Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACRGROUND OF THI~ 1~. v ~:.. . lON
A railway freight car commonly includes a car body
supported on the center plates of a pair of
longitudinally spaced trucks. The coned wheels of the
trucks engage the respective rails of a railway track and
the trucks travel a generally sinuous path along tangent
track as they continually seek a centered position under
the steering influence of the wheel conicity. In
travelling such a sinuous path, a railway truck will
oscillate laterally and yaw cyclically with respect to
the car body about the vertical axis defined by the
vertical center line of the truck bolster center plate.
A railway truck also will yaw or rotate quasi-statically
with respect to the car body in negotiating curved track.
As a result of such lateral truck oscillation and
cyclic yawing, unstable truck hunting responses can
develop if the frequency of the cyclic motion approaches
resonance. Reference is made hereby to prior U.S. patent
3,957,318 for further detailed explanation of railway
vehicle truck hunting phenomena.
Railway car body rock and roll is another problem in
railway car stability that is related to the truck
hunting phenomenon. As the trucks of a railway car
negotiate their sinuous path of travel along the railway
track, the car body
,~
kb:ycc
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wlll move laterally in concert with the cyclic lateral
movement of the truch center plates. The loaded or heavy
car readily tolerates this lateral oscillation; however, the
empty or light car body may be driven to rock laterally from
side to side. As with known truck hunting phenomena, this
lateral rock and roll empty car body motion can also be
driven by resonant coupling to destructive extremes.
hailway truck side bearings have long been utilized to
provide support for a car body with respect to a truch
arerally outward ot the truch center plate. Such support
is necessary not only in view of the tendency of an empty
car body to roch from side to side as a result of the force
inputs of hunting or roch and roll phenomena, but
addltlonally by the negotiation of trach curves and the
superelevated trach encountered in curves.
~laer Conventional side bearings have included roller
bearings carried for rolling movement longitudinally wlthin
an elongated cage or carrier mounted on a railway truch
bolster. The roller extends above the uppermost extent of
the open top of the carrier for rolling engagement with a
wear plate carried by the car body. Such side bearings are
able to support a car body with respect to a truch bolster
laterally outward of the truch center plate while at the
same time permitting the bolster, and therefore the truck,
the freedom to rotate with respect to the car body as is
necessary to accommodate the normal truch movement along
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both tangent and curved trach as above described.
rhe art has also contemplated railway truck side
bearings which serve not only to support a car body with
respect to a truck bolster during relative rotational
movement therebetween, but in addition to dissipate energy
through frictional engagement between the car body wear
plate and a bearing element whereby the requisite rotational
freedom of the truck with respect to the car body is
maintained while a degree of restraint is also provided as a
means to control and limit destructive hunting responses.
Still further, the prior art has contemplated the use of
elastomeric elements to cushion the vertical loading of a
car body on a truck bolster exerted through the side bearing
structure. Still other prior side bearings have
contemplated roller bearing structures with self-centering
rollers.
Among the prior side bearings known in the art as
above characterized are those disclosed in U.S. patents
1,831,926, 2,301,372, 2,754,768, 3,255,712, 3,295,463,
3,313,245, 3,493,221, 3,518,948, 3,556,503, 3,628,464,
3,670,661, 3,719,154, 3,796,167 and 4,859,089.
ln some prlor side bearings, the desired function was
purely to minimize friction, as in roller side bearings. In
others, friction elements were intentionally introduced to
provide both support and rotational freedom for the car body
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with respect to the truch bolster, as well as rotational
restraint through the frictional dissipation of energy. The
above-cited patent 4,859,089 is one example of such an
energy dissipating side bearing.
