the other.
The bolster is preferably constructed of two plates, 1, 1, bolted together. The
lower plate, 7. is straight, while the upper one inclines at its opposite ends, the
middle portion being held elevated away from the plate, 7, by bolts and
thimbles. The opposite ends of the plates lie close together, and are secured
between clamp-castings, 13, 19. The lower castings, 79, are each formed with a
post, L2, which projects downwardly between the plates forming the side frame
immediately below it. The posts are arranged to move freely vertically between
the plates, being guided thereby, and also guided by the castings, L3, L4, which
fit in between the plates of the side frames. The castings, L³, extend over the
axle-boxes, C, and also downwardly therefrom to support the life-guard, F.
The posts, L2, are secured at their lower ends below the side frames of the truck
to leaf-springs, Q. These springs are connected by links, g. to the side-frames of
the truck near the axles. and they extend an equal distance from each side
of the posts. A portion of the weight of that end of the car body under which
the truck is placed is borne directly by the bolster, while the other portion is
horne by supports located between the bolster and the motor end of the truck.
In the present instance, these last-mentioned supports are located between the
bolster and the driving axle. The upper castings, 13, are, in the truck shown in
the drawings, prolonged from the bolster toward the driving wheels, and they
support the anti-friction rollers, M, being suitably shaped to form housings
and bearings for these rollers. At their ends next the driving wheels, the
castings, 73, are supported by springs, 76, resting in sockets in the castings, L³.
The rollers, as shown in Fig. 1, have their axes in line with radii of the pivot
bolt. N. which connects the segmental plates. O and P, secured, respectively,
to the bolster and to the car-body. The rollers, M, extend into grooves, r,
in chafe-plates. R. secured to the car-body, S.
It will be observed by reference to Fig. 2 that the weight of the car body is
distributed so that a larger proportion of the weight is carried by the driving
wheels than by the idle wheels. In the organization shown, about 66%%% or two-
thirds of the weight is carried by the driving wheels, while the remainder is

page_text: carried by the idle wheels. This result is effected by supporting a part of
the weight of that end of the car-body under which the truck is placed directly
on the bolster, while the remaining part of the weight is supported at points
between the bolster and the motor end of the car.
In order to pivotally connect the car body with the bolster, I employ two
segmental plates, the upper one, P, is secured to the car body, while the lower
one, O, is secured to the bolster in the manner indicated in Figs. 8 and 9. The
pivot bolt, N, connects the two segmental plates together at one end, while at
the opposite end the plate, P', is formed with a curved guide slot, p, into which
extends a stud, o, on the plate, O.
The slot, p, is struck from the axis of the bolt, N, as a center.
The stud, o,
is headed, the head being arranged above the plane of the bottom of the casting, O,
as shown in Fig. 8. The shank of the stud is approximately of the same width
as the slot, 2, but is free to move back and forth therein. The head of the
stud projects across the curved walls of the slot, but this slot is widened at its
central portion, p', for convenience in assembling the parts. Near its rear end
the casting, P, is formed with a curved oblong block, 72, which fits in a
groove, o, in the plate, O. It will be understood that the plate, O, is rigidly
secured to the bolster, while the plate, P, is rigidly secured to the car-body.
If now the truck moves over a curve in the track, it will turn relatively to the
car body about the swivel bolt, N, and the stud, o, will move in the curved
slot, p, and likewise the block, 22, will move in the groove, o¹. The organization
is such that the truck can freely turn beneath the car body while the weight
is distributed in the manner before described.
The points of support for the car body which are located between the bolster
and the motor end of the truck, may be adjusted in order to vary the relative
proportions of weight carried by the drivers and idle wheels. An organization
for this purpose is shown in Figs. 11, 12 and 13. As there shown, the castings, 13,
do not have the housings for the rollers and bearings therefor cast in one piece
with them, but the housings, 17, are made separate, and may be adjusted on
the castings, 13, by means of bolts, S, which may be fitted into different holes, 710,
formed in the castings, .
While I prefer to use wheels of different diameters my invention is not limited
to the use of such wheels; I do not necessarily employ anti-friction rollers, and
the details of construction of the car truck may be varied, the essential feature
of the invention, broadly stated, being the use of a bolster located approximately
midway between the axles and on which a portion of the weight is carried, and
the use of devices placed between the bolster and the motor end of the truck for
supporting the remaining part of the weight of that end of the car body under
which the truck is placed.
