Improvements in Trucks or Bogies for Railway Vehicles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1894-Accepted, 28th July, 1894
COMPLETE DIECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM A. MCGUIRE, of Chicago, in the County
of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America.]
Improvements in Trucks or Bogies for Railway Vehicles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 railway trucks or bogies and consists of improved
means for supporting and distributing the weight of the car body and load.
It further consists of improved means of attaching or swivelling the truck to the
car body.
It further consists of a car truck arranged to carry all or any part of the weight
of-the-car-body and-load on the-driving wheels when on a straight track, and to
carry any desired portion of said weight on the idle or guide wheels when on
curves.
It further consists of an improved truck frame; all of which will be more fully
described hereinafter.
In cars using the traction or adhesion of the wheels of the car on the rails
as a means of propulsion, it has been found absolutely necessary to support the
entire car body and load on the driving wheels of the car in order to get
sufficient traction to drive the car rapidly up grades and to make quick starts
when the rails are slippery from any cause as they often are, particularly in
street service. For this reason, in motor cars for street roads, a single truck
or four wheeled car has heretofore been the most successful in this service.
However, where the travel is heavy, railway companies have been obliged to
use double truck cars, and have been and are greatly troubled from a lack of
traction on this style of car. To overcome this, what is known as a maximum
traction truck has been designed; but as trucks of this style will not work
satisfactorily with more than seventy five per cent. of the weight on the driving
wheels, they only partially solve the problem. There have also been several
styles of radial trucks designed to solve this problem, but none of them carried
all the weight on the driving wheels and yet curved satisfactorily.
Another objection to double track cars has been the height it was necessary to
carry the car body from the rail in order to permit the wheels to radiate under the
car sills.
To overcome these objections I have produced a four wheeled truck, one pair of
wheels being driving wheels, and the other idle wheels.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a top or plan view of the improved truck;
Figure 2 is a side elevation;
Figure 3 is an end view of one end of the truck;
Figure 4 is an end view of the other end of the truck;
Figure 5 is a detail, being a plan view of one of the corner pieces; and
Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 5.
7 indicates the axle of the drive wheels 8, and 9 indicates the axle of the idle
wheels 10. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the axles 7 and 9 are journalled in
bearings in side pieces 11-12 of the truck frame. As shown, the drive wheels 8
are large, and the idle wheel quite small. The truck is pivoted to the car body
CD077

page_text: practically over the centre of the axle of the drive wheels, by which construction
the large drive wheels may extend up inside the frame of the car body without
interfering with any part of the car frame when curving. The idle or guide wheels
can be made small enough to pass under the side steps of open or summer cars if
necessary, which construction permits the car to be carried as low as in a four
wheeled or single truck car.
The above described construction requires a strong flexible truck frame, and I
obtain this by forming the frame of one piece of metal, as shown in Figure 1, the
side pieces 11-12 being formed of one piece with an end piece 13, which is bent
into a rectangular frame. This is the construction which I prefer, but if desired
the sides and ends may be formed separately and then welded together. When
welded, the welding is best done by electricity, both for convenience and the
quality of the work. To give great diagonal stiffness to the frame, corner braces
or reinforcing pieces 14 are provided, which are bolted to the frame at the corners,
as shown in Figures 5 and 6. I prefer to provide the corner pieces 14 with seats 15
to receive the car springs 16, as shown in Figure 2. In order to make the truck
as short as possible I terminate the truck frame at the journal boxes of the idle
axle, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.
17 indicates a cross sill, which is secured to the side pieces 11-12 and extends
across the truck frame as close to the idle or guiding wheels 10, as practicable,
which cross sill can be used as a motor support when electric motors are used, and
is also used to support the device for shifting or distributing the weight of the car
body. If desired, an end sill outside the idle or guide wheels, or above them, may
be used for this purpose; but I have found the inside sill above described to be the
most satisfactory in practical operation. As the driving axle carries the entire
load, it and its journals and journal boxes are made heavier than those of the guide
wheels.
