Three-piece railway truck frame having a selectively removable bolster

Abstract

A railway truck frame for a railway truck including a first side frame and a second side frame, each side frame having an inverted trapezoidal-shaped window including a first inclined side and a second inclined side. The truck frame also includes a bolster having a first end and a second end which extends transversely between the first and second side frames. Each end of the bolster includes a first inclined channel and an opposing second inclined channel. Each channel includes an exterior flange, a spaced apart interior flange, and a bearing surface located between the exterior and the interior flanges. Each inclined side of a window is adapted to be located in a respective first or second channel between the exterior flange and the interior flange of the channel and in engagement with the bearing surface of the channel. A locking device such as a jack is located in each window between the top of the end of the bolster and the top side of the window which selectively forces the end of the bolster downwardly into engagement with the side frame such that the end of the bolster is rigidly but removably connected to the side frame.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A railway truck frame for a railway truck including: 
 a first side frame having a window extending through said first side frame, said window including a first side and a second side; and    a bolster having a first end, a second end and a central longitudinal axis extending from said first end to said second end, said first end of said bolster including a first exterior flange and a first interior flange spaced apart from said first exterior flange, said first end of said bolster adapted to be located in said window of said first side frame such that said first side of said window is located between said first internal flange and said first external flange of said first end of said bolster in supporting engagement with said first end of said bolster.    
     
     
         2 . The railway truck frame of  claim 1  including locking means for selectively connecting said first end of said bolster to said first side frame.  
     
     
         3 . The railway truck frame of  claim 1  including a locking device having a first end and a second end, said first end of said locking device being selectively movable with respect to said second end of said locking device, said locking device adapted to be located within said window such that said first end of said locking device engages said first side frame and said second end of said locking device engages said bolster, said locking device adapted to selectively force said bolster into engagement with said first side of said window of said first side frame to thereby connect said first end of said bolster to said first side frame, said locking device being adapted to selectively release said first end of said bolster from said first side frame such that said first end of said bolster can be selectively removed from said window of said first side frame.  
     
     
         4 . The railway truck frame of  claim 3  wherein said locking device includes a first base member, a second base member and a wedge located between said first base member and said second base member, said first base member including said first end of said locking device and said second base member including said second end of said locking device.  
     
     
         5 . The railway truck frame of  claim 4  wherein said locking device includes a second wedge located between said first base member and said second base member, and an actuator connecting said first wedge to said second wedge, said actuator adapted to selectively draw said first and second wedges toward one another and thereby force said first base member away from said second base member.  
     
     
         6 . The railway truck frame of  claim 1  wherein said first interior flange is adapted to engage an interior portion of said first side frame and said first exterior flange is adapted to engage an exterior portion of said first side frame.  
     
     
         7 . The railway truck frame of  claim 1  wherein said bolster includes a bearing surface located between said first interior flange and said first exterior flange, and said first side of said window includes a bearing surface adapted to engage said bearing surface of said bolster.  
     
     
         8 . The railway truck frame of  claim 1  wherein said first end of said bolster includes a second exterior flange and a second interior flange spaced apart from said second exterior flange, said first end of said bolster adapted to be located in said window of said first side frame such that said second side of said window is located between said second internal flange and said second external flange of said first end of said bolster.  
     
     
         9 . The railway truck frame of  claim 8  wherein said first end of said bolster includes a first bearing surface located between said first external flange and said first internal flange, and a second bearing surface located between said second external flange and said second internal flange, said first bearing surface adapted to engage said first side of said window and said second bearing surface adapted to engage said second side of said window.  
     
     
         10 . The railway truck frame of  claim 8  wherein said first external flange and said second external flange are located in a generally V-shaped arrangement with respect to one another.  
     
     
         11 . The railway truck frame of  claim 10  wherein said first internal flange is located generally parallel to said first external flange, and said second internal flange is located generally parallel to said second external flange.  
     
     
         12 . The railway truck frame of  claim 1  wherein said first side of said window and said second side of said window are located in a generally V-shaped arrangement with respect to one another.  
     
     
         13 . The railway truck frame of  claim 12  wherein said window includes a bottom side extending between said first and second sides of said window.  
     
     
         14 . The railway truck frame of  claim 1  including a second side frame having a window extending through said second side frame, said window of said second side frame including a first side and a second side, and said second end of said bolster includes a second interior flange and a second exterior flange, said second end of said bolster adapted to be located in said window of said second side frame such that said first side of said window of said second side frame is located between said second interior flange and said second exterior flange of said second end of said bolster.  
     
     
         15 . A side frame for a railway truck, said side frame including: 
 a first end, a second end, a midsection located between said first end and said second end, and a window extending through said midsection, said window including a top side having a first end and a second end, a first inclined side extending downwardly and inwardly from said first end of said top side, and a second inclined side extending downwardly and inwardly from said second end of said top side toward said first inclined side.    
     
     
         16 . The side frame of  claim 15  wherein said window includes a bottom side extending between said first and second inclined sides.  
     
     
         17 . The side frame of  claim 16  wherein said top side, said bottom side, and said first and second inclined sides are arranged in a generally trapezoidal shape.  
     
     
         18 . The side frame of  claim 15  wherein said first inclined side of said window includes a first bearing surface and said second inclined side of said window includes a second bearing surface.  
     
     
         19 . The side frame of  claim 18  wherein said first inclined side of said window includes a third bearing surface spaced apart from said first bearing surface, and said second inclined side of said window includes a fourth bearing surface spaced apart from said second bearing surface.  
     
