Year: 1886

page_text: I, GEORGE MACAULAY CRUIKSHANK of 62 Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, in
the County of Lanark, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by Hugh Baines
of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings and State of New York, United States of
America, Civil Engineer) 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 a truck having all the advantages of a swing beam
truck but so constructed that it will be much lighter, simpler and cheaper; the
improved truck being more especially adapted for use in connection with live stock
cars although it may be employed with advantage in any freight or passenger car.
The object of the invention is to produce a truck which will dispense entirely,
or nearly so with what is known as the "roll" or "roll motion" of the car body,
thereby reducing the lateral motion to almost a minimum, the roll motion being
a feature which is especially undesirable in all cars and particularly dangerous
when the trains are running very fast over switches and around curves.
To provide for the lateral movement of the car body and at the same time
relieve the springs of any cross strain, rollers are introduced between the upper
transom, and an intermediate transom secured to and upon the springs of the
truck. The upper transom rests and travels upon these rollers, which provide for
the lateral movement of the car body, suitable stops being placed on the upper
transom to limit the slide, or lateral movement, and keep the car body within
proper bounds.
The springs of the truck are set in line, or nearly in line, with the outside
longitudinal sills of the car, thereby increasing the distance between the king-bolt,
or centre of the car, and the centre of the springs, and by this means reducing the
rolling motion.
Heretofore in the rigid car trucks no provision has been made for lateral or side
movement of the upper transom which is utilized to hold the sides of the truck
together permitting the car to rise and fall only, and preventing the truck frame.

page_text: from spreading or collapsing, consequently as the said upper transom is made
movable from side to side, suitable irons are introduced to connect the sides of the
truck and hold them in their proper relative position.
At each end of the truck arm clamps are introduced which are secured to the
bottom transom and guard rail. These strengthen the end of the bottom transom
and they may be made of any form so as to be adapted as guides for elliptic, coil
or any other kind of spring.
These are the main features of the invention the details of which are hereinafter
more fully described.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Figure 1, is a plan view of the car truck, Figure 2 is an end elevation and
figure 3 is a transverse section of the same. Figures 4 and 5 being detail views.
In the drawing which represents a four wheeled truck A, A, are elliptic springs
situated nearly in line with the longitudinal sills of the car and outside of the
wheels B, B, as shown in figure 1.
The springs A, A, are arranged in pairs and rest upon the bottom transom C,
composed as shown in figure 3, of ordinary channel-iron in which is set a wooden
beam the said iron and beam being fastened together by means of bolts C¹. The
lower portions of the springs A, A, are secured to the transom C, by means of
clamping irons D, and the upper portions are fastened by means of similar
clamping devices D¹, to what I term an intermediate transom E. This inter-
mediate transom rests upon the springs. Rollers G, are arranged transversely
of the transom E, and parallel with the sides of the car. They rest and are
adapted to turn upon the intermediate transom and are retained in position by
means of bolts F, which extend through and are firmly secured in the upper
transom H.
The upper transom H, is composed of a channel-iron having its upper cavity
filled with wood and it seats and is adapted to travel upon the rollers G.
K, is the centre plate of the truck and through it extends the king-bolt which
connects with the body bolster of the car.
O, is the pedestal tie bar, P the arch bar and P¹ the inverted arch bar. R, R,
are columns which extend between the arch bars and are rigidly secured by means
of the bolts T, T, extending through them.
U, are T-irons or guard rails which extend transversely of the truck and are
attached by means of suitable lugs to the vertical columns R, for the purpose
of keeping the truck from spreading or collapsing.
The guard rails U, also extend around in front of the truck and are connected
together as shown in fig. 1. Extending downward from this guard rail are arms
W, which are bolted to the under side of the lower transom C, and which serve
the double purpose of supporting the outer ends of the said lower transom as well
as forming a guide for the vertical movement of the springs, as they prevent the
said springs from being thrust sideways or departing from the vertical line of
the motion.
Extending transversely of the truck are strengthening rods or braces ✗, which
are connected to the arch and tie bars through the medium of the pillars Y.
In place of employing the ordinary strap iron for the tie and arch bars I may
substitute therefor the forms shown in figs. 4 and 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me, I declare that what I claim is:
1. In a car-truck an intermediate transom E, constructed and arranged substan-
tially as shown and described.
2. In a car-truck the rollers G resting upon an intermediate transom, substantially
as shown and described.
3. In a car-truck, the upper transom H, resting upon rollers, substantially as
shown and described.

page_text: 4. In a car-truck the guard rails U, or their equivalents for connecting the two
sides of the truck frame the said rails being secured to and around the columns R,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
5. In a car-truck, the rollers G, resting on an intermediate transom B, and
supporting the top transom H which rests and travels laterally on the rollers, said
top transom being secured from longitudinal movement or movement in the direction
of the length of the car by the vertical columns R.
6. In a car truck, a top transom, adapted to move sideways in the truck, in
combination with a truck-frame having guard rails extending from one side of the
truck frame to the other, and attached thereto as shown and described for the
purpose of keeping the truck from spreading.
7. A truck for cars having the springs set in line, or nearly in line with the
outside longitudinal sills of the car, an intermediate transom resting upon the
springs, rollers resting and travelling upon the intermediate transom and an upper
transon resting and travelling upon the rollers.
8. The combination in a truck substantially as hereinbefore described, of the
springs arranged outside of the wheels and in line, or nearly in line with the out-
side longitudinal sills of the car body, for the purpose of decreasing the roll motion
of the car, as set forth and shown.
9. In a car-truck having the springs arranged parallel to the longitudinal sills
of the car body, the intermediate transom secured to the top of the springs and
having rollers arranged upon it and directly over the centre of the springs, in
combination with the upper transom H, having the bolts F, for holding the rollers
in position.
10. In a car-truck substantially as hereinbefore described the rod X, extending
between the sides of the truck in combination with the pillars Y, the said parts
being arranged so as to brace the sides of the said truck together.
11. In a car-truck, substantially as shown and described the arch and tie bars
when constructed in the manner shown in figures 4 and 5.
T