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US 2019/0054934 A1Published application
Attachment of articulated connectors in multi-unit freight cars
AssigneeGunderson LLC
InventorGregory J. Saxton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Articulated connectors are attached to and extend from center sills of adjacent car units of a multi-unit railroad freight car, connecting the car units to each other and to a shared truck. The center sill of each of the car units includes a top member that is of increased thickness at the outer end of the center sill. A weld extending along a shoulder that extends around the main body of s portion of the articulated connector attaches the articulated connector portion to the outer end of the center sill with ample strength to carry draft and buff train loads as well as the weight of the car unit and its lading, without the need for weld joints inside the center sill.
Claims15
In combination, a center sill of a railroad freight car and an attached articulated connector, comprising:
- a center sill having an outer end portion including a tube having top and bottom members interconnected by a pair of apart-spaced side members;
- and
- an articulated connector attached to the outer end portion, the articulated connector including a main body portion extending away from the center sill and an aligning extension extending a distance within the outer end portion of the center sill;
- wherein an internal height is defined between the top and bottom members of the outer end portion of the center sill and an internal width is defined between the side members of the outer end portion and wherein the top member, bottom member, and side members of the center sill have respective end margins cooperatively terminating the outer end portion of the center sill;
- wherein each of the side members and the bottom member of the center sill has a respective thickness and wherein an outer end portion of the top member defining the end margin thereof and extending over a predetermined distance from the end margin has a top member thickness that is greater than the thickness of either of the side members of the center sill;
- wherein the articulated connector includes a shoulder located at an end of the main body portion, adjacent the respective end margins of the top member, the bottom member, and the side members of the center sill, the shoulder extending laterally and vertically with respect to the aligning extension, and the shoulder therefore having a width greater than the internal width of the outer end portion of the center sill and a height greater than the internal height of the outer end portion of the center sill;
- wherein the aligning extension is located within the outer end portion of the center sill;
- and
- wherein the articulated connector is interconnected with the outer end portion of the center sill by a weld interconnecting respective portions of the shoulder of the articulated connector with each of the top member, the bottom member, and each of the side members of the outer end portion of the center sill.
6 more elements
A car unit of a multi-unit railroad freight car, comprising:
- a car body including a center sill at an end thereof;
- a center sill having an outer end portion including a tube having top and bottom members interconnected by a pair of apart-spaced side members;
- and
- an articulated connector attached to the outer end portion, the articulated connector including a main body portion extending away from the center sill and an aligning extension extending a distance within the outer end portion of the center sill;
- wherein an internal height is defined between the top and bottom members of the outer end portion of the center sill and an internal width is defined between the side members of the outer end portion, and wherein the top member, bottom member, and side members of the center sill have respective end margins cooperatively terminating the outer end portion of the center sill;
- wherein each of the side members and the bottom member of the center sill has a respective thickness and wherein an outer end portion of the top member defining the end margin thereof and extending over a predetermined distance from the outer end plane has a top member thickness that is greater than the thickness of either of the side members of the center sill;
- wherein the articulated connector includes a shoulder located at an end of the main body portion, adjacent the respective end margins of the top member, the bottom member, and the side members of the center sill, the shoulder extending laterally and vertically with respect to the aligning extension, and the shoulder therefore having a width greater than the internal width of the outer end portion of the center sill and a height greater than the internal height of the outer end portion of the center sill;
- wherein the aligning extension is located within the outer end portion of the center;
- and
- wherein the articulated connector is interconnected with the outer end portion of the center sill by a weld interconnecting respective portions of the shoulder of the articulated connector with each of the top member, the bottom member, and each of the side members of the outer end portion of the center sill.
7 more elements
A railroad freight car, comprising:
- a plurality of car units;
- a plurality of wheeled trucks, each supporting an end of the body of at least one car unit;
- each car unit having a body and each body having a pair of opposite ends, a respective end of each of a pair of adjacent ones of the car units being supported by a shared one of the wheeled trucks and being interconnected with each other by an articulated connector;
- wherein the articulated connector includes a female articulated connector portion attached to one of the pair of adjacent car units and a male articulated connector portion attached to the other one of the pair of adjacent car units;
- wherein the body of each of the car units includes a respective center sill having an outer end portion including a tube having top and bottom members interconnected by a pair of apart-spaced side members;
- and
- wherein a respective portion of the articulated connector is attached to the outer end portion the center sill of each of the car units, the respective portion of the articulated connector including a main body portion extending away from the center sill and an aligning extension extending a distance within the outer end portion of the center sill;
- wherein an internal height is defined between the top and bottom members of the outer end portion of each center sill and an internal width is defined between the side members of the outer end portion and wherein top member, bottom member, and side members of each center sill have respective end margins cooperatively terminating the outer end portion of the respective center sill;
- wherein each of the side members and the bottom member of each center sill has a respective thickness and wherein an outer end portion of the top member defining the end margin thereof and extending over a predetermined distance from the outer end plane has a top member thickness that is greater than a thickness of either of the side members of the respective center sill;
- wherein the respective portion of the articulated connector includes a shoulder located at an end of the respective main body portion, adjacent the respective end margins of the top member, the bottom member, and the side members of the respective center sill, the shoulder extending laterally and vertically with respect to the aligning extension, and the shoulder therefore having a width greater than the internal width of the outer end portion of the respective center sill and a height greater than the internal height of the respective outer end portion of the center sill;
- wherein the aligning extension is located within the outer end portion of the respective center sill;
- and
- wherein the respective articulated connector portion is interconnected with the outer end portion of the respective center sill by a weld interconnecting respective portions of the shoulder of the articulated connector with each of the top member, the bottom member, and each of the side members of the outer end portion of the respective center sill.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.