Locomotive frame
The beam cage structure addresses the manufacturing complexities of I-beam based locomotive frames by enabling modular assembly and precise positioning, enhancing manufacturability and structural rigidity.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- RU · RU
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- OBSHCHESTVO S OGRANICHENNOJ OTVETSTVENNOSTYU NAUCHNO-ISSLEDOVATELSKIJ TSENTR STM
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-29
AI Technical Summary
Existing locomotive frame designs rely heavily on I-beams as main load-bearing elements, leading to manufacturing challenges due to large standard sizes and requiring additional reinforcement, which complicates assembly and increases production downtime.
A frame design featuring a central load-bearing frame constructed as a beam cage, composed of longitudinal and transverse beams, allowing for modular assembly and separate manufacturing of components, using sheet metal to simplify assembly and geometric control.
The beam cage structure simplifies the assembly process, improves manufacturability, and enhances structural rigidity by enabling separate manufacturing and precise positioning of components, reducing production downtime.
Smart Images

Figure 00000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] The utility model relates to railway vehicles, namely to locomotive frame designs.
[0002] A known technical design of the TEM7 diesel locomotive frame (TEM7 diesel locomotive / A.V. Balashov, I.I. Zelenov, Yu.M. Kozlov et al.; edited by G.S. Melikdzhanov. - M .: Transport, 1989. - 295 p. ISBN 5-277-00 544-7, pp. 209-211) consists of two longitudinal I-beams, which are reinforced with upper and lower overhead belts, the ends of the longitudinal beams are connected to each other by welded tie boxes, in the longitudinal direction on the sides of the frame there are side channels, in the transverse direction the longitudinal I-beams and side channels are connected by partitions and deck sheets having cutouts of various shapes.
[0003] This frame design involves the use of I-beams as the main load-bearing elements. Frame structures containing such beams require additional reinforcement. Also, I-beams used for assembling locomotive frames have large standard sizes that manufacturers may not have, which can cause downtime in the production of such frame structures.
[0004] A known technical design of a frame for the 2TE116 diesel locomotive (Diesel locomotive 2TE116 / S.P. Filonov, A.I. Gibalov, E.A. Nikitin et al., 3rd ed., revised and enlarged. – M.: Transport, 1996. 334 p., UDC 629.424.12-83, pp. 139-140) comprises two center beams made of I-beams, which are reinforced with strips welded to the lower and upper shelves and fastened with tie boxes, which are welded to the lower reinforcing strips. Frontal sheets are welded to the rear and front ends of the center beams, against which the tie boxes rest with their shoulders. The ridge beams are connected to each other by transverse diaphragms; in the middle part of the frame, in the place of its greatest load (installation of the diesel engine, fuel tank, batteries), two trusses are welded into the frame, each of which is a trapezoidal welded box structure, divided by diaphragms into compartments in which niches for batteries are made; a supporting channel is welded along the perimeter of the frame.
[0005] This frame design also involves the use of I-beams as the main load-bearing elements, which have the same disadvantages described earlier.
[0006] A wagon frame is known from the prior art (RU Patent for Utility Model No. 54886, priority dated 13.02.2006, published on 27.07.2006), which contains a backbone, pivot, transverse and lateral longitudinal beams rigidly connected to each other, and also between the pivot beams, transverse bulkheads discretely distributed along the length of the frame are rigidly attached to the central part of the frame, the lower parts of which are fastened with a pallet.
[0007] The center beam in this type of frame absorbs longitudinal forces from the automatic couplers. When transmitting traction and impact forces, an additional bending moment will occur, tending to deform the frame. For a locomotive frame structure, which bears significant vertical loads, as well as significant stresses at the pivot points, the discrete distribution of transverse bulkheads does not provide significant structural rigidity, making it unsuitable for locomotives.
[0008] The closest analogue is the frame of a rail vehicle (RU patent for invention No. 2028236, priority dated 02 / 28 / 1991, published 02 / 09 / 1995), containing center beams, side beams connected to each other by frontal and pivot beams, while the center beams are connected to each other by an elliptical truss located in the central zone of the frame, connected to the side beams.
