Method of making sideframes for railway car trucks

• US 6,622,776 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amsted Rail Company Incorporated (Amsted Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Amsted Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Bauer, Anthony J., Callahan, Thomas R., Evers, Ronald R., Parrish, Delbert E., Toussaint, Brian A., Lane, Donald J., Hanson, Edward R., Moehling, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Kuang Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/748,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20010000571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 164/137, 164/340, 164/369, 164/397, 164/398, 164/399, 164/370
• US Class Current: 164/137
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 21/14 for reinforcing or securing moulding materials or cores, e.g. gaggers, chaplets, pins, bars
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/02 Sand moulds or like moulds for shaped castings
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/088 Feeder heads
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/103 Multipart cores
• CPC Class Codes: B22C 9/22 Moulds for peculiarly-shaped castings
• CPC Class Codes: B22D 25/02 by its peculiarity of shape; of works of art cylinders, pistons B22D15/02
• CPC Class Codes: B61F 5/52 Bogie frames

Abstract

The number of cores used in casting sideframes is reduced. A pair of end cores and a center core are placed in a mold with cope and drag portions. Each core includes integrally-formed portions for defining portions of the interior surfaces of the sideframes. The integrally-formed portions may include a portion for defining the side window of the sideframe formed integrally with other portions, and may include a pedestal portion formed integrally with other portions. The integrally-formed portions may contact both the cope and drag portions of the mold. The end cores may include integrally formed core prints for supporting the core in the mold. The integrally-formed portions of the center core include connections that are formed integrally with the other portions. Molten metal is introduced into the mold to cast the sideframe.

Claims

1. In a method of making a hollow cast metal sideframe for a railway car,

the sideframe having front and rear ends and a pedestal at each end, a top member extending along a longitudinal axis between the front and rear ends, a tension member having a pair of diagonal portions and a center portion, a bolster opening in the middle of the sideframe between the top member and the center portion of the tension member, a pair of vertical columns along the bolster opening, and a pair of side windows, the sideframe having an inboard side and an outboard side, the pedestals, top member, tension member and columns having interior and exterior surfaces and widths between the inboard and outboard sides,

the method comprising the steps of providing cores to define the hollow interior of the sideframe, providing a mold having cope and drag mold surfaces, placing the cores in the mold, and pouring molten metal into the mold to form a sideframe casting;

the improvement wherein the cores include one core formed as an integral piece and having a core body including;

a column portion for defining an interior surface of one column across the width of the column; and

a side window portion for defining one side window, the side window portion contacting both the cope and drag mold surfaces.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the integrally-formed core further comprises at least one of the following:

a top member portion for defining the interior surface of the entire width of at least a part of the length of the top member;

a portion for defining the interior surface of the entire width of at least part of the length of the tension member; and

a portion for defining the interior surface of at least part of one pedestal; and

wherein the entire core body is formed as an integral core.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the integrally-formed core further comprises all of the following:

a top member portion for defining the interior surface of the entire width of at least a part of the length of the top member;

a portion for defining the interior surface of the entire width of at least part of the length of the tension member; and

a portion for defining the interior surface of at least part of one pedestal; and

wherein the entire core body is formed as an integral core.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the integrally-formed core further comprises a core print connected to the core body, the core print and side window portion for supporting the weight of the core in the mold.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the integrally-formed core further comprises a core print connected to the core body, the core print and side window portion for supporting the weight of the core in the mold.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the core print includes a core print body and a reduced diameter neck connecting the core print body to the core body.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the integrally-formed core further includes a pair of raised conical areas on the column portion of the core body.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the integrally-formed core includes a stepped surface for supporting another core.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the core and the mold includes a locator boss and the other of the core and the mold includes a mating hole to receive the locator boss.

10. In a method of making a hollow cast metal sideframe for railway cars,

the sideframe having front and rear ends and pedestals at each end for mounting the sideframe on wheelsets, each pedestal including a pedestal roof and an outer pedestal leg, the sideframe having a top member extending along a longitudinal axis between the front and rear ends, a tension member having a bottom center portion and a pair of diagonal portions extending from the bottom center portion toward the pedestal roofs, a bolster opening in the middle of the sideframe between the top member and the bottom center portion of the tension member, a vertical column on each side of the bolster opening, and a pair of side windows, the pedestal roofs, outer pedestal legs, top member, tension member and columns having interior and exterior surfaces;

the method comprising the steps of providing cores to define the hollow interior of the sideframe, providing a mold, placing the cores in the mold, and pouring molten metal into the mold to form a sideframe casting;

the improvement wherein the cores include an end core having a core body including;

a pedestal portion for defining an interior surface of at least one of the pedestal roof and the outer pedestal leg of one pedestal;

a diagonal member portion for defining an interior surface of one diagonal portion of the tension member,

a column portion for defining an interior surface of one column,

a top member portion for defining an interior surface of the top member,

and a side window portion for defining at least part of one side window;

at least part of said pedestal portion and at least part of said side window portion being formed as integral parts of said end core.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said pedestal portion is formed integral with said diagonal member portion.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said pedestal portion is formed integral with said column portion.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said pedestal portion is formed integral with said top member portion.