Other more recent prior art side bearings such as that
disclosed in U.S. patent 4,090,750 have contemplated the use
of bearing elements formed of elastomeric columns and
upstanding rigid abutments which are engageable with a car
body wear plate to provide both vertical support and
relative rotational freedom for the car body with respect to
the bolster, as well as a friction interface between the
elastomeric columns and the car body wear plate to provide
frictional energy dissipation upon relative rotation of the
car body with respect to the bolster.
jt1ll other recent prior art side bearlngs such as
those disclosed in U.S. patent 4,080,016 and 3,957,318,
combine elastomeric columns to provide support and
fr~clional energy dissipation as above characterized, and
roller elements to limit the magnitude of vertical
deflection of the elastomeric elements by providing a solid
stop beyond which the car body wear plate cannot move
vertically downward. The roller elements provide, at the
limit of vertical motion of the wear plate downward toward
the bolster, a range of relative rotational freedom for the
car body with respect to the bolster without significantly
increasing frictional restraint with greater side bearing
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loading beyond that afforded by the elastomeric columns
alone.
Another truch bearing structure, not so recent, is
disclosed in U.S. patent 38,182 as a ball bearing element
disposed in a downwardly concave cup which is in turn
resiliently supported by an elastomeric ring element.
The present invention contemplates a novel and
lmproved rallway truch side bearing structure especially
well suited for use in railway truch and car body
comblnatlons unhnown when many of the above cited prior
bearings were developed. Others of the above prior slde
bearings, although developed when the more modern truck and
car body combinations were hnown and could be suitably
adapted for use thereon, were nevertheless not specifically
developed for use with such truch and car body assemblies
and their design and development did not contemplate the
operating conditions and problems posed by modern car
configurations.
More specifically, certain newer types of railway cars
utilize articulated couplings between pairs of adjacent car
platforms that share a common intermediate truch having a
flat center plate bearing. These and other car
contlgurations often may have longer spacing between
adjacent trucks; that is, thc car platform lcngth5, and
therefore the inter-truch spacing, may be greater than in
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conventional cars. Staching of containerized loads and
similar transport modes for these and other cars, often
characterized as intermodal cars, has resulted in loaded
cars with extremely high centers of gravity, for example as
much as 110 inches above the track.
In these and other car configurations, the role of the
side bearing in supporting the car body with respect to the
bolster has been altered dramatically. For example, in very
high center of gravity loaded cars, most particularly the
double stacked container configurations, the loaded car body
center of gravity is located well above the articulated
connector by which at least one end of the car body is
supported. Even if the opposed end of the car body is
supported by its own truch on a conventional flat center
plate bearing, and even if the lading is centered on the car
platform, the torsional stiffness of the car platform and
containerized lading may be insufficient to keep the car
body end that is supported in spherical bearing segments
from leaning continuously to one lateral side or the other
for relatively extended periods of car travel. If the
lading is off-center, or in such operational circumstances
as the traverse of track curves, extended periods of large
magnitude side bearing loading may be virtually unavoidable.
Accordingly, the corresponding side bearing may be required
to support a much greater than normal load through extended
periods of car travel. Thus, the side bearing must
accommodate controlled rotational freedom between the truck
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ana the car body through an angle equivalent to the maximum
relative rotation therebetween, and this in turn requires
maximum longitudinal rolling freedom for the roller bearing
element. The maximum relative rotation between a car body
and a truck in normal operation may be as great as the
relative rotation experienced from a short radius left hand
turnout to a similarly short radiused right hand turnout,
although more typically the range of relative truch-to-car
body rotation which the side bearing must accommodate would
be that experienced in the spiral or entry portion of a
trach curve.
