Improvements in and relating to Railway-trucks.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Railway-trucks.
I, GEORGE JOSEPHI CAPEWELL, of 903, Asylum Avenue, Hartford, County of
Hartford, State of Connecticut, 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 those trucks for motor railway cars which are con-
structed so that they can travel on the ordinary standard gauge track and also
on a narrow gauge or single rail track.
The object of this invention is to provide a comparatively simple, inexpensive
and durable truck which may be run rapidly, smoothly and noiselessly without
transmitting the vibration and jar incident to uneven or rough tracks to the car
built upon the truck and without danger of becoming derailed, either on an
ordinary standard gauge track or on a narrow gauge or central rail track, and
which can be safely run without checking the speed, from one track to the other.
The embodiments of the invention illustrated by the accompanying drawings
have ordinary flanged wheels arranged at the usual distances apart for travelling
on the common two-rail track, flat tread wheels arranged near the center of the
truck so as to travel on a central rail track, yokes borne by the wheels and,
through pivots and springs, supporting the truck frame, a motor held by a
frame that is movably or yieldingly connected with the truck frame, with friction
or toothed gearing between the motor and the driving wheels for transmitting
the rotary motion of the motor, and retaining wheels supported by the truck
frame and arranged to run on both sides of the center so as to keep the truck in
position when it is traveling on the central rail track.
Of the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a portion of a railway car provided with one
form of the improved truck so depicted as to illustrate one of the objects of con-
structing a truck that can run on either an ordinary two-rail track or a central
rail track. Fig. 2 shows a larger view of one end of this car, showing the truck
in side elevation. Fig. 3 shows a plan of the truck, the top of the frame being
removed to better expose the mechanism. Fig. 4 shows a side elevation with
the side of the frame broken away to expose the mechanism. Fig. 5 shows a
vertical section taken on the plane indicated by the line X X of Fig. 4. Fig. 6
shows one of the wheel yokes. Fig. 7 shows a cross sectional shape of one form
of central track provided for this truck, showing also the positions of the retain-
ing wheels. Fig. 8 shows a similar section with retaining wheels of different
form. Fig. 9 illustrates the use of another form of truck that embodies the
invention. Fig. 10 shows a plan of this latter form of truck. Fig. 11 shows
a side elevation of this latter form with the side wall of the truck frame removed
to better expose the organization. Fig. 12 shows a plan of the motor frame with
the motor and connected parts removed from the truck frame of this form.
Fig. 13 shows a plan of the truck frame and connected parts with the motor
frame and its supports removed. Fig. 14 shows an end elevation with the end

page_text: wall of the truck frame removed. And Fig. 15 shows a plan of one of the flanged
traction wheels and the yoke which connects this wheel with the truck frame.
The flanged wheels 1 formed in any common manner are arranged the usual
distances apart for running on an ordinary two-rail track, and the flat tread
wheels 2 are arranged near the center so as to run on the central rail. The
central rail illustrated in Fig. 5 has outwardly extending webs 3, an upwardly
extending web and a downwardly extending web 5, and the flat tread wheels
run on the upper faces of the webs 3. In the form shown in Fig. 14 the flat
tread wheel runs upon the upper surface of the rail 6. Between the wheels 1
and 2 and their axles there may be any common form of anti-friction bearings.
In the first form of truck shown the axles 7, upon which turn the wheels 1
and 2 that are connected in pairs by hubs 8, are connected with and support
yokes 9. Each of the yokes is formed of thin metal with two sides 10 and an
end 11, and each at its open end supports a bar 12 that extends transversely of
the truck, and at the other end each supports cushioning springs 13. The yokes
are so shaped and aranged that the ends holding the pivot bars are higher than
the other ends and the sides are provided with hubs 14 to provide for the con-
nection of the axles and bars.
The truck frame is supported by the bars 12 at the higher ends of the yokes
and by springs 13 at the lower ends of the yokes. The first truck frame illus-
trated is a rectangular oblong frame formed of wide vertically arranged sheet
metal plates 16 that extend from end to end, and of vertically arranged sheet
metal end plates 17 that are not as wide as the side plates. The side plates are
stiffened by securing along their inner faces near the upper edges channel
beams 18 and the end plates are stiffened by similarly arranged channel beams 19.
Extending each side of the middle with a space between them from end to end
are tie beams 20. These tie beams at one end are secured to the channel
beams 19 and at the other end are secured to the end plate 17 some distance
below the upper edge.
The tie beams extend along in the plane of the upper
edge of the frame for nearly their entire length but near one end they incline
downwardly and pass under the motor. Extending transversely of the frame
each side of the middle, from each of the tie beams to the channel beams that stiffen
the side plates, are brace beams 21, and over the top a cover plate 22 is placed.
The bars 12 are connected with the side walls of the frame and the springs 13
with the transverse tie beams. The weight of the car tends to force the bars 12
downwardly and this is resisted by the wheels upon the track and the springs 13
until an equilibrium is established by the compressional resistance of the springs.
When there is an roughness or unevenness in the track, no motion or jar is trans-
mitted to the truck frame and car, as the yokes oscillate independently on the
bars 12 and allow the wheels to move up and down and conform to the contour
of the track, the springs absorbing all vibration.
