Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TRUCK MOUNTED BRAKE BEAM WITH REMOVABLE gRARE BEADS
BACKGRO1ND FND SL_,1MMARY OF THF TNVFNTT9N
The present invention relates generally to brake
apparatus for rail cars, and more specifically to
truck mounted brake apparatus.
Truck mounted brakes throughout the railroad
industry include either a double actuator system as
illustrated in U.S. Patent 3,499,507 or a single
actuator system as illustrated in U.S. Patents
5,400,874 and 5,495,921. In all three of these
systems, the actuator rods extend through holes in the
bolster of the truck. The primary and secondary beams
are unitary cast iron beams. The beams are U-shaped
.having a vertical base and two horizontal walls
extending therefrom. The actuator or actuators are
mounted to the vertical base and the actuator rods are
mounted and -extend through openings also in the
vertical base. The brake hands are cast integral at
each end of the beam.
Another example of a truck mounted brake having
a single actuator is illustrated in U.S. Patents
4,766,980 and 4,653,812. By moving the actuator rods
outside of the center section, they pass under the
bolster of the truck and no holes through the bolsters
are required. The brake beams are shown as having a
rolled steel center channel section with removable end
sections having cast brake shoe heads and projecting
guide feet bolted to the center section. The load on
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the beam as carried by the bolts which join the end
sections to the center section. As with the previous
unitary beams, the channeled portion is generally U-
shaped having a vertical base wall with two opposed
horizontal walls extending therefrom.
A unitary brake head and projecting guide feet
secured to a bow type beam by fasteners is illustrated
in U.S. Patent 5,810,124 and 5,069,312. Again, the
fasteners are load bearing and as described in the
'124 Patent, rivets are used. Separate brake shoe
heads and guide feet being secured by a common
fastener is illustrated in U.S. Patent 2,491,086. As
in the '124 Patent, from the same assignee, rivets are
used since they are a load bearing connection.
Removable brake heads are also shown in U.S. 4,771,868
and 5,806,634.
There is a continuous drive to reduce the cost,
size and weight of the truck mounted brake.
The present invention is a truck mounted rail
brake including at least a primary beam having a
center section and a pair of end sections with guide
feet to be received in the slots of the truck. The
center portion may include two opposed channel
elements joined to each other and each having a
horizontal base and two vertical walls. A brake
actuator is connected to the primary beam and a brake
head is removably joined to each end section of the
beam. Preferably, the brake head is joined to the end
section by a pin. In one embodiment, a tab is
provided on the head and a portion of the tab is bent
over the pin to retain it in the brake head and the
end section. In a second embodiment, a second pin is
removably joined to the brake head and extends above
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the first pin along an axis transverse to and
intersect ing an axis of the first pin to retain the
first pin in the brake head and the end section. The
first pin is dimensioned to allow the brake head to
pivot about the first pin whose axis is transverse to
the longitudinal axis of the beam.
With respect to the beam, the vertical walls of
the opposed channeled elements may extend either from
the base towards each other or away from each other.
The channel elements are joined by a first weldment.
The first weldments are hollow and the bases include
openings to the hollow of the first weldments. The
cross-section of the end portions of at least one of
the channeled elements are smaller than the cross-
section of a center portion of the at least one
channeled element.
A second brake beam may be included also having
a center section with a pair of end sections including
guide feet. The second beam also includes at least
one channel member having a horizontal base and two
vertical walls.
Another truck mounted rail brake would include at
least a primary beam including a center section, and
at each end, an end section having a guide foot to be
received in the slots in a truck. A brake head has a
slot in the back which receives the end sections and
which allows removal of the brake head transverse the
longitudinal axis of the beam. A first pin extends
through the aligned aperture in a wall of the slot and
in the end section and removably maintains the brake
head on the end section. In one embodiment, a tab is
provided on the brake head and a portion of the tab is
bent over the pln to retain the pin in the brake head
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and the end section. In a second embodiment, an
opening is provided in the brake head above the slot
and has an axis transverse to and intersecting coaxial
axis of the aligned apertures. A second pin extends
S through the opening above the first pin to retain the
first pin in the apertures.
The brake beam further includes two transverse
walls, one on each side of the brake head to limit the
movement of the brake head along the longitudinal
axis. The slot, first pin and separation of the
transverse wall is already dimensioned to allow the
brake head to pivot about the pin. The slot is formed
by two flanges extending from the back of the brake
head and vertically spaced sufficiently to receive the
end section of the beam. A portion of the center
section of the beam extends laterally below a portion
of the end section. A third flange extends from the
back of the beam and is vertically spaced from the
other two flanges sufficiently to engage a portion of
the center section of the beam below the end section
as a stop.