rhe extendea platform lengths of some modern cars also
can require a greater range of relative rotational freedom
between the truch and the car platform because a longer
platform requires a greater angle of relative rotation
between the platform and the respective truchs to negotiate
curved trach of any given radius. Still further, with
greater car load capacities and higher centers of gravity
there is impetus for designers to place the side bearings at
a greater radius from the truch center plate or articulated
connector to maximize the lateral moment arm of the side
bearing with respect to the center plate bearing. This too
increases the magnitude of roller bearing movement needed to
accommodate relative truch-to-car body rotation. An
additional design problem is that the geometric limitations
of truck and car body design limit the physical size of the
side bearing components that can be utilized in a given
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application. It is preferred under most circumstances to
keep the "footprint~ of a side bearing (i.e. the size of the
car body wear plate required to cooperate with the side
bearing) as small as possible, even though modern car
designs often call for increased rather than reduced bearing
load capacity and range of movement.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Ihe present lnvention contemplates an improved side
bearing structure which is especially well suited for use
with intermodal cars and similar modern car configurations
having large load capacities, high centers of gravity,
longer truck spacing, and other design features to which
some prior side bearings might be less well suited in the
tash of optimizing the dynamic performance of the car. The
invention contemplates generally a railway truch side
bearing assembly which is preferably adapted to be confined
within a generally conventional, standard railway truch side
2~ bearing housing or carrier and including at least one
upstanding elastomeric bearing element and a longitudinally
adjacent spacer member disposed within the carrier. The
spacer member includes at least one upstanding abutment
which longitudinally confines a corresponding elastomeric
column, and a generally upwardly facing elongated surface to
receive a rigid bearing element such as a roller therein.
The roller is provided a range of free rolling movement
longitudinally of the spacer member between stops or limits
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defined by longitudinally spaced portions of the spacer
member.
The range of free movement for the roller can be made
sufficient to accommodate the greater range of relative
rotary movement between a bolster and a car platform
required in modern car configurations as discussed
hereinabove without sacrifice of frictional energy
dissipation capability provided by the elastomeric columns.
This is so in part because the upstanding abutments of the
C t~ ~
A spacer member~extend upwardly above the uppermost extent of
the bearing carrier or housing and adjacent an upper portion
of a corresponding elastomeric column to longitudinally
buttress and confine the elastomeric element sufficiently
that it does not bend longitudinally over the top of the
confining abutment.
Accordlngly, surface contact between the upwardly
facing bearing surface of the elastomeric column and the car
body wear plate is maintained more uniformly and the full
benefit of the shear restraint and frictional energy
dissipation at the elastomer-to-rigid wear plate interface
thus is realized. As a result, a smaller section thickness
of elastomer, especially in the longitudinal direction, may
be employed to attain the same levels of performance as
regards shear restraint as in prior elastomeric side
bearings requiring larger section elastomeric columns.
Thus, without sacrificing the desirable control capabilities
-11- 2 0 3 ~
of a larger section elastomeric column, an increased range
of longitudinal roller motion is made available in a side
bearing housing of given dimensions.
Generally speaking and in summary of the above,
therefore, the present invention maybe considered as
providing in a railway vehicle side bearing having a rigid
elongated housing which is adapted to be affixed to a
railway vehicle truck intermediate the truck and a car body
wear plate with the housing having laterally spaced,
upwardly projecting side walls and longitudinally spaced,
upwardly projecting end walls, each having respective
uppermost edges to enclose an upwardly open elongated cavity
that is adapted to receive a bearing assembly which includes
a compliant bearing means having resiliently deformable
upstanding elastomeric means with an upper end portion
thereof extending vertically above such uppermost edges, an
assembly of rigid bearing elements adapted to be received
within such cavity longitudinally adjacent such upstanding
elastomeric means comprising: a rigid, elongated spacer
means having an upstanding abutment portion which is adapted
to be disposed adjacent such upstanding elastomeric means
and an upwardly facing surface extending thereon adjacent
the abutment portion; a rigid bearing means adapted to be
supported on the surface for movement thereon between
limits, the spacer means and the rigid bearing means being
of an overall vertical height that, when supported on the
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upwardly facing surface with the spacer means disposed
within such cavity, the rigid bearing means has an uppermost
extent located above such highest elevation of such side and
end wall uppermost edges for contacting such wear plate to
limit the vertically downward travel of such wear plate
toward the side bearing; and the abutment portion extending
vertically upward to an elevation sufficient to laterally
confine a vertical extent of such upstanding elastomeric
means extending intermediate the uppermost extent of the
rigid bearing means and such highest elevation of such side
and end wall uppermost edges for limiting movement of the
vertical extent in at least one lateral direction throughout
deformation of such upstanding elastomeric means in vertical
compression.
