Railway car and bogie of railway car, with cushioned center pin pivot mounting.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

0001The present invention relates to a railway car (rolling stock) and a railway car bogie.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

0002In a passenger railway car, the car body is supported on a bogie via an elastic supporting mechanism such as an air spring, as disclosed in patent document 1. The vertical load of the car body is supported via the elastic supporting mechanism by the bogie. The car body is formed of two side constructions, two end constructions, a roof construction and an underframe. Two center pins are disposed on the bottom surface of the underframe constituting the lower area of the car body. The center pins are each positioned to substantially correspond to the center position of the bogie of the bottom surface of the underframe. The lower end of each center pin is connected to a bogie frame constituting the bogie via a coupling link. The center pin and coupling link allow biasing between the bogie and the car body and transits the power of the members in the advancing direction of the car body, in other words, the driving force and the braking force. The lower end of the center pin is placed to pass through the opening formed to the center portion of the bogie frame constituting the bogie. One end of the connecting link is connected to the lower end portion of the center pin protruding below the bogie frame. The other end of the coupling link is connected to the bogie frame. In a railway car formation in which plural car bodies are connected, the adjacent car bodies are connected via a coupling device. The driving force and braking force are transmitted to adjacent railway cars via the coupling device. The coupling device is equipped with an elastic body to relieve the impact force generated between the adjacent car bodies. Further, it is structured to allow vertical and horizontal biasing of the adjacent car bodies.

Patent Document 1:

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 04-173472

0003In conventional passenger railway cars or other railway cars, it is common to connect plural car bodies to form a car body formation and to run the same on tracks. In a car body formation, the adjacent car bodies move independently in the vertical and horizontal directions or roll by the effect of the irregularity of the tracks or the point-switch. In order to allow such biasing movement of the adjacent car bodies and couple the car bodies, the coupling device is equipped with two orthogonal pins. The coupling device is also equipped with an elastic body and a hook portion to detachably connect the adjacent car bodies. In a coupling device having such structure, there is a gap or clearance formed to the elastic body portion or at the portion of the pins. Further, a clearance is formed at the hook portion of the two connected coupling devices. Moreover, a clearance is formed at the portion where the coupling device is supported movably in the vertical and horizontal directions with respect to the car body. Therefore, since a clearance is formed to the coupling device itself and a clearance exists between the coupling device and the members supporting it, the biasing of the coupled car bodies causes members to collide against each other and to generate vibration. This vibration is transmitted to the car body, causing noise to be generated in the car body, making the passengers uncomfortable.

0004Except for the elastic body disposed to the coupling device itself, there is no mechanism to ease impact shock between the members constituting the coupling device or between the members supporting the coupling device and the coupling device. Therefore, the biasing of the connected car bodies causes the coupling device body and the supporting members to interfere with each other, and it may be possible that impact shock may act on the car body from the coupling device. Such impact shock is directly transmitted to the car body and deteriorates the ride quality of the passenger cars.

0005The center pin and coupling link that transmit the driving force and braking force between the car body and the bogie of a passenger railway car also transmits the vibration generated at the bogie to the car body. Rubber sleeves are disposed at both ends of the coupling link. The rubber material forming these sleeves was extremely hard, in order to transmit driving force and braking force. Therefore, it was difficult to damp the vibration by the rubber. Thus, the vibration of the bogie was transmitted to the car body and caused noise in the car.

0006The mounting portion attaching the coupling device to the car body has an extremely rigid structure. In other words, when pulling the railway car formation, the coupling device is subjected to extremely large force. Therefore, the center sill supporting the coupling device to the car body or the body bolster connected to the center sill are structured rigidly, and their weights are very heavy. The center sill and body bolster constitute a part of the underframe, which are formed by welding rigid beams together. Therefore, the center sill and body bolster are easily strained during welding, and the fabrication of the underframe required much time and effort. Furthermore, the body bolster must transmit to the car body the pulling force from the coupling device or the driving force and braking force from the bogie, so the height size of the body bolster was substantially equal to the height of the underframe. Therefore, the wiring or piping disposed on the lower surface of the underframe had to be passed through a through hole formed to the body bolster. Thus, the structure of the body bolster had to be strong yet complex since a through hole must be formed thereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

0007The present invention aims at providing a car body that is inexpensive and generates low noise.