The car body is carried upon springs 16-18, which springs are carried, one or
more on each side of the journal box 19 of the driving axle. This arrangement
secures the best results, since it is easy by this construction to mount the car
directly on the driving axle, and, by means of a short upper frame 20, to pivot the
truck to the car body. This upper frame 20 is substantially rectangular in shape,
as shown in Figure 1, and is mounted directly upon the springs 16-18 at each side
of the truck frame. It is connected to the side bars 11-12 of the truck frame by
posts or pedestals 21", as best shown in Figures 2 and 4, which are arranged to
permit the upper frame to move up and down by the action of the springs, but
maintain their normal relative position between the upper frame and the truck
frame.
Upon the top frame 20, practically over the journal boxes 19 at each side of the truck
frame, is located a curved side bearing 21, as shown in Figure 2; and directly over
these side bearings are placed roller bearings 22, which are secured to the car body,
and are arranged to support the weight of the car body and load, and roll upon the
side bearings 21. To take the side thrust of the car body on the truck when
passing round curves, the frames of the upper roller bearings 22 are extended down
outside of the lower side bearings 21, and turn under the lower side bearings,
forming hooks or gibs 23, which extend a short distance under the lower side
bearings 21, and serve to prevent the car body from jumping off the truck in case
of accident. If desired, rollers may be placed in these gibs 23 to bear against the
edges of the lower side bearings 21, to take the side thrust on curves.
To the centre of the end sill 24 of the top frame 20 is pivoted an equalizing
lever 25, to each end of which is attached a draft link 26-27, the free ends of
which are adapted to be attached to the car body over the centre of the driving
axle 7. Through the equalizing lever and links the car is drawn, and their
construction is such as to permit the truck to swivel or turn. on the side roller
bearings without any appreciable resistance from the action of the draft. I do not
wish to limit myself to the use of roller side bearings, since other forms of side
bearings may be used, but the construction shown is preferable.

page_text: It will be seen that by the above described construction the truck is pivoted to
the car, and the entire weight of the car body and load is mounted directly upon
the driving axle. In order to make the truck curve satisfactorily I provide
mechanism for shifting a part of the weight to the guiding wheels when the truck
is passing around a curve, because by so shifting the weight to the guiding wheels,
the danger of jumping the track at curves is obviated. To shift the weight to the
guiding wheels when rounding curves one or more. springs 28 are provided, which
are mounted directly upon the cross sill 17, as best shown in Figure 3, or between
the frame and axle boxes of the guide wheels 10. Flat or part elliptic springs are
preferred. Mounted centrally upon the spring 28 is a roller 29, also best shown in
Figure 3. 30 indicates a double cam, which is rigidly secured to the underside of
the car body directly over the roller 29. Sufficient space is left between the roller
and the cam so that when on a straight track the car body can move up and down'
or the trucks can rock under the car body, without affecting the roller and springs;
but as soon as the car strikes a curve, and the truck turns under the car body, the
roller 29 will strike the car, thereby depressing the spring 28 and exerting a
downward pressure upon the truck frame, and pressing the guide wheels down on
the rail with a force equal to the capacity of the spring 28 at a given degree of
deflection. The capacity of the spring or springs 28 can be so proportioned to the
capacity of the springs 16-18 on which the car is mounted so that the desired
-proportion of weight is distributed between the two axles; and the cams can be so
proportioned that the-pressure on the guiding wheels on curves will increase
practically in proportion as the radii of the curves are shortened, or the proportion,
of pressure will be inversely as the radius of the curve. I have found this
construction to work admirably in actual service, and it is the best way now known
to me of attaining this object of the invention.
This form of truck gives the entire traction of the car for propulsion on a straight
track where it is necessary, and on curves, where the impinging of the flanges of
the wheels on the rails gives greater tractive power to the wheels, rendering the
entire weight on the driving wheels unnecessary, part of the weight is shifted on
to the guide wheels, holding them down upon the curve rails, and enabling them
to guide the trucks around the curves and out on to the straight track again
where the entire load will pass back upon the driving wheels. I do not wish to
limit myself to the specific devices shown for shifting a part of the weight from
the driving to the guide wheels, as many other devices could be used. It is obvious
that by slight changes in the cam the shifting of the weight may be regulated as
desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The method herein described of preventing derailment on curves, of cars
having drive-wheels and guide wheels, the drive wheels being arranged to carry
all, or the greater part of the load, which consists in shifting part of the load from
the drive-wheels on to the guide-wheels when rounding curves, substantially as set
forth.
