Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BEARING ASSED2BLY FOR AN ARTTCULATED COUPLING
APPARATUS WHICH CONNECTS ADJACENT ENDS OF A
PAIR OF RAILWAY CARS TOGETHER
This invention relates to railway car coupling devices
and, more particularly, it relates to a bearing assembly
used in an articulated-type coupling device which connects
one end of a first railway car to an adjacent end of a
second railway car in a semipermanent manner.
Prior to the present invention, it has been known to
use standard couplers, approved by the Association of
American Railroads (AAR), to connect adjacent ends of a pair
of railway cars. Such couplers are designed to facilitate
connecting and disconnecting cf individual railway cars.
These couplers enable such cars to be readily combined to
make up a train consist, or to be individually separated,
for loading and unloading purposes.
In more recent times, however, such railroad industry
has discovered that the interconnecting of several railway
cars to form a generally semipermanent unit has a number of
important advantages. Particularly, railroad cars adapted
for use in "piggyback" service have been joined in this
manner to advantage. These units do not require the use of
the standard coupler, except between units. The primary
reason such standard couplers are not required is because
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these units are only broken periodically. Normally, this
occurs when maintenance of an individual component must be
carried out. Obviously, considerable cost-savings axe
achieved by this semipermanent cougling arrangement.
With the use of these semipermanent coupling
'1.
arrangements and with the higher loads presently being
carried by modern railway trains, it is of the utmost
importance that a close-buttoned relationship be maintained
between the numerous coupler draft components. Such close-
buttoned relationship is required to reduce the effects of
the impact forces which are encountered by a car under buff
conditions of train operations.
One prior type of articulated coupling device is taught
in U.S. Patent No. 4,258,628. This coupling device includes
a male connection member secured to one end of a first
railway car body, and a female connection member secured to
an adjacent end of a second railway car body. The female
connection member is rotatably-engaged in a center plate
bowl of a bolster of a railroad car truck. The outer end of
20, the male connection member is disposed for movement in a
cavity formed in the outer end of such female connection
member. Both the male and female connection members are
joined, in a semipermanent manner, by a pin member. one
important disadvantage in this arrangement is that this pin
member is positioned in a vertical direction and disposed in
aligned apertures formed in each of the male and female
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connection members. The aperture formed in the male
connection member for receiving the pin member must be
somewhat larger than the pin member itself to allow certain
required movements. This configuration must enable both the
' male connection member and the female connection member to
awve in each of a horizontal direction and a vertical
direction in relationship to one another.
Another disadvantage in this coupling arrangement is
that the outer end surface of the male connection member
must include a convex configuration which abuts against a
complimentary concave surface formed on a front face of a
follower member. The follower member is carried within the
rear portion of the cavity formed in the other end portion
of the female connection member. A wedge element is
provided to urge the follower member and the male connection
member forward. In this manner, the rear surface portion of
the aperture formed in the male connection member is
maintained in contact with the pin member.
Such contact is necessary in these prior art
articulated coupling devices, because most of the parts are
cast members. In order to reduce the cost of this coupling
device, the cast members receive very little, if any,
finish-machining to provide the necessary dimensional
control.
3
Other prior art articulated coupling devices are taught
in U.S. Patent No. 3,716,146 and Canadian Patent No.
x,21,078.
The present invention provides a bearing assembly for
an articulated coupling arrangement. Such articulated
coupling arrangement being utilized to connect adjacent ends
of a pair of railway cars together, in a substantially
semipermanent manner. The coupling arrangement has a male
connection member secured to one end of a first railway car
and a female connection member secured to an adjacent end of
a second railway car. Such bearing assembly includes a
substantially spherical member having a predetermined
diameter. A race assembly formed by at least two members is
provided. each of such members forming the race assembly
have a substantially spherical inner surface. This inner
surface is positioned around a portion of the spherical
member. An outer surface of such race assembly has a
substantially identical size and a substantially identical
configuration as a predetermined size and predetermined
configuration of an aperture formed in one end of such male
connection member. Such race assembly enables requisite
movement of such male connection member in relation to such
female connection member in each of a vertical direction and
a horizontal direction over a predetermined range of angles
measured from each of a centerline of such spherical member
4
~w
disposed in a vertical direction and a longitudinal axis of
such articulated coupling arrangement disposed in a
horizontal direction. There is a securing means engageable
with each of such race assembly and such male connection
means for securing such race assembly and such spherical
member to such male connection member. The final essential
element of such bearing assembly is a pair of shaft members.