In the drawings I have shown supporting arnis as extending from the bolster
toward the driving axle and terminating between the driving axle and the
bolster, but the arms might be prolonged and the motor might be differently
hung, if desired. In the particular organization shown, one-third of the weight
of that end of the car body under which the truck is placed is borne by the
center of the bolster, and the other two-thirds is borne by the rollers, M. Half
of the one-third of the weight carried at the center of the bolster, with one-
half of that upon the rollers, M, rests upon the centers of the springs, Q, and
through these springs one-half of the combined weight carried by them is
transmitted to each axle of the truck.
It will now be observed that this half of the weight transmitted to the driving
axle through the springs, Q, is augmented by the half of the one-third of the
weight sustained by each set of rollers, M. The proportion of weight carried
by the driving wheels may be varied by changing the positions of the supporting
rollers, M.
The side-frames of the truck are braced by a transverse metallic plate, R³.
The brake-shoes, S, S¹, of the drivers and small wheels, respectively, are arranged

page_text: inside the wheels. The brake-shoes, S, on opposite sides of the truck are con-
nected together by a cross-bar or brake-beam, s, and this beam is suspended by
means of links, s, from the cross-bar, R³. In like manner the brake shoes, S',
of the small wheels are connected together by a brake beam, s2, which is suspended
by means of links, 3, from a cross-beam, R4, secured to the side-frames, as
shown in Fig. 1. The cross-bars, R, R, are braced by castings, T, arranged
between them. The castings are formed with sockets, t, which embrace the
plates, R, R, and supplemental castings, T', are arranged on opposite sides of
the plates. Long bolts, 2, extend through the castings, T, T', and through the
cross-bars, R, R, and firmly unite them, thus making a rigid frame.
links, s¹, s, are pivotally connected with the castings, T, these castings being
provided with bearings and with pivot-holes, 3, for this purpose.
The
In order to hold the brake shoes normally withdrawn from the wheels, I
provide springs, U, mounted on rods, U₁, attached to the brake beams, s, s². These
rods are preferably attached to the castings, u, which are clamped to the brake
beams, and which are also provided with devices for pivotally connecting the
links, 3, with the brake beams. The rods, U¹, are pivoted at u₁ to the
castings, u,.
and they extend through the hangers, U2, rigidly secured to the
castings, T. The rods, U¹, have adjusting nuts, ², on their outer ends, and the
springs, U, are arranged between the adjusting nuts and the hangers, U. By
this arrangement, as will be readily perceived, the brake shoes are normally held
withdrawn from the wheels.
A lever, V, is suspended from a casting, W, arranged in the longitudinal axis
of the truck between the transverse bars, I³, R. This casting is shown in
detail in Fig. 4. The lever, V, is pivotally connected at to ears, e', rising
from the top of the casting, and extends downwardly therefrom where it is
pivotally connected at 2 to an arm, 3, projecting forwardly from a casting, V,
attached to the brake-beam, s². The main brake-operating lever, W1, is arranged
in the longitudinal axis of the truck, its lower end being pivotally connected
at w to the arm el projecting forwardly from the casting, W, attached to the
brake beam, s. A link, W, is pivotally connected at to the lever, V, between
its upper pivot, and its lower pivot, 2, and it is pivotally connected at its front
end by a pivot, ³, to the brake-lever, W, just above its lower pivot, . The
link may be made adjustable by providing it with a series of bolt-holes,
upper end of the lever, W, extends through a slot,, in the segmental plate, P,
and it is adapted to move back and forth and be guided therein. The brake rod, Y,
is attached to the upper end of the brake lever, W¹, just below the plate, l'.
The
It will be observed that the brake lever, W', is located close to the swivel
bolt, N, so that the brakes may be applied directly no matter what may be the
angle of the truck relatively to the car body, and the use of quadrants, commonly
employed in this class of trucks, is dispensed with. The brake mechanism is so
arranged and the leverage is such that a large proportion of the braking power is
applied to the drivers. In the construction shown, about 70% of the braking
power is applied to the drivers.
In applying the brakes, the lever, W', first draws the brake shoes, S, against
the driving wheels, and then the continued rearward movement of the lever will
push the link, W³, rearwardly and thus push rearwardly the lever, V, thereby
pressing the brake shoes S¹, against the small wheels.