Near one end of this form of truck and supported by one of the bars 12 are
arms 23 that support an electric motor 24, the shaft 25 upon which is mounted
the armature of the motor passing through the arms. Projecting from the walls
of the motor case are lugs 26. Through these lugs extend rods 27 that are con-
nected with the truck frame and that carry springs 28. As the arms 23 are free
to rock on the bar 12 the motor is free to oscillate except as controlled by the
springs 28 which cushion any movement of the motor and absorb all jar and
vibration.
Mounted on the armature shaft are pinions 29 and these mesh with gears 30
that are borne by the bar 12 and that mesh with gears 31 connected with the
hub 8 of the traction wheels 1 and 2.
Held by vertically extending webs 32 secured to the truck frame are bear-
ings 33 which support four pairs of wheels 34 that are adapted to run against
the side faces of the central rail or of strips 35 secured thereto when the flat
tread wheels are traveling on the central rail. These side bearing wheels pre-
vent the flat tread wheels from running off and the truck from tipping over,

page_text: and they may be provided with flanges 36 that will engage the edges of the
strips 35 and prevent the truck from jumping up from the central rail.
In the second form of truck illustrated there is but a single central flat tread
traction wheel 37 but there may be more than one of these wheels arranged in
line one behind the other, if desired. Two of these trucks are required for a car.
However, if there are two flat tread traction wheels arranged a sufficient dis-
tance apart, one truck would support a car. This flat tread traction wheel is
mounted upon an axle 38 that near its ends is connected with the walls of a
motor frame 39.
The motor frame shown with this second form of truck is rectangular and has
side walls 40 and end walls 41 formed of vertically arranged sheet metal plates
that are secured together in any desired manner. Extending longitudinally
of the motor frame a little in from the outside are plates 42 which form braces
for the frame and, together with the outside wall plates, support the axle 38
and mounted upon the axle 38 between the side and brace plates and connected
with the flat tread traction wheel are flat faced friction pulleys 43.
A vertically arranged bed plate 44 is secured to the inside of one end wall of
the motor frame. A pivot 45 hinges a vertical hinge plate 46 to the lower edge of
the bed plate, and a pivot 47 hinges to the upper edge of the hinge plate one end
of the yoke 48 that extends substantially horizontal and between its arms sup-
ports an electric motor 49.
The motor is thus supported on one side by this double hinge formed by hing-
ing the motor yoke to the upper edge of the hinge plate which at its lower edge
is hinged to the bed plate. The other side of the motor is yieldingly supported
by springs 50 that are placed between the upper and lower faces of the corners
of the motor yoke and the inner faces of brackets 51 that extend upwardly and
downwardly from the inside walls of the brace plates.
The shaft 52 of the armature of this motor passes through bearings in the arms
of the yoke and extends through, openings in the brace plates outside of which
it bears friction pulleys 53. Between the pulleys 53 on the ends of the armature
shaft and the pulleys on the axle of the flat tread traction wheel are pulleys 54.
The shafts of these intermediate pulleys 54 are held in bearings in blocks 55
that are loosely placed in openings in the side and brace plates of the motor
frame.
The rotation of the armature is transmitted through the pulleys 53 and the
intermediate pulleys 54 to the pulleys connected with the flat tread traction
wheel. The axle of this traction wheel is held fixed in the side plates and brace
plates so that the pulleys connected with the traction wheel, while free to rotate,
have no rectilinear movement. The motor yoke is supported by the double
hinge on one side and by the springs on the other side so that the pulleys on the
armature shaft may have a slight oscillation up and down on the pivots of the
hinge as the supporting springs yield. However, any tendency of the motor
yoke to oscillate upwardly on the pivot 47 shortens the distance between the axis
of the pulleys 53 and the axis of the pulleys 43, and the same is true when the
yoke tends to oscillate downwardly on the pivot 45. As the bearings for the
pulleys 54 are loosely supported, any tendency of the motor yoke to oscillate is
not resisted by the pulleys 54, and as the distance between the axes is shortened,
the pulleys 54 are forced forward and caused to impinge more tightly against
the peripheries of the pulleys 43. The minimum necessary amount of friction
is exerted between the pulleys 43, 53 and 54 when the axes are in the same
plane, and any movement of the pulleys 53 out of that plane causes the friction
between the peripheries of the pulleys to increase.
The frame of this truck is formed of vertically arranged side plates 56 that
are somewhat longer at the bottom than at the top and end plates 57 that extend
from side to side in the plane of the shortest part of the side plates. Extending
each side of the middle and parallel with the lower portions of the outside plates

page_text: are inside plates 58, and these lower inside plates and the lower portions of the
outside plates are joined at the ends by plates 59.
