End-tapered brake shoe

1 . A brake shoe, comprising a pad having an arcuate front face terminating at upper and lower edges, the front face defining a central axis and a line of action which extends through an edge and normal to the front face, the pad including support material located on the side of the line of action opposite the central axis.

2 . The brake shoe of claim 1 wherein the pad includes upper and lower end faces, at least one of the end faces extending at an angle of about 45° to the central axis.

3 . The brake shoe of claim 1 wherein there is support material located at both the upper and lower edges of the pad.

4 . A brake shoe, comprising a pad having an arcuate rear face terminating at upper and lower rear boundaries, an arcuate front face terminating at upper and lower edges, the front face defining a central axis, the edges of the front and rear faces being joined by end faces, at least one of the edges of the front face being located closer to the central axis than is the boundary of the rear face connected to said at least one edge.

5 . The brake shoe of claim 4 wherein the end faces extend at an angle of about 45° to the central axis.

6 . The brake shoe of claim 4 wherein both the upper and lower edges are located closer to the central axis than are the boundaries of the rear face.

7 . A method of preventing end chipping in railroad brake shoes, comprising the steps of forming a pad having an arcuate front face terminating at upper and lower edges, the front face defining a central axis and a line of action which extends through an edge and normal to the front face, and providing support material at the ends of the pad on the side of the line of action opposite the central axis.