Ttx Company

Tix Company

Railway & Industrial Services, Inc.

Donald F Kroesch

Richard A Brueckert

William A Guess

A machining fixture for semi-automatically reconditioning an articulated connector is provided. The fixture comprises a housing having at least two side walls, a top plate having a first opening connecting the side walls, and a bottom plate connecting the side walls, the side walls, top plate, and bottom plate defining an interior space. The fixture also includes a clamping mechanism attached to at least one of the side walls, the clamping mechanism comprising a curved hook portion, the curved hook portion being laterally adjustable.

Fixture for use in semi-automatic reconditioning process of a railcar articulated connector

A method for reconditioning a railcar connector is provided. The method comprises machining a portion of a casting to create a wear plate application surface, positioning a plate on the wear plate application surface, and welding the wear plate to the wear plate application surface.

Application of wear plate to articulated connector load bearing bottom surface

A method for semi-automatically reconditioning a railcar articulated connector that comprises a male portion including a parent casting material is provided. The method comprises applying weld material to a male portion of an articulated connector, mounting a housing mounting a housing defining an interior space to the male portion, the male connector within the interior space, centering and stabilizing the fixture laterally on the male portion, inserting a clamping mechanism attached to the housing within an opening of the male connector to affix the housing to the male portion, securing the clamping mechanism to a surface of the male portion, and automatically machining at least a portion of the weld and/or parent casting material.

Method for semi-automatically reconditioning a railcar articulated connector

A method for reconditioning a railcar articulated connector is provided. The method comprises the steps of marking a surface of a portion of an articulated connector to divide the surface into sections, pre-heating the surface of a portion of an articulated connector, adding weld to a first section of the pre-heated portion of the articulated connector, and adding weld to a second section of the pre-heated portion of the articulated connector.

Method for reconditioning a railcar articulated connector

A method for reconditioning a railcar connector is provided. The method comprises machining a portion of a casting to create a wear plate application surface, positioning a wear plate on the wear plate application surface, and welding the wear plate to the wear plate application surface.

An apparatus for measuring a portion on an articulated connector relative to a reference portion of said connector is provided. The apparatus comprises a fixable base mountable to the connector against the reference portion of the connector, an arm pivotally mounted to the base and extendable toward the portion of the connector, the arm having a measurement portion, the measurement portion movable across at least a section of the portion of the connector, and a rotating component connected to a mounting piece.

Gauge for measuring a portion of a railcar articulated connector

A method for aligning a female portion of an articulated connector while it is still mounted to the end structure of a rail car to a reconditioning fixture is disclosed. The fixture is removably secured to the female connector. A bearing is preferably secured to the fixture such that its bore is aligned with the bore of the female connector. An alignment tube is then preferably inserted into the bores of the bearing and female connector. A centering gauge can be placed on the alignment tube. The bearing can then preferably be adjusted so that the alignment tube is positioned against the centering gauge.

Method for aligning female connector in fixture for use in reconditioning of articulated connector

A semi-automatic method for reconditioning an articulated connector while it is still mounted to the end structure of a rail car is disclosed. The female connector is mounted to a fixture and subsequently appropriately aligned. Weld metal is automatically applied to the worn portion of the female connector while attached to the aligned fixture. The excess weld metal is then automatically machined away so that the connector falls within the required dimensions. A measurement of the weld area can again be taken to ensure that the specified dimensions have been achieved.

Semi-automatic method of reconditioning an articulated connector

An apparatus for aligning a female articulated connector while it is still mounted to the end structure of a rail car in a reconditioning fixture is disclosed. The apparatus is a centering tool having a generally annular cylindrical arc shape for placement against the bore of a female connector and against an alignment tube traversing the bore to ensure proper alignment.

Apparatus for aligning female connector in fixture for use in reconditioning of articulated connector

An apparatus for measuring a reconditioned portion of an articulated connector engaged in a reconditioning fixture while it is still mounted to the end structure of a rail car is disclosed. The gauge is a generally cylindrical arc with an inner side and outer side. The outer side is preferably shaped to fit against the reconditioned portion of the connector while the inner portion is shaped to fit against a reference point.

Bore gauge apparatus for use in reconditioning articulated connector

An apparatus for semi-automatically reconditioning an articulated connector while it is still mounted to the end structure of a rail car is disclosed. The apparatus is mountable to the connector and measures to find areas and amounts of wear on portions of the connector. The apparatus then applies weld metal to the worn portion of the connector. The excess weld metal is automatically machined away by the apparatus so that the connector falls within the required dimensions. The apparatus can again measure the weld area to ensure that the specified dimensions have been achieved. A method of aligning an articulated connector to a reconditioning fixture is also disclosed. The method includes securing the fixture to the connector and the use of gauges and tools to appropriately align the objects.

An apparatus is disclosed for measuring the extension of a cutting tool from a boring bar used to semi-automatically recondition an articulated connector while it is still mounted to the end structure of a rail car. The apparatus is a generally c-shaped base member with generally parallel ends. At least one of the ends preferably has a plurality of stepped shoulders on an inner portion of that end. The shoulders vary in dimension but are preferably configured to bear against a cutting tool used during reconditioning of the connector.

Tool setting apparatus for use in reconditioning of articulated connector

A method for reconditioning an articulated connector while it is still mounted to the end structure of a rail car is disclosed. The connector is measured to find areas and amounts of wear on portions of the connector. The measurements are taken relative to a reference portion of the connector. Weld metal is then applied to the worn portion of the connector. The excess weld metal is manually or automatically machined away so that the connector falls within the required dimensions. A measurement of the weld area is again taken to ensure that the specified dimensions have been achieved. Apparatuses for measuring wear and specified dimensions and aiding in the method of reconditioning the connectors are also disclosed.

Articulated connector reconditioning process and apparatuses

A yaw damper for railway cars comprises a pair of rotary hydraulic units connected to the laterally extending truck bolster of a railway truck assembly on opposite sides of its central pivot bearing member, a pair of connecting plates secured to the corresponding laterally extending car body bolster under a railway car in position on the truck assembly on opposite sides of the corresponding pivot bearing member of the car body bolster, the rotary hydraulic units on the truck bolster connected to respective ones of the connecting plates on the car body bolster by respective ones of a pair of longitudinally adjustable connecting rods. The connecting rods are connected at one end to the pivotable crank or stabilizing lever of respective ones of the hydraulic units and at the other end to connecting lugs of respective ones of the connecting plates. The hydraulic units are positioned against a forward or rearward side wall of the truck bolster in abutting relationship thereagainst to resist torque forces which would otherwise tend to rotate the housing of the rotary hydraulic unit when torque forces are applied to its pivotable crank or stabilizing lever. Such location forwardly or rearwardly of the truck bolster also enables use of a large hydraulic chamber able to provide greater torque and damping effect to control and minimize yaw of railway truck assemblies.

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Minooka, IL, United States of America

Donald F Kroesch