Miner Enterprises, Inc.

Michael D VanMaldegiam

Erik D Jensen

William P O'Donnell

Donald E Wilt

Michael S Dillon

Adam J Merges

Mark W Stanek

Andy R Kries

Paul B Aspengren

Steve R White

Paul B Aspengen

Jeff Ballerini

Paul A Perlongo

A constant contact side bearing assembly for a railcar including a housing with wall structure defining a central axis for the side bearing assembly and a multipiece cap. The cap is arranged in operable combination with the housing and includes a movable first member or spring seat and a movable second member or top cap carried by the first member. A spring resiliently urges the cap members toward railcar body structure. The cap members define cooperating angled surfaces therebetween for urging wall structure on the first member and wall structure on the second member into frictional engagement with the wall structure on the housing in response to a vertical load acting on the friction contacting surface on the cap. At least the top cap is structured to establish a coefficient of friction ranging between about 0.4 and about 0.9 with the railcar during operation of the side bearing assembly.

Railcar constant contact side bearing assembly

A railroad car energy absorption apparatus is disclosed. The railroad car energy absorption apparatus includes a spring assembly having an elastomer spring element arranged in operable combination with structure for inhibiting localized heat deterioration of the elastomer spring element.

Railroad car energy absorption apparatus

A constant contact side bearing assembly for a railcar including a housing with wall structure defining a central axis for the side bearing assembly and a multipiece cap. The cap is arranged in operable combination with the housing and includes a movable first member and a movable second member carried by the first member. A portion of the second member extends beyond the housing and defines a friction surface for the cap. A spring resiliently urges the friction surface of the cap into frictional contact with railcar body structure. The cap members define cooperating angled surfaces therebetween for urging wall structure on the first member and wall structure on the second member into frictional engagement with the wall structure on said housing in response to a vertical load acting on the friction contacting surface on the cap.

An elastomer spring element arranged in operable combination with structure for inhibiting localized heat deterioration of the elastomer spring element.

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North Aurora, IL, United States of America

Michael D VanMaldegiam