Improvements in Railway Car Trucks.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 19th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Car Trucks.
I, WILLIAM SEBASTIAN GRAFF BAKER, a citizen of the United States,
residing at Fulton Junction, Baltimore City, State of Maryland, U.S.A.,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
'
"This invention more especially relates to the organization and construction' of
trucks for electric and cable cars. It involves certain improvements in the general
organization of the frame, in the supports for the car body, and in the mechanism
for applying the brakes to the wheels.
A leading feature of my invention is a novel way of supporting the car body,
whereby its tendency to rise at one end when weighted at the opposite end, is
avoided, checked or relieved. My improvements also check the tendency of the
car body to oscillate about its supports, thus relieving or avoiding the objectionable
up and down motion at the end of the car..
One way of carrying out my invention, is to support the car body ou each side
at six points on six coiled metallic springs; two being located directly over the
axle boxes, two on the truck frame, between the wheels, and two on the truck
frame outside the wheels; but the precise arrangement or number is not essential.
The springs which are carried by the truck frame are mounted in pedestals, and
the springs which are located over the axle boxes are mounted in saddles, which
rest on the axle boxes. A tie rod, on each side of the truck extends over the axle
boxes, and is secured to the pedestals. A short tie rod is secured to the tie rod
under each axle box, to close the opening beneath it. By removing these rods, the
wheels and axles may be readily withdrawn from the truck framo. Braces secured
to the tie rod are secured to the tops of the pedestals.
A double arched tie rod secured to the tops of the saddles is also secured to all
the pedestals. Life guards or fenders are secured by rods or brackets to the truck
frame beneath the pedestals. Headed bolts or feet secured to the car body and
extending through the arched tie rod and the tops of the saddles, rest upon springs-
mounted therein. The feet are free to move vertically in the saddles, being
yieldingly supported by the springs.
The pedestals between the wheels each consist of a base piece and two hollow
uprights. Springa rest on the base pieces and support at their upper ends the
headed ends of bolts or supports which extend through the arched brace, and tie
rod. These bolts are secured at their upper ends to sockets attached to the car
body. Bolts extend through the uprights and the tie rods, and the braces secured
thereto, and through washers or spacing rings, which separate the braces from the
tie rod.
The supports thus far described will yieldingly carry the car body, but they will
not prevent or check the objectionable up and down or oscillating motion at the
ends of the car, which often occurs.
Springs have heretofore been employed for supporting the car body near its ends,
but these springs have not been so arranged as to act from beneath as well as from
above, or to exert a force under that end of the car body which they support to
prevent the upward movement thereof.
In accordance with my invention, I provide means for accomplishing this result.
I.form the pedestals at the ends of the truck frame with base pieces and hollow
uprights. Bolts extend through the hollow uprights and through the braces and
tie rods connected therewith, the braces and top tie rods being separated by the

page_text: ends of cross bars, and by spacing rings. The heads of the bolts rest on cups, and
adjusting nuts are arranged on the bolts at their lower ends.
The supporting springs are mounted between the uprights of their pedestals,
their lower ends resting on flanged thimbles. The upper ends of the springs carry
flanged thimbles. The supporting bolts or standards at their upper ends are secured
to screw-threaded sockets attached to the car body, and extend through the
pedestals and the parts connected therewith, their lower ends being enlarged and
provided with shoulders which rest against shoulders in the lower thimbles. The
upper ends of the bolts are surrounded by sleeves which extend into seats in the
thimbles; and the sleeves are free to slide vertically against the force of
the springs.
The organization is such that the car body is supported on the springs by means
of the sleeves and thimbles. Should the car body at one end tend to rise out of
its normal position, the bolts will rise with it and move the thimbles upwardly
against the force of the springs. The upward movement of the car body is thus
checked, prevented or relieved, without any undue strain on the truck.
Another part of my invention relates to the brake mechanism. I employ short
shafts on each side of the truck, and operate them by rods connected with a lever
operated by a crank wheel, or other power. Each brake shoe is provided with a
stem extending through a sleeve secured to or formed on a bracket attached to the
side of the truck, and the cross beam thereof. The stems are secured to curved
rack bars, which, on each side of the truck, interlock and support each other, and
gear with a pinion secured to a short shaft mounted in bearings in the frame.
Each of the pinion shafts is provided with a crank arm, to which is connected a
rod secured to a rod connecting beam, which is connected by a link to an operating
lever. This lever may be connected by another rod with the usual brake wheel, or
other operating devices. The crank arms are also connected with rods which
extend in an opposite direction to that of the first named rods, and carry springs
which return the brakes to their normal, retracted position out of engagement with
the wheels when the operating lever is free..
By this arrangement a clear space is left in the centre of the truck, no rock shaft
extending across it, and no brake beam for connecting the brake shoes on opposite
side of the truck, being employed.
