Truck and sideframe therefor

Abstract

A railroad car truck includes a bolster mounted cross-wise between a pair of sideframes, with the sideframes supported on wheelsets. The bolster and the sideframes are steel castings. The interface between the sideframes and the wheelsets may include self-steering apparatus. Friction dampers are mounted at the interface between the bolster and the sideframes. The friction dampers have non-metallic friction surfaces that bear against the sideframe columns. The sideframe columns may be of a width for single dampers contact; double-damper side-by-side contact; or double-dampers separated by a land contact. The sideframe column bearing surfaces are permanent, and may be formed as part of the sideframe castings. The sideframes do not have removable, replaceable wear plates. Where double dampers are used, the damper edges may have both primary and secondary damper wedge angles.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A sideframe for a railroad car truck, said sideframe having a sideframe column defining a bearing surface for engagement with at least one non-metallic damper, said sideframe column bearing surface being free of removable wear plates. 
     
     
         2 . The sideframe of  claim 1  wherein said sideframe is a unitary casting. 
     
     
         3 . The sideframe of  claim 1  wherein said sideframe bearing surface has a width defining a bearing accommodation for more than one damper. 
     
     
         4 . The sideframe of  claim 3  wherein said sideframe defines a bottom seat for a main spring group of the railroad car truck, and the bearing surface is wider than the bottom seat. 
     
     
         5 . The sideframe of  claim 1  wherein a laterally outermost extremity of said bearing surface defines a gib engagement abutment operable to restrain lateral motion of a bolster of the railroad car truck. 
     
     
         6 . The sideframe of  claim 1  wherein said bearing surface defines a yaw motion moment couple reaction surface. 
     
     
         7 . The sideframe of  claim 1  wherein said bearing surface has an as-cast finish. 
     
     
         8 . The sideframe of  claim 1  wherein said bearing surface has a machined finish. 
     
     
         9 . The sideframe of  claim 1  wherein said sideframe has a long axis, and said bearing surface lies substantially in a plane, and said plane being normal to said long axis. 
     
     
         10 . The sideframe of  claim 1  wherein said sideframe has two said sideframe columns, each of said sideframe columns having a respective bearing surface that is free of removable wear plates, and wherein said respective bearing surfaces are planar, parallel, spaced apart and facing each other. 
     
     
         11 . A combination of the sideframe of  claim 1  and a set of friction dampers, said set of friction dampers including at least a first damper having a non-metallic working surface, said non-metallic working surface being in mating sliding relationship with said bearing surface. 
     
     
         12 . The sideframe of  claim 1  wherein said sideframe includes a pedestal seat, and said pedestal seat has a self-steering apparatus mounted thereto. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus comprising the sideframe of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus includes any permutation including at least two of the following:
 (a) said sideframe is a unitary casting;   (b) said sideframe bearing surface has a width defining a bearing accommodation for more than one damper;   (c) said sideframe defines a bottom seat for a main spring group of the railroad car truck, and the bearing surface is wider than the bottom seat;   (d) a laterally outermost extremity of said bearing surface defines a gib engagement abutment operable to restrain lateral motion of a bolster of the railroad car truck;   (e) said bearing surface defines a yaw motion moment couple reaction surface;   (f) said sideframe has a long axis, and said bearing surface lies substantially in a plane, said plane being normal to said long axis;   (g) the combination includes a set of friction dampers, said set of friction dampers including at least a first damper having a non-metallic working surface, said non-metallic working surface being in a mating sliding relationship with said bearing surface; and   (h) said sideframe includes a pedestal seat, and said pedestal seat has a self-steering apparatus mounted thereto.   
     
     
         14 . A sideframe casting for a railroad car truck, said sideframe casting defining a sideframe window, and said sideframe casting including at least a first sideframe column bordering said window, said first sideframe column including a first bearing surface oriented to work against a non-metallic damper member. 
     
     
         15 . A combination comprising the sideframe casting of  claim 14  and at least a first friction damper having a first non-metallic damping member, said first friction damper being positioned to work slidingly against said first bearing surface. 
     
     
         16 . The combination of  claim 15  further comprising a second friction damper having a second non-metallic damping member, said second friction damper being positioned to work slidingly against said first bearing surface, said second friction damper being located sideways relative to said first friction damper; said first and second friction dampers being biased to work against said first bearing surface; and said second friction damper being biased independently of said first friction damper. 
     
     
         17 . The combination of  claim 16  wherein said first and second friction dampers are spaced apart by a distance greater than a D5 spring diameter. 
     
     
         18 . The sideframe casting of  claim 14  wherein said casting includes a second sideframe column having a respective second bearing surface. 
     
     
         19 . A three-piece railroad freight car truck having a bolster mounted cross-wise between a pair of first and second sideframes, the truck having non-metallic friction dampers mounted to work between the bolster and each of the sideframes, and the sideframes being free of removable wear plates. 
     
     
         20 . A railroad car truck, said railroad car truck being a three-piece truck having a bolster mounted cross-wise between a pair of first and second sideframes, said bolster having a first end associated with said first sideframe, and a second end associated with said second sideframe, said truck having non-metallic friction dampers mounted to work between said bolster and each of said sideframes, each of said sideframes having bearing surfaces against which respective ones of said non-metallic friction dampers work, said bearing surfaces being permanent portions of each said sideframe. 
     
     
         21 . The railroad car truck of  claim 19  wherein said first sideframe is a casting; said casting defines a sideframe window; said window being bounded fore-and-aft by first and second sideframe columns, and said bearing surfaces being integrally cast portions of said sideframe columns. 
     
     
         22 . The railroad car truck of  claim 19  wherein said truck includes wheelsets, said sideframes are mounted on said wheelsets, and said truck includes self-steering apparatus. 
     
     
         23 . The railroad car truck  claim 19  wherein said bearing surfaces are as-cast. 
     
     
         24 . The railroad car truck  claim 19  wherein said bearing surfaces are machined surfaces. 
     
     
         25 . The railroad car truck  claim 19  wherein said sideframe has a first said bearing surface and a second said bearing surface, said sideframe has a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axis is normal to said first and second bearing surfaces, and said first and second bearing surfaces face each other and lie in parallel spaced apart planes. 
     
     
         26 . A sideframe casting for a railroad car truck, said sideframe having a lengthwise axis, said sideframe casting defining a sideframe window, said casting including first and second opposed sideframe columns bordering said window; said first and second sideframe columns having respective first and second friction damper bearing surfaces of said casting; said first and second friction damper bearing surfaces facing toward each other; said first and second friction damper bearing surfaces being parallel to each other and normal to said lengthwise axis; and each of said first and second bearing surfaces being wider than two D5 springs placed side-by-side. 
     
     
         27 . The sideframe casting of  claim 26  wherein said first and second friction damper bearing surfaces are machined surfaces of said sideframe columns. 
     
     
         28 . The sideframe casting of  claim 26  wherein said first and second friction damper bearing surfaces of said sideframe columns are as-cast.