IMPROVEMENTS IN TRUCKS FOR RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Louis Sterne at the Office of the
:
Commissioners of Patents on the 20th March 1878. A communication froin
abroad by E. R. Esmond, of New York, in the United States of America.
LOUIS STERNE, of Victoria Chambers, in the City of Westminster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRUCKS FOR RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK." [A communication
from abroad by E. R. Esmond, of New York, in the United States of America.]
The objects of this Invention are,—
First. To receive all the lateral motion produced by irregularities in the rails
singly on each pair of wheels and their connecting axle and boxes to prevent its
transmission to the truck frame.
The ordinary construction compels the truck frame to move laterally with each
movement of any given pair of wheels, which greatly increases the violence of the
concussion on the rail and rolling stock, and tends to carry the shock up to the car
body.
A second object of this Invention is to modify and soften the force of concussions
and disturbances in the position of the truck lengthwise relatively to the rail.
The mode of connection allows freedom for the truck to move forward and back-
ward within considerable limits relatively to the car. It is a means additional to
the springs and other devices introduced to soften the concussions of the car arising
from the passage of the wheels over any obstacle or irregularity.
A third object of this Invention is to modify and improve the provisions for
swivelling or turning partially around of the truck relatively to the car. This has
heretofore been effected by friction plates and king bolts; the present Invention
dispenses with both.
By reason of this Invention as a whole, all of the communications of shocks or
motions, laterally, vertically, or longitudinally from the rails are received by the
car, not in direct lines but in angular lines.
This Invention avoids all friction due to ordinary centre bearing plates.
In diverging from straight lines at a high rate of speed this Invention brings the
gravity of the truck and cars (by its connection upon the axles) to an active
opposition to the centrifugal force which relieves in great part, or entirely, the
outside rail from such force,

page_text: In rounding curves it pushes or pulls (as the case may be) between the centre of
the truck and the wheel upon the outside rail of the curve, and such pulling or
pushing, together with the active resistance of the gravity of the car truck to the
centrifugal force, tends to keep the axles of the truck to parallel lines to such cen-
trifugal force or radius of the curve, and relieves the outside rail from doing the same.
I will now describe, with the aid of the annexed Drawings, what I consider the
best means of carrying out the Invention.
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section; it shows the truck complete, with
a small portion only of the body of the car; Figure 2 is an end view of the same
partly in section; it represents the forward and nearest pair of wheels as having
been thrown suddenly to one side by some irregularities of the rails not shown.
Figure 3 is a plan view upon a larger scale, showing the parts which serve in
connecting the truck to the car body; it represents the parts as they appear when
the car is moving upon a switch or travelling upon a curve which throws the truck
into an extreme angular position relatively to the car body.
The Figures shew the novel parts with so much of the ordinary parts as is
necessary to indicate their relations thereto.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
The forward pair of wheels is marked A, A, and the axles a', a¹; they are of the
ordinary construction, and rigidly connected; the after wheels A³, A³, are similarly
connected by the axle a², the overhanging end of each supports a box C with only
the ordinary slight amount of end play.
The truck body is formed of a stout hollow cross beam M with two longitudinal
beams M³, M', the ends of which beams are turned and receive the lower ends of
laterally swinging links or pendulous rods Ę; there are two of these rods at each
of the bearings mounted at such sufficient distance apart to inclose a box O between
them, rubbing smoothly against the plane front and rear sides of the box C. Their
upper ends engage with a short bearing bar D which rests in a longitudinal chan-
nel formed in the top of the bearing box C, and is firmly confined. The projecting
ends of the beam M³, as also both ends of the rod or shaft D, are secured by nut
and jam nut or other sufficient means as will be understood, so that the links E
are held with little or no looseness, but with freedom to swing laterally to a con-
siderable extent. The weight of the car being supported by any suitable means
upon the truck, and tending with all its gravity to hold the links or pendulous rods
E vertical, any force, as an irregularity in the rails, may move either pair of wheels:
temporarily to one side or the other without other effect than simply throwing into
an inclined position the links E on each side, which connect that pair of wheels to
the truck. Of course if that position is long maintained gravity will induce the
truck and the car to follow it; but if only temporarily maintained, as in the caso of
passing a bad joint or other irregularity in the rails, the wheels will be returned
again to their usual position, and not only will the car not be disturbed in its
position by a temporary side movement of one pair of wheels, but the truck
itself will remain similarly undisturbed.