These and other features and further advantages of the
invention will be more fully appreciated upon consideration
of the following detailed description and the accompanying
VLS:
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drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is an end elevation showing a side bearing
according to one presently preferred embodiment of the
instant invention and cooperating portions of a railway
truch and car body;
Fig. 2 is a sectioned side elevation of a side bearing
taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;
1 0
~ig. ~ is a sectloned side elevation showlng an
alternative embodiment of the instant invention;
Flg. 4 is a sectioned side elevation showing another
alternative embodiment of the instant invention; and
Fig. 5 is a sectioned side elevation showing still
another alternative embodiment of the invention.
rhere is generally indicated at 10 in Figs. 1 and 2 a
side bearing assembly which is carried atop a bolster 12 of
a railway truck and is secured thereto as by threaded
fasteners 14 for cooperative interaction with the wear plate
16 of a rail car body 18 supported by a center plate bearing
portion 13 of bolster 12. Although this invention will be
described with reference to a conventional truck bolster and
center plate support system as in a known three piece truck,
it will be understood that the invention may also be
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-13-
utilized in other car body support applications such as
intermodal cars or other car configurations where adjacent
car platforms are supported through the spherical bearing
segments of an articulated coupling that is supported on a
truck, as well as alternative truck configurations such as
single axle trucks. For application in a conventional three
piece truck, other known components not shown include spring
groups mounted in a pair of side frames to support the
opposed longitudinal ends of bolster 12, and suitably
journaled wheelsets which rest on tracks or rails to support
each side frame of the truck.
~he invention herein lS directed primarily to side
bearing assemblies such as shown at 10, and the balance of
1~ the truck and car body elements set forth hereinabove are
well known in the art. Further detailed description of such
elements thus is not necessary for understanding of the
present invention.
zo The invention also contemplates an assembly of side
bearing components adapted to be received within a side
bearing housing or carrier 20 of generally conventional
design, or alternatively in a new and heretofore unknown
side bearing carrier. The side bearing assembly 10
comprises the elongated bearing carrier or housing 20 having
a pair of elongated, upstanding, laterally spaced side walls
22 and a pair of longitudinally spaced, upstanding end walls
24 which may be comprised of respective pairs of laterally
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adjacent, inturned end flange portions of side walls 22.
For this and other bearing carrier end wall configurations,
shim plates 26 may be assembled with end wall portions 24
such that upper portions 28 thereof overlie the uppermost
extent of end wall portions 24, and a lower extent 30 of
each shim plate 26 extends adjacent an inner surface of the
end wall portions 24, respectively, and downwardly into the
confines of carrier 20.
The carrler 20 further includes a longitudinally and
laterally extending base portion 32 which, in conjunction
with side walls 22 and end walls 24, forms an upwardly
opening cavity 34 to receive and confine an assembly of side
bearing elements.
It will be seen that side walls 22 and end walls 24
project upwardly to an uppermost extent which is at a
uniform elevation. Additionally, the upper extent 28 of
each shim plate 26 projects to an elevation above the
uppermost extent 36 of the side and end walls 22, 24 for a
purpose to be described hereinbelow.
Within the confines of space 34 is received an
assembly of bearing elements comprised preferably of a pair
of elongated, upstanding elastomeric columns 40, one
received in each longitudinal end of space 34 adjacent a
respective end wall portion 24 and in longitudinal abutment
with the respective shim plate 26, an elongated spacer or
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abutment member 42 received within space 34 longitudinally
intermediate elastomeric columns 40, and a rigid bearing
member such as a roller 44 is received within space 34
intermediate side walls 22 and within the confinement of an
upwardly opening concavity 46 formed by abutment member 42.
