GB804438A - Improvements in or relating to rubber or the like spring supports - Google Patents

Abstract

804,438. Rubber spring units; springs for railway vehicles. METALASTIK, Ltd. July 12, 1956 [July 20, 1955], No. 21067/55. Classes 103(6) and 108(3) In a spring system comprising a pair of pre-compressed rubber springs A, B arranged in V - formation and with their longitudinal axes in a common plane, so that when loaded they are in combined shear and compression, each spring having considerable length in relation to its width, friction damping means 17 restricting the free movement of the springs A, B, means additional to the friction damping means 17 are provided for controlling the amount of transverse flexibility of the springs to accord with the requirement of a particular installation beyond that with which the friction damping means 17 may deal. As shown, the system is applied to the suspension of a bolster 15 on a railway vehicle bogie frame 14, by a pair of springs A, B at each end of the bolster 15. Each spring A, B comprises a series of rubber blocks 10 and an intermediate rigid plate 12 having extensions 16, which are forced, by the moment due to the two halves of the spring on either side of the plate 12 being out of alignment, into engagement with friction pads 17 rigid with the frame 14. The additional controlling means comprises a rigid tie bar 24 connecting the plate 12 of the spring A with the spring A of the pair of springs at the other side of the bolster 15. A second tie bar 24 similarly connects the plate 12 of the spring B to the corresponding plate at the other end of the bolster. In a modification, in which a degree of transverse flexibility is permitted, the tie bar 24 comprises a joint at its centre, Fig. 4. One half of the tie bar 24 is formed with a slot 27 in which is disposed a pin 25 which is rigid with the other half of the tie bar 24 and carries a rubber buffer 26. In a modification, Fig. 2 (not shown), the joint comprises a pin rigid with one half of the bar 24 which is slidably disposed within an eye carried by the other half, with or without the interposition of a sleeve of rubber. Instead of just the upper ends of the plates 12 being connected by the bar 24 the lower end or both ends of the plate 12 may be so connected. In a modified form of the additional controlling means (not shown) the plate 12 may be connected by a suitable linkage to either the bogie frame or to the bolster, instead of being connected as shown to the plate 12 of the other pair of springs.