A longitudinal axis of such pair of shaft members being
in a substantially horizontal plane. One of such pair of
shaft members being engageable with a respective one of an
opening formed through each of a pair of upstanding side
wall portions of a cavity formed in one end of such female
connection member. At least a portion of each of such pair
of shaft members having a substantially identical
configuration as at least a portion of a predetermined
configuration of such opening.
It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the
present invention to provide a bearing assembly for an
articulable coupling apparatus which requires fewer
z0 components.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a
bearing assembly for an articulable coupling apparatus in
which a minimum number of components must move relative to
one another during operation of such railway cars.
5
Still another object of the present invention is to
provide a bearing assembly for an articulable coupling
apparatus which is relatively simple to assemble and
disassemble.
A further object of the present invention is to provide
a bearing assembly for an articulable coupling apparatus
which can be adapted to any of the presently approved
lengths for such railway cars, and can operate on all of the
various curves in the tracks presently in use.
An additional object of the present invention is to
provide a bearing assembly for an articulable coupling
apparatus which can be more easily maintained in proper
working order.
Yet another object of the present invention is to
provide a bearing assembly for an articulable coupling
apparatus which requires a minimum amount of machining of
the finished components.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a
bearing assembly for an articulable coupling apparatus which
will be lighter in weight than presently used articulated
coupling devices.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to
provide a bearing assembly for an articulable coupling
apparatus which will be cost-effective.
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In addition to the above-described objects and
advantages of the bearing assembly for an articulable
coupling apparatus, various other objects and advantages of
the present invention will become apparent to those persons
skilled in the railway coupling art, from the following more
detailed description of the invention when such description
is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation view, partially in cross-
section, which illustrates one presently preferred
embodiment of a bearing assembly for an articulable coupling
apparatus;
Figure 2 is a top view, partially in cross-section, of
the bearing assembly illustrated in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a top view which illustrates an alternative
embodiment of a bearing assembly for an articulable coupling
apparatus; and
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines
IV-IV of Figure 3.
Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of
the instant invention, it should be noted that in each of
the views illustrated, identical components which have
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identical functions have been identified with identical
reference numerals.
Now refer more particularly to Figures 1 and 2.
Therein illustrated is one presently preferred embodiment of
a bearing assembly for an articulated coupling apparatus,
generally designated 10, constructed in accordance with the
principals of this invention. This apparatus 10 can be
retrofitted to existing railway cars, if desired, and is
capable of connecting together, in a substantially
semipermanent manner, at least one end of a first railway
car (not shown) to an adjacent end of a second railway car
(not shown).
Such apparatus l0 includes a male connection member,
generally designated 20, a female connection member,
generally designated 30, a bearing assembly, constructed
according to this invention and generally designated 40, and
a means, generally designated 50 for securing the bearing
assembly 40 to such articulated coupling apparatus 10 in a
semipermanent fashion.
The male connection member 20 is adapted at a first end
12 thereof to be engaged with and connected to one end of a
center sill member (not shown) disposed substantially along
a longitudinal centerline of one of such first and such
second railway cars.
8
Prior to being secured in place, such first end 12 of
the male connection member 2o is positioned within the
center sill portion for a predetermined distance which is
between about 6 to 10 inches and about 8 inches being
preferred. Because such first end 12 of the male. connection
member 20 must fit within the center sill member, its outer
dimensions are controlled by the inner dimensions of such
center sill member. The second end 14 of such male
connection member 2o is generally an elongated rectangular-
1~ shaped element. The outermost end 18 of such second end 14
has a convex shape in a plane which extends in both a
vertical direction and a horizontal direction. In addition,
the bottom wall portion 22 of such second end 14 is tapered
upwardly starting from a predetermined position and
extending toward such first end 12. Such tapered portion
has a taper of at least about 10 degrees. The purpose of
this tapered portion of such bottom wall 22 of the male
connection member 20 is to allow flexing in a horizontal
plane when the cars are moving over hilly terrain.
