Patent ID: 7497169

Claim:
A bearing adapter for installation between a bearing of a railroad car truck wheelset and a pedestal mounting of a railroad car truck sideframe, the wheelset bearing having an axis of rotation defining an axial direction, and first and second axially spaced apart bearing races contained within a round cylindrical bearing casing of the bearing, the bearing races extending about the axis in a circumferential direction, the pedestal mounting having a roof that, in operation, lies over the bearing, wherein said bearing adapter comprises: a metal body having a pair of axially spaced apart end arches for engaging the bearing, and a first seat extending between the arches, said first seat being formed to engage the round cylindrical bearing casing of the wheel bearing, and a second seat for orientation facing toward the pedestal mounting roof; said first seat including first and second side portions having surfaces conforming to, and for mating with, the round cylindrical bearing casing at circumferentially spaced apart locations on the round cylindrical bearing casing abreast of one of the bearing races; said first seat including a central portion located circumferentially between said side portions, at least part of said central portion including a relief formed in said metal body; and, said bearing adapter being mountable on the bearing in a position in which said relief of said part of said central portion is located abreast of and above one of the bearing races and said first and second portions are located circumferentially to either side of top dead center of the bearing respectively, and, when so mounted, said first and second portions defining dominant load transfer interfaces from said bearing adapter into said bearing for vertical loads from the sideframe passed into said bearing adapter at said second seat circumferentially to either side of said relief.