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US 5,063,859 AGranted
Double-level railroad car having a flat center sill
OwnerThomas G. Raderinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A railroad car having an upper and lower level is disclosed. The lower level is positioned above a flat center sill extending along the length of the car and supported above the axles of the wheels at either end of the car. The upper level is positioned vertically above the lower level. Each of the levels includes doorways opening to the floor region of the respective levels. Having a doorway at each level permits a freer flow of passenger and railroad service personnel traffic between railroad cars. The upper level includes an observation deck having an integral window member which has a substantially vertical portion, a curved portion, and a generally horizontal portion. The shape of the duct system ensures that forced air is evenly distributed along the car.
Claims18
A railroad car apparatus comprising:
- a first railroad car having a first end and a second end and having wheels at each end adapted to contact a pair of rails below said railroad car;
- a frame of said first railroad car including a center sill, said center sill extending generally horizontal between support points above said wheels at said first end of said railroad car to wheels at said second end of said railroad car;
- a first floor region positioned above said center sill of said first railroad car;
- a first doorway opening into said first level floor region at said first end of said first car;
- a second floor region positioned above said first floor region of said first railroad car;
- a second doorway opening into said second level floor region at said first end of said first railroad car;
- a second railroad car coupled to said first railroad car, said second railroad car having a first end and a second end and having wheels at each end adapted to contact a pair of rails below said second railroad car;
- a frame of said second railroad car including a center sill, said center sill extending generally horizontally between support points above said wheels at said first end of said second railroad car to wheels at the second end of said second railroad car;
- a first floor region positioned above said center sill of said second railroad car;
- a first doorway opening into said first level floor region at said first end of said second railroad car;
- a second floor region positioned vertically above said first floor region;
- a second doorway opening into said second level floor region at said first end of said second car, said second railroad car being coupled at its respective first end to said first railroad car at its respective first end, coupling the floor regions of said cars together at said first level, thus forming a first common passageway between said first and second railroad cars at respective first floor regions;
- and
- a second common passageway between said first and second railroad cars at respective second floor regions being formed, permitting different users to pass from said first railroad car to said second railroad car at said first passageway or at said second passageway independent of each other.
11 more elements
A touring vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of axles coupled to said touring vehicle;
- a plurality of wheels rotateably coupled to said axles to permit said touring vehicle to easily move;
- a floor region coupled via a frame to said axles;
- a plurality of seats coupled to said floor region, said seats being arranged in pairs, each seat having a back portion and a seat portion adapted for passengers to sit therein facing each other;
- a table between each pair of said seats;
- and
- an integral one-piece transparent member having a generally vertically extending portion adjacent said pair of seats, a curved portion bending inward over said pair of seats and a generally horizontally extending portion extending over said pair of seats, said integral, one-piece transparent member extending generally from said back of one of said seats of said pair to the back of the other of said seats within said pair, said transparent member having a bottom region positioned approximately adjacent to the surface of said table to provide a single, large viewing field for passengers sitting in said pair of seats, the viewing field extending from the table top upwards towards the center of the car and from the back of each seat of said pair forward to the seats facing each other providing the passengers with a clear, unobstructed view out of said touring vehicle from a position approximately at the back of their heads forward and from below a central body portion, from below the shoulder region upward such that said passengers are able to see the passing scenery and remain generally in the seated position.
4 more elements
A touring vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of axles coupled to said touring vehicle;
- a plurality of wheels rotateably coupled to said axles to permit said touring vehicle to easily move;
- a floor region coupled via a frame to said axles;
- a ceiling region;
- a wall region;
- a plurality of seats coupled to said floor region;
- and
- an integral, one-piece transparent member extending as a single member from a position adjacent a torso region of a passenger sitting in one of said seats to said ceiling region, said single transparent member having a bottom region forming a portion of said wall adjacent a torso region of said passenger, said window having a bottom end being below a shoulder and mid-chest region of said passenger and extending as a single transparent member from said bottom end to said ceiling region to provide an unbroken view of the countryside from said single, transparent member.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.