Another truck mounted brake includes at least a
primary beam including along a longitudinal axis, a
center section and at each end, an end section having
a foot to be received in a slot in a truck. A brake
head is removably mounted to the end section by a
first pin which is dimensioned to allow the head to
pivot about the pin, whose axis is transverse to the
longitudinal axis of the beam. As in the previous
embodiments, the first pin is retained either by a tab
on the brake head or a second pin which extends above
the first pin along an axis transverse to and
intersecting the axis of the first pin.
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Other objects, advantages and novel features of
the present invention will become apparent from the
following detailed description of the invention when
considered in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BR E D .S R1 p~'~ION OF 'tH ~. D AWTN ~S
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a truck mounted
brake mounted to the truck incorporating the
principles of the present invention.
Figure 2 is an exploded view of the truck mounted
brake of Figure 1 incorporating the principles of the
present invention.
Figure 3 is a cross section taken along lines
III-III of Figure 1 of the primary beam.
Figure 4 is a cross section taken along lines IV-
IV of Figure 1 of the secondary brake beam.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of another
embodiment of a truck mounted brake mounted to the
truck incorporating the principles of the present
invention.
Figure 6 is an exploded view of the truck mounted
brake of Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken along
lines VII-VII of Figure 8 of a brake head on a brake
beam according to the principles of the present
invention.
Figure 8 is a cross sectional view of the brake
head taking along lines VIII-VIII of Figure 7 without
the brake beam.
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D .TAT , .D D .SCRTpTTON OF T13 p~~~,pd?G:D EMAOD~ FNTS
A truck mounted brake is shown m Figure 1 with
respect to bolster 10 of the truck and a wheel 12.
The illustration is for a double axle truck and
therefore will be described with respect to two brake
beams. It should be noted that the system may also be
used with a single axle and therefore a single brake
beam.
The truck mounted brake illustrated in Figures 1
and 2 include a primary brake beam 14 and a secondary
brake beam 16 on opposite sides of the bolster 12 and
interconnected by force transmission or push rod
assembly 18. An actuator 20 is supported by the
primary beam 14 and is connected to the secondary beam
16 by the push rods 18. A hand brake cable 22 is
connected to the actuator 20 and to cable reaction
bracket 24, equalization plate 26 and chain 28.
At each end of the primary beam 14 and the
secondary beam 16, is a brake head 30 having brake
shoes 32 secured thereto by removable latch 34. Also,
extending from the ends of each of the brake beams are
guide feet 36 which are received in slots in the side
walls of the truck. Each of the brake heads 30 and
brake shoes 32 are adjacent to respective wheel 12,
only one of which is illustrateu.
The system so far described is well known in the
industry and is illustrated for example, in U.S.
Patents 4,766,980 and 4,653,812. The operation of the
actuator 20, with or without slack adjusters, and the
push rod assemblies 18 to operate the pair of brake
beams 14 and 16 is well known and will not be
described here in detail.
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A first embodiment of the improved brake beam
system of the present invention is illustrated in
detail in Figures 2-4. The primary beam 14 and the
secondary beam 16 each include a center section having
one or more channeled elements 40 each including a
horizontal base 42 and pair of vertical side walls
44. While the secondary beam 16 includes only one
channel member 40, the primary beam 14 includes a pair
of opposed channel members 40. In both beams, the
base 42 is horizontal and the side walls 44 are
vertical. This increases the stiffness of the center
of the beams to braking forces transverse to the side
walls 44 and within the plane of the base 42. This is
to be distinguished from the U-shaped beams of the
prior art wherein the corresponding base wall 42 is
vertical and the corresponding side walls 44 are
horizontal.
The specific orientation and design of the
present center sections 40 allows them to be standard
U or C channeled stock of substantially reduced weight
and cost compared to that of the prior art brake
beams. The channeled stock has a large radius of
curvature or thickened intersection of the vertical
walls 44 to the base 42 which increases the rigidity.
Also, box channel or rectangular cross-section stock
may be used. Initial results show almost a 50%
reduction of weight compared to beams presently in
use. Another advantage of using stock channels for
the center section of the beam is easy of modification
for different gauge tracks. No redesign or special
forging is needed.
The primary brake beam 14 includes a pair of end
section 50 leaving a tongue portion 52 slidably
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received within the channel of the center section 40.
An opening 54 is provided in the end section 50 for
the force transmission mechanism. Fasteners 56 extend
through aligned apertures in the base wall 42 of the
center section and the tongue 52 of the end section
and into nuts 58 to secure the end sections in their
extended position relative to the center section 40.
Fasteners 56 secure or lock the end sections in their
extended position and secure the pair of center
sections 40 to each other.