0008The present invention further aims at reducing the noise in the car by adopting a structure in which the vibration generated at the coupling device is prevented from being transmitted to the car body.

0009The object of the present invention is to simplify the structure of the underframe constituting the car body.

0010The above objects can be achieved by a railway car having a car body mounted on a bogie with a clearance therebetween or having a car body mounted on a subframe with a clearance therebetween and the subframe mounted on a bogie with a clearance therebetween, wherein the bogie and the subframe or car body are connected via a center pin that is perpendicular to the car body, and the center pin is disposed movably at least in the horizontal direction to the car body or the subframe via a ring-shaped cushion rubber.

0011The above objects can be achieved by a railway car having a car body supported on a bogie, the bogie having a subframe disposed thereon, wherein the subframe is connected to the bogie via a driving force transmitting means transmitting the force in the advancing direction of the railway car to the bogie and via a perpendicular weight support means supporting perpendicular weight, the subframe being equipped with a coupling device, the car body being disposed on the subframe, and the car body and subframe being connected via a driving force transmitting means transmitting the force in the advancing direction of the railway car and via a perpendicular weight support means supporting perpendicular weight.

0012The above objects can be achieved by a railway car having a car body composed of an underframe, two side constructions, two end constructions and a roof construction supported on a bogie, wherein the bogie is supported via a subframe on the bogie, and the subframe is equipped with a coupling device and connected to the underframe via a driving force transmitting means transmitting the force in the advancing direction of the railway car and via a perpendicular weight support means supporting perpendicular weight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0013<ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the present invention;</li><li>FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken at II-II of FIG. 1;</li><li>FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the subframe of FIG. 1;</li><li>FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken at IV-IV of FIG. 1;</li><li>FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken at V-V of FIG. 1;</li><li>FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken at VI-VI of FIG. 1;</li><li>FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken at VII-VII of FIG. 1;</li><li>FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along the width direction of the car body illustrating the relationship between the bogie, the subframe and the car body;</li><li>FIG. 9 is a detailed vertical cross-sectional view showing the coupling portion between the bogie and the subframe;</li><li>FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 9 showing another embodiment;</li><li>FIG. 11 is a view corresponding to FIG. 9 showing another embodiment;</li><li>FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken at the center of FIG. 11; and</li><li>FIG. 13 is a view corresponding to FIG. 9 showing another embodiment.</li></ul>

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

0014Now, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[Embodiment 1]

0015One preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 through 9. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a main member of the invention, which is a subframe, with the floor of a car body 10 omitted. FIG. 2 is a lateral view of the subframe. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing only the subframe. FIGS. 4 through 7 are the cross-sectional views showing various portions of FIG. 1.

0016An underframe 9 which constitutes the car body 10 is formed of two side beams 12 disposed along the longitudinal direction of the car body on both sides of the width of the car body and floor members disposed between the two side beams. The floor members are formed by welding multiple long extruded hollow shape members in the longitudinal direction of the car body side by side in the width direction of the car body. End beams are disposed at both ends of the underframe 9 in the longitudinal direction of the car body and connected to the side beams 12.