Spacer member 42, also referred to alternatively as a
saddle, includes a longitudinally extending base portion 48
which rests upon an upper surface 50 of carrier base portion
32, a pair of upstanding end abutment portions 52 which are
spaced longitudinally apart to reside longitudinally
inwardly adjacent the respective elastomeric columns 40, and
integral curved or radiused portions 54 which extend
intermediate base portion 48 and the respective abutment
portions 52.
It wlll be noted that abutment portions 52 extend
upwardly to an uppermost extent 56 which, lihe the uppermost
portions 28 of shim plates 26, project above the upper
extent 36 of the side walls 22 and end walls 24 to an
elevation just slightly below the highest elevation of
roller 44. Accordingly, upstanding abutments are provided
at an elevation above the highest lateral abutment provided
by carrier 20 such that the relative rotational movement
between bolster 12 and car body 18 occurs at all load levels
with reduced tendency for elastomeric columns 40 to bend
longitudinally, and therefore reduced tendency for
development of non-uniform loading of the elastomeric
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columns 40 in compression. More particularly, relative
rotation between car body 18 and bolster 12 results at all
load levels in shear deformation of elastomeric columns 40
in the longitudinal direction and ultimate friction break
and longitudinal sliding of wear plate 16 on the uppermost
surfaces 41 of elastomeric columns 40. Both the control
provided by horizontal shear deformation of the elastomeric
columns prior to frictional sliding between surfaces 41 and
wear plate 16, and the energy dissipation achieved by
frictional sliding movement between the surfaces 41 and
plate 16 are optimized in part by abutments 52 which
constrain the elastomeric columns 40 to remain essentially
upright under all operating conditions and load levels.
In prior side bearings wherein a relatively elongated
extent of an elastomeric column projected above the highest
longitudinal abutments and was therefore relatively
unconfined in at least one longitudinal direction, relative
rotation of the bolster with respect to the car body
produced in the longitudinally unconfined elastomeric
columns a tendency to bend longitudinally. This is
especially true of the trailing or rearward elastomeric
column, rechoned with respect to the direction of
longitudinal movement of the car body wear plate 16 with
respect to the side bearing assembly. Such elastomer column
bending produces non-uniform loading across the surface 41
of the elastomeric element thereby significantly degrading
the shear restraint available at the wear plate-to-elastomer
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interface. By providing abutments projecting upwardly above
the bearing carrier side and end walls, especially for the
longitudinally opposed sides of the elastomeric element,
improved longitudinal confinement of the elastomeric element
enhances the uniformity of loading on the uppermost surface
thereof. As a result, the shear restraint available at the
wear plate-to-elastomer interface is of both greater
magnitude and improved uniformity over that available
without such longitudinal abutments.
Accordingly, Ihe desired characteristics of shear
restraint in the elastomer-to-wear plate interface can be
achieved with elastomeric columns of smaller cross section
than required in prior side bearings. Therefore, within the
confines of a given bearing carrier 20 more longitudinal
space is available between elastomeric elements 40 by use of
smaller section elastomeric elements to provide a greater
longitudinal rolling range for roller 44. The side bearing
thus can accommodate increased angular rotation between
truck 1Z and car body 18.
rhe lnwardly facing surfaces 60 of member 48 provide
rigid stops or limits for roller movement such that roller
44 will not laterally deform elastomeric elements 40 as it
rolls longitudinally to one extreme or the other in its
longitudinal travel. However, it will be noted that the
spacer member 48 is free to move or rock longitudinally with
respect to housing 20 so that when roller 44 engages one of
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.
-18-
surfaces 60, the member 48 can roll or tilt slightly in the
same longitudinal direction by limited longitudinal
compression of the adjacent elastomeric column 40. The
member 48 thereby provides a further increment of roller
movement in the longitudinal direction and cushions the
engagement of the roller on the surface 60.