A shaft 60 extends through the opening in the motor frame and through
hubs 61 secured to the inner faces of the outside walls near one end of the upper
portion of the truck frame. The opening for this pivot shaft through the motor
frame is elongated vertically, allowing a slight up and down movement of the
motor frame. In order to prevent vibration and jar and yet permit independent
movement between the truck frame and this end of the motor frame, cushions 62
are inserted between the lower edges of the motor frame and brackets 63 on the
inside of the end wall, and between the upper edges of the motor frame and a
beam 64 that extends across the truck frame near the upper edge. Mounted
upon the plate 65 that extends across the top of one end of the motor frame are
springs 66 and one end of the truck frame is supported by these springs, a
plate 67 being arranged across the top of the truck frame for this purpose.
The flat tread traction wheel when running upon a wide tread flat rail supports
the motor frame which, through the interposed cushions at one end and springs
at the other end, supports the truck frame.
Each of the flanged traction wheels of this truck is mounted upon a short
axle 68 which is connected with a yoke 69 that at one end is provided with
trunnions 70 arranged to pivotally join the yoke with the outer and inner walls
of the truck frame. At the other end each yoke is yieldingly connected with the
truck frame by means of a rod 71 that loosely passes through a part of the yoke,
and a spring 72 that is on the rod between the yoke and a hub 73 secured to the
walls of a truck frame.
Friction pulleys 74 are mounted upon the same axles and are connected with
the flanged traction wheels, and interposed between these pulleys and the pulleys
on the axle of the flat tread traction wheel are intermediate pulleys 75. These
latter pulleys are loosely retained in position by yokes 76 that are pivotally con-
nected with the lower portions of the outer and inner walls of the truck frame.
The retaining wheels 77 of this form are secured to shafts that are supported
by vertically arranged bearings attached to the end walls of the truck frame each
side of the middle. The vertically extending" tread faces of these wheels are
adapted to run against side rails secured to the structure that supports the central
rail and prevent the flat tread wheel from getting off the central rail.
The car can be connected with these trucks by pivots 78 and other connections
that are necessary and usual.
The flanged wheels as arranged permit this truck to travel upon an ordinary
standard gauge two-rail track, to run over the switches in common use and to
take the ordinary turnouts so that a car provided with these trucks can run on the
railways in existence at the present time. The flat tread wheels allow these
trucks to travel upon a central rail track which may be supported above the
surface upon a single line of timbers, spiles or ordinary columns, as shown in
Figure 14, and cars having these trucks can be run from the common two-rail
track to this special central rail track and back again, according as the circum-
stances seem to warrant the building of the road or as advantage is taken of
existing roads.
Providing cars with these trucks having the two forms of wheels enables the build-
ing of elevated roads for urban transportation upon which considerable speed
can be safely made where previously it has been impossible in view of the narrow-
ness of streets and the congested condition of business, for the central track
structure will not occupy the amount of space, nor cut off the amount of light,
nor cost as much to rear and keep in repair as the ordinary elevated structure for
two-rail tracks. It also enables the building of a railroad for suburban trans-
portation where rapid transit is required and it is necessary to eliminate grade
crossings and build a cheap structure which will be artistic and safe for passen-
gers, for pedestrians and for domestic animals.
In rural localities, across farms.
over streams and swamps and across prairies and deserts a cheap structure can

page_text: be reared above the reach of animals and the level of floods, snow and sand drifts,
having the central rail track upon which high speed can be safely made.
The
These trucks run very smoothly, for the wheels have movement independently
of the truck frame and there is no jar or vibration transmitted to the car.
motors are so supported that they are comparatively free from shake and they
can be readily removed for renewing or repairs. These trucks will pass safely
from one track to another and thus the ordinary tracks may be utilized where
they conveniently can and connections, extensions or additions can be built
employing the central rails mentioned herein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A railway car truck having wheels adapted to travel on a standard gauge
two-rail track, wheels adapted to travel on a central rail track, a truck frame
supported by the wheels, and side bearing retaining wheels supported by the truck
frame.
2. A railway car truck having wheels adapted to travel on a standard gauge
two-rail track, yokes supported by said wheels, wheels adapted to travel on a
central rail track, a truck frame supported by the yokes, and retaining wheels
for keeping the central track wheels in position.
3. A railway car truck having wheels adapted to travel on a standard gauge
two-rail track, wheels adapted to travel on a central rail track, yokes supported
by the wheels which are being made use of, and a truck frame pivotally connected
with the outer ends of the yokes and connected by springs with the inner ends
of the yokes.
4. A railway car truck having a traction wheel, a motor frame supported by
the traction wheel, a motor movably hung in the motor frame, gearing between
the motor and the traction wheel, and a truck frame supported by the motor
frame.
5. A railway car truck having traction wheels, a motor frame supported by
the traction wheels, a motor movably hung in the motor frame, gearing between
the motor and the traction wheels, and a truck frame supported by yielding con-
nections mounted on the motor frame.
6. A railway car truck having a central traction wheel adapted to run on a
raised single rail track, traction wheels adapted to run on a double rail track
that is lower than the single rail track, a truck frame supported by either the
single rail traction wheel or the double rail traction wheels, depending upon the
track that is being used, retaining wheels supported by the truck frame and
arranged to bear against the sides of the single rail, a motor frame in the truck
frame, and a motor supported by the motor frame for rotating the traction
wheels.
Dated the 15th day of July 1898.
GEORGE JOSEPH CAPEWELL,
D. Young & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.