0017A subframe 40 is disposed between the underframe 9 and bogie 30. The subframe 40 is substantially T-shaped as shown in FIG. 1. Side portion 410 of the T of the subframe 40 is approximately the same length as the width of the car body. The side portion 410 is extended to the overlapping positions where air springs 100 are disposed between the car body 10 and the bogie 30 on both sides. The longitudinal direction of the side portion 410 is disposed along the width direction of the car body. Vertical portion 420 of the T of the subframe 40 is extended from adjacent the center point of the bogie toward the car end side. A coupling device 80 is disposed at the tip of the vertical portion 420. In order to transmit the power received by the coupling device 80 to the car body 10, the subframe 40 is formed of a board member made of aluminum alloy that is thicker compared to that of the members constituting the car body 10. Therefore, the subframe 40 is more rigid compared to the underframe 9. Two lower flanges 422 protruding downward are disposed where the coupling device 80 is placed on the vertical portion 420 of the subframe 40. The coupling device 80 is disposed between the two lower flanges 422. One end of the lower flange 422 at the car end side is cut at the point where pin 95 is placed on the coupling device 80 which will be described later. The other end of the lower flange 422 on the car center side gradually reduces its vertical size, structured to transmit the power from the coupling device 80 smoothly to the subframe 40. A horizontal fringe 424 is disposed on the outer side of the width direction of the vertical portion 420. The horizontal fringe 424 is disposed on both sides of the vertical portion 420 respectively. A support arm 57 is formed at the tip of the car end side of the vertical portion 420 to support the hook portion of the coupling device 80.

0018We will now explain the relationship between the subframe 40 and the coupling device 80. The coupling device 80 is formed of a hook portion which functions to couple the other coupling device 80, and a shock absorbing portion equipped with a shock absorber 83 which functions to relieve the impact transmitted from the coupling device to the car body 10. The shock absorber 83 is formed either by layering multiple rubber and metal plate layers, or by using coil springs. An outer frame is disposed around the shock absorber 83 surrounding the same in the perpendicular direction. The car end side of the outer frame is coupled with the hook portion via a horizontally placed pin 95 and a perpendicularly placed pin 96. Suspension boards are disposed on both sides of the shock absorber 83 in the longitudinal direction respectively. Two guides 55, 55 are disposed on each side of the shock absorber 83 with multiple projecting claws attached toward the side of the shock absorber 83. The intervals between the claws are sufficient to support the two suspension boards while the shock absorber 83 is compressed with predetermined pressure. The shock absorber 83 is disposed between the two guides 55, 55 attached to the two lower flanges 422, 422 of the subframe 40. The shock absorber 83 is supported by receive seats 85 and 86 disposed on the bottom surface of the two lower flanges 422. The hook portion of the coupling device 80 is coupled to the outer frame by pins 95 and 96 as mentioned previously, and it is structured to allow the vertical and horizontal biasing of the coupled car bodies. Further, the hook portion is supported by a receive seat 91 through two rubber seats 93. The receive seat 91 is attached via a supporting spring gear 78 to the two supporting arms 57 of the subframe 40. The supporting gear 78 is structured to elastically support the hook portion when it is moved greatly by the increasing bias between the coupling car bodies. Moreover, the hook portion is supported via a rubber seat 93 placed on the upper surface of the receive seat 91 as mentioned previously, which allows the upper surface of the receive seat 91 to move in the horizontal direction.

0019We will now explain how the subframe 40 is attached to the underframe 9 of the car body 10. Multiple through holes 426 are disposed on each horizontal flange 424 of the subframe 40 passing through in the perpendicular direction. The holes 426 are disposed at two places with predetermined intervals therebetween in the longitudinal direction of each horizontal flange 424. On the bottom surface of the underframe 9 are disposed multiple connecting pins 42 protruding toward the bogie side. Connecting pins 42 are placed so that their center axes correspond to that of the four holes 426 disposed on the horizontal flange 424 of the subframe 40 respectively. Ring-shaped cushion rubbers 46a and 46b are disposed between the connecting pin 42 and the hole 426. Rubber support 42b is fit and disposed at the tip of the connecting pin 42. The rubber support 42b is fixed to the connecting pin by a nut 43 screwed onto the tip of the connecting pin 42. The internal surface of the hole 426 is formed in a shape of a cone at the connecting point of the flexible rubbers 46a and 46b. The diameter of the cone-shaped hole which comes into contact with the flexible rubbers 46a and 46b increase toward the outer side. Moreover, a supporting board can be formed in the internal surface of the hole 426 between the flexible rubbers 46a and 46b. The interval between the flexible rubber 46a and 46b can be maintained using the supporting board. The supporting arms 57 are formed by extending the horizontal flanges 424 in the car end direction.

