Hourglass autorack car roof
AssigneeTrinity Rail Group, LLC
InventorsKenneth W. Huck, Brant R. McGhee, Kyle R. Coston, Steven E. Daniels, Robert C. Runyan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to some embodiments, an autorack railcar roof assembly comprises a center roof panel, a first intermediate roof panel adjacent one side of the center roof panel, and a second intermediate roof panel adjacent an opposite of the center roof panel from the first intermediate roof panel. The center roof panel comprises a first width. The first and second intermediate roof panels each comprise a second width greater than the first width.
Claims20
An autorack railcar with a variable width comprising:
- a first end and a second end;
- a first longitudinal side and a second longitudinal side disposed between the first end and the second end;
- a roof assembly disposed longitudinally between the first end and the second end and transversely between the first longitudinal side and the second longitudinal side;
- a rack for transporting vehicles generally enclosed by the first end, the second end, the first longitudinal aide, the second longitudinal side, and the roof assembly, wherein:
- the roof assembly comprises a fixed-width roof and a roof rail wherein a top portion of the roof rail conforms to the edge of the fixed-width roof and a bottom portion of the roof rail comprises a variable width that conforms to a variable width contour of a sidewall of a variable-width autorack railcar;
- a first width of the bottom portion of the roof rail between the first longitudinal side and the second longitudinal side proximate a center of the autorack railcar comprises a first width value;
- and
- a second width of the bottom portion of the roof rail between the first longitudinal side and the second longitudinal side between the center of the autorack railcar and either the first end or the second end comprises a second width value, the second width value greater than the first width value.
An autorack railcar roof assembly comprising:
- a fixed-width roof and a roof rail wherein a top portion of the roof rail conforms to the edge of the fixed-width roof and a bottom portion of the roof rail comprises a variable width that conforms to a variable width contour of a sidewall of a variable-width autorack railcar;
- the bottom portion of the roof rail comprising:
- a center portion;
- a first intermediate portion adjacent one side of the center portion;
- a second intermediate portion adjacent an opposite side of the center portion from the first intermediate portion;
- and
- wherein the center portion comprises a first width and the first and second intermediate portions each comprise a second width greater than the first width.
A method for coupling a fixed-width autorack railcar roof assembly to a variable width autorack railcar, the method comprising:
- providing a fixed-width autorack railcar roof assembly;
- providing a roof rail wherein a top portion of the roof rail conforms to the edge of the fixed-width autorack railcar roof assembly and a bottom portion of the roof rail comprises a variable width that conforms to a variable width contour of a sidewall of a variable-width autorack railcar;
- coupling the bottom portion of the roof rail to the sidewall of the variable-width autorack railcar;
- and
- coupling the top portion of the roof rail to the fixed-width autorack railcar roof assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.