2. A car-truck arranged to vary the proportion of weight or load on the car
wheels and axles by the action of curving, substantially as set forth.
3. A car-truck arranged to vary the proportion of weight or load on the car
wheels and axles by the action of curving at an inverse ratio to the radius of the
curve, whereby the trucks are prevented from being derailed in passing around
curves, substantially as described.
4. A car-truck having a pair of driving wheels and one or more pairs of idle or
guide wheels, arranged to carry all or the greater part of the entire car body and
load on the driving wheels on a straight track and to throw a portion of such weight
on the guiding wheels in passing around curves, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.

page_text: 5. A car-truck having driving wheels and guide wheels and provided with
cam-actuated pressure mechanism arranged above the forward portion of the
truck and adapted to press the guide-wheels upon the rails with an increased
force by the action of curving, whereby derailment on curves is prevented,
substantially as described.
6. A car-truck having driving wheels and guide wheels and provided with a
cam-controlled spring arranged to bear on the forward portion of the truck and
press the guide wheels upon the rails with an increased and yielding or elastic
pressure while passing around curves, whereby derailment on curves is prevented
and easy riding is attained, substantially as described.
7. The combination of a pivotal car-truck provided with guide wheels and drive
wheels and having its pivotal centre located directly over the driving axle with
mechanism for increasing the pressure of the guide wheels upon the rails when
passing around curves, substantially as and for the purpose described.
8. An independent car-truck adapted to swivel under a car body, said truck
being constructed with driving wheels and idle or guiding wheels, and having an
actual or imaginary centre upon which it swivels, located practically over the
said driving axle and arranged to increase the pressure on the guiding wheels,
while passing around curves by the action or movement of the truck in curving,
substantially as set forth.
9. An independent car-truck having driving wheels and guide wheels and adapted
to swivel under a car body, practically all the weight of the car and load being
carried by the drive wheels on a straight track, said truck being provided with
mechanism to shift part of the weight from the driving wheels on to the guide
wheels on curves, substantially as and for the purpose described.
10. An independent four wheeled truck adapted to be swivelled under a car
body and provided with cam-actuated pressure mechanism arranged to vary the
proportion of weight on its wheels by the action of its movement under the car
body in passing around curves, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
11. The combination of a car body, two or more trucks adapted to swivel or
swing under said car body and provided with driving wheels and guide wheels, the
said driving wheels being arranged to carry all or the greater part of the weight
of the car and load on a straight track, and cam-controlled pressure mechanism for
increasing the load on the guide wheels while passing around curves, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
12. The combination of a pivotal car truck having small guide wheels and large
drive wheels, the pivotal centre of the truck being located practically over the
driving axle, with mechanism for increasing the pressure of the guide wheels
upon the rails when passing around curves, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
13. A pivotal car truck having springs for supporting the car body and load
located on each side of the driving axle, in combination with one or more elastically
supported rollers and actuating cams, whereby the guiding or idle wheels have an
increased elastic downward pressure applied to them in passing around curves,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
14. The combination of a car truck adapted to be pivoted to a car body, and
having driving and guiding wheels, with one or more rollers and cams arranged
to be brought into contact by the movement of the truck in curving, and one
or more interposed springs whereby the guiding wheels of the truck are pressed
upon the rails in curving with an increased elastic force, substantially as
described.
15. The combination of a car truck adapted to be swivelled to the car body and
having small guide wheels and large driving wheels, and cam-actuated devices for
shifting a portion of the weight of the car body to said guide wheels, when rounding
a curve, substantially as described.
16. The combination with a car truck adapted to be swivelled to the car
body and having large drive wheels arranged to support the entire weight of

page_text: the car body, of small guide wheels, and cam-actuated spring mechanism for
shifting a portion of the weight to said guide wheels when rounding a curve,
substantially as described.
Doted this 10th day of May 1804
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.