0020The underframe 9 is attached to the subframe 40 with the flexible rubber 46a fit to the connecting pin 42. At this time, the connecting pin 42 is fit to the hole 426 of the subframe 40. Next, the flexible rubber 46b is fit to the tip of the connecting pin 42, followed by the rubber support 42b, and fixed via the nut 43 to the subframe 40.

0021An air spring 100 is placed between the underframe 9 and the subframe 40 on both sides of the side portion 410 of the subframe 40. In other words, two air springs 100 are disposed between the side portion 410 of the subframe 40 and the underframe 9. In addition, two stoppers 415 are formed to receive the center pin 50 which will be described later, in the center of the width direction of the car body of the side portion 410. Multiple holes 416 are formed in the space between where air springs 100 are positioned on the side portion 410 and the stoppers 415. The multiple holes 416 are disposed in two places with predetermined intervals therebetween in the longitudinal direction of the car body and also on the outer side of the stoppers 415 respectively, so a total of four holes are disposed on the side portion 410 of the subframe 40. Similarly to the holes 426, the holes 416 are disposed to support the subframe 40 to the underframe 9 via the connecting pin 42, the flexible rubber 46a and 46b, the rubber support 42b, and the nut 43, respectively. Therefore, the arrangements are similar to that of the hole 416 in attaching the connecting pin 42, flexible rubber 46a, 46b, rubber support 42b, nut 43 and so on. However, since the air spring 100 must be placed between the underframe 9 and the side portion 410 of the subframe 40, the subframe 40 must be attached to the underframe 9 with the members constituting the air spring 100 placed on the upper surface of the side portion 410. Soft rubber material is used to form the flexible rubbers 46a and 46b. The flexible rubbers 46a and 46b enable to relieve the impact shock transmitted from the subframe 40 to the underframe 9 and to damp the vibration transmitted from the subframe 40 to the underframe 9.

0022Two end portions of the side portion 410 of the subframe 40 in the width direction of the car body is comprised to extend to the area adjacent to where the side beams 12 are disposed on both sides of the underframe 9. In other words, as shown in FIG. 1, the ends of the side portion 410 are extended to the space fitting between a pair of stoppers 13 disposed on the internal surface of the side beams 12. The pair of stoppers 13 is attached rigidly to the internal surface of the side beams 12. On the pair of stoppers 13 are flexible rubbers 14 attached on the side facing the side portion 410 of the side frame 40 respectively. The pulling force or the breaking force transmitted to the adjacent cars via coupling device 80 is transmitted from the coupling device 80 to the subframe 40 and the underframe 9 via the stoppers 13. The flexible rubbers 46a and 46b transmit the pulling and breaking force to the adjacent cars via the coupling device 80, followed mainly by the stoppers 13 and the flexible rubbers 14 which transmit the force from the subframe 40 to the underframe 90. In addition, a narrow space is interposed or a highly flexible rubber is disposed between the flexible rubbers 14 and the side surface of the side portion 410 of the subframe 40. This arrangement suppresses the horizontal and vertical vibrations transmitted from the coupling device 80 to the subframe 40 from being transmitted to the underframe 9. The flexible rubbers 46a and 46b supporting the attachments of the subframe 40 to the underframe 9, are formed to allow the vertical displacement of the air spring 100.

0023Stopper 88 is disposed on the bottom surface of the underframe 9 embracing the width-direction center portion of the side portion 410 of the subframe 40. A space is formed between the stopper and the side portion 410 of the subframe 40, which transmits an excessive pushing force toward the underframe 9 with the stopper 13, when the excessive force is transmitted from the coupling device 80 to the underframe 9 via the subframe 40.

