Railcar adapter for connecting a railcar body to a bearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10974742-B2
Application number	US-201815993865-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2018
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

A railcar adapter for radially connecting a railcar body to a bearing. The railcar adapter includes an adapter body having two lateral channels each delimited by a pair of opposed lugs and a lateral surface perpendicular to the opposed lugs, lateral channels being adapted to cooperate with the railcar body. The railcar adapter also includes two frontal surfaces, an inner surface acting as a bearing seat for the bearing, and an outer surface. The railcar adapter provides two frontal flanges that inwardly protrude with respect to the inner surface, and that delimit with the inner surface a housing for the bearing, and at least one of the flanges is distinct from the adapter body and is mounted to a frontal surface of the body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A railcar adapter for radially connecting a railcar body to a bearing, and comprising an adapter body having:
two lateral channels each delimited by a pair of opposed lugs and a lateral surface perpendicular to the opposed lugs, lateral channels being adapted to cooperate with the railcar body,
two frontal surfaces,
an inner surface acting as a bearing seat for the bearing, and
an outer surface,
wherein the railcar adapter also comprises two frontal flanges that inwardly protrude with respect to the inner surface, and that delimit with the inner surface a housing for the bearing, and
wherein one of the two frontal flanges is distinct from and mounted to the adapter body, and the other of the two frontal flanges is formed integral with the adapter body.

2. The railcar adapter according to the claim 1 , wherein the at least one flange is securely fixed to the frontal surface of adapter body by a fixing means.

3. A railcar adapter for radially connecting a railcar body to a bearing, and comprising an adapter body having:
two lateral channels each delimited by a pair of opposed lugs and a lateral surface perpendicular to the opposed lugs, lateral channels being adapted to cooperate with the railcar body,
two frontal surfaces,
an inner surface acting as a bearing seat for the bearing, and
an outer surface,
wherein the railcar adapter also comprises two frontal flanges that inwardly protrude with respect to the inner surface, and that delimit with the inner surface a housing for the bearing, and
wherein at least one of the flanges is distinct from the adapter body and is mounted to a frontal surface of the body, the at least one flange being connected to a fixing plate that is mounted to the outer surface of the adapter body.

4. The railcar adapter according to the claim 3 , wherein the at least one flange and the fixing plate are formed integral.

5. The railcar adapter according to the claim 3 , wherein the fixing plate is provided with a recess that receives a protruding pin provided to the outer surface of adapter body.

6. The railcar adapter according to the claim 3 , wherein the fixing plate is securely fixed to the outer surface of adapter body by fixing means.

7. The railcar adapter according to the claim 3 , wherein a top cover is mounted onto the fixing plate, the top cover being adapted to be in direct radial contact with the railcar body.

8. A railcar adapter assembly comprising:
a railcar adapter,
a bearing mounted inside the railcar adapter,
a backing ring adapted to come into axial contact with the bearing at a first side, and
an end cap assembly adapted to come into axial contact with the bearing at another side, opposite to the first side, the railcar adapter comprising an adapter body having:
two lateral channels each delimited by a pair of opposed lugs and a lateral surface perpendicular to the opposed lugs, lateral channels being adapted to cooperate with the railcar body,
two frontal surfaces,
an inner surface acting as a bearing seat for the bearing, and
an outer surface,
wherein the railcar adapter also comprises two frontal flanges that inwardly protrude with respect to the inner surface, and that delimit with the inner surface a housing for the bearing, and wherein at least one of the two frontal flanges is distinct from the adapter body and is mounted to a frontal surface of the body, wherein at least one of the two frontal flanges is provided with a hook that protrudes towards the bearing, the hook being dedicated to cooperate with the bearing.

9. The railcar adapter assembly according to the claim 8 , wherein the bearing comprises at least one inner ring and at least one outer ring mounted in radial contact with the inner surface of the railcar adapter.

10. The railcar adapter assembly according to the claim 8 , wherein the bearing comprises at least one row of rolling elements, arranged between raceways provided on the inner and outer rings.

11. The railcar adapter assembly according to the claim 8 , wherein the inner ring of the bearing is made in two parts, axially separated by an axial spacer.

12. The railcar adapter assembly according to the claim 8 , wherein the at least one flange is connected to a fixing plate that is mounted to the outer surface of the adapter body.

13. The railcar adapter assembly according to the claim 8 , wherein at least one lateral surface of adapter body is provided with at least one transverse groove, the lugs being mounted in the groove, the groove being closed at both ends by the frontal flanges mounted onto the frontal surfaces of adapter body.

14. A railcar axle comprising:
a railcar adapter assembly including a bearing mounted inside the railcar adapter,
a backing ring adapted to come into axial contact with the bearing at a first side, and
an end cap assembly adapted to come into axial contact with the bearing at another side, opposite to the first side,
a shaft being rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation relative to a railcar adapter, inside the bearing, the shaft comprising a first end mounted radially inside the backing ring and a second end, opposite to the first end, secured to the end cap assembly, the railcar adapter comprising an adapter body having:
two lateral channels each delimited by a pair of opposed lugs and a lateral surface perpendicular to the opposed Jugs, lateral channels being adapted to cooperate with the railcar body,
two frontal surfaces,
an inner surface acting as a bearing seat for the bearing,
and an outer surface,
wherein the railcar adapter also comprises two frontal flanges that inwardly protrude with respect to the inner surface, and that delimit with the inner surface a housing for the bearing, and
wherein at least one of the flanges is distinct from the adapter body and is mounted to a frontal surface of the body.

Assignees

• Skf Ab

Inventors

• Jenart Gautier
• Fenayon Ludovic
• Le Moigne Thierry

Classifications

• B61F5/26 Primary

  Mounting or securing axle-boxes in vehicle or bogie underframes · CPC title

• B61F15/12

  with roller, needle, or ball bearings · CPC title

• B61F15/22

  Sealing means preventing entrance of dust or leakage of oil · CPC title

• B61F15/06 Primary

  for cars · CPC title

• F16C2326/10

  Railway vehicles · CPC title