14. In a method of making a hollow cast metal sideframe for a railway car truck,

the sideframe having front and rear ends and pedestals at each end for mounting on wheelsets, a top member extending along a longitudinal axis between the front and rear ends, a tension member having a bottom center portion and a pair of diagonal portions extending from the bottom center portion toward the pedestals, a bolster opening in the middle of the sideframe between the top member and the bottom center portion of the tension member, a vertical column on each side of the bolster opening, the columns and top member having interior and exterior surfaces,

the method comprising the steps of providing cores to define the interior of the sideframe, providing a mold, placing the cores in the mold, and pouring molten metal into the mold to form a casting;

the improvement wherein the cores include a center core having;

a bolster opening portion for defining the exterior surfaces of the columns at the bolster opening,

an integral top member portion for defining an interior surface of a portion of the top member,

the top member center portion and the bolster opening portion being connected and, the top member center portion, bolster opening portion and connection being formed as an integral core.

15. In a method of making a hollow cast metal sideframe for use in a railway car truck,

the sideframe having front and rear ends and pedestals at each end for mounting on wheelsets, a top member extending along a longitudinal axis between the front and rear ends, a tension member having a bottom center portion and a pair of diagonal portions extending from the bottom center portion toward the pedestals, a bolster opening in the middle of the sideframe between the top member and the bottom center portion of the tension member, a vertical column on each side of the bolster opening, and a pair of side windows, the columns, top member, tension member and pedestals having interior and exterior surfaces,

the method comprising the steps of providing cores to define the interior of the sideframe, providing a mold, placing the cores in the mold and pouring molten metal into the mold to form the casting;

the improvement wherein the cores comprise;

a center core comprising a core body having a longitudinal axis and including a bolster opening portion for defining the exterior surfaces of the columns at the bolster opening, an integral top member center portion for defining an interior surface of a portion of the top member, the top member center portion and the bolster opening portion being connected; and

a pair of end cores, each end core comprising a core body having a pedestal portion, an integral diagonal portion for defining an interior surface of the diagonal portion of the tension member, an integral column portion for defining an interior surface of one column, an integral top member portion for defining an interior surface of the top member, and a side window portion;

wherein the center core is formed as an integral core and wherein each end core is formed as an integral core.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the cores further include a bottom center core for forming an interior surface of the portion of the tension member between the ends of the two diagonal portions of the tension member.

17. In a method of making a cast metal sideframe for a railway car truck,

the sideframe having front and rear ends and pedestals at each end for mounting on wheelsets, a top member extending along a longitudinal axis between the front and rear ends, a tension member having a bottom center portion and a pair of diagonal portions extending from the bottom center portion toward the pedestals, a bolster opening in the middle of the sideframe between the top member and the bottom center portion of the tension member, a vertical column on each side of the bolster opening, and a pair of side windows, the top member having a top surface with a plurality of lightener openings, the sideframe having interior and exterior surfaces,

the method comprising the steps of:

providing a mold having cope and drag mold surfaces, providing a core having a core outer surface for forming at least a part of the interior surface of the cast metal sideframe, placing the core in the mold, and pouring molten metal into the mold to form the cast metal sideframe,

the improvement wherein the core includes

at least one core print connected to the core outer surface and corresponding in size, shape and position with one lightener opening to be produced in the top wall of the top member of the sideframe; and

a side window portion;

the side window portion and the core print being formed as integral parts of the same core.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the core print includes a core print body and a neck connecting the core print body to the core outer surface, the neck corresponding in size, shape and position with one lightener opening to be produced in the top wall of the top member of the sideframe.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the core print body has an edge meeting a mold surface and the neck has a perimeter inward of the edge of the core print body.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the side window portion contacts the cope and drag portions of the mold.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the side window portion and core print are capable of supporting the core in the mold without chaplets.

22. In a method of making a hollow cast metal sideframe for a railway car truck,

the sideframe having front and rear ends and pedestals at each end for mounting on wheelsets, a top member extending along a longitudinal axis between the front and rear ends, a tension member having a bottom center portion and a pair of diagonal portions extending from the bottom center portion toward the pedestals, a bolster opening in the middle of the sideframe between the top member and the bottom center portion of the tension member, a vertical column along each side of the bolster opening, a pair of side windows;

the method comprising the steps of providing a mold for producing the cast metal sideframe, the mold having cope and drag mold surfaces defining a mold cavity, providing a core to be received in the mold cavity and including a core outer surface for forming a part of the inner surface of the cast metal sideframe, placing the core on the drag mold surface, and pouring molten metal into the mold to form the cast metal sideframe;

the improvement wherein the core comprises an end core including;

a core print support integral with the core outer surface;

a side window portion for defining a side window of the sideframe, the side window portion contacting both the cope and drag mold surfaces;

and a locator boss extending out from at least one of the side window portion, the cope mold surface and the drag mold surface;

at least one of the side window portion of the core and the cope and drag mold surface having a mating hole to receive the locator boss.