It wlll be noted that the uppermost extent ot roller
44 projects above the uppermost extent of the side walls Z2
and end walls 24, and additionally above the uppermost
extent of the shim plate upper ends 28. The roller 44 also
projects above the uppermost projection 56 of the abutment
portions 52, although preferably only vory slightly above.
Accordingly, when the loading on elastomeric columns 40
deforms them in vertical compression to the solid condition
whereat plate 16 engages roller 44, plate 16 remains at all
times clear of contact with side walls 22, end walls 24,
shim plates 26 and abutment projections 56, and only a very
minimal vertical extent of the elastomeric columns projects
above the uppermost extent 56 of abutments 52.
Inasmuch as one object of this invention is to
provide, within the confines of a given bearing carrier, the
necessary longitudinal free rolling range for a roller
bearing element to accommodate the greater relative
rotational movement between a truch and a car platform as
must be accommodated in some modern cars, it will be noted
that an additional advantage provided by abutment member 48
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,
- 1 9-
lS that it elevates the rolling surface on which roller 44
is supported above the uppermost surface 50 of base 32.
Accordingly, the uppermost extent of roller 44 projects
further upward by an equal increment thereby permitting the
use of a smaller diameter roller than could be otherwise
employed, where the load limits to be encountered by the
roller bearing permit. A smaller diameter roller occ~pies
less of the longitudinal rolling range available between the
limits defined by the abutment member 48 thereby providing
further increased longitudinal free rolling range for the
roller 44. Accordingly, the smaller diameter roller allows
the accommodation of larger ranges of relative angular
rotation between a truck and a car body within the confines
of a given side bearing carrier or housing 20.
Other embodiments of the lnvention are shown in Figs.
3 through 5. In Fig. 3 the bearing assembly shown is
essentially identical in most salient respects to that
described hereinabove with reference to Figs. 1 and 2;
however, the abutment member 62 is configured to include a
base portion 64 which is of a concave configuration to
provide a generally concave upper surface 66 on which roller
44 is supported. The roller 44 thus tends to be
gravitationally self-centering when in a free rolling state
(i.e. not engaged by the car body wear plate) to ensure that
sufficient free rolling range in either longitudinal
direction will be available upon contact of the roller 44 by
the car body wear plate. It will be recalled that some
2034222
~o
modern cars with extremely high centers of gravity when
loaded will tend to lean over on one or the other of side
bearings on a given truch for relatively long periods of
travel. For any embodiment of this invention, the available
free rolling space in either longitudinal direction for
roller 44, when centered, should be sufficient to
accommodate the maximum relative truck to car body rotation
which can occur under such circumstances.
AadltionallyJ abutment member 62 is free to roch
longitudinally within housing 68 if the concave upper
surtaco 73 on which member 62 rests is of a larger radius
than the mating convex surface 75 of member 62. As member
62 rocks, the upstanding abutment at the leading end thereof
15 (with respect to the direction of its longitudinal rocking~
compresses the corresponding elastomeric element 40. The
rocking action of member 62 presents to the roller a
progressively lower angle of inclination on surface 66 as
the roller 44 moves up the incline of surface 66 when
20 displaced from its centered position. Without the roching
capability for member 62, as the roller moves to one side or
the other from its centered position it rolls up the
centering incline, and the side bearing thus is lifting the
entire weight supported thereon vertically upward. This
25 increase in the vertical loading on the side bearing roller,
increases the directly proportional horizontal restraint
between the roller and body plate 16, which is undesirable;
however, such lifting reduces elastomer compression
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incrementally and thus tends to offset the increase in
roller-to-wear plate horizontal restraint. With member 62
configured to rock on surface 73 as described, the roller
vertical position with respect to body plate 16 remains
essentially constant throughout its range of longitudinal
rolling motion. The instant the vertical loading of the
roller is removed by upward displacement of wear plate 16,
the longitudinal force between the end abutment and the
elastomeric member 40 (into which the abutment has been
thrust as a result of the described roching motion of member
62) will urge member 62 toward its centered, upright
position, thereby increasing the inclination of that portion
of surface 66 on which roller 44 resides and urging roller
44 also to return to its centered position by gravity.