0024In addition, if either the stopper 13 disposed on both sides of the underframe 9 or the stopper 88 disposed on the center portion of the width direction of the underframe 9 can transmit the force from the coupling device 80 independently, there is no need to dispose both stoppers.

0025The side portion 410 and a part of the vertical portion 420 of the subframe 40 are hollow, the inside of which are sealed. The hollow space is divided into two parts which function as air reservoirs 100 for the air spring 100 respectively. A center pin 50 disposed on the bottom surface of the underframe 9 is interposed in the space between the stoppers 415 disposed on the side portion 410 of the subframe 40. The center pin 50 is structured with a rear anchor fixed to the bottom surface of the underframe 9 and a tip portion interposed between the stoppers 415 of the subframe 40. Two flexible rubbers 61 are disposed on the surfaces facing each other along the width direction of the car body of the stoppers 415 respectively. The flexible rubbers 61 are placed so as to sandwich the center pin 50 from both sides. The center pin 50, the two flexible rubbers 61 and the stoppers 415 control the horizontal movement of the underframe 9, in other words, the movement of the car body 10, via the subframe 40. As shown in FIG. 8, the flexible rubber 61 is comprised by placing the flexible rubbers 61a and 61b adjacent to each other. The flexible rubber 61b adjacent to the center pin 50 is more flexible than the flexible rubber 61a, which deforms and relieves the small impact between the car body 10 and the subframe 40 in the width direction of the car body. The flexible rubber 61b and 61a both deform and relieve the large impact between the car body 10 and the subframe 40 in the width direction of the car body and the big swinging movement. Thus, the flexible rubbers 61a and 61b are formed in multiple layers, which allow to absorb the impact between the car body 10 and the subframe 40 in respect to the size of the impact and the swinging movement in the width direction of the car body. In addition, this arrangement allows the car body 10 to be positioned in the center of width of the car body with respect to the subframe 40 at any time. The flexible rubber 61 suppresses the vibration transmitted from the coupling device 80 or the bogie 30 to the subframe 40 from being transmitted to the car body 10.

0026On the bottom surface of the side portion 410 of the subframe 40 is disposed a so-called center pin 70 for the car bogie protruding downward. The center pin 70 is disposed at the center of car width of the side portion 410 of the subframe 40. Ring-shaped flexible rubbers 71 and 72 are disposed on the upper position and at the center of the center pin 70. The diameter of the flexible rubber 72 disposed at the center of the center pin 70 is larger than the flexible rubber 71 disposed on the upper position. The cross-sectional shape of the flexible rubbers 71 and 72 are round. A post 73 is fixed on the bottom surface of the subframe 40 so that its center axis corresponds to that of the center pin 70. The center pin 70 passes through the post 73. The center pin 70 is supported by the post 73 by fitting a support seat 76 to a bolt 74 formed on the tip of the center pin 70 and tightening it up by a nut 75. The center pin 70 is rotatably and flexibly supported via the flexible rubber 71 and 72 to the post 73. The bottom surface of the support seat 76 is shaped protruding downward and comes into contact with the flexible rubber 71. Moreover, fringes are formed on the outer diameter of the supporting seat 76, which prevent the center pin 70 from dropping down from the post 73 when pressured downward.

0027A coupling link 110 is attached to the bottom end portion of the center pin 70. The coupling link 110 is disposed in the longitudinal direction of the car body and a cylinder portion 113 is formed at both ends. Coupling pins 111 are disposed via rubber-made sleeves 112 (flexible rubber) on the cylinder portions 113 respectively. The coupling pin 111 disposed at one end of the coupling link 110 is fixed via a bolt to the bracket disposed at the bottom end of the center pin 70. The coupling pin 111 disposed at the other end of the coupling link 110 is fixed via a bolt to the bracket disposed to the bogie frame 35 constituting the bogie 30. Flexible rubbers 38 are placed on both sides of the width-direction of the car body of the post 73 respectively. Flexible rubbers 38 are fixed to the receive seat 36 disposed on the bogie frame facing the post 73 respectively. A space is formed between the flexible rubbers 38 and the post 73.

