Improvements in and relating to Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 10th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in and relating to Railway Vehicles.
I, FRANÇOIS DE RECHTER, of 24 Rue de l'Evêque, Brussels, in the Kingdom as
Belgium, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be of
follows:-
My invention relates to railway vehicles, and has for its object to enable the
axles of such vehicles to converge when passing over curves of small radius.
According to my said invention which is applicable to vehicles having two or
more pairs of wheels, the convergence of each of the extreme axles round a
corresponding main bolt is obtained through the medium of a small movable frame
carrying the guards of the axle boxes and bearing upon the extremities of the
suspension springs, without using the said frames for supporting the weight of the
vehicle. The suspension springs fixed to the axle boxes carry the frame of
the vehicle directly on the one hand by vertical links connected to fixed link
supports, and on the other hand by links connected to sectors adapted to roll upon
suitable gussets.
I provide the main bolts upon the longitudinal axis of the frame of the vehicle
outside the vertical planes of the movable axles and on the side of the centre of the
frame of the vehicle.
The fixed link supports herein before referred to correspond to the extremities
of the springs nearest to the main bolts, whilst the sectors are applied to the other
extremities of the springs.
At a point near each main bolt the coupling bars serving for the traction and for
coupling the vehicles with each other possess a joint enabling an angular displace-
ment. They pass moreover through a nortice formed in the cross pieces of the
small frame which are opposite the bolts, so that in their movement they cause or
follow all the movements of the small frames relatively to the frame of the vehicle.
The parts of the brake are arranged in such a manner that the small movable
frames follow the displacement of the wheels in their passage over a curve, and
that the point of application of the force, exerted at the moment when the brake is
applied is in proximity to the bolt of the small frame. By this arrangement the
convergent movement of the axles is not hindered during the action of the brakes.
Take for example a vehicle having two axles. The small frame made of figured
iron is arranged to turn round the main bolt formed on a part which is fixed to an
intermediary cross bar of the frame of the vehicle. The small frame carries
laterally the guards of the axle boxes. It supports the brake blocks through the
medium of rods and has secured to it at each corner a piece which enables it to rest
The rear
upon four bolts which connect the eyes of the springs to the links.
extremities of these four bolts form horizontal sockets with which engage axes
parallel with the planes of the springs and held in the corner pieces by means of
a pin.
As the corner pieces have a larger recess than the socket head of the four bolts
they necessarily permit the lengthening and shortening of the springs by reason of
the varying flexion under the action of the small frame.
The two extremities of the suspension springs nearest to the main bolt are
connected to the supports of the frame of the vehicle by stirrups serving as links.
The two other extremities of the springs are connected by links to the sectors.
These sectors pressing upwards against the aforesaid gussets by reason of the
action of the suspension springs, roll in a direction at a right angle to the straight

page_text: Tine passing through the centre of the main bolt and the centre of figure of the eye
of the spring.
The coupling bar, provided with a hook and a screw coupling is adapted to turn
upon a joint, it passes through a mortice of a size approximately equal to that of
the bar itself, and is provided with a piece connected to the small frame. This bar
is morcover held under the head cross bar by a support so as to permit the angular
displacement in the passages over curves.
Part of the coupling bar, traversing the elastic traction device and connecting
two joints corresponding to the two axles, is guided by the parts of the frame of
the vehicle for enabling this portion of the coupling to make only a longitudinal
movement. The brake blocks are connected two by two through the medium of
cross bars actuated by a lever which is operated by an inclined tumbler by means
of a rod of such a length that its extremity, attached to the said tumbler upon the
longitudinal axis of the frame of the vehicle in proximity to the main bolt.
One of the tumblers which actuates the rods of the brake at the axle on the right
hand side is adapted to turn upon a fixed point of the frame of the vehicle, while
the other tumbler corresponding to the axle on the left hand side is held freely
below the frame of the vehicle and connected at its rear extremity with the bell
cord actuated by the screw for applying the brake.
The centres of the two tumblers (or points near these centres) are moreover
connected with each other by a rod so that when the operating screw is turned the
action will be transmitted by traction to all the rods of the brake gear.
When this traction takes place the extremities of the rods attached to the
tumblers are in proximity to the main bolts so that no strain will interfere with the
movableness of the axles.
