Railcar adapter for connecting a railcar body to a bearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10960903-B2
Application number	US-201815994223-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2018
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

A railcar adapter for radially connecting a railcar body to a bearing, and providing an adapter body. The railcar adapter includes two channel elements having each a pair of opposed lugs and a lateral guiding surface perpendicular to the opposed lugs so as to form lateral channels adapted to cooperate with the railcar body. The lateral channel elements are mounted in transverse grooves provided to transverse surfaces of the adapter body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A railcar adapter for radially connecting a railcar body to a bearing, and comprising:
an inner surface acting as a bearing seat for the bearing which has an axis of rotation,
an outer surface that is adapted to be in direct radial contact with the railcar body,
wherein the railcar adapter comprises a railcar body having two lateral surfaces, at least one lateral surface being provided with a transverse groove,
wherein the railcar adapter further comprises at least one channel element having a pair of opposed lugs and having a lateral guiding surface extending therebetween and configured to face outwardly from the railcar body, the opposed lugs and the lateral guiding surface defining a lateral channel which extends longitudinally along the direction of the transverse groove and is adapted to cooperate with the railcar body, the channel element being mounted within the transverse groove of adapter body, and
wherein the transverse length of transverse groove is strictly greater than the transverse length of the corresponding channel element
wherein the lateral guiding surface of each of the at least one channel element, when viewed in cross-section through a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, defines an outwardly facing continuous convex curve which extends between opposing edges of the lateral guiding surface, the outwardly facing continuous convex curve being present along an entire length of the lateral guiding surface.

2. The railcar adapter according to the claim 1 , wherein the transverse grooves each form a slot through one of the two lateral surfaces to define a bottom slot surface that extends between inner and outer surfaces of the railcar adapter, the bottom slot surface, when viewed in cross-section through a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, is curved.

3. The railcar adapter according to the claim 1 , wherein the inner surfaces of the opposed lugs of channel elements, when viewed in cross-section through a plane which is planar parallel to the axis of rotation of the bearing, each define a continuous convex curve extending away relative to a perimeter of the transverse groove toward a center thereof, the continuous convex curve extending between opposing edges of the inner surface, the continuous convex curve being present along an entire width of each of the opposed lugs.

4. A railcar adapter for radially connecting a railcar body to a bearing, and comprising:
two frontal flanges that inwardly protrude with respect to the inner surface, and that delimit with the inner surface a housing for the bearing which has an axis of rotation,
an inner surface acting as a bearing seat for the bearing,
an outer surface that is adapted to be in direct radial contact with the railcar body,
wherein the railcar adapter comprises a railcar body having two lateral surfaces, at least one lateral surface being provided with a transverse groove,
wherein the railcar adapter further comprises at least one channel element having a pair of opposed lugs and having a lateral guiding surface extending therebetween and configured to face outwardly from the railcar body, the opposed lugs and the lateral guiding surface defining a lateral channel which extends longitudinally along the direction of the transverse groove and is adapted to cooperate with the railcar body, the channel element being mounted within the transverse groove of adapter body,
wherein the lateral guiding surface of the at least one channel element, when viewed in cross-section through a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, defines an outwardly facing continuous convex curve which extends between opposing edges of the lateral guiding surface, the outwardly facing continuous convex curve being present along an entire length of the lateral guiding surface, and
wherein the transverse length of transverse groove is strictly greater than the transverse length of the corresponding channel element.

5. The railcar adapter according to claim 4 , wherein the lateral guiding surfaces are cylindrical.

6. The railcar adapter according to the claim 5 , wherein the inner surfaces of the opposed lugs of channel elements, when viewed in cross-section through a plane which is planar parallel to the axis of rotation of the bearing, each define a continuous convex curve extending away relative to a perimeter of the transverse groove toward a center thereof, the continuous convex curve extending between opposing edges of the inner surface, the continuous convex curve being present along an entire width of each of the opposed lugs.

7. The railcar adapter according to claim 4 , wherein the lateral guiding surfaces are spherical.

8. The railcar adapter according to the claim 4 , wherein the transverse grooves each form a slot through one of the two lateral surfaces to define a bottom slot surface that extends between inner and outer surfaces of the railcar adapter, the bottom slot surface, when viewed in cross-section through a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, is curved.

9. A railcar adapter for radially connecting a railcar body to a bearing, and comprising:
two frontal flanges that inwardly protrude with respect to the inner surface, and that delimit with the inner surface a housing for the bearing,
an inner surface acting as a bearing seat for the bearing which has an axis of rotation,
an outer surface that is adapted to be in direct radial contact with the railcar body,
wherein the railcar adapter comprises a railcar body having two lateral surfaces, at least one lateral surface being provided with a transverse groove,
wherein the transverse grooves each form a slot through one of the two lateral surfaces to define a bottom slot surface that extends between inner and outer surfaces of the railcar adapter, the bottom slot surface, when viewed in cross-section through a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, is curved,
wherein the railcar adapter further comprises at least one channel element having a pair of opposed lugs and having a lateral guiding surface extending therebetween and configured to face outwardly from the railcar body, the opposed lugs and the lateral guiding surface defining a lateral channel which extends longitudinally along the direction of the transverse groove and is adapted to cooperate with the railcar body, the channel element being mounted within the transverse groove of adapter body, and
wherein the transverse length of transverse groove is strictly greater than the transverse length of the corresponding channel element.

10. The railcar adapter according to claim 9 , wherein the bottom surfaces are cylindrical.

11. The railcar adapter according to the claim 10 , wherein the lateral guiding surface of the at least one channel element, when viewed in cross-section through a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, defines an outwardly facing continuous convex curve which extends between opposing edges of the lateral guiding surface, the outwardly facing continuous convex curve being present along an entire length of the lateral guiding surface.

12. The railcar adapter according to claim 9 , wherein the bottom surfaces are spherical.

13. The railcar adapter according to the claim 9 , wherein the inner surfaces of the opposed lugs of channel elements, when viewed in cross-section through a plane which is planar parallel to the axis of rotation of the bearing, each define a continuous convex curve extending away relative to a perimeter of the transverse groove toward a center thereof, the continuous convex curve extending between opposing edges of the inner surface, the continuous convex curve being present along an entire

Assignees

• Skf Ab

Inventors

• Jenart Gautier
• Fenayon Ludovic
• Le Moigne Thierry

Classifications

• B61F5/32

  Guides, e.g. plates, for axle-boxes · CPC title

• B61F15/02 Primary

  with journal bearings · CPC title

• B61F15/12 Primary

  with roller, needle, or ball bearings · CPC title

• B61F15/20

  Details · CPC title