The brake mechanism which I have shown is simple and efficient, and is
especially adapted for use in car trucks employing driving wheels of relatively
large diameter as compared with the idle wheels, but my improved brake
mechanism may be used where wheels are of the same diameter, or where it is
desired to apply greater braking power to one set of wheels than to the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained, the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The combination of two pair of wheels and axles, a car body, a truck frame,

page_text: a bolster placed midway between the axles and having a center-bearing for the
car-body for supporting a portion of the weight of that end of the car-body
under which the truck is placed, and supports for the car body located between
the bolster and the motor end of the truck for supporting the remaining part
of the weight of that end of the car body under which the truck is placed.
2. The combination of two pair of wheels and axles, a car body, a truck frame,
a bolster placed midway between the axles and having a center bearing for the
car body for supporting a portion of the weight of that end of the car body
under which the truck is placed, arms projecting from the bolster towards the
motor end of the truck, and devices carried by said arms for supporting the
remaining portion of the weight of that end of the car body under which the
truck is placed.
3. The combination of two pairs of wheels and axles, a car body, a truck frame,
a bolster between the axles, à center bearing for the car body for supporting a
portion of the weight of that end of the car body under which the truck is
placed, arms projecting from the bolster towards the motor end of the truck,
devices carried by the arms for in part supporting the car body, and springs
carried by the truck frame and supporting the outer ends of the arms.
4. The combination of two pair of wheels and axles, a car body, a truck frame,
a bolster located between the axles with a center bearing for the car body, arms
projecting from the bolster toward the motor end of the truck, and rollers carried
by the arms on which the car body rests.
5. The combination of two pair of wheels and axles, a car body, a truck frame,
a bolster located between the axles with a center bearing for the car body, and
adjustable supports for the car body located between the bolster and the motor
end of the truck.
6. The combination of two pair of wheels and axles, a car body, a truck frame,
a bolster located between the axles and having a center bearing for the car
body, arnis projecting from the bolster towards the motor end of the truck, and
adjustable rollers carried by the arms and located between the bolster and the
motor end of the truck.
7. The combination of two pair of wheels and axles, a car body, a truck frame,
a bolster located midway between the axles, springs interposed between the truck
frame and the opposite ends of the bolsters, arms projecting from the bolster
towards the motor end of the truck, and devices carried by the arms located between
the bolster and the motor end of the truck for in part supporting the car body.
8. The combination of two pair of wheels and axles, a car body, a truck frame,
a bolster located between the axles, springs interposed between the truck frame
and the bolster, arms projecting from the bolster towards the motor end of the
truck, springs interposed between the outer ends of the arms and the truck
frame, and devices carried by the arms located between the bolster and the
motor end of the truck for in part supporting the car body.
9. The combination of two pair of wheels and axles, a car body, a truck frame,
a bolster located between the axles, a pivotal connection between the car body
and the bolster located closer to the driving axle than to the bolster, a bearing
centrally located on the bolster for in part supporting the car body, and supports
for the car body located between the bolster and the motor end of the truck.
10. The combination of two pair of wheels and axles, a car body, a truck
frame, a bolster located midway between the axles, a pivotal connection between
the bolster and the car body located closer to the driving axle than to the
bolster, arms projecting from the bolster towards the motor end of the truck,
springs for supporting the outer ends of the arms, and devices located between
the bolster and the motor end of the truck for in part supporting the car body.
11. The combination of the wheels, axles, and axle-boxes, a car body, a truck
frame pivotally connected with the car body, said truck frame having three points
of support for the car body, each bearing an equal part of the load of that end
of the car body under which the truck is placed, one point of support being

page_text: located approximately in the longitudinal central line of the truck, and the
other two points of support being located at one side of such central line, and
at such angles therefrom that a greater portion of the load will rest upon one
pair of wheels than on the others.
12. The combination of the wheels, axles and axle-boxes, the truck-frame, a
brake shoe for a driving wheel, a brake shoe for an idle wheel, a lever pivotally
connected at its upper end with the truck frame and at its lower end connected
with the brake shoe of the idle wheel, an operating lever pivotally connected at
its lower end with the brake shoe of the driving wheel, a link connected with
the operating lever and also connected with the lever to which the brake shoe
of the idle wheel is connected..
13. The combination of the wheels, axles and axle-boxes, brake shoes for the
driving wheels and the idle wheels, brake beams connecting opposite brake
shoes, a lever pivotally connected at its upper end with the truck frame, and
pivotally connected at its lower end with the brake beam of the idle wheels, an
operating lever pivotally connected at its lower end to the brake beam of the
driving wheels, and a link connecting the operating lever with the lever to
which the brake beam of the idle wheels is connected.
