TRUCK BOLSTER WITH LATERALLY WIDER FRICTION SHOE POCKET AND MEANS FOR LATERAL TRAVEL OF THE FRICTION SHOE

摘要

Prior art railcar bolsters and friction shoe assemblies were constructedsuch that the friction shoe was tightly restrained within the friction shoepocket. The present invention utilizes a friction shoe sled for promotinglateral sliding of the friction shoe assembly within a laterally wider bolsterfriction shoe pocket. An elastomeric pad countersunk into the floor of thefriction shoe pocket and the base of the sled. The sled is fitted underneath thefriction shoe to support the friction shoe biasing spring as well as the frictionshoe. The top of the sled has a post attached to it, for insertion into thebottom of the friction shoe biasing spring. The bottom of the sled preferablyhas the elastomeric pad attached to it, although it can be smoothly machined,so that the bottom surface of the sled slides along the elastomeric padanchored to the friction shoe pocket floor. The spring sled and theelastomeric pad anchored to the friction shoe pocket floor create a very lowcoefficient of friction environment for ultimately allowing the friction shoe,the biasing spring, and the sled, to laterally slide or "float" in unison withinthe wider friction shoe pocket. By providing relative lateral movementbetween the friction shoe and the bolster friction shoe pocket, any laterallydirected forces which act upon the railcar and cause lateral acceleration on thecar, can be isolated in order to decrease lateral car instability.