The secondary beam 16 also includes a pair of end
sections 60 having a tongue 62 received within the
channel of the center section 40. A pair of fasteners
66 extend through the horizontal wall 42 of the center
section 40 and through aligned apertures in the tongue
62 of the end section 60 and into nuts 68 to secure
the end sections in their extended position relative
to the center section 40.
The actuator 20 is supported by the primary brake
beam 16 through bell crank lever 70. Opposite ends of
the actuator 20 are secured by pins 80 received
through aperture 72 in the bell crank 70. A cotter pin
82 connected through the end of the pin 80. The bell
crank 70 is pivotally connected to the end section 50
in opening 54 of the Lirst beam by a pin 84 received
in aperture 74. A cotter pin 88 is provided at the
end of pin 84 to secure it in place. One end of the
push rod assembly 18 is secured to the bell crank 70
by a pin 90 received in aperture 76 of the bell crank
70. A bushing 92 is provided in the end of the bush
rod assembly 18 and a cotter pin 94 holds the pin 90
in place. The other end of the push rod 18 is
received in opening 64 of the end section 60 of the
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second beam 16 and is secured therein by pin 96 and
cotter pin 98.
Another embodiment of the brake beam
incorporating the principles of the present invention
is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. Those elements
which have the same general structure and function as
that as in Figures 2-4 have the same numbers. Those
having modified or new part elements have odd numbers.
The purpose of the embodiment of Figures 5-10 as
distinguished from that of Figures 2-4 is that in
Figures 5 and 6, actuator 20 and push rods 18 stay
with the beams and are not removed with the brake
heads 30. In Figures 2-4, the actuator 20 and the
connecting rods 18 are removed with the brake heads
30.
The primary beam 14 and the secondary beam 16
each include a center section having two opposed
channeled elements 40A, B and 40C, D respectively.
Each includes a horizontal base 42 and pair of
vertical side walls 44. In both beams, the base 42 is
horizontal and the side walls 44 are vertical. The
specific orientation and design of the present center
sections 40 allows them to be standard U or C
channeled stock of substantially reduced weight
compared to that of the prior art brake beams. Also,
box channel or rectangular cross-section stock may be
used.
The channeled elements 40 of the primary and
secondary brake beams have their opposed bases 42
adjacent with their vertical walls 44 extending away
from each other. In the embodiment of Figures 1-4,
the vertical walls 40 extend towards each other from
their opposed bases 42. A pair of first weldments 51
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secure the top channeled element 40A, 40C to the
bottom channeled elements 40B, D. Openings 41 in the
base provide access to the hollowed weldments 51 and
allows debris and water to run off through the
weldments. The top channeled elements 40A, C are
shorter in length than the bottom channeled elements
40B, D and are secured to each other at their ends by
a second weldment illustrated as a plate 53. The
guide feet 36 are secured to the center channeled
elements 40 by the weldment 53 and a third weldment 55
connected to the bottom channeled element 40B, D.
Referring to Figure 6, the top channeled element
40A of the primary beam 14 has a smaller cross-section
at the ends compared to the cross-section at its
center. Both the non-wheel side vertical wall 44A1
and the wheel side vertical wall 44A2 are non-parallel
and converge at the ends. The bottom channeled
element 40B of the primary beam 14 also has a smaller
cross section at its ends than it does at the center.
Only the non-wheel side vertical wall 44B1 (not shown)
converges towards the unmodified wheel side vertical
wall 44B2. Comparing this to the secondary beam 16,
only the ends of the wheel side vertical wall 44C2 of
the top channeled element 40C converges while the non-
wheel side vertical wall 44C1 of the top channeled
element 40C and both vertical walls of 44D1, D2 (not
shown) of the bottom channeled element 40D remain
parallel to the center section.
The actuator 20 is supported by the primary brake
beam 16 through bell crank levers 70. Opposite ends
of the actuator 20 are secured by pins 80 received
through aperture 72 in the bell cranks 70. A cotter
pin 82 connected through the end of the pin 80. The
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bell crank 70 is pivotally connected to the center
section 40 of the first beam by a pin 84 received in
aperture 74 in the bell crank 70 and bores 45 in bases
42. A cotter pin 88 is provided at the end of pin 84
to secure it in place. One end of the push rod
assembly 18 is secured to the bell crank 70 by a pin
90 received in aperture 76 of the bell crank 70. A
cotter pin 94 holds the pin 90 in place. The other
end of the push rod 18 is received and secured to the
center section of channeled element 40 of the second
beam 16 by pin 96 and cotter pin 98 through bore 45 in
base 42.
Bosses 43 are provided on the base 42 and include
the bores 45 which receive the fasteners 90 and 96.
