Bogie assemblies

Abstract

A bogie assembly includes a side frame that includes a first frame attachment portion and a second frame attachment portion. A bolster is operably coupled with the side frame and includes a bolster attachment portion. The bogie assembly includes a linkage system having a first connector link, a second connector link, and a center link. The center link is coupled with the bolster attachment portion of the bolster. The first connector link extends between a first end that is coupled with the first frame attachment portion and a second end that is coupled with the center link. The second connector link extends between a third end that is coupled with the center link and a fourth end that is coupled with the second frame attachment portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bogie assembly, comprising:
 a side frame extending between a first end configured to be operably coupled with a first axle and a second end configured to be operably coupled with a second axle, the side frame including a first frame attachment portion and a second frame attachment portion;   a bolster configured to be operably coupled with the side frame, the bolster comprising a bolster attachment portion; and   a linkage system comprising a first connector link, a second connector link, and a center link, wherein the center link is configured to be operably coupled with the bolster attachment portion of the bolster,   wherein the first connector link extends between a first end configured to be operably coupled with the first frame attachment portion and a second end configured to be operably coupled with the center link, and   wherein the second connector link extends between a third end configured to be operably coupled with the center link and a fourth end configured to be operably coupled with the second frame attachment portion.   
     
     
         2 . The bogie assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first frame attachment portion is positioned at a first elevation of the side frame, and the second frame attachment portion is positioned at a second elevation of the side frame that is different than the first elevation. 
     
     
         3 . The bogie assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the first connector link is configured to be pivotally coupled with the first frame attachment portion about a first axis and the second end of the first connector link is configured to be pivotally coupled with the center link about a second axis. 
     
     
         4 . The bogie assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the third end of the second connector link is configured to be pivotally coupled with the center link about a third axis and the fourth end of the second connector link is configured to be pivotally coupled with the second frame attachment portion about a fourth axis. 
     
     
         5 . The bogie assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the center link is configured to be pivotally coupled with the bolster attachment portion of the bolster about a fifth axis. 
     
     
         6 . The bogie assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first connector link, the second connector link, and the center link are configured to pivot responsive to vertical movement of the bolster relative to the side frame. 
     
     
         7 . The bogie assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage system is configured to control one or more of a direction of movement or a travel distance of the bolster relative to the side frame. 
     
     
         8 . The bogie assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage system is configured to permit vertical movement of the bolster and prevent rotational movement of the bolster relative to the side frame. 
     
     
         9 . The bogie assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the center link of the linkage system is configured to be positioned along a center axis of the side frame. 
     
     
         10 . The bogie assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the side frame is a first side frame and the linkage system is a first linkage system, and further comprising:
 a second side frame configured to be operably coupled with the bolster, the second side frame including a third frame attachment portion and a fourth frame attachment portion; and   a second linkage system comprising a third connector link, a fourth connector link, and a second center link, wherein the second center link is configured to be operably coupled with a second bolster attachment portion of the bolster, the third connector link configured to be operably coupled with the third frame attachment portion and the second center link, the fourth connector link configured to be operably coupled with the second center link and the fourth frame attachment portion.   
     
     
         11 . The bogie assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first linkage system and the second linkage system are configured to control one or more of a direction of movement or a travel distance of the bolster relative to the first side frame and the second side frame. 
     
     
         12 . The bogie assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the second connector link of the first linkage system is positioned proximate the first axle, and wherein the fourth connector link of the second linkage system is positioned proximate the second axle. 
     
     
         13 . The bogie assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the first center link of the first linkage system is configured to be positioned along a first center axis of the first side frame and the second center link of the second linkage system is configured to be positioned along a second center axis of the second side frame. 
     