Fig. 3 also illustrates a further modified bearing
carrier 68 having its base portion 70 formed with upward
projections 72 and an intervening concavity 74 to elevate
and confine abutment member 62. As noted hereinabove, the
increased elevation of roller 44 permits use of a smaller
diameter roller, which is beneficial in several respects as
described for providing greater longitudinal rolling range
for the roller 44. The base portion 70 may be formed even
further upward if desired to arch over the space
intermediate the fasteners 14 and to thereby elevate
abutment member 62 and roller 44 to an even higher
elevation. Yet another way to achieve such increased roller
elevation is to provide an insert member (not shown) within
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-22-
housing 68 beneath the abutment member 62.
Fig. 4 discloses another alternative embodiment of the
invention similar in many salient respects to that described
with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, but having an abutment
member 76 with an elongated, essentially flat base portion
78 and upstanding portions 80 with the integral corner
portions joining abutments 80 to base 78 being of
significantly smaller radius than portions 54 of Fig. 2. In
addition to a slightly concave upper surface of base portion
78, centering of the roller 44 may be provided by biasing
elements 82 which are engageable with opposed lower surface
portions 84 of the roller 44 and also engageable with inner
surfaces 86 of abutment member 76 adjacent the lower corners
thereof. Biased retainers 82 may be of solid, soft
elastomer construction, and preferably are formed to leave a
corner void 83 into which they may deform when contacted by
roller 44.
Fig. 5 lllustrates yet another embodlment ot the
invention in which the entire cavity within the side and end
walls of a side bearing carrier or housing is occupied by an
enlarged upstanding elastomeric column 88 and an
asymmetrical abutment member 90 having an upwardly concave
recess in which there is received a roller 44. Accordingly,
abutment member 90 includes a base portion 92 and a single
upstanding abutment portion 94 which extends upwardly
adjacent the longitudinally inner side of elastomeric column
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88 for longitudinal confinement of the same. The opposed
end 96 of abutment member 90 interfaces with the end wall
portions 24 of the bearing carrier thereby serving to
position the abutment member 90 and provide a reaction
interface to bear the longitudinal forces imposed upon
abutment member 90 by confinement of elastomeric member 88
in operation. End portion 96 together with upstanding
abutment 94 and connecting base portion 92 define an
upwardly opening recess 98 within which roller 44 is free
rolling between longitudinal limits in much the same manner
as above described with reference to other embodiments. In
addition, it is noted that the base portion 92 is of
increased thichness thus illustrating another means for
elevating roller 44 to thereby permit the use of a smaller
diameter roller, with the attendant benefits as hereinabove
described.
Accoralng ~o the description hereinabove there is
provided by the instant invention a novel and improved side
bearing assembly for use especially in conjunction with
modern rail car body and truck configurations. Although the
invention has been described with reference to certain
presently preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that
I have envisioned various alternative and modified
Z5 embodiments within the scope of the invention as described.
Among such modifications, I have contemplated a side bearing
generally as above described but with more than two
elastomeric columns spaced longitudinally of a bearing
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carrier and with rollers free rolling within limits in
abutments members disposed between each pair of adjacent
elastomeric columns. Additionally, a bearing of this
invention may be constructed to the proportions of an
unusually elongated housing member to provide a single
bearing assembly which provides support for both of the
mutually adjacent ends of a pair of car platforms which are
supported on a common truck bolster. The elastomeric
columns may be configured in a variety of geometric shapes
and from a variety of elastomeric materials according to the
performance requirements of the particular car body and
truck assembly. Certainly such alternative embodiments
would also occur to others versed in the art, once apprised
of my invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the
invention be construed broadly and limited only by the scope
of the claims appended hereto.
