Patent ID: 7152534

Claim:
A constant contact side bearing assembly adapted to be arranged in combination with a railcar bolster having an upper surface, said side bearing assembly comprising: a spring; a body member defining a recess wherein said spring is accommodated, with said body member being configured to loosely fit within a walled receptacle on the upper surface of said railcar bolster, and wherein said body member and the walled receptacle include a pair of confronting surfaces disposed to opposed sides of an axis defined by said side bearing assembly and extending generally normal to the upper surface on said bolster, and wherein at least one surface of each pair of confronting surfaces is inclined with respect to the other surface such that said surfaces diverge away from each other as said surfaces extend away from the upper surface of said bolster whereby defining a wedge shaped opening therebetween; an apparatus disposed within each wedge shaped opening and operably engagable between said walled receptacle on said bolster and said body member for securing said body member against horizontal and vertical movements relative to said bolster; and a friction member having a generally flat railcar engaging surface portion, with said friction member overlying one end of and for transmitting loads to said spring, and with said friction member being telescopically guided for movements relative to and by said body member.