[0001] Field of technology. The object of the present invention is a suspension system of railway vehicles, especially
four-wheel freight cars, consisting of a set of springs, a saddle and friction wedges.
[0002] State of knowledge. Suspension systems known so far are designed in such a way that a chassis frame at
both ends, and on both sides of a car is provided with base plates, where each of
them is supported by a set of suspension springs mounted on a matching saddle. The
saddle in turn, is seated on a bearing shell of a wheel set. In the central part of
each base plate there is a space surrounded by surfaces that are mating with saddle
columns. Between the saddle columns and the mating surfaces of base plates on both
sides of the column, there are friction wedges supported by sets of saddle-seated
springs. Usually a friction wedge is of a triangular shape, with different inclination
of planes, and mating surfaces of the wedge, saddle and base plate are lined with
pads. Resistance to sliding motion of the friction wedge relative to the base plate
and saddle, which results in damping the motion, is induced by friction forces occurring
between the wedge and the saddle column. With such combination of technical means,
under certain weather conditions, while maybe having selected wrong materials (too
high friction factor value), designed mating parts to improperly shape, or if the
springs that stabilize the suspension system functioning are of insufficient rigidity,
especially in crosswise direction, then different forces may occur and disturb the
damping action of the wedges on motion of a car. Such disadvantageous changes may
lead to jamming which in turn may result in a wrong position of a wheel set on a straight
or curved track as well. As the consequence, rolling resistance increases, and wheel
sets as well as rails become increasingly damaged.
[0003] Essence of the invention. The object of the present invention is to develop such a design of friction wedges
that a low value of friction factor between the inclined wedge surface and mating
base plate could be assured. As such solutions make operation of the car suspension
system unstable when running straight, thus the rigidity of spring sets both lengthwise
and crosswise of the car, needs increasing while keeping its vertical characteristics
and dimensions unchanged. Neither the base nor the saddle need design modifications.
[0004] This problem has been solved so that in the first version of the invention the wedge
surface formed by rollers, preferably up to two of them, is inclined. In case of two-roller
wedge the surface formed by the rollers is inclined at an angle of 35° to the level,
and the vertical surface forms a sector of a cylinder aligned with a horizontal axis.
The vertical surface of a one-roller wedge is lined with material having a friction
factor lower than 0.2, and the wedge next to the roller is provided with a bumper,
in order to hinder its rotation. Springs of enhanced crosswise rigidity have been
used. By dividing the springs, preferably into two parts, with a dividing plate, the
rigidity of springs in use till that time was modified. Dividing plates belonging
to adjoining springs that support a base plate and a wedge, are mutually connected,
and also the dividing plates located on one side of a car are connected with the matching
dividing plates that are located on the other side of the car. According to the second
version of my invention, the wedge plane is inclined to the level at an angle of 10°
÷ 40°, preferably at 30°, and at the same time its vertical plane is inclined towards
the wedge slope at an angle of up to 5°, preferably 3°. The plane of the base plate
that is mating the inclined wedge plane, and the saddle column plane, are both lined
with a material having the friction factor lower than 0.2. Springs of enhanced crosswise
rigidity have been used. By dividing the springs, preferably into two parts, with
a dividing plate, the rigidity of springs in use till that time was modified. Dividing
plates belonging to adjoining springs that support a base plate and a wedge, are mutually
connected, and also the dividing plates located on one side of a car are connected
with the matching dividing plates that are located on the other side of the car.
[0005] Explanation of pictures. The object of the invention has been presented as an exemplary design in the following
figures. Fig. 1 - Suspension system, version 1, two-roller wedge solution; Fig. 2
- Suspension system, version 1, one-roller wedge solution; Fig. 3 - Suspension system,
version 2, non-roller wedge solution; Fig. 4 - second version design, two-roller wedge
solution; and Fig.5 - second version design, one-roller wedge solution.
Example of a design according to the invention, version 1.