0028As explained above, the center pin 70 is attached to the subframe 40 and connected to the bogie 30 via the link 110. The structure allows the bogie 30 to rotate around the perpendicular axis of the bogie 30 with respect to the subframe 40 and the vertical movement of the subframe 40 and the car bogie 30. Moreover, the structure transmits the force toward the traveling direction of the subframe 40 and the bogie 30, in other words, the pulling force and the breaking force. The bogie frame 35 is a cross beam made of a pipe-shaped member. The center of the axis of the center pin 70 is disposed approximately at the center of the bogie 30, however, there is no need to have the position match exactly with the center of the rotation of the bogie. The same can be said for the placement of the center pin 50.

0029In order to support the perpendicular load, supporting rubbers 150 are disposed between the subframe 40 and the car bogie 30 in the lower position corresponding to where the left and right air springs 100 are placed. The supporting rubber 150 is comprised of two-layered rubber plates, which support the subframe 40 on the car bogie 30 and allow the horizontal direction bias between the car bogie 30 and the subframe 40. Therefore, the car bogie 30 can rotate around the perpendicular axis with respect to the subframe 40. Moreover, air springs can be disposed instead of the supporting rubbers 150. In this case, the air spring must function to allow the horizontal direction bias.

0030According to this arrangement, the vibration of the coupling device 80 generating by the bias of the coupled car bodies is transmitted to the underframe 9 via the subframe 40. However, the subframe 40 is supported via the multiple flexible rubbers 46a and 46b to the underframe 9, and the vibration is reduced by the multiple flexible rubbers 46a and 46b, so the vibration transmitting to the underframe 9 or to the car body 10 is reduced significantly. The arrangement also allows to reduce the noise occurring due to this vibration. Moreover, in case horizontal impact is opposed to the coupling device 80 from the adjacent car body, the impact can be relieved by the flexible rubbers 46a and 46b supporting the subframe 40. Thus, it is possible to prevent deterioration of ride quality of the car body 10.

0031When the bogie 30 finishes passing through a point-switch (diverging device), the bogie 30 receives horizontal direction force, which is transmitted through the center pin 70, the subframe 40 and the center pin 50, to the car body 10, which travels on the railway track of the point. In this case, the shock in the horizontal direction received by the car bogie 30 from the railway track is relived via the flexible rubber 38 and 61, preventing the car body 10 from any impact, and preventing the comfortable ride quality from being deteriorated.

0032The subframe 40 is structured to be very rigid in order to transmit the large force applied to the coupling device 80 to the car body 10. On the other hand, the underframe 9 is structured to receive the force from the coupling device 80 through the two side beams 12 disposed on the side via the subframe 40. Therefore, the underframe 9 is light and can be easily built compared to the conventional structure. In other words, the time and energy related to the manufacturing of the underframe 9 can be reduced remarkably. Furthermore, since this arrangement allows to form the floor member 11 by welding multiple long extruded hollow shape members having approximately the same length as the underframe 9, piping or wiring can be disposed in the longitudinal direction of the car body inside the hollow shape portion of each long extruded hollow shape members. According to the above explanation, the structure of the underframe 9 can be simplified compared to that formed according to the conventional method.

0033The subframe 40 is substantially T-shaped, and wheels of a wheel shaft 33 constituting the car bogie 30 are disposed on both sides in the width direction of the car body on the vertical portion 420. Therefore, the wheel set will not come into contact with the subframe 40 when the car bogie 30 pivots and the wheel set moves relatively, as shown in FIG. 1, when the car finishes passing through the curve of the railway track. This arrangement allows to set the height of the underframe 9 substantially the same as that of the conventional underframe structure when disposing the subframe 40 between the car bogie 30 and the car body 10, since the disposed position of the subframe 40 can be arranged closer to the car bogie 30 as much as possible.

