Improvements in and relating to Railway and like Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 9th Dec., 1897- Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1898
Improvements in and relating to Railway and like Vehicles.
I, EDGAR PECKIIAM, of 26, Cortlandt Street, in the City and State of New York,
United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction of trucks intended particularly, for
electric locomotives but also applicable to general street railway service.
The object of the invention is to devise a truck that shall possess great strength,
durability and efficiency and which is capable of supporting the car body elastic-
ally upon the truck frame independently of the support for the motor or motors,
which latter are supported in part by motor frames at the sides of the truck
suspended from the tops of the axle boxes, and being entirely independent of the
truck frame.
The journal boxes, are provided in their top surfaces with depressions for receiv
ing spiral springs upon which the main side frames of the truck are cushioned
as hereinafter explained and also provided with ledges to prevent the displacement
of the motor supporting frames.
The main franie of the truck consists of two castings, one at each side of the
truck the cross section of these frames at the top portion thereof being in the shape
of 1-beams. The frame is cut out at both ends to receive or straddle the journal
boxes, and it is also cut away at the wheel base or between the wheels, to render
the motors easily accessible, and at the lower outer corners, to give symmetry and
reduce the weight of the structure, and to give as much room as possible. under
the beam for operating mechanism. The frame will thus consist of a longitudinal
beam having two downwardly extending arms near each end forming two yokes for
spanning the respective journal boxes, with the lower suface of the beam being
substantially on a line with the bearing surface of the yokes. In the tops of the
cut away portion there are provided pockets which receive the spiral cushioning
spring, and the bottom of such cut away portions have bolted across the same the
repair pieces. At the extreme ends of the truck its side frames are connected
together by the usual transverse beams.
At the longitudinal centre of the truck there are arranged the cross beams
which are bolted to flanges cast with or connected to the inside of the side frames.
These beams are a sufficient distance apart to permit the requisite play of the
swinging bolster and are connected transversely by stay bars. The bolster upon
which the car body is adapted to rest may be of the usual construction. It is
suspended from the side frames of the truck by the links two at each side of the
truck, the same being pivoted to lugs cast on said side frames, the said links being
in turn pivoted to eye bolts which pass through the suspended cross bars and are
provided below said cross bar with spiral springs held in place by cup-shaped
washers and nuts below said washers.
It will be seen that there are two of the suspended bars, one at each side of the
truck frame. Supported centrally on the bars is the swinging bolster which is
secured to the bars by clamps passing under said bars which are bolted at their

page_text: upper ends to said bolster. On the bolster are mounted the elliptic springs one
at each side of the truck. These elliptic springs are secured to the beam and alse
to the bottom of the car supporting bolster by the ordinary elliptic spring fastener
or socket. The bolster is therefore elastically supported on the elliptic springs
and the swinging beam upon which said springs are mounted, is in turn elastically 5
supported on the cross bars, connected to the spring-equipped eye bolts which are
suspended directly from the truck frame. By this construction the car supporting
bolster is flexibly and elastically supported on the truck. Spring buffers at the
ends of the bolster serve the usual function of such devices.
The motor sustaining frames which support the weight of the motors are 1
depressed centrally between the wheel base of the truck with their outer elevated
ends adapted to seat on top of the journal boxes. These motor supporting frames
in the position which they occupy, are outside the truck frame and they are wholly
independent of the truck frame. They support the cross beams upon which are
mounted the spring-equipped standards to which the outer end of the motor is 1
connected by means of a ring or sleeve on the motor encircling said standard with
a spring above and below the ring or sleeve. The motor is thus elastically
suspended from the cross beam. The support for the motors is by this construction
wholly independent of any connection with the side frames of the truck which
carry the car-body and its load, or with the means whereby the car-body is 2
supported on the truck.
The side frames are preferably made in one piece. They afford to the truck
structure great strength and durability. It will be understood that by removing
the bolts connecting the repair pieces to the side frames at the bottom of the
journal boxes, the said frames may be readily removed together with the bolster 2
and its suspending appliances.
Improvements in and relating to Railway and like Vehicles.
I; EDGAR PECKHAM, of 26, Cortlandt Street, in the City and State of New York,
United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 the construction of trucks intended particularly for
electric locomotives but also applicable to general street railway service.
The object of the invention is to devise a truck that shall possess great strength,
durability and efficiency and which is capable of supporting the car body elastic-
ally upon the truck frame independently of the support for the motor or motors,
which latter are supported in part by motor frames at the side of the truck
suspended from the tops of the axle boxes, and being entirely independent of the
truck frame.
The invention will be fully understood from the description hereinafter given,
taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification and wherein like features of the construction are indicated by the
same numerals of reference in the several views.
In the Drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a truck embodying my improve-
ments. Figure 2 is a similar view with the main frame which supports the bolster
for the car body removed, but showing the motor supporting frame and appliances.