In passing a temporary obstruction or irregularity in the rails each pair of wheels
will jump independently to one side, not at the same time but at different times,
and immediately return, and the truck and all the parts depending thereon will
remain undisturbed.
I can, if desired, introduce the ordinary swinging bolster suspended by links in
the hollow cross beam M, and thereby allow the ordinary lateral motion of the car
body relatively to the truck, but this will probably never be necessary.
I propose ordinarily to employ simply springs p in the hollow cross beam M. so as
to support a piece P elastically, which latter receives the weight of the car in a
peculiar manner as will be now explained.
I provide for allowing the car body and truck to move forward and backward
relatively to each other within considerable limits, I thereby attain a softening of
all the concussions and shocks experienced by the truck in rolling over the road,
many of the irregularities of the rails, and even the passage over small obstacles, as

page_text: & spike or the like lying on the rail, will induce but a slight disturbance in the
position and motion of the car, being all absorbed in an irregular motion of the
truck alone.
I suspend the car body to the piece T¹ by means of links, which, under all
ordinary circumstances, are standing at some inclination to the vertical, either
forward or backward, and the transmission of shocks vertically through this mode
of connection is greatly softened.
I fit in the top of the cross beam P a hollow frame P¹, having strong uprights or
eyes P, one on each side. A stout cross bolt X connects these eyes and receives
links W, which hang down in the cavity in the casting or frame P¹, extending
nearly to the bottom thereof. The bottoms of these links are connected by a cross
rod or bolt Y, which latter receives the load of the car at points close to the
link W by means of stout arms or brackets T2, which are formed to swing
clear of the cross piece X by providing large openings as represented. This
provision for the extension of the brackets Te down past the rod X without
touching it is not essential; but it is vital to the full success of this part of the
Invention that the brackets T, which, it will be understood, are fast on the cross
piece T, rigidly connected to the car body, not shewn, shall be free to move forward
and backward within considerable limits by the swinging links W.
These brackets are also free to be moved forward and backward relatively to each
other, to accommodate a swivelling motion of the truck relatively to the car body, as
will be now explained. The point of connection of the links W to the rod X at the
top and to the rod Y at the bottom are not plain cylindrical holes; they are holes
rounded as represented so as to allow a considerable twisting motion.
When the car truck from any cause is swivelled or turned partially around
relatively to the body, and conversely when the car body is swivelled around upon
the truck, the brackets T2 are obviously raised the one forward and the other
backward relatively to the truck. This movement induces a swinging of the pair
of links W which belong to this truck in opposite directions, the one inclining forward
at the bottom, and the other inclining backward at the bottom. Under ordinary
conditions of a smooth rail and little resistance the amount of these inclinations in
the opposite directions will be equal, or about equal; but under other conditions, as
when there is snow or other considerable resistance, the inclinations may be widely
varied.
The conditions in regard to the equality of the inclinations when the truck is
swivelled are much the same as with regard to the inclinations of both links back-
ward from the bottom when the car is running on a straight line of rail.
The cars being drawn by their bodies there is ordinarily the slight resistance of
the friction of the truck to induce an obliquity of the suspending links, but it is
very slight.
When in any case (as the inertia of the truck in starting) a considerable resistance
from any obstacle or other temporary or permanent cause induces a greater holding
back of the truck the inclination of the links backward will increase; but there is
always the weight of the car depending on the links, and tending, by the full effect
of its gravity, to hold the truck in or near the central position relatively to the
brackets T, through which the weight of the body of the car is transmitted.
In a swivelling motion of the truck relatively to the car, the links W are not only
thrown forward in directions opposite to each other, but there is a tortional con-
dition of the parts for which I have provided by the peculiar form of the
openings in the links W.
When the truck is swivelled the rod X stands at an angle to the rod Y. The link
W could not embrace both these rods if provided simply with plane cylindrical holes.
By the form of the hole w I allow the link W to swivel around relatively to either
he rod X or the rod Y, or to both.