0034In addition, since the subframe 40 is structured to reduce the transmission of the vibration to the underframe 9, for example, a vibration generating device such as an air compressor can be mounted on the subframe 40, so as to control the vibration transmitted into the car body.

0035Since the interior of the subframe 40 is hollow, the space can be utilized as a sand reservoir for sanding, or water tank for drinking or for lavatory use. Furthermore, it can also be utilized as a space for mounting damping materials or for controlling propagation of vibration. Regarding the damping materials, the materials could be spherical-shaped other than board-shaped, and the space could be utilized for filling the spherical-shaped members.

0036The subframe 40 is a small in size compared to the underframe 9, and can be manufactured using high-strength material which is different from that of the floor member constituting the car body 10. When the subframe 40 is structured using high-strength material, the transmission of the vibration can be reduced by using the deformation of the subframe itself.

0037In the present embodiment, roller or roller receiver can replace the air spring 10, disposed between the subframe 40 and the underframe 9 on the left and right sides respectively. Two pairs of the roller and the roller receiver can tilt the car body in the width direction with respect to the subframe 40. This arrangement allows to suppress the force moving the passengers toward the outside direction at a curve on the railway tracks by tilting the car body in the opposite direction when the car bogie moves in the horizontal direction on a point-switch (diverging device).

[Embodiment 2]

0038The embodiment of FIG. 10 will now be explained. According to this embodiment, shock is absorbed by cushion rubbers 71 and 72, and bed slides 77 and 78 are disposed so as to enable the center pin 70X to move horizontally. The bed slides 77 and 78 are disposed above and below the cushion rubbers 71 and 72. The gap between the cushion rubbers 71 and 72 is small. The bed slides 77 and 78 come into contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the subframe 40. The upper bed slide 77 is fixed via a nut 75 screwed onto a bolt 74 formed to the upper end of the center pin 70X. The upper bed slide 77 and the lower bed slide 78 formed to the center pin 70X are disposed to sandwich the subframe 40 therebetween. An abrasion plate 76 is disposed so as to receive the bed slides 77 and 78. The projected portion on the lower end of the bed slide 77 is in contact with the upper end of the center pin 70X.

0039According to this embodiment, the shape of the center pin 70X can be simplified.

[Embodiment 3]

0040The embodiment of FIG. 11 will now be explained. According to this embodiment, there is no subframe 40, and the coupling device 80 is fixed to the car body 10. The center pin 70Y is fixed to the bogie 30 and the car body 10. The shape of the center pin 70Y is an up-side-down T when seen from the width direction of the car body. Both ends of a horizontal block 70c at the lower end of the center pin 70Y are connected to the bogie 30 via a connecting pin 111, a cushion sleeve (rubber) 112, a tube 113 and a bracket 114. The horizontal block 70c corresponds to a coupling link 110. Reference number 35, 35 denotes cross beams that connect the side sills of the bogie 30, disposed along the width direction of the car body. The side sills are disposed along the direction of travel of the bogie. Two cross beams 35, 35 are connected via coupling plates 36a, 36b and 36c. The perpendicular block (center block) 70d of the T-shaped center pin passes vertically through the space defined by the cross beams 35 and 35 and the connecting plates 36a, 36b and 36c. The perpendicular block 70d is shaped as a round shaft. The upper end of the perpendicular block 70d is inserted to the center of a cushion rubber 49 disposed on the car body 10. The shaft-shaped perpendicular block 70d has its upper end fixed via a bolt 74, a nut 75 and a support seat 76, similar to the example of FIGS. 9 and 10. The cushion rubber 49 is inserted between perpendicular block 70d and a holder 48 surrounding the outer circumference thereof. The holder 48 is fixed to the lower surface of the car body 10 from underneath with a bolt. The vertical length of the cushion rubber 49 is larger than the outer diameter thereof. The shape of the cushion rubber 49 corresponds to the space defined by the perpendicular block 70d and the holder 48. The inner diameter of the holder 48 is gradually reduced toward the upper direction.