page_text: Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 3, 3, of Figure 1, partly broken away.
Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 4, 4, of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a
detail cross section on the line 5, 5, of Figure 3.
In the Drawings, 6 designates the truck axle, 7 the wheels, and 8 the journal
boxes, the latter provided in their top surfaces with depressions for receiving
spiral springs 9 upon which the main side frames of the truck are cushioned as
explained hereinafter, and also provided with ledges S to prevent the displacement
of the motor supporting frames, as shown.
The main frame of the truck consists of two castings 11, one at each side of the
truck and of the configuration shown in the side view of Figure 1, the cross section
of these frames at the top portion thereof being in the shape of I-beams as indicated
in Figures 3 and 4. By referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that the frame 11
is cut out at 11 at both ends to receive or straddle the journal boxes, and it is also
cut away at the wheel base or between the wheels, to render the motors easily
accessible, and at the lower outer corners, to give symmetry and reduce the weight
of the structure, and to give as much room as possible under the beam for operat-
ing mechanism. The frame 11 will thus consist of a longitudinal beam having
two downwardly extending arms near each and forming two yokes for spanning
the respective journal boxes, with the lower surface of the beam being substan-
tially on a line with the bearing surface of the yokes. In the tops of the cutaway
portion 11 there are provided pockets as shown which receive the spiral cushion-
ing spring 9, and the bottoms of such cutaway portions have bolted across the
same the repair pieces 12. At the extreme ends of the truck its side frames 11 are
connected together by the usual transverse beams 13.
At the longitudinal centre of the truck there are arranged the cross beams 14, 14",
which are bolted to flanges 15 cast with or connected to the inside of the side
frames 11. These beams 14, 14", are a sufficient distance apart to permit the
requisite play of the swinging bolster and are connected transversely by the
stay bars 16. The bolster upon which the car body is adapted to rest is indicated
at 17 and may be of the usual construction. It is suspended from the side
frames 11 of the truck by the links 18, two at each side of the truck, the same being
pivoted to lugs 18" cast on said side frames, the said links 18 being in turn
pivoted to eye bolts 19 which pass through the suspended cross bars 20 and are
provided below said cross bar with spiral springs 21 held in place by cup-shaped
washers 22 and nuts below said washers.
It will be seen that there are two of the suspended hars 20, one at each side of the
truck frame. Supported centrally on the bars 20 is the swinging bolster 23 which
is secured to the bars. 20 by clamps passing under said bars which are bolted at
their upper ends to said bolster. On the bolster 23 are mounted the elliptic
springs 24, one at each side of the truck. These elliptic springs 24 are secured to
the beam 23 and also to the bottom of the car supporting bolster 17 by the ordinary
elliptic spring fastener or socket 21". The bolster 17 is therefore clastically
supported on the elliptic springs 24, and the swinging beam 23, upon which said
springs are mounted, is in turn elastically supported on the cross bars 20, con-
nected to the spring-equipped eye bolts 19 which are suspended directly from the
truck frame. By this construction the car supporting holster is flexibly and
elastically supported on the truck. Spring buffers are indicated at 25 at the ends
of the bolster 17 and serve the usual function of such devices.
The motor sustaining frames 10 which support the weight of the motors are of
the configuration shown in the drawings, the same being depressed centrally
between the wheel base of the truck with their outer elevated ends adanted to seat
on top of the journal boxes 8, as clearly shown in the drawings. These. motor
supporting frames 10, in the position which they occupy, are outside of the truck
frame 11 and they are wholly independent of the truck frame. They support, the
cross beams 10, upon which are mounted the spring-equipped standards 10b to
which the outer end of the motor is connected by means of a ring or sleeve 10° on
the motor encircling said standard with a spring above and below the ring or

page_text: sleeve. The motor is thus elastically suspended from the cross beam 10. The
support for the motors is by this construction wholly independent of any connec-
tion with the side frames of the truck which carry the car-body and its load, or
with the means whereby the car-body is supported on the truck.
The side frames are preferably made in one piece, as shown. They afford to
the truck structure great strength and durability. It will be understood from an
inspection of Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, that by removing the bolts connect-
ing the repair pieces 12 to the side framés 11 at the bottoms of the journal boxes,
the said frames it may be readily removed together with the holster and its
suspending appliances.
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 car truck, the combination with the side frames, of links pivoted to
said frames, eye bolts to which the links are pivoted, bars through which the eye
bolts extend, springs on the eye-bolts below said bars whereby the bars are clastic-
ally supported, a cross beam supported by said bars, one or more springs thereon,
and a car supporting bolster supported by the springs.
2. In a car truck, the combination, with the side frames, of links pivoted to said
fraines, eye bolts to which the links are pivoted, bars through which the eye-bolts
extend, spiral springs 21 on the eye-bolts below said bars, cup-shaped washers
against which the spiral springs press, and a car supporting bolster suitably
supported on said beams.
3. The combination with the truck frame and the journal boxes, of motor frames
arranged outside the truck frame and supported on the journal boxes wholly
independent of the truck frame.
4. The combination with the truck frame and the journal boxes, of a pair of
motor frames arranged at the respective sides of the truck frame and having
depressed central portions at the wheel-base, and elevated end portions adapted to
rest on the tops of the journal boxes outside of the truck frame and appliances
supported by said motor frames for sustaining the motor independently of any
connection with the truck frame.
5. In a car-truck, the combination with the journal boxes and the truck frame,
of a motor sustaining frame at each side of the truck, supported at each end on the
journal boxes and having a depressed portion between said ends, a cross beam 10
connecting the two motor frames and supported thereby, spring-equipped standards
mounted on said cross beam and adapted to sustain the inofor independently of
any connection with the truck frame..
6. In a car truck, the combination with side frames provided with openings near
their ends to receive or straddle the journal boxes, and springs arranged between
the tops of said openings and the journal boxes, whereby said frames are cushioned
on the journal boxes, of a car boily supporting holster elastically suspended from
the side frames, and independent motor sustaining frames supported at their ends
on the journal hoxes outside of the main frames of the truck and depressed at
the wheel base of the truck, and elastic appliances supported liy said motor frames
in sustain the weight of the motor.
Dated this 29th day of September 1897.