20 Disposed within such second end 14 is an aperture 16,
the purpose of which will become clear as the description
proceeds. The aperture 16 includes a predetermined size and
a predetermined shape. Such aperture 16 is formed through a
predetermined portion of the second end 14 of such male
connection member 20. This aperture 16 has a longitudinal
axis that is disposed transverse to a longitudinal axis of
9
such male connection member 20 and lies in a substantially
horizontal plane.
The female connection member 30 includes a first end 24
configured such that it will enable such female connection
member 30 to be engaged with and connected to an adjacent
end of a center sill member (not shown) disposed
substantially along a longitudinal centerline of an opposite
one of such first and such second railway cars (not shown).
A cavity 26 is formed fn a second end of the female
connection member 30. This cavity 26 receives therein at
least a portion of each of the second end 14 of such male
connection member 20 and such aperture 16 formed through
such second end 14 of the male connection member 20. This
cavity 26 is formed by a substantially horizontally-disposed
bottom wall portion 32, a substantially vertically-disposed
back wall portion 34 connected along a bottom edge thereof
to a rear edge of such bottom wall portion 32, and a pair of
vertically-disposed side wall portions 36 connected along a
bottom edge thereof to the bottom wall portion 32 and along
a rear edge thereof to such back wall portion 34. An inner
surface of each of such bottom wall portion 32 and such rear
wall portion 34 and such pair of side wall portions 36
define a predetermined size and a predetermined shape of the
cavity 26 which is open adjacent a top and front surface
thereof.
An opening 38 is formed through a predetermined portion
of each of the side wall portions 36. Each opening 38
includes a slot-like portion adjacent an upper surface of a
respective side wall portion 36. Each apening 3i3 has a
predetermined configuration.
The apparatus 10 includes a bearing assembly 40. Such
bearing assembly 40 includes a substantially spherical
member 42. At least a predetermined portion of such
spherical member 42 is positioned within such aperture 16
formed through the second end 14 of the male connection
member 20. Such spherical member 42 has a predetermined
diameter. In the presently preferred embodiment, the
spherical member 42 includes a pair of axially-opposed flat
surfaces 61. Such bearing assembly 4o has a race assembly
44, having a substantially spherical inner surface
positioned around such predetermined portion of the
spherical member 42, is positioned within the aperture 16 to
enable movement of such male connection member 20 in
relation to such female connection member 30 in both a
vertical direction and a horizontal direction over a
predetermined range. Such race assembly 44 includes an
outer surface which is substantially identical to such size
and such shape of such aperture 16 formed through the male
connection member 20.
11
First securing means, generally designated 60, fs
engageable with such race assembly 44 and such second end 14
of said male connection member 20 for securing race assembly
44 and spherical member 42 to such second end 14.
A pair of shaft members 46 extend outwardly a
predetermined length from axially-opposed surfaces of such
spherical member 42. One of such pair of shaft members 46
being engaged in a respective one of such opening 38 formed
through each of the side wall portions 36 of such cavity 26.
At least a portion of each of shaft members 46 having a
substantially identical configuration as at least a portion
of such predetermined configuration of such opening 38
formed through such side wall portions 36.
A second securing means, generally designated 50, is
engageable with at least one of such pair of shaft members
46 and a portion of such opening 38 for securing such
bearing assembly 40 to such female connection member 30 and
thereby securing the male connection member 20 to such
female connection member 30 to form the articulable-type
coupling apparatus 10.
In one form of the invention, such spherical inner
surface of race assembly 44 will have a substantially
identical radius as the radius of spherical member 42.
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In the most preferred embodiment, such spherical inner
surface of race assembly 44 will be slightly larger than the
radius of spherical member 42. In this case, such coupling
apparatus l0 further includes a lubricating liner 48
disposed intermediate such inner surface of race assembly 44
and spherical member 42.
It is presently preferred that such lubricating liner
48 be formed in at least two pieces. It is also preferred
that lubricating liner 48 be bonded to such inner surface of
race assembly 44. Such bonding of lubricating liner 48 to
such inner surface of race assembly 44 preferably being
accomplished by an adhesive material.