[0006] A suspension system consists of base plates
1 fixed to a chassis frame at both ends of a car in the area where wheel sets are located;
the base plates are supported by sets of suspension springs
2 mounted on matching saddles
3. The saddle
3 is seated on a bearing shell (axle box) of a wheel set. In the central part of each
base plate
1 there is a space
4 surrounded by surfaces that are mating with saddle columns
5. Between the saddle columns
5 and the mating surfaces of base plates
1, on both sides, friction wedges
6 are applied. Rollers, preferably one or two of them, are incorporated in the friction
wedges
6. In the two-roller friction wedge
6, the surface formed by rollers is inclined at an angle of 30° to the level, and a
lining pad
7 of a friction factor lower than 0.2 is applied over the vertical surface of the wedge.
On the outside this vertical surface forms a sector of a cylinder aligned with a horizontal
axis. In the one-roller friction wedge
6 the vertical surface is inclined towards the wedge slope at an angle of 3°, and a
lining pad
8 of a friction factor lower than 0.2 is applied over the surface. A bumper
9 is mounted on the sloped plane next to the roller, on the lower side. A plate 10
divides spring sets
2, preferably at half height. The plates 10 belonging to each of the two adjoining
spring sets
2 are mutually connected. The matching connected plates
7 on both sides of a car are connected through a stabilizing rod
11.
[0007] Example of a design according to the invention, version 2. A suspension system consists of base plates
1 fixed to a chassis frame at both ends of a car in the area where wheel sets are located;
the base plates are supported by sets of suspension springs
2 mounted on matching saddles
3. The saddle
3 is seated on a bearing shell (axle box) of a wheel set. In the central part of each
base plate
1 there is a space
4 surrounded by surfaces that are mating with columns
5 of the saddle
3. Between the saddle columns
5 and the mating surfaces of base plates
1, on both sides, friction wedges
10 are applied. The top surface of the friction wedge
10 is inclined to the level at an angle of 10° to 40°, preferably 30°, and its vertical
surface is inclined towards the wedge slope at an angle of 3°. Lining pads
11 of a friction factor lower than 0.2 are applied over the base plate that is mating
the inclined surface of the wedge
10, and over the surface of the column
5 of the saddle
3. Spring sets
2 are divided by the plate
10, preferably at half height. The plates
10 belonging to each of the two adjoining spring sets
2 are mutually connected. The matching connected plates
10 on both sides of a car are connected through a stabilizing rod
12.
[0008] Such combination of technical means assures that so designed suspension system will
function properly.
1. A suspension system of a railway vehicle, especially four-wheel freight car, consisting
of a base plate, saddle, friction wedges, spring sets, characterized in that a friction wedge (6) has a sloped surface formed by rollers (13) incorporated therein,
preferably up to two of them, and at the same time, both the friction wedge (6) and
the base plate (1) are supported by spring sets (2).
2. A suspension system of a railway vehicle, especially four-wheel freight car, consisting
of a base plate, saddle, friction wedges, spring sets, characterized in that the top surface of the friction wedge (6) is inclined to the level at an angle of
10° to 40°, preferably 30°, and the inclined surface as well as the vertical surface
are provided with friction lining pads (11) of a material having a friction factor
lower than 0.2, and both the wedge (6) and base plate (1) are supported by spring
sets (2) that are seated on a saddle (5).
3. A suspension system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that spring sets (2) are divided by a dividing plate (10) into parts, preferably into
two parts, and at the same time the plates (10) belonging to adjoining spring sets
(3) are mutually connected, and the matching connected plates (10) on both sides of
a car are connected to each other through a stabilizing rod (12).
4. A suspension system according to claim 2, characterized in that the outside surface of a friction lining pad (11) over the vertical surface of the
friction wedge (6) is shaped in form of a sector of a cylinder aligned with a horizontal
axis.
5. A suspension system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that there is a hole (16) in a panel (4), aligned with an axis of a spring set (2), and
the inner spring (15) is left undivided.
6. A suspension system according to claim 1, characterized in that a one-roller friction wedge (6) is provided with a bumper (17) next to the roller
(9) at the end of the friction wedge (6).
7. A suspension system according to claim 1, characterized in that in a two-roller friction wedge (6) the surface formed by rollers is inclined at an
angle of 10° ÷ 40°, preferably 35°, to the level.
