End underframe for a railway vehicle made out of cold rolled austenitic stainless steel and corresponding production method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11021175-B2
Application number	US-201815992911-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2018
Priority date	May 30, 2017
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

An end underframe comprises a headstock assembly and a bolster assembly and is made out of a single material which consists of cold rolled austenitic stainless steel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An end underframe for a railway vehicle, comprising a headstock assembly and a bolster assembly, wherein that said end underframe is made out of a single material which consists of cold rolled austenitic stainless steel,
wherein the headstock assembly comprises a central coupler region, two buffer regions positioned laterally on sides of the coupler region, a cross-beam extending from one buffer region to the other, and a rear structure,
the coupler region comprising a front main plate and a rear main plate sandwiching together two solid pieces,
the front main plate consisting of a bent plate, and having a through-hole opening formed therein, said through-hole opening formed in both a front face and a rear face of the front main plate and having a transversal cross-section greater than 50% of a surface of the front main plate.

2. The end underframe of claim 1 , wherein the headstock assembly and the bolster assembly are connected together by bolts.

3. A railroad car comprising the end underframe of claim 1 .

4. The end underframe of claim 1 , wherein the rear main plate has a through-hole opening formed therein, the through-hole opening of the rear main plate formed in both a front face and a rear face of the rear main plate and having a transversal cross-section greater than 50% of the surface of the rear main plate.

5. The end underframe of claim 4 , wherein the through-hole openings are longitudinally aligned with each other and define together a passage through the coupler region.

6. The end underframe of claim 5 , wherein the solid pieces are positioned on lateral sides of the through-hole openings formed in the front and rear main plates.

7. The end underframe of claim 1 , wherein each buffer region comprises a front plate, a lateral external plate and an upper plate.

8. The end underframe of claim 7 , wherein the front plate is planar and extends in a transversal plane.

9. The end underframe of claim 7 , wherein the lateral external plate comprises a body which is planar, the body extending in a longitudinal plane and having a rectangular shape.

10. The end underframe of any one of claim 7 , wherein the upper plate comprises a body which is planar and extends generally in a horizontal plane, the body resting on a respective side upper flange of the rear main plate of the coupler region.

11. The end underframe of any one of claim 1 , wherein the headstock assembly is symmetrical relatively to a longitudinal median plan thereof.

12. A production method for producing an end underframe for a railway vehicle, said end underframe comprising a headstock assembly and a bolster assembly, wherein said production method comprises the steps of:
providing pieces made out of a single material, said material consisting of cold rolled austenitic stainless steel, and
assembling said pieces together so that the end underframe is obtained,
wherein the headstock assembly comprises a central coupler region, two buffer regions positioned laterally on sides of the coupler region, a cross-beam extending from one buffer region to the other, and a rear structure,
the coupler region comprising a front main plate and a rear main plate sandwiching together two solid pieces,
the front main plate consisting of a bent plate, and having a through-hole opening formed therein, said through-hole opening formed in both a front face and a rear face of the front main plate and having a transversal cross-section greater than 50% of a surface of the front main plate.

13. A production method for producing a railroad car, comprising a step of producing an end underframe of said railroad car, wherein said step consists of the production method of claim 12 .

Assignees

• Alstom Transp Tech

Inventors

• Zaneti Rafael
• Czank Felipe
• Albuquerqe Levi
• Cano Luiz
• Nascimento Eduardo
• Ficoni Marco
• Saito Marina
• Gouveia Andre
• Rocha Andre
• Moraes Carlos

Classifications

• B61D17/04 Primary

  with bodies of metal; with composite, e.g. metal and wood body structures · CPC title

• C22C38/00

  Ferrous alloys, e.g. steel alloys (cast-iron alloys C22C37/00) · CPC title

• B61G9/22

  Supporting framework, e.g. cradles; Spring housings · CPC title

• B23K9/0026

  specially adapted for particular articles or work · CPC title

• B61F1/10 Primary

  End constructions · CPC title