Friction casting for a bolster pocket

Abstract

A friction wedge for use in a railroad car truck bolster pocket which has a slanted rear wall and adjoining side walls perpendicular thereto, one surface thereof adapted to bear against a portion of a car truck side frame and a slanted surface and adjoining sides adapted to bear against the slanted rear wall and adjoining side walls of the bolster pocket. The friction wedge includes a metal body and a polymer cover providing the slanted surface and adjoining sides, with the polymer cover being formed in a plurality of sections movable relative to each other and the metal body such that, during use, the polymer sections may move into contact with the pocket rear wall and adjoining side walls.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A friction wedge for use in a railroad car truck bolster pocket having a slanted rear wall and adjoining side walls generally perpendicular thereto, said friction wedge, including a metal body and a polymer cover formed of .[.a material having a low coefficient of friction.]., .Iadd.high density, ultra high molecular weight linear polyethylene.Iaddend., the metal body having a surface thereof bearing against a portion of a car truck side frame, said polymer cover having a slanted surface and adjoining sides bearing against the slanted rear wall and adjoining side walls of the bolster pocket, said metal body having a sedge-shaped cover support which conforms to the interior of said polymer cover whereby said wedge-shaped cover support will cause said polymer cover to bear against the bolster pocket rear wall and adjoining side walls during use of the friction wedge.   
     
     
       2. The friction wedge of claim 1 further characterized in that said polymer cover is in a plurality of sections movable relative to each other and to the metal body such that during use said sections ay spread apart by the action of the wedge-shaped cover support to bear against the bolster pocket rear wall and adjoining side walls. 
     
     
       3. The friction wedge of claim 2 further characterized in that .[.there are two symmetrical polymer section.]. .Iadd.said polymer cover is formed in two sections in mirror-image relationship with one another.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       4. The friction wedge of claim 1 further characterized in that said metal body includes a side frame wall, a bottom and a wedge-shaped cover support integral therewith. 
     
     
       5. The friction wedge of claim 4 further characterized in that said wedge-shaped cover support includes a slanted surface facing the bolster pocket slanted rear wall and triangular shaped surfaces joining said support slanted surface, side frame wall, and bottom of said metal body. 
     
     
       6. The friction wedge of claim 4 further characterized in that said wedge-shaped cover support has a slanted curved profile joining the side frame wall and bottom of the metal body. 
     
     
       7. The friction wedge of claim 6 further characterized in that said curved profile cover support has a tangent portion generally parallel to and facing the slanted rear wall of the bolster pocket. 
     
     
       8. The friction wedge of claim 4 further characterized in that said polymer cover is a single flexible element such that, during use, the cover may be spread by the wedge cover support so the cover may bear against the bolster pocket rear wall and adjoining side walls.