I have also devised a modification of this brake mechanism, in which the stems
of the brake shoes are connected to cross beans, and instead of securing the rack
bars to the stems of the brake shoes, I secure them to the beans. These rack bars
interlock and gear with a pinion, which is arranged on a vertical axis, which
is mounted on a support attached to braces arranged in X-form and bolted to
cross bars between the wheels and attached to the side frame of the truck.
The shaft of the pinion is secured to an operating lever extending in opposite
directions, and carrying at each end a bar which may be connected with suitable
operating devices. The stems of the brake shoes extend through sleeves formed
on brackets, which extend from one cross bar to the other, and which are secured
thereto.
Dated this 26th day of June 1891.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Railway Car Trucks.
1, WILLIAM SEBASTIAN GRAFF BAKER, Mechanical Engineer, a citizen of
the United States, residing at Fulton Junction, City of Baltimore, and State of 50
Maryland, U.S.A., 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 more especially relates to the organization and construction of

page_text: trucks for electric and cable cars. It involves certain improvements in the general
organization of the truck-frame and the supports for the car body, and in the
mechanism for applying the brakes to the wheels.
A leading feature of my invention is a novel way of supporting the car body,
whereby its tendency to rise at one end when weighted at the opposite end is
checked or relieved. My improvements also check the tendency of the car body to
oscillate about its supports, thus relieving or avoiding the objectionable up-and
down motion at the ends of the car.
One way of embodying my invention, which is the best now known to me, is
hereinafter fully described. The accompanying drawings show so much of a car-
truck embodying my improvements as is necessary to illustrate the subject-matter
herein claimed.
Fig. 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2, a side elevation of a car-truck embodying my
improvements; and
Fig. 3 is a detail view in section, and on an enlarged scale, illustrating one of the
supports for the car body.
In the drawings, I have shown the car body A, supported on each side at six
points on six coiled metallic springs, two being located directly over the axle boxes;
two on the truck-frame between the wheels, and two on the, truck-frame outside
the wheels. I prefer to employ this number of springs and to locate them in the
manner indicated, but the precise arrangement or number is not essential.
The springs which are carried by the truck-frame on opposite sides of the axle
boxes are mounted in pedestals B and C, and the springs which are located over
the axle boxes, are mounted in saddles D. A tie-rod E, on each side of the truck,
extends over the axle boxes and is secured to the pedestals. A short rod e, is
secured to the tie-rod under each axle box to close the opening beneath it, and
hold the axle box against vertical movement. By removing these rods e, the
wheels and axles may be readily withdrawn from the truck.
Braces F, secured to the tie-rod E, are secured to the tops of the pedestals B,
and an arched brace G, is secured to the tie-rod and to the tops of the pedestals C.
A double arched tie-rod II, secured to the tops of the saddles D, is also secured to
all the pedestals. Life-guards or feuders I, are secured by rods or brackets i, to
the truck-frame beneath the pedestals B.
Headed bolts or feet D', secured to the car body and extending through the
arched bar H, and the tops of the saddles, rest upon the springs D', mounted
therein. The feet are free to move vertically in the saddles, being yieldingly
supported by the springs. The pedestals C, between the wheels are shown as each
consisting of a base-piece c, and two hollow uprights c. Springs C³, rest on the
base-pieces, and support at their upper ends the headed ends of bolts or supports C³,
which extend through the brace G, tie-rod H, and the 'caps-c. These bolts are
secured at their upper ends to sockets C, attached to the car body. Bolts C³,
extend through the uprights and the tie-rods and braces secured thereto, and
through washers or spacing rings c³, which separate the brace G, from the tie-rod H.
The springs C support the car body yieldingly in the usual manner.
The supports thus far described will carry the car body, but they will not provent
or check the objectionable up and down or oscillating motion at the ends of the car,
which often occur. Springs have heretofore been employed for supporting the car
body near its ends, but these springs have not been so arranged as to act from
beneath as well as from above, or to exert a force under that end of the car body
which they support to prevent the upward movement thereof.
In accordance with my invention, I provide means for accomplishing this result.
The best way now known to me is illustrated in the drawings, but I wish it
understood that I do not limit myself to the details of construction now to be
described.
Fig. 3 illustrates the details of construction of the supports outside the car-wheels
for preventing the oscillation of the car body. As there shown, the pedestal B, is

page_text: .
formed with a base-piece b, and two hollow uprights b. Bolts extend through
the hollow uprights and through the braces and tie-rods connected therewith, the
brace F, and top tie-rod H, being separated by the ends of the cross bara h, and
spacing rings The heads of the bolts.rest on a cap, and the adjusting nuts b
are located below the brackets of the life-guards. The supporting spring B' is
mounted between the uprights, its lower end resting on a flanged thimble 6º.
