Railcar adapter for connecting a railcar body to a bearing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11052928-B2
Application number	US-201815994031-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2018
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A railcar adapter for radially connecting a railcar body to a bearing. The railcar adapter provides an adapter body, and a top cover mounted onto an outer surface of the adapter body. The top cover is includes at least one recess receiving a radially outwardly projecting pin provided to the outer surface of adapter body. The top cover is adapted to be in direct radial contact with the railcar 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, the 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, wherein
the railcar adapter is further provided with a top cover mounted onto the outer surface of adapter body, the top cover being adapted to be in direct radial contact with the railcar body, the top cover defining a recess therein, and wherein
a radially outwardly projecting pin located on the outer surface of the adapter body, the radially outwardly projecting pin defining a slot therein which extends, at least partially in a radial direction along an outer lateral surface of the radially outwardly projecting pin, the radially outwardly projecting pin being configured to be located in and engage the recess in the top cover,
a lateral pin located on the top cover within the recess and configured for insertion into the slot.

2. The railcar adapter according to the claim 1 , wherein the top cover is securely fixed to the outer surface of adapter body by means of a bayonet mount between the top cover and the radially outwardly projecting pin of adapter body, wherein the slot in the radially outwardly projecting pin forms a Z-shape which is configured to receive the lateral pin of the top cover.

3. The railcar adapter according to the claim 1 , wherein the top cover comprises two recesses receiving each a corresponding pin provided to the outer surface of adapter body.

4. The railcar adapter according to the claim 1 , wherein the top cover has a second lateral pin located in the recess, the radially outwardly extending pin having a second slot configured to receive the second lateral pin therein, the first slot forming a Z-shape.

5. The railcar adapter according to the claim 4 , wherein the top cover is securely fixed to the outer surface of adapter body by means of a bayonet mount between the recess of top cover and the pin of adapter body.

6. The railcar adapter according to the claim 4 , wherein the top cover comprises two recesses receiving each a corresponding pin provided to the outer surface of adapter body.

7. The railcar adapter according to the claim 4 , wherein the at least one recess is provided within the upper central groove.

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 thereof, and an end cap assembly adapted to come into axial contact with the bearing at another side thereof, 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, the lateral channels being adapted to cooperate with the railcar body,
two frontal surfaces,
an inner surface acting as a bearing seal 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, wherein
the railcar adapter is further provided with a top cover mounted onto the outer surface of the adapter body, the top cover being adapted to be in direct radial contact with the railcar body, the top cover having a recess which is bounded by a recess sidewall, the top cover further defining a slot in the recess sidewall and wherein
a lateral pin is located on the radially outwardly projecting pin of the adapter body, the lateral pin is configured to engage the slot in the top cover when the radially outwardly extending pin is inserted in the recess of the top cover.

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 top cover is securely fixed to the outer surface of adapter body by means of a bayonet mount between the recess of top cover and the pin of adapter body.

13. The railcar adapter assembly according to the claim 8 , wherein the top cover comprises an outer surface having an upper central groove extending along an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the bearing, the at least one recess being provided within the upper central groove.

14. A railcar axle comprising:
the railcar adapter assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
a second lateral pin located on the radially outwardly projecting pin of the adapter body, the second lateral pin is configured to engage a second slot in the recess sidewall when the radially outwardly extending pin is inserted into the recess of the top cover.

15. The railcar axle according to the claim 14 , 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.

16. The railcar adapter assembly according to the claim 14 , wherein the bearing comprises at least one row of rolling elements, arranged between raceways provided on the inner and outer rings.

17. The railcar adapter assembly according to the claim 14 , wherein the inner ring of the bearing is made in two parts, axially separated by an axial spacer.

18. The railcar adapter assembly according to the claim 14 , wherein the top cover is securely fixed to the outer surface of adapter body by means of a bayonet mount between the recess of top cover and the pin of adapter body.

19. The railcar adapter assembly according to the claim 14 , wherein the top cover comprises two recesses receiving each a corresponding pin provided to the outer surface of adapter body.

Assignees

• Skf Ab

Inventors

• Jenart Gautier
• Fenayon Ludovic
• Le Moigne Thierry

Classifications

• F16C2326/10

  Railway vehicles · CPC title

• B61F5/26 Primary

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

• B61F5/32

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