The sectors hereinbefore referred to are used as supports to the extremities of
the suspension springs which are furthest away from the main bolt of the small
frames.
The gusset which is provided with ribs serves as a connecting piece between the
intermediate cross bar and the longitudinal beam of the frame of the vehicle and
also as a rolling plane for the sector. It has an opening for the passage of the link
by which the sector is fastened to the suspension springs.
I form the sector with two sheets slightly inclined and connected with each
other; its rolling surface is formed according to an arc of a circle having for its
centre a point not coinciding with the axis of a bolt which traverses the roller of a
link. This point is some millimetres lower so that by the weight of the vehicle
acting upon the suspension springs through the medium of the link connecting
these springs with the sector the latter shall always have a tendency to return to
its normal position and to move the axle back to the position which it must occupy
on a straight line. This eccentricity of the rolling surface of the sector therefore
constitutes a device which aids the back motion resulting from the inclination which
the stirrups 13 assume in the passage over curves.
I attach the said link to the eye of the suspension spring through the medium
of a stirrup which is traversed by the above mentioned bolt provided with a
socket.
In order that the scetor shall never incline and that it shall always return to its
normal position one of the lower ribs of the gusset is provided with a notch with
which engages the projection cast in one piece with the cheeks of the sector.
Dated this 8th day of Januar 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Railway Vehicles.
I, FRANÇOIS DE RECHTER, of 24 Rue de l'Evêque, Brussels, in the Kingdom
of Belgium, 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 :-
My invention relates to railway vehicles, and has for its object to enable the
axles of such vehicles to converge when passing over curves of small radius.
According to my said invention which is applicable to vehicles having two or
more pairs of wheels, the convergence of each of the extreme axles round a corre-
sponding main bolt is obtained through the medium of a small movable frame
carrying the guards of the axle boxes and bearing upon the extremities of the
suspension springs, without using the said frames for supporting the weight of the
vehicle.
The suspension springs fixed to the axle boxes carry the frame of the vehicle
directly on the one hand by vertical links connected to fixed link supports, and
on the other hand by links connected to sectors adapted to roll
suitable
gussets.
upon
I provide the main bolts upon the longitudinal axis of the frame of the vehicle
outside the vertical planes of the movable axles and on the side of the centre of
the frame of the vehicle.
The fixed link supports herein before referred to correspond to the extremities of
the springs nearest to the main bolts, whilst the sectors are applied to the other
extremities of the springs.
At a point near each main bolt the coupling bars serving for the traction and for
coupling the vehicles with each other possess a joint enabling an angular displace-
ment. They pass moreover through a mortice formed in the cross pieces of the
small frame which are opposite the bolts, so that in their movement they cause or
follow all the movement of the small frames relatively to the frame of the vehicle.
The parts of the brake are arranged in such a manner that the small movable
frames follow the displacement of the wheels in their passage over a curve, and
that the point of application of the force, exerted at the moment when the brake
is applied is in proximity to the bolt of the small frame. By this arrangement,
the convergent movement of the axles is not hindered during the action of the
brakes.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention can be
5 conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a plan of one half of the frame of a narrow gauge railway truck.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is an end elevation thereof.
Figure 4 is a plan of the complete truck drawn to a smaller scale showing the
relative arrangement of the several parts.
Figures 5 6 and 7 show details of the sector.
In the drawings it will be seen that the small frame 1 made of figured iron is
arranged to turn round the main bolt 2 formed on a part 3 which is fixed to an
The small frame carries
intermediary cross bar of the frame of the vehicle."
5 laterally the guards 4 of the axle boxes. It supports the brake blocks 5 through
the medium of rods 6 and has secured to it at each corner, pieces 7 which enables
it to rest upon four bolts 8 which connect the eyes of the springs to the links. The
rear extremities of these four bolts form horizontal sockets 9 with which engage
axes 10 parallel with the planes of the springs and held in the corner pieces 7 by
0 means pins 11.
As the corner pieces 7 have a larger recess than the socket head 9 of the four

page_text: bolts they necessarily permit the lengthening and shortening of the springs by
reason of the varying flexion under the action of the small frame.