The upper end of the springs carries a flanged thimble 6. The supporting bolt or
standard J, at its upper end is secured to a screw-threaded socket J', attached to
the car body, and it extends through the pedestal and the parts connected therewith,
its lower end being enlarged and provided with a shoulder j, which rests against a
shoulder in the thimble . The upper end of the bolt is surrounded by a sleeve J²,
which extends into a seat in the thimble . The bolt and sleeve are free to slido
vertically against the force of the spring B¹
The organization is such, as will be evident from inspection of the drawings, that
the car body is supported on the spring 1', by means of the sleeve J and thimble 66.
Should the car body at one end tend to rise out of its normal position, the bolt J,
will rise with it and move upwardly the thimble against the force of the spring B'.
The upward movement of the car is thus checked or relieved without any undue
strain on the truck.
I have shown four such supports for the car body, two on each side located at
equal distances from the axles. The supporting devices carried in the pedestals C,
are also preferably located at equal distances from the axles, thus affording uniform
and even supports at all points.
It will be observed that there is no yielding connection between the axle boxes
and the truck frame in the construction shown in the drawings, the truck being
held against any appreciable vertical movement relatively to the axles, while the
car body is yieldingly supported to give the cars ease and uniformity of action,
and undue or objectionable vertical motion at the ends of the car is prevented.
The wheel brakes which I preferably employ are in construction and operation
similar in some respects to those shown in my Patent, No. 6140, of April 22, 1890,
but instead of employing a rock-shaft extending from one side of the truck to the
other, 1 employ short shafts on each side and operate them by rods connected with
a lever operated by a brake-wheel or other power.
Each brake-shoe K, is provided with a stem k, extending from a sleeve !,
secured to or formed on a bracket L, attached to the side frame of the truck and
to the cross beam M, thereof. The stems are secured to curved rack-bars N,
similar in construction to those in my Patent above mentioned. These rack-bars
on each side of the truck interlock and support each other and gear with a pinion O,
secured to a short shaft O, mounted in bearings in the bracket L. Each of the
pinion-shafts is provided with a crank-arm 0, to which is connected a rod P,
secured to a rod-connecting beam P¹, which is connected by a link P³, to an
operating-lever R. This lever may be connected by a rod R', with the usual
brake-wheel or other operating devices. The crank-arms O', are also connected
with rods S, which extend in an opposite direction to that of the rods P, and carry
springs S¹, which return the brakes to their normally retracted position out of
engagement with the wheels, when the operating-lever is free.
By this arrangement a clear space is left in the center of the truck, no rock-shaft
extending across it, and no brake-beams for connecting the brakes on opposite sides
of the truck being employed. This brake mechanism, while possessing the
advantages just named, is also, strong, durable and efficient.
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. A truck-frame secured to the car-axle boxes and held against a vertical
movement relatively thereto, and yielding connections between the car body and

page_text: the truck-frame, which check the vertical movement of the end of the car body to
which they are secured.
2. The combination with the wheels, axles and axle boxes, of a truck-frame
carried by the axle boxes and held against a vertical movement relatively thereto,
and yielding connections between the car body and the truck-frame which
check the vertical movement of that end of the car body under which they are
placed.
3. The combination with the wheels, axles and axle boxes, of a truck-frame
carried by the axle boxes and held against a vertical movement relatively
thereto, and yielding connections between the car body and the truck-franic
which support the car body and also check the vertical movement of the ends of
the car.
4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the truck-frame,
the wheels, axles and axle boxes, saddles resting on the axle boxes, springs mounted
in these saddles and connected with the car body, pedestals on opposite sides of the
axles and carried by the truck-frame, springs mounted in these pedestals and
supporting the car body, and devices connecting the car body with the springs in
the pedestals for compressing Eaid springs from beneath.
5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a car truck; a
car body, springs carried by the truck, outside the wheels, bolts secured to the car
body and extending through the springs, sleeves loosely surrounding the bolts and
supported on the springs, and connections between the bolts and the lower ends of
the springs, whereby when the bolts are raised the springs are compressed.
6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a car truck, a car
body, pedestals supported on the car truck, outside the wheels, springs mounted in
these pedestals, bolts secured to the car body and extending through the pedestals
and springs, sleeves surrounding the bolts, thimbles into which the lower ends of
these sleeves project, and which are supported on the springs, and thimbles con-
nected with the lower onds of the bolts and engaging with the lower ends of the
springs.
7. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the wheels, axles
and axle boxes, the tie-rods extending over the axle boxes, saddles mounted on the
boxes, arched tie-rods secured thereto, pedestals between the wheels, and outside
thereof secured to the tic-rods, braces or truss rode secured to the pedestals and
the tie-rods, springs mounted in the pedestals, and connections between these springs
and the car body.
8. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a car truck, brake-
shoes, their stems, rack-bars connected with the stems, pinions engaging therewith,
short pinion-shafts provided with crank-arms, and operating-rods secured thereto.
9. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a car truck,
brake-shoes, the stems of which extend through guides carried by brackets amounted
ou the truck, interlocking rack-bars, and means for operating them.
Dated this First day of September 1891.
WILLIAM SEBASTIAN GRAFF BAKER.