Improvements in and relating to Metallic Truck Frames for Railway Cars.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1896-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Metallic Truck Frames for
Railway Cars.
1, CHARLES THOMAS SCHOEN, a citizen of the United States of America, of
707 Betz Building, in the City and County of Philadelphia and State of
Pennsylvania, 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:―
Figure 1 is a perspective view.
Figure 2 is a half plan and section, the section being taken in the plane of
line 2-2 Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a half end elevation and section, the section being taken in the
plane of line 3-3, Figure 2, and
Figure 4 is a side view, half of which is in elevation and the other half in
section, the section being taken in the plane of line 4-4, Figure 2.
This invention relates to truck-frames for railway cars, and more especially to
such frames for use upon freight cars.
The object of the invention is to provide a built-up truck-frame of pressed steel,
as distinguished from those truck frames in which the sides, or the sides and
transoms are of solid pressed steel, or of one piece of pressed steel.
The present invention is an improvement in the details of construction on the
built-up pressed steel truck frame of my British Letters Patent No. 1494, dated
January 21st, 1896.
In the present invention, each side is composed of an upper chord or compression
member, made in the form of an inverted channel, and having its ends bent down
vertically to form the outer members or jaws of the pedestals; a lower chord or
tensile member of flat metal having its ends bent up vertically to form, in
connection with angle-pieces or braces, the inner members or jaws of the pedestals,
and its extreme ends bent out horizontally to form the upper inner portion of the
pedestals; a one-piece diaphragm inwardly flanged around its four sides and
riveted to the upper and lower chords between the pedestals; and stay-bolts to
close the bottoms of the pedestals. The transoms are channel beams whose ends
are provided with flanges by which they may be bolted or riveted to the
diaphragms. The flanged gusset plates or connection plates are applied to the
transoms and extend laterally therefrom to the inner jaws or members of
the pedestals.
The two sides or side frames being alike, the description of one applies to
both. The upper, top or compression member or chord a is made as an inverted
channel, preferably of plate steel pressed to shape, although it may be made of
other suitable metal and by other processses; and this statement applies to the
other various parts of the invention. The ends a¹, of the top chord are bent down
vertically to form the outer members or jaws of the pedestals. The lower, bottom
or tensile member or chord 6 is of flat metal, aud has its ends b¹ bent up vertically
to form, in conjunction with angle-pieces or braces hereinafter described, the inner
members or jaws of the pedestals, and the extremities of this tensile member are
bent out horizontally at 62 to form the tops of the pedestals, the said portions 6
being riveted, bolted or otherwise rigidly united to the top chord. The space
between the top and bottom chords is filled in with a one-piece diaphragm c, which
is made with the inturned flange c' around its four sides; and by means of this

page_text: Hange, which fits snugly against the said chords, the said diaphragm and the chord
may be riveted, bolted or otherwise rigidly united. The function of the diaphrag
is to strengthen or reinforce and render stiff and rigid the chords and pedestals
and, as will presently appear, these diaphragms serve to receive the transoms fo
uniting the opposite side frames of a truck frame. Angle pieces or braces d
hereinbefore referred to, are riveted to the lower chord by the rivets which unite
the lower chord and the diaphragm, and constitute the lower portions of the inne
jaws of the pedestals. Stay-bolts e extend through these angle pieces and across
the lower ends or mouths of the pedestals and are removably secured on the outside
of the pedestals, as by nuts and keys. Wear plates fare inserted in the pedestals
and upon opposite sides thereof, and are held in place by the stay-bolts before the
boxes are inserted..
The transon is composed of channel beams g, which are counterparts and
arranged with their flanges opposite. The sides of these chaunel beams are
provided with lateral flanges g, extending outwardly so as to lie parallel with the
diaphragms, and these flanges gl, as well as the bottom and top flanges are riveted,
bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the sides. In order to reinforce the angle
between the bodies of the channel beams and their flanges g', I provide the bosses g².
The transom is shown as braced centrally and to receive the king bolt by means
of flanged tie-plates, riveted thereto and having inwardly embossed portions to
serve as a socket for the king bolt or center pin.
The flanged gusset plates or connection plates h are riveted to the transom, and
extend out laterally therefrom to or nearly to the inner jaws of the pedestals, and
are riveted to the side frames within the diaphragms, thus serving effectually to
brace, strengthen or reinforce and connect the transom and the side frames.
I have shown side bearings i which may be of approved construction, secured to
the transom above the gusset plates; also loops on the side of the transom to
receive the hangers of the brake beams, and also the center bearing plate k
mounted upon a spacing plate l, all in accordance with other inventions of mine.
The advantages of the present invention are similar in kind to those enumerated
as pertaining to the invention forming the subject of Patent No. 1494 of 1896,
hereinbefore referred to. Moreover, it is to be noted that if by accident it becomes
necessary to repair the side frame or any other part of this truck frame, it can be
done in the shops of the railroad companies, whereas, were the franie made solid or
of one piece, if distorted by accident, it could only be put into shape again by
subjecting it to the action of the dies by which it was originally formed, and
thereby necessitating the sending of the damaged truck to the manufacturer, thus,
not only involving the cost of repairs, but the additional cost of transportation and
loss of time.
By placing the flanges of the channels composing the transom toward each other,
the body of metal composing the web of each chanuel is placed farthest from the
neutral axis, and thereby the transom is made stronger to resist transverse strains,
and also a much greater clearance is obtained between the transoms and the wheels
for the brake beams and brake shoes than is possible where the flanges of the
transom channels turn outward, that is to say, toward the wheels.
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. A built-up or composite side frame for railway car trucks, comprising a
compression member or top chord, of inverted channel form, and having its ends
bent down vertically to form the outer jaws or members of the pedestals, a bottom
or tensile chord, of flat metal, having its ends bent up vertically to form parts of
the inner members or jaws of the pedestals and terminating in horizontal portions
which form the tops of the pedestals, and a one-piece diaphragm having its four
edges flanged inwardly, the chords and the diaphragm being riveted or otherwise
rigidly united, substantially as described.

page_text: 2. The combination with side frames constructed essentially as described, of a
transom composed of two channel beams, having their flanges turned toward one-
another, and provided with end flanges by means of which the said transom and
the side frames may be riveted together, substantially as described.
3. The combination with side frames constructed essentially as described, of a.
transom composed of two channel beams having their flanges turned toward one-
another, and provided with end flanges, and gusset plates flanged to embrace the
transom and having lateral flanges extending from the transom outwardly toward
and near to the pedestals, the end flanges of the transom and the lateral flanges of
the gusset plates being riveted to the side frames, substantially as specified.
4. A built-up or composite side frame for railway car trucks, comprising a.
compression member or top chord, of inverted channel form, and having its ends.
bent down vertically to form the outer jaws or members of the pedestals, a bottom
or tensile chord of flat metal, having its ends bent up vertically to form parts of
the inner jaws or members of the pedestals and ending in horizontal portions at the
tops of the pedestals, a one-piece diaphragm having its four edges flanged inwardly,.
angle pieces or braces having vertical portions aligned with the vertical portions of
the bottom chord to complete the inner jaws or members of the pedestals, the
chords, diaphragm and angle pieces or braces being riveted or otherwise rigidly
united, and stay-bolts passed through the said angle pieces or braces and the outer
jaws of the pedestals, the said chords, diaphragm, and angle pieces or braces being
of pressed steel, substantially as described.
Dated this 30th day of June 1806
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.