[0009] The disadvantage of such a frame is the technological complexity of manufacturing such a structure; the ring or elliptical element in the central zone is connected by welding to the side and backbone beams, which further complicates the control of welded seams, and also causes additional problems in controlling the accuracy of welding, placing excessive technological requirements on the structure.
[0010] The technical objective of the utility model is to develop a frame design for a locomotive that would be free from the shortcomings of its analogues.
[0011] The technical result is to improve the manufacturability of the frame structure assembly.
[0012] The technical result is achieved through a locomotive frame comprising central longitudinal beams connected by a central load-bearing frame, longitudinal side beams, and cross beams connecting the central and longitudinal side beams. The central load-bearing frame is designed as a beam cage containing longitudinal and cross beams, and the cross beams are further connected by longitudinal beams.
[0013] The central load-bearing frame, constructed as a beam cage of longitudinal and transverse beams, allows for the formation of a central load-bearing frame that can be manufactured and assembled separately. The beam structure can be assembled from sheet metal. The frame additionally contains longitudinal beams connecting the transverse beams. This simplifies tooling, positioning, and geometric control during frame assembly.
[0014] The utility model is explained by the following figures.
[0015] Fig. 1 shows a top view of the frame.
[0016] Fig. 2 shows a side view of the frame.
[0017] The frame consists of two central longitudinal beams 1 connected to each other by a central load-bearing frame 2. Cross beams 3 are welded to the central longitudinal beams, which are additionally connected to the side longitudinal beams 4. The side longitudinal beams are connected to each other at the ends of the frame by tie boxes 5 and end sheets. The central load-bearing frame 2 is connected to the central longitudinal beams 1 and to the longitudinal side beams 4. The central longitudinal beams 1 are connected to the longitudinal side beams 4 by cross beams 3, wherein the central longitudinal beams 1, cross beams 3 are made U-shaped in cross-section, open at the top, and the longitudinal side beams 4 are made of box-shaped cross-section. Longitudinal beams 6 additionally connect the cross beams 3, the longitudinal beams 6 have a U-shaped profile, open at the top (Fig. 1).
[0018] In a possible embodiment, a battery compartment is located under the central power frame 2, additionally connected to the longitudinal beams using stiffeners 8. The central power frame 2 with two longitudinal power elements, reinforced by welded battery compartments, allows for the load from the diesel generator set and the fuel tank to be partially transferred to the body using cross beams (Fig. 2).
[0019] The utility model is implemented as follows.
[0020] The central longitudinal beams 1 and the cross beams 3 are welded separately, the tie boxes 5 with end sheets are welded to the intermediate structure, and additional longitudinal beams 6 are welded between the cross beams. The central frame 2 is welded separately. Symmetrically executed intermediate structures are welded to the central power frame, the longitudinal side beams 4 and the battery compartment 7 are welded to the general structure.
[0021] Longitudinal central beams 1 support the longitudinal loads from the automatic coupler through coupling boxes 5. Shock absorbers are located inside the coupling boxes 5. Pivot assemblies are installed in the longitudinal central beams 1, connecting the frame to the locomotive bogies, allowing for the transmission of traction and braking forces.
[0022] The central load-bearing frame 2, constructed as a beam cage of longitudinal and transverse beams, provides a central load-bearing frame that can be manufactured and assembled separately. The beam structure can be assembled from sheet metal. The frame additionally contains longitudinal beams connecting the transverse beams. This simplifies tooling, positioning, and geometric control during frame assembly. This design implements a modular construction principle during production, improving the manufacturability of the entire frame assembly.
Claims
1. A locomotive frame containing central longitudinal beams connected by a central power frame, longitudinal side beams, and transverse beams connecting the central and longitudinal side beams, characterized in that the central power frame is made in the form of a beam cage containing longitudinal and transverse beams, and the transverse beams are additionally connected by longitudinal beams.
2. The locomotive frame according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the central longitudinal beams and cross beams are U-shaped in cross-section, open at the top, and the longitudinal side beams are box-shaped in cross-section.