The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 21, 2000
Filed:
May. 19, 1998
James T Gwinn, Fairview, PA (US);
Lord Corporation, Cary, NC (US);
Abstract
A railway car side bearing includes a lower housing member, an upper housing member spaced apart from the lower housing member, and an elastomeric spring member interposed between the upper and lower housing members that buckles upon application of vertical loading to provide a spring rate that softens within a range of compressive loads. The upper and lower housing members cooperate with each other to allow for relative vertical movement therebetween, but restrain lateral and rotational movement therebetween. The elastomeric spring member has a first set of spring rates when subjected to axial loads within a first range. However, when the side bearing is subjected to axial loads within an second range, the elastomeric spring member buckles and exhibits a second set of substantially softer spring rates.