Bell crank 70 is secured and rides between the bosses
43A and 43B shown in Figure 8 and the end of the
actuating push rod 18 rides is secured to and rides
between the bosses 43C and 43D shown in Figure 10.
For sake of clarity, the bosses 43 have been deleted
and are shown in Figures 5 and 6. All of the bosses
43 act as spacers for the actuator and push rod
assembly. The bottom bosses 43B and 44D also act as
wear plates since they support the bell crank 70 and
the end of the push rod 18 respectfully. The bosses
43 are mounted or secured to the bases 42 by welding.
Obviously, this welding takes place prior to the
joining of the channeled elements together.
Since the guide feet 36 are unitary with the beam
structure, the brake head 30 with the brake shoe 32
are removable from the guide feet 36 and the beam.
The brake head 30 includes a pair of spaced blocks 31
on its back wall between which is received a portion
of the guide foot. A pin 56 is extended through
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al igned apertures 33 in the blocks 31 and the guide
loot 36. A tab 35 extending from the top block 31 is
bent over the top of the pin 56 to secure it in place.
The pin 56 in combination with spacing between the
blocks 31 and the guide foot 36 allows for about 3
degrees of movement about a horizontal axis. Since
the load is carried by the beam instead of the pin 56,
the mounting need not be fixedly secured. Also, the
tab 35 being an integral part of the brake head 30
prevents the mounting element from being lost. Almost
any pin could be used.
The brake head 30 is restricted from significant
lateral movement by the weldment 53 and a transverse
wall of the guide foot 36. This would also minimize
rotation or swivelling of the brake head 30 laterally.
To replace the brake head, the beams are moved
away from the wheel. The tab 35 is straightened and
the pin 56 removed. The brake head 30 is then moved
towards the wheel until it clears the guide foot 36
and then is moved parallel to the brake beam. The
relationship of the brake head 30 and the blocks 31 to
the guide foot 36 and the weldment 53 transfers the
forces on the brake head 30 to the brake beam and is
not primarily dependent upon a pin 56.
Another embodiment of the brake head is
illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. This is a cast brake
head. The numbers used in Figure 5 and 6 having the
same function are used in Figures 7 and 8. A portion
of the beam 14 is illustrated in Figure 7 but has been
deleted from Figure 8 for clarity. The brake head 30
includes a first pair of flanges 31A and 31B which are
spaced sufficiently to receive the guide foot 36 which
is the end portion of the beam. Also provided on the
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brake head 30 is a third flange 31 spaced below the
bottom flange 31B sufficiently spaced such that it
acts as a stop against the top surface 42B of the
bottom channel 40B. The fastener 56 is a pin which
extends through coaxial apertures in the flanges 31A,
31B and aperture 33. The length of the pin 56 is
selected such that its head comes to rest on the top
of top flange 31A without the bottom of the pin 56
engaging a top surface of flange 31C. The flanges 31A
and 31B form a slot in the back of the head 30.
To retain the pin 56 in apertures 33, a pair of
side walls 37 are provided extending up from the
flange 31A. A pin 38 extends through openings at the
top of the slot walls 37 and are secured thereto by a
cotter pin 39. The axis of the pin 38 is above and
transverse to and intersects the axis of the pin 56
and the apertures 33. The pin 38 prevents loosely
fitting pin 56 from exiting the apertures 33 and
thereby maintains in the flanges 31A and B and the
foot 36. Although a pair of side walls are shown as
the preferred embodiment, the pin could be removably
secured and extend from a single side wall or other
structure of the brake head 30.
Although the removable brake heads 30 of Figures
5-8 are shown with the beam structure of Figure 5 and
6, the brake head can also be made to be used with the
beam structure of Figures 1-4 as long as it is not
integral to the foot 36. The securement of the foot
36 to the beam must be independent of the mounting of
the brake head 30 to the beam. Otherwise, the
connection would be load bearing and the head of
Figures 4-8 cannot be used.
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Although the present system has been described
with respect to push rods 18 extending around the
bolster 10, the present brake beams, with minor
modification, can also be used where the push rods 18
and the actuator 20 extend toward and/or through
openings in the bolster. This will cause minor
modification of the center section 40 with no
modification of the end sections 50 and 60 nor their
operation. This would also increase the weight of the
center portions 40 to receive the actuator 20 and the
push rod assemblies 18 and their interconnected
mechanisms. Similarly, although a pair of brake beams
are shown, a single brake beam system can also be used
using either the primary beam 14 or the secondary beam
16.
Although the present invention has been described
and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly
understood that the same is by way of illustration and
example only, and is not to be taken by way of
limitation. The spirit and scope of the present
invention are to be limited only by the terms of the
appended claims.