According to the present invention, the bottom wall
portion 32 of such cavity 26 further includes a center plate
member 52 which matingly-engages a center bowl (not shown)
of a bolster portion (not shown) of a railway car truck (not
shown). Such center plate member 52 includes a vertically-
disposed hole 54 adjacent a bottom surface 56 thereof. Such
hole 54 is located substantially in the center of such
center plate member 52.
Additionally, the coupling apparatus 10 further
includes a vertically-disposed pin member (not shown) which
is engageable in such hole 54 in center plate member 52 and
a vertically-disposed hole (not Shawn) in such center bowl
of such bolster.
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In the presently preferred embodiment of this
invention, the second end 14 of such male connection member
2o has a predetermined configuration adjacent an outermost
end 18 thereof. This predetermined configuration of such
outermost end 18 of such second end 14 is s substantially
convex shape in each of a vertically-disposed plane and a
horizontally-disposed plane.
In addition, it is preferred that the vertically-
disposed back wall portion 34 of such cavity 26 formed in
such second end of such female connection member 30 has a
predetermined configuration which is a substantially concave
shape in at least one of a vertical plane and a horizontal
plane.
In this embodiment of the invention, it is also
preferred that the predetermined shape of the aperture 16,
formed through such second end 14 is substantially round.
Additionally, this aperture 16 includes a beveled portion 59
adjacent at least one predetermined outer surface thereof.
In this case, the race assembly 44 includes a
complimentary beveled ledge portion 62 which abuttingly-
engages such beveled portion 59 adjacent such outer surface
of such aperture 16 formed through such second end 14 of
such male connection member 20.
Preferably, race assembly 44 is formed in at least two
pieces, which axe substantially identical.
14
It is likewise preferred that spherical member 42 and
such pair of shaft members 46 be formed as a single piece.
The first securing means 60, engageable with each of
race assembly 44 and second end 14 of the male connection
member 20, can be a weldment or a plate member (not shown)
bolted to such second end 14.
In the preferred embodiment of this invention, such
pair of side wall portions 36 include a tapered portion
adjacent the front surface of such cavity 26 and adjacent
such vertically-disposed back wall portion 34 of such cavity
26 to enable the second end 14 to rotate about such
spherical member 42 in a horizontal direction.
Finally, the predetermined configuration of opening 38
formed through each of the side wall portions 36 at least
includes a generally round portion engageable with a portion
of a respective one of such pair of shaft members 46.
In the alternative embodiment of the bearing assembly
40 illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, such bearing assembly 40
includes a substantially spherical member 42. At least a
predetermined portion of such spherical member 42 is
positioned within such aperture 16 formed through the second
end 14 of the male connection member 20. Such spherical
member 42 has a predetermined diameter.
~~~~ ~~l
A bore 63 is formed through such spherical member 42.
The bore 63 has a predetermined size and a predetermined
shape. A longitudinal axis of such bore 63 lies in a
substantially horizontal plane.
A pin member 65, which has a horizontally-disposed
axis, is provided. Such pin member 65 extends through the
bore 63 fox a predetermined length on each side of axially-
opposed surfaces of such spherical member 42. A portion of
such pin member 65 is disposed within the bore 63 of the
spherical member 42 and has a substantially identical size
and a substantially identical shape as the size and shape of
such bore 63 thereby enabling a press-fit. At least a
portion of such length on each side of such spherical member
42 has a substantially identical size and identical
configuration as such predetermined configuration of the
opening 38.
A race assembly 44, having a substantially spherical
inner surface, is positioned within the aperture 16 to
enable movement of such male connection member 20 in
relation to such female connection member 30 in both a
vertical direction and a horizontal direction over a
predetermined range. Such race assembly 44 includes an
outer surface which is substantially identical to such size
and such shape of such aperture 16 formed through the second
end 14 of the male connection member 20.
16
While a number of embodiments of the bearing assembly
for an articulated coupling apparatus have been described in
detail above, it should be obviaus to persons sDcilled in the
art that various other modifications and adaptations of such
coupling apparatus can be made without departing from the
spirit and the scope of the appended claims.
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