     
         20 . A bolster for a railway truck adapted to be removably connected to a side frame of a railway truck, said bolster including: 
 a body having a first end and a second end, said first end of said body including a first channel having a first external flange, a first internal flange spaced apart from said first external flange, and a first bearing surface located between said first external and internal flanges, said first external and internal flanges projecting outwardly from said body beyond said first bearing surface, said first channel adapted to receive the side frame between said first external and internal flanges in engagement with said first bearing surface of said first channel.    
     
     
         21 . The bolster of  claim 20  wherein said first end of said body includes a second channel having a second external flange, a second internal flange spaced apart from said second flange, and a second bearing surface located between said second external and internal flanges of said second channel, said second external and internal flanges of said second channel projecting outwardly from said body beyond said second bearing surface of said second channel, said second channel adapted to receive the side frame between said second external and internal flanges of said second channel in engagement with said second bearing surface of said second channel.  
     
     
         22 . The bolster of  claim 21  wherein said body includes a top and a bottom, and said first bearing surface of said first channel is inclined such that said first bearing surface extends from adjacent said top of said body downwardly and inwardly toward said bottom of said body.  
     
     
         23 . The bolster of  claim 22  wherein said second bearing surface of said second channel is inclined such that said second bearing surface extends from adjacent said top of said body downwardly and inwardly toward said bottom of said body.  
     
     
         24 . The bolster of  claim 21  wherein said first channel includes a third bearing surface and said second channel includes a fourth bearing surface, said third and fourth bearing surfaces of said first and second channels adapted to engage the side frame.  
     
     
         25 . The bolster of  claim 21  wherein said second end of said body includes a third channel having a third external flange, a third internal flange and a third bearing surface located between said third external and internal flanges of said third channel, and a fourth channel having a fourth external flange, a fourth internal flange, and a fourth bearing surface located between said fourth external and internal flanges of said fourth channel.  
     
     
         26 . The bolster of  claim 21  wherein said first channel and said second channel are located on opposite sides of said first end of said body.  
     
     
         27 . The bolster of  claim 21  wherein said first bearing surface and said second bearing surface are located in a generally V-shaped arrangement with respect to one another.  
     
     
         28 . A locking device adapted to removably connect a bolster of a railway truck to a side frame of a railway truck, said locking device including: 
 a first base member having a first end, a second end, an exterior surface, and an interior surface, said interior surface having a vertex and a first inclined surface portion located between said first end and said vertex;    a first wedge having a first end, a second end, a central axis extending from said first end to said second end of said first wedge, a first surface located between said first end and said second end of said first wedge inclined at an angle to said central axis, said inclined first surface of said first wedge being in sliding engagement with said first inclined surface portion of said interior surface of said first base member, and a second surface located between said first end and said second end of said first wedge; and    an actuator having a first end operatively coupled to said first wedge, said actuator adapted to selectively slide said first wedge along said first inclined surface portion of said first base member to thereby increase the distance between said exterior surface of said first base member and said second surface of said first wedge.    
     
     
         29 . The locking device of  claim 28  wherein said interior surface of said first base member includes a second inclined surface portion located between said second end of said first base member and said vertex of said interior surface; and 
 said locking device includes a second wedge having a first end, a second end, a central axis extending from said first end to said second end of said second wedge, a first surface located between said first end and said second end of said second wedge inclined at an angle to said central axis of said second wedge, and a second surface located between said first end and said second end of said second wedge, said first surface of said second wedge being in sliding engagement with said second inclined surface portion of said first base member, said actuator including a second end operatively coupled to said second wedge.  
 
     
     
         30 . The locking device of  claim 29  including a second base member having a first end, a second end, an exterior surface and an interior surface, said interior surface of said second base member having a vertex, a first inclined surface portion located between said first end and said vertex of said second base member, and a second inclined surface portion located between said second end and said vertex of said second base member, said first inclined surface portion of said second base member being in sliding engagement with said second surface of said first wedge, said second inclined surface portion of said second base member being in sliding engagement with said second surface of said second wedge.  
     
     
         31 . The locking device of  claim 30  wherein said second surface of said first wedge is inclined at an angle with respect to said central axis of said first wedge, and said second surface of said second wedge is inclined at an angle with respect to said central axis of said second wedge.  
     
     
         32 . The locking device of  claim 28  wherein said actuator comprises a fastener.  
     
     
         33 . The locking device of  claim 32  wherein said first wedge includes a first bore extending through said first wedge, and said fastener is located in said first bore.  
     
     
         34 . The locking device of  claim 33  wherein said second wedge includes a second bore, and said fastener is located in said second bore.  
     
     
         35 . The locking device of  claim 32  wherein said fastener comprises a threaded bolt.  
     
     
         36 . The locking device of  claim 28  including a second base member having a first end, a second end, an exterior surface and an interior surface, said interior surface of said second base member having a vertex and a first inclined surface portion located between said first end and said vertex of said second base member, said first inclined surface portion of said second base member being in sliding engagement with said second surface of said first wedge.  
     
     
         37 . The locking device of  claim 36  wherein said second surface of said first wedge is inclined at an angle to said central axis of said first wedge.  
     
     
         38 . The locking device of  claim 36  including a second wedge having a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, said interior surface of said first base member including a second inclined surface portion in sliding engagement with said first inclined surface portion of said second wedge, said interior surface of said second base member including a second inclined surface portion in sliding engagement with said second inclined surface portion of said second wedge.  
     
     
         39 . The locking device of  claim 38  wherein said actuator includes a second end operatively coupled to said second wedge.  
     
     
         40 . The locking device of  claim 39  wherein said actuator comprises a fastener.