Improvements in Railway Cars.
Year: 1893

page_text: Improvements in Railway Cars.
1, HENRY SAMUEL PRUYN, of Hoosick Falls, State of New York, United
States of America, Mechanical Engineer 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 relates to the construction of the trame work o' car bodies and
trucks for one rail elevated railways, to the connections between a motor (prefer-
ably an electric motor) carried by the car and traction wheels, and to means for
yieldingly supporting side guiding wheels and current collectors.
The object of my invention is to provide a light and strong car frame for this
class of elevated railways and improved means for holding and guiding the car
laterally and allowing it to easily pass over short curves and grades without
interfering with the power connections from the motor to the traction and guide
wheels.
My invention consists in the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter
described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my invention complete, the outer or enclosing
car structure or body being omitted ;
Fig. 2 is an end view, with a portion of the track in section;
Fig. 3 is a section of a preferred form of mail or track,
Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the swivel and spring support;
Fig. is a detail section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2, showing one end of the frame
and a pair of lateral guiding wheels in their position when moving over a straight
piece of track.
Fig. 6 is a similar view, but showing the wheels and connections in their position
when moving over a rather abrupt curve;
Fig. is a vertical sectional detail showing one of the lateral guiding wheels
and its yielding hanger; and
Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the same parts, but in a
slightly different position as hereinafter described.
At A, A, are shown flanged traction wheels adapted to run on a rail as at B;
each wheel A has bearings a in a frame C which is swivelled to a truss D in the
manner hereinafter described.
The truss D as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 consists of two L-shaped bars having
their vertical portions rivetted together, and having a bracket D' at each end
bolted to, and depending from, the Hanges; each bracket at its central and lower
portion, has a downwardly projecting boss or hub d, and two laterally projecting
shoulders, and to each of these shoulders is secured a step shaped metallic
bar the lower horizontal portions of which bars, may support the foot boards or
floor of the car, the upper horizontal portions, the seats and the upper vertical
portions the backs for the seats. These bars at each end are connected by cross
strips or braces d' and the two on each side are connected by rods . Underneath
the lower angle each bar is provided with a vertical stud d carrying a roller d'
for a purpose presently to be described. The cross braces have upwardly
projecting sleeves and the step bars are free to have vertical movement in
the said cross braces, and the bo-ses d are free to move vertically to a limited
extent, in the sleeve d'.
passing through and above
The frame has an upwardly projecting pintle
nub on bracket D' and is provided with a stop pin to prevent the lifting or
jumping" of the bracket off from said pintle c. The
[Pnce 8d1
opening in the hub through

page_text: which the pintle passes is conical, being wider at the top. This is to allow the
bracket D and the parts connected with it to swing or move independent of the
frame C. Spiral springs at which rest on the bottom of the sleeves and against
the shoulders on the brackets D¹ support the car body.
The frames are bifurcated as shown, and extend below the bearings a and at
each lower end are provided with jaws and integral upwardly and outwardly
projecting arms e united at their outer ends by a curved face plate adapted to
ride against the roller d' under all conditions of load when the frame ( turns in its
swivel bearing on passing around a curve.
The centre of the curve of face plate is concentric with the pivotal or
swivelled centre of the truck or frame C: by this construction, the trucks or
franes receive all lateral thrust due to weight on the bars in any position of
said frame-.
Each jaw is provided with a fulerum pine on which is hung an elbow arin E,
on the lower outer end of which is a vertical bushed bearing for the axlesƒ”
of a lateral guide wheel and current collector F which is adapted to engage a
combined side rail ami electrical conductor / supported by an elevated structure.
shown in Fig. 3.
The bushing of the bearing is of insulating material, and at the top of the
axle is a metallic clip, hell between a nut and the top of the bearing: this
clip is to convey the electric current from the axle of the guile wheel and collector
to a wire (not shown) which may connect with any preferred form of muntar, when
the system is an electric one.
The upper surface of each wheel F is provided with a disk of insulating
material to avoid short circuiting through other portions of the elevated structure.
The upper end of arm E has a hole E' through which passes a bolt eª secured
to frame C, al a spring e* is confined between the said arm and frame to ensure
a yielding and constant contact of wheel with rail and conductor in any
vibrating or swinging of the car. Fig. 7 and 8 illustrate this fully.
Figs. 5 and 6 show the different positions of the wheels when the car is passing
over a straight or curved track. In order to ensure an equal turning or swivel-
ling of the two frames and their wheels A and F, F, when passing along a
curved section of track, a lever (i is pivoted about centrally to each rod d³ and
rods connect opposite ends of said levers with the outer ends of the elbow
Artus E.
On the axle of each of the traction wheels A, A, is a gear a' firmly secured to
it, and in each frame (a shaft section a² has bearings and is provided with a
worm a meshing with the said gear. On the inner end of each shaft section
an internally toothed cup-shaped pinion at which receives a pinion a³ on the end
of the intermediate shaft section a.
is
A motor, as an electric motor, is to be connected directly to the forwardly
projecting shaft portion a', or it might, if preferred, be comircted to the inter-
mediate section aº.
The object of providing the shaft in sections and with universal geared joints
at aª and a³ is to permit of the swivelling of the frames ( without interfering with
the power connections between the motor and the traction wheels.
As indicated in Fig. 1, the pinion on the axle of one wheel A is on one side
thereof, and the pinion of the other (not appearing in said figure) is on the other
side; the object of this is to preserve an equal distance between the worms and
gears at the two ends of the car when traversing a curve and the frames Care
swivelled.
As shown in Fig. 7, I propose to extend the axles of the guide wheels below
the lower surface of the said wheels and secure thereto, as by a screw shank h, a
circular oil drip cup 11 having an annular groove or channel ' as a receptacle for
oil that may work down from the bearings of the guide wheels.
The object of the peculiar sockets in the heads of frames C is to increase the
traction power when going up an incline. The upper part of the car falls back