     
         14 . A bogie assembly, comprising:
 a first side frame extending between a first end configured to be operably coupled with a first axle and a second end configured to be operably coupled with a second axle, the first side frame including a first frame attachment portion and a second frame attachment portion;   a second side frame extending between a third end configured to be operably coupled with the first axle and a fourth end configured to be operably coupled with the second axle, the second side frame including a third frame attachment portion and a fourth frame attachment portion;   a bolster configured to be operably coupled with the first side frame and the second side frame, the bolster comprising a first bolster attachment portion proximate the first side frame and a second bolster attachment portion proximate the second side frame;   a first linkage system comprising a first connector link, a second connector link, and a first center link, wherein the first center link is configured to be operably coupled with the first bolster attachment portion of the bolster, the first connector link extends between a first end configured to be operably coupled with the first frame attachment portion of the first side frame and a second end configured to be operably coupled with the first center link, and the second connector link extends between a third end configured to be operably coupled with the first center link and a fourth end configured to be operably coupled with the second frame attachment portion of the first side frame; and   a second linkage system comprising a third connector link, a fourth connector link, and a second center link, wherein the second center link is configured to be operably coupled with the second bolster attachment portion of the bolster, the third connector link extends between a first end configured to be operably coupled with the third frame attachment portion of the second side frame and a second end configured to be operably coupled with the second center link, and the fourth connector link extends between a third end configured to be operably coupled with the second center link and a fourth end configured to be operably coupled with the fourth frame attachment portion of the second side frame.   
     
     
         15 . The bogie assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first center link of the first linkage system is configured to be pivotally coupled with the first bolster attachment portion about a first axis, the first connector link is configured to be pivotally coupled with the first frame attachment portion about a second axis, and the second connector link is configured to be pivotally coupled with the second frame attachment portion about a third axis. 
     
     
         16 . The bogie assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the second center link of the second linkage system is configured to be pivotally coupled with the second bolster attachment portion about a fourth axis, the third connector link is configured to be pivotally coupled with the third frame attachment portion about a fifth axis, and the fourth connector link is configured to be pivotally coupled with the fourth frame attachment portion about a sixth axis. 
     
     
         17 . The bogie assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first linkage system and the second linkage system are configured to control one or more of a direction of movement or a travel distance of the bolster relative to the first side frame and the second side frame. 
     
     
         18 . The bogie assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first linkage system and the second linkage system are configured to permit vertical movement of the bolster and prevent rotational movement of the bolster relative to the first side frame and the second side frame. 
     
     
         19 . The bogie assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first center link of the first linkage system is configured to be positioned along a first center axis of the first side frame and the second center link of the second linkage system is configured to be positioned along a second center axis of the second side frame. 
     
     
         20 . A bogie assembly of an autonomous rail vehicle, the bogie assembly comprising:
 a first side frame extending between a first end operably coupled with a first axle of the autonomous rail vehicle and a second end operably coupled with a second axle of the autonomous rail vehicle, the first side frame including a first frame attachment portion and a second frame attachment portion;   a second side frame extending between a third end operably coupled with the first axle and a fourth end operably coupled with the second axle, the second side frame including a third frame attachment portion and a fourth frame attachment portion;   a bolster configured to be operably coupled with the first side frame and the second side frame, the bolster comprising a first bolster attachment portion proximate the first side frame and a second bolster attachment portion proximate the second side frame;   a first linkage system comprising a first connector link, a second connector link, and a first center link, wherein the first center link is configured to be pivotally coupled with the first bolster attachment portion of the bolster, the first connector link extends between a first end configured to be pivotally coupled with the first frame attachment portion of the first side frame and a second end configured to be pivotally coupled with the first center link, and the second connector link extends between a third end configured to be pivotally coupled with the first center link and a fourth end configured to be pivotally coupled with the second frame attachment portion of the first side frame, wherein the first center link is configured to be positioned along a first center axis of the first side frame between the first end and the second end of the first side frame; and   a second linkage system comprising a third connector link, a fourth connector link, and a second center link, wherein the second center link is configured to be pivotally coupled with the second bolster attachment portion of the bolster, the third connector link extends between a first end configured to be pivotally coupled with the third frame attachment portion of the second side frame and a second end configured to be pivotally coupled with the second center link, and the fourth connector link extends between a third end configured to be pivotally coupled with the second center link and a fourth end configured to be pivotally coupled with the fourth frame attachment portion of the second side frame, wherein the second center link is configured to be positioned along a second center axis between the third end and the fourth end of the second side frame.