US 4,633,787 AGranted

Light weight gondola type railway car

AssigneePullman Standard Inc.

InventorsPhillip G. Przybylinski, Donald C. Bodinger

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Abstract

A light weight, aerodynamically efficient gondola car for hauling bulk cargo, such as coal, ores and grains, has a cargo carrying structure formed of welded aluminum. A side sill member formed of extruded aluminum has side and bottom connective portions which are continuously welded to the sides and bottom respectively, and a strength portion which remains substantially unwelded in assembly to thereby retain its full strength.

Claims35

Dependent claims

A cargo carrying structure for a railway car, said structure comprising:

a first and a second stub center sill longitudinally spaced from each other;
a first shear plate member rigidly affixed to said first stub center sill;
a second shear plate member rigidly affixed to said second stub center sill;
a depressed floor section extending between said longitudinally spaced stub center sills and rigidly engaged with each said first and said second shear plate members;
a pair of side sill members being positioned along lateral side portion of each said first and second shear plate members and said depressed floor section of said cargo carrying structure, said side sill members bearng draft and buff loads in the cargo carrying structure;
a pair of side wall members each connected with a respective side sill member and extending upwardly therefrom;
each of the side sill members being a single integral member having:
a bottom connective first portion extending substantially the length of the side sill member and generally inward of the car on the cargo carrying structure, said first portion being rigidly connected to each of said first and second shear plate members and to said depressed floor section;
a side wall connective second portion formed integral with the first portion and extending generally upwardly therefrom, said second portion being rigidly connected to one of the side wall members;
and
a downwardly extending outer reinforcement flange connected with the bottom connective portion and extending substantially continuously along the longitudinal length of the side sill member, whereby said side sill members serve as connective cargo carrying members between said shear plate members and said side wall members and said side sill members are strengthened to serve as draft and buff load bearing members between said first and second shear plate members;
and
said first portion of each of said side sill members comprising a substantially horizontal body portion being welded to the shear plate member and being in the same general plane as the shear plate member, said body portion having a first laterally inward positioned downward depending depressed bottom connective member, said second portion comprising a second laterally outwardly positioned upward extending side connective member and said reinforcement flange comprising a third laterally outward positioned downward depending strengthening member which is substantially unwelded.

10 more elements

A railway car having two opposite longitudinal ends and comprising:

first and second stub center sills adjacent respective ends of the car;
first and second shear plate members each connected with a respective stub center sill for transferring loads thereto, each of said shear plate members having laterally opposing side portions;
a depressed floor section supported between the shear plate members;
a pair of longitudinally extending side sill members, each of the side sill members being connected with a respective side portion of each of the shear plate members;
a pair of side walls, each side wall extending generally upwardly from a respective side sill member, said side walls defining a space therebetween for carrying cargo in the railway car;
each of said side sill members being a single integral member comprising:
a generally laterally inward extending first portion being welded to the shear plate members and being generally in the same plane therewith;
a second portion, extending generally upwardly from the first portion and being welded to the respective side wall;
and
an outward positioned reinforcement flange portion formed integral with the first portion and extending downwardly therefrom, said flange portion being substantially unwelded and out of the heat effect zone of the welds to the side wall and the shear plate members whereby each of the side sill members is strengthened by the flange portion to bear draft and buff loads in the railway car;
and
the first portion having a first laterally inward positioned downward depending depressed bottom connective portion and being connected with the depressed floor section.

9 more elements

A railway car having two opposite longitudinal ends and comprising:

first and second stub center sills adjacent respective ends of the car, said stub center sills each having respective inward terminal ends spaced with respect to each other and positioned generally longitudinally inwardly of the car;
first and second shear plate members each connected with a respective stub center sill for transferring loads thereto, each of said shear plate members having laterally opposing side portions;
a pair of longitudinally extending side sill members, each of the side sill members being connected with a respective side portion of each of the shear plate members to bear longitudinal draft and buff loads in the car;
a depressed floor section supported between the shear plate members and connected with each of the side sill members;
a first crossmember longitudinally spaced from the shear plate members extending laterally with respect to the car above the depressed floor section, and being supported on the side sill members;
first support plate means depending from said first and second crossmember and being connected with the floor section for transferring stresses therein to the first crossmember;
a second crossmember longitudinally spaced from the first crossmember and the shear plate members and supported on the side sill members and extending therebetween above the depressed floor section;
second support plate means being connected with the second crossmember and extending downwardly therefrom, said second support plate means being connected with the floor section for transferring stresses therein to the second crossmember;
and
reinforcing web means being connected to the first and second crossmembers and to the first and second support plate means intermediate the ends of the first and second crossmembers, said reinforcing web means extending generally vertically and longitudinally therebetween and being connected to the depressed floor section for reinforcing said floor section and said support plate means.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A cargo carrying structure for a railway car, said structure comprising:

a first and a second stub center sill longitudinally spaced from each other;
a first shear plate member rigidly affixed to said first stub center sill;
a second shear plate member rigidly affixed to said second stub center sill;
a depressed floor section extending between said longitudinally spaced stub center sills and rigidly engaged with each said first and said second shear plate members;
a pair of side sill members being positioned along lateral side portion of each said first and second shear plate members and said depressed floor section of said cargo carrying structure, said side sill members bearng draft and buff loads in the cargo carrying structure;
a pair of side wall members each connected with a respective side sill member and extending upwardly therefrom;
each of the side sill members being a single integral member having:
a bottom connective first portion extending substantially the length of the side sill member and generally inward of the car on the cargo carrying structure, said first portion being rigidly connected to each of said first and second shear plate members and to said depressed floor section;
a side wall connective second portion formed integral with the first portion and extending generally upwardly therefrom, said second portion being rigidly connected to one of the side wall members;
and
a downwardly extending outer reinforcement flange connected with the bottom connective portion and extending substantially continuously along the longitudinal length of the side sill member, whereby said side sill members serve as connective cargo carrying members between said shear plate members and said side wall members and said side sill members are strengthened to serve as draft and buff load bearing members between said first and second shear plate members;
and
said first portion of each of said side sill members comprising a substantially horizontal body portion being welded to the shear plate member and being in the same general plane as the shear plate member, said body portion having a first laterally inward positioned downward depending depressed bottom connective member, said second portion comprising a second laterally outwardly positioned upward extending side connective member and said reinforcement flange comprising a third laterally outward positioned downward depending strengthening member which is substantially unwelded.

10 more elements