Railway Bogies

Abstract

This invention relates to a bogie ( 10 ), including a load bearing point ( 11 ), a wheel set portion ( 12 ) and an intervening spring suspension ( 13 ). A load weigh valve ( 15 ) is fixed between the load portion ( 11 ) and the spring ( 16 ) of the suspension ( 13 ). The valve ( 15 ) is mounted within a wedge element ( 19 ) so that it continually measures the vertical load.

1 . A railway bogie including, wheel set, a suspension for supporting a load on the wheel set, the suspension including at least one spring mounted on the wheel set; a wedge element for location between the load and spring to accommodate changes in vertical alignment between the load and wheel set and a load weigh valve for providing indication of the mass of the load as applied to the spring characterised in that the load weigh valve is mounted between the spring and wedge element for movement with the wedge element. 
   
   
       2 . A railway bogie as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the load weigh valve is mounted on the wedge element for movement therewith. 
   
   
       3 . A railway bogie as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the wedge element defines a chamber and the load weigh valve is mounted therein. 
   
   
       4 . A railway vehicle having at least two bogies as claimed in  claim 1  and wherein one bogie has at least a forward-inclined wedge element and the other bogie has at least a rearward inclined wedge element and; the load weigh valves are respectively on the forward and rearward inclined elements. 
   
   
       5 . A vehicle as claimed in  claim 4  further including a control device for providing a mean indication from the respective indications of the load weigh valves. 
   
   
       6 . A vehicle as claimed in  claim 5  including a controllable braking system responsive to the mean indication.