14. The combination of the wheels, axles and axle-boxes, brake shoes for the
wheels, brake beams connecting opposite shoes, a lever pivotally connected at
its upper end with the truck frame and pivotally connected at its lower end with
the brake beam of the idle wheels, an operating lever pivotally connected at
its lower end with the brake beam of the drivers, a link pivotally connected with
the lever to which the brake beam of the idle wheels is connected between its
upper pivotal connection with the truck frame and its lower pivotal connection
with the brake beam of the idle wheels, and also pivotally connected with the
operating lever between its lower pivot and its upper end.
15. The combination of the truck frame, a driving wheel, an idle wheel, brake
shoes for the driving wheel and the idle wheel, a lever pivotally connected at
its upper end to the truck frame and at its lower end pivotally connected with
the brake shoe of the idle wheel, an operating lever pivotally connected at its
lower end with the brake shoe of the driving wheel, and a link connected to the
operating lever just above its lower pivotal connection with the brake shoe and
to the first-mentioned lever between its upper pivotal connection with the truck
frame and its lower pivotal connection with the brake shoe.
16. The combination of a car body, a truck frame, the wheels, axles and axle-
boxes, the brake-shoes, a transverse bolster located between the wheels, a swivel
connection between the bolster and the car body, a lever pivoted to the truck
frame at its upper end and at its lower end pivotally connected to the brake shoes
of the small wheels, the brake-operating lever, the lower end of which is pivotally
connected with the brake shoes of the drivers, and the upper end of which is
arranged close to the swivel connection between the car body and the bolster,
and a link connected with the first-mentioned lever and with the brake-operating
lever just above its lower pivot.
17. The combination of the car body, the truck frame, the wheels and axles,
a transverse bolster located between the wheels and axles and supported on the
truck frame, a swivel plate secured to the bolster and having a longitudinal slot
therein, a swivel casting secured to the car body, a swivel bolt connecting the
swivel plate with the swivel casting, brake shoes for the wheels and a brake-
operating lever connected with the brake-shoes and having its upper end extend-
ing into or through the slot in the swivel casting.
18. The combination of the car body, the wheels, axles and axle boxes, the
truck frame supported on the axle boxes, a transverse bolster arranged between
the front and rear wheels but closer to the drivers than to the idle wheels, a
swivel connection between the car body and the bolster, brake shoes, brake beams
connecting the shoes, a brake operating lever, the upper end of which is arranged

page_text: close to the swivel connection between the car body and the bolster, and con-
nections between said lever and the brake beams.
19. The combination of a car body, the wheels, axles and axle-boxes, a truck
frame, brake-shoes, brake beams connecting the shoes, an operating lever and
connections between the operating lever and the brake beams for applying greater
power to the brake beam of the drivers than to the brake beam of the idle
wheels.
20. The combination of the wheels, axles and axle-boxes, a truck frame, a
motor applied to the driving axle, brake shoes for the wheels, a lever pivotally
connected at its upper end to the truck frame, and at its lower end connected
with the brake beam of the idle wheels, an operating lever pivotally connected
at its lower end with the brake beam of the driving wheels, and a link connected
to the operating lever, and also connected to the first-mentioned lever between
its upper pivoted end and the end connected to the brake beam of the idle wheels.
21. The combination with the side frames, of a truck, of a transverse bolster,
the downwardly projecting posts secured to the opposite ends thereof, the roller-
brackets mounted on the opposite ends of the holster, the car-body, curved
grooved chafe-plates secured thereto in which the rollers ride, a segmental swivel
plate secured to the holster, and a swivel casting secured to the car-body and
connected by a swivel bolt with the segmental plate.
22. The combination of the car-body, the car-truck frame, the transverse
bolster mounted thereon, a segmental plate attached to the bolster, a segmental
casting attached to the car-body and having at its front end a hub for the swivel
bolt, a bolt extending through the hub and through an opening in the front
end of the segmental swivel plate, a stud on the rear end of said plate extending
through a curved slot in the swivel casting, and a block on said casting extending
into a curved groove in the swivel plate.
23. The combination of the truck frame, the car body, the bolster supported
on the truck frame, the segmental plate secured to the bolster and having a
headed stud projecting therefrom, and a segmental casting secured to the car
body and provided with a curved slot into which the headed stud projects.
24. The car truck substantially as herein shown and described.
D1 41 Ol Joy of Sentember AD 1899
WILLIAM SEBASTIAN GROFF BAKER.