Under ordinary conditions the links W will twist partially around as the truck
urns relatively to the car body, and will assume a position not only inclined in the
equired degrees but also turned partly around laterally. Its position in this latter

page_text: respect will be a mean between what may be called its proper position relatively to
the truck, and what may be called its proper or easiest position relatively to the
car. It will assume a position conforming approximately to the direction of both the
bolts X and Y.
The effect of the arrangement is to allow not only a forward and backward move-
ment of the truck and car body relatively to each other, with a tendency to return
to the mean position due to the constant action of the gravity of the car, but also
the freedom of the truck and the car body to swivel or turn around relatively to
each other with the saine constant tendency of these parts to assume the mean or
straight position relatively to each other.
Any excess of motion of the car body in any direction is prevented by means of
the brackets T coming against the front or rear faces of the frame P¹, but under
all ordinary circumstances the weight pulling down on the links W will hold
them clear.
I can if desirable in any case dispense with the slots or openings in the bracket
pieces T by employing a pair of short rods, strongly held in the respective eyes P*
to support the pendulum levers W, in place of the continuous rod X.
Modifications may be made. I propose under ordinary circumstances to exchange
the whole of the bolts X and Y and the links W when they become seriously worn;
but I can introduce removable bearing pieces in the links W, which may be removed
and new ones substituted as the first become worn; or I can employ connections
with ball, or other swivelling joints, with provisions for oiling.
Certain parts of the Invention may be useful without the others; thus, I can use
the laterally swinging links E and their connections, without necessarily using the
central links W and their connections, or the reverse; but I consider it important
that both be used together. By this combination I attain a support for the car body,
which, independent of the springs p, will of itself greatly soften the shocks in
every direction.
The car is always supported on links more or less inclined, and vertical shocks
can at least in part be absorbed by simply increasing the inclination of these links,.
The strong tendency (due to the gravity of the car) to a central position on the
rails insures against a too great disturbance of the position, while the freedom to
move laterally by the swinging links E, and forward and backward and also swivel-
ling around by the links W, makes it certain that the motions shall be transmitted
gently to the car body, while the springs may be employed in addition to further
distribute and soften the shocks.
It will be understood that in turning a curve, equally with the movement on a
straight line, the gravity of the car body tends to cause the car to assume and main-
tain a central position on each truck, but in swinging around a curve the centrifugal
force which tends to move the car body outward or over the outer rail, if it be
insufficiently counteracted by the elevation of the outer rail may move the car body
outward, but always at the expense of lifting it by the inclination assumed by the
links E. So also the act of swivelling the truck around is allowed for at the expense
of lifting the car body somewhat by the inclination of the links W, but these effects
tend to bring the parts back to the central position again, and will so bring it when
the car again reaches a straight portion of the way.
Care must be taken to give sufficient length to these links, and to so proportion
all the parts that this tendency will neither be too much or too little.
.
In case the elevation of the outer rail on a curve is more than sufficient to balance
the centrifugal force, as will be ordinarily the case while the car is moved around a
curve very slowly, particularly if it is near the forward end of a long train, and
subject to a severe pull by the locomotive forward, and of the resistance of the train
bebind, both pulling at an inclination tending towards the inner side of the curve,
the links E may accommodate this by swinging inward.
Both the motions outward and inward on the curve will be performed by the
links W, with all the advantage due to the ordinary swinging links and swinging
bolster, while this arrangement gives also the additional advantage above pointed

page_text: out of the freedom of each pair of wheels with its axle to move independent of
the other.
A fact to which I attach considerable importance in practice is the constant
"trueing" of the position of the axles on the rails, due to the peculiar relations of
the laterally swinging links E to the side of the boxes C.
I make the links E of considerable width and cause them to apply broadly and
closely against the correspondingly planed faces of the box adjacent.
If under any conditions the truck shall be immaterially racked so that the axles
a¹, a³, standing in a position not parallel to the radial line of the curve in the line,
a single swing of the links W to one side or the other will, by the action of the links
E against the boxes C, force the wheels to slip instantly on the rail, and bring the
axles both to their true position, that is to say, not only parallel to each other, which
position they necessarily all the time maintain, but also parallel to a line drawn
squarely across the rails, or what is the same thing, to the radial line of the curve.