0041According to this embodiment, the center pin 70Y (perpendicular block 70d) and the car body 10 are connected at two portions, which are the both ends of the horizontal block 70c, so the input from the centerpin 70 to the bogie 30 is dispersed and the strength of the bogie 30 is enhanced.

0042Moreover, in the drawing of FIG. 12, cushion rubbers 39, 39 that are in contact with both sides of the perpendicular block 70d are disposed in the position corresponding to the cross beams 35 and 35 in the width direction of the car body.

0043Therefore, when the car body 10 is swung in the width direction by passing a point-switch (diverging device), for example, the perpendicular block 70d comes into contact with the cushion rubber 39 and the car body 10 is tilted starting from the area that comes into contact with the cushion rubber 39. Since the cushion rubber 49 is positioned above the cushion rubber 39, the tilt of the car body 10 can be greater compared to the example shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Thus, comfortable ride quality is achieved.

0044According to this arrangement, compared to the next embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13, the horizontal block 70c having a large vertical height is disposed under the bogie 30, so the height from the bogie 30 to the car body 10 is minimized.

0045The other arrangements are similar to the next embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13.

0046In the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the center pin 70Y is fixed to the car body 10, but a center pin 70Z can also be fixed to the subframe 40. When there is no subframe 40, the coupling device 80 is fixed to the car body.

[Embodiment 4]

0047The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13 will now be explained. The center pin 70Z is T-shaped when seen from the width direction of the car body 10. Both side ends of the horizontal block 70c of the upper bar of the T are connected to the lower surface of the car body 10 or subframe 40 via stays 41, 41. The other arrangements are similar to the embodiment of FIG. 11.

0048Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the center pin 70Z (perpendicular block 70d) and the car body 10 or subframe 40 are connected at two portions, which are at both side ends of the horizontal block 70c, so the input from the center pin 70Z to the bogie 30 is dispersed and the strength of the bogie 30 can be enhanced.

0049The characteristic features of the present invention can be summarized as follows.

0050The present invention characterizes in providing a railway car having a car body mounted on a bogie with a clearance therebetween or having a car body mounted on a subframe with a clearance therebetween and the subframe mounted on a bogie with a clearance therebetween, wherein the bogie and the subframe or car body are connected via a center pin that is perpendicular to the car body, and the center pin is disposed movably at least in the horizontal direction to the car body or the subframe via a ring-shaped cushion rubber.

0051The present invention also characterizes in providing a railway car having a car body supported on a bogie, the bogie having a subframe disposed thereon, wherein the subframe is connected to the bogie via a driving force transmitting means transmitting the force in the advancing direction of the railway car to the bogie and via a perpendicular weight support means supporting perpendicular weight, the subframe is equipped with a coupling device, the car body is disposed on the subframe, and the car body and subframe are connected via a driving force transmitting means transmitting the force in the advancing direction of the railway car and via a perpendicular weight support means supporting perpendicular weight. The driving force transmitting means connecting the bogie and the subframe can be the center pin 70 and the coupling link 110 of the embodiments, and the perpendicular weight support means disposed between the bogie and the subframe can be, for example, the support rubber 150. The driving force transmitting means connecting the car body and the subframe can be, for example, the stopper 13 or the stopper 88, and the perpendicular weight support means disposed between the car body and the subframe can be, for example, the air spring 100.

0052The present invention further characterizes in providing a railway car having a car body composed of an underframe, two side constructions, two end constructions and a roof construction supported on a bogie, wherein the bogie is supported via a subframe on the bogie, and the subframe is equipped with a coupling device and connected to the underframe via a driving force transmitting means transmitting the force in the advancing direction of the railway car and via a perpendicular weight support means supporting perpendicular weight. The driving force transmitting means connecting the car body and the subframe can be, for example, the stopper 13 or the stopper 88, and the perpendicular weight support means disposed between the underframe and the subframe can be, for example, the air spring 100.