page_text: slightly, bending at the sockets and thereby throws the flanges of the wheels F
against the track, clamping it and establishing a grip. These wheels therefore not
only act as guides and collectors, but aid in climbing inclines.
Elbow E is hung at a point above the conductor so that the pull is in line with
the conductor and the car cannot jump the track. The spring sockets also allow
the truck frames C to swing in a vertical plane when the car runs into a hollow or
over the crown of a hill.
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 railway car, the combination with a truss or frame carrying depending
bars for supporting the floor and seats, of a frame or truck at each end of said truss
and having a swivel connection therowith and each carrying a traction wheel,
substantially as described.
2. In a railway car, the combination with a truss or frame carrying means for
supporting the car body, of a swivelled truck at each end of the truss and having a
traction wheel, and a spring cushion interposed between the truck and truss,
substantially as described.
3. In a railway car, the combination with a truss or frame and two trucks
swivelled to it, and each carrying a traction wheel of gears on the axles of said
wheels, worm shafts meshing with the gears and an intermediate shaft having
flexible joint connections with the worm shafts.
4. In a railway car, the combination with a truss or frame and depending bars
therefrom on each side for supporting the car body, of swivelled trucks between
said bars carrying traction wheels substantially as described.
3. In a railway car, a truss of frame having two bifurcated trucks swivelled to it
carrying traction wheels in bearings between the arms of said trucks, substantially
as described.
6. In a railway car, the combination with a truss or frame having two bifurcated
trucks swivelled to it and carrying traction wheels, of lateral guide wheels also
carried by said trucks, as and for the purpose set forth.
7. In a railway car, the combination with a truss or frame having two bifurcated
trucks swivelled to it and carrying traction wheels, of lateral guide wheels mounted
in vertical bearings yieldingly connerted to said trucks.
8. In a railway car, the combination with a truss or frame having two bifurcated
trucks swivelled to it and carrying traction wheels on bearings between the arms
of said trucks, of bearings pivotally connected to said arms, guide wheels mounted
in said bearings and springs for forcing said bearings in one direction, substantially
as described.
9. In a railway car, the combination with the traction wheels and frame thereof,
of guide wheels mounted in substantially vertical bearings, and having their upper
surfaces provided with an insulating covering, substantially as described.
10. In a railway car, the combination with two traction wheel trucks pivotally
connected to uniting frame or truss of lateral guide wheels carried by said trucks,
a lever with lateral arms extending from said trucks.
11. In a railway car, the combination with two traction wheel trucks pivotally
connected to a uniting frame or truss, and having outwardly projecting face plates,
of a body frame depending from the truss on each side of the trucks and having
stops to rest against said face plates.
12. In a railway car, the combination with two traction wheel trucks pivotally
connected to a uniting frame or truss and having outwardly projecting curved face
plates, of a body frame depending from the truss on each side of the trucks and
having rollers engaging said face plates, substantially as described.
13. In a railway car, the combination with two traction wheel trucks pivotally
connected to a uniting frame or truss, of gears on the axles of the traction wheels,
shaft sections having worms a³, the gears and worms being on opposite sides of

page_text: the two traction wheels, an intermediate shaft section, and universal joint
connections between it and the end sections a².
14. The combination with the pivoted trucks (having traction wheels and
gears A, a', of the worm shafts having internally toothed pinions a' and the
shafts a having pinions a entering and engaging pinions a, substantially as
described.
15. The combination with the truss D having brackets D' provided with
bosses d and bearings d', of the trucks (having pintles fitting said bearings,
and coiled springs surrounding the pintles below the said bosses, substantially as
described.
16. The combination with the truss D having brackets I provided with
hosses d, bearings d', shoulder and step bars d³, of the cross braces d' having
sleeves receiving the bosses d, the trucks (having pintles and stop pins el and
springs enclosed within sleeves d substantially as described.
f
17. The combination with the bifurcated trucks (having wheels and jaws ³,
of elbow arms E pivoted on pins in said jaws, and carrying wheels Fat their
lower ends, and springs between their upper ends and the sides of the trucks,
substantially as described.
18. The combination with the arms E having insulating bearings, of the wheels F
provided with axles fitted to said bearings and having metallic clips, substantially
as describel.
19. The combination with the car frame carrying guide wheels F of the oil drip
cups 11 secured to their lower surfaces and having annular oil receptacles,
substantially as described.
20. In a railway car, a truck provided with an upper vertical wheel and a lower
horizontal wheel, the two wheels adapted to run respectively on upper and lower
rails and the lower wheels provided with horizontal flanges embracing the rail, in
combination with the car body pivoted to said truck by a joint located above the
upper wheel and constructed to permit movement of the parts in a vertical plane
and in the direction of the rails or road bed.
21. In a vehicle, the combination with two independently pivoted trucks, of a
system of levers connecting them, whereby the wheels connected with the respective
trucks on the same side of the vehicle will act upon each other to cause a movement
toward or away from each other, substantially as described.
Dated this 97th day of February 1893.
HENRY SAMUEL PRUYN.
Cruikshank & Fairweather,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.