The two extremities of the suspension springs nearest to the main bolt 2 are
connected to the supports 12 of the frame of the vehicle by stirrups 13 serving as
links. The two other extremities of the springs are connected by links 14 to the
sectors 15 as hereinafter described.
These sectors, pressing upwards against the aforesaid gussets 16 by reason of the
action of the suspension springs, roll in a direction at a right angle to the straight
line passing through the centre of the main bolt 2 and the centre of the eye of the
spring.
The coupling bar 17, provided with a hook and a screw coupling, 18, is adapted
to turn upon a joint 19, it passes through a mortice 20" of a size approximately
equal to that of the bar itself, and is provided with a piece connected to the small
frame 1. This bar is moreover held under the head cross bar by a support so as
to permit the angular displacement in the passages over curves.
The part 20 of the coupling bar, traversing the clastic traction device 21 and
connecting the joint 19 corresponding to the two axles, is guided by the parts of
the frame of the vehicle for enabling this portion of the coupling to make only a
longitudinal movement. The brake blocks are connected in pairs through the
medium of bars 22 and 23 actuated by a lever 24 which is operated by an inclined
lever 25 by means of a rod 26 of such a length that its extremity attached to the
said lever 25 upon the longitudinal axis of the frame of the vehicle is in proximity
to the main bolt 2.
In Figure 4 which shows a diagram of the entire frame it will be seen that one of
the levers 25; which actuates the rods of the brake at the axle on the right hand
side, is adapted to turn upon a fixed point 27 of the frame of the vehicle, while the
other lever 25 corresponding to the axle on the left hand side, is held freely below
the frame of the vehicle and connected at its rear extremity with the rod 28
actuated by the screw for applying the brake.
The centres of the two levers 25 (or points near these centres) are moreover
connected with each other by a rod 30 so that when the operating screw is turned
the action will be transmitted to all the rods of the brake gear. When this move-
ment takes place the extremities of the rods attached to the levers 25 are in
proximity to the main bolts 2 so that no strain will interfere with the movableness
of the axles.
Figures 1, 6, and 7, show the arrangement of the sectors hereinbefore referred to
which are used as supports for the extremities of the suspension springs which are
furthest away from the main bolt of the small frames. The gusset 16 which is
provided with ribs serves as a connecting piece between the intermediate cross-
bar 31 and the longitudinal beam 32 of the frame of the vehicle and also as a
rolling plane for the sector 15. It has an opening 33 for the passage of the link 14
by which the sector is fastened to the suspension springs.
I form the sector 15 with two cheeks 34, slightly inclined and connected with
each other by the faces 35, its rolling surface is formed according to an arc of a
circle having for its centre a point P which does not exactly coincide with the axis
of a bolt 36 which passes through the roller 37 of the link. This point P is some
millimetres lower so that, by the weight of the vehicle acting upon the suspension
springs through the medium of the link 14 connecting these springs with the
sector the latter will always have a tendency to return to its normal position and
to move the axle back to the position which it must occupy on a straight line.
This eccentricity of the rolling surface of the sector therefore constitutes a device
which aids the back motion resulting from the inclination which the stirrups 13
assume in the passage over curves.
I attach the said link to the eye of the suspension spring through the medium
of a stirrup which is traversed by the above-mentioned bolt 8 provided with a
socket 9 as hereinbefore mentioned.
In order that the sector shall not incline and that it shall always return to its

page_text: normal position one of the lower ribs of the gusset is provided with a notch 38 with
which engages a projection 39 cast in one piece with the cheeks of the sector.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a railway vehicle the arrangement and construction of the parts substan-
tially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings for the purpose
specified.
2. The application of the movable frame carrying the guard-plates and supported
by the extremities of the springs, the latter sustaining directly the weight of the
frame which is of relatively light construction, serving in a manner only for bracing
the extremities of the springs together and for connecting them to the main bolt
and also to the movable coupling bar.
3. The employment of any number of sectors with links serving as movable
supports for the frame of the vehicle.
4. The application of the above described sectors where the main bolt is in the
vertical plane of the axle.
5. The application of the above described sectors where the movable frame
supports the weight of the frame of the vehicle.
6. The application of the above mentioned sectors in cases where the centre P
of the rolling surface coincides with the axis of the bolt which passes through the
roller of the link.
Din oth dow of October 1892
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.