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US 5,181,474 AGranted
Wood chip railway car constructed by converting a standard box car and method of conversion
OwnerRoy W. Millerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gondola rail car for hauling wood chips and the like having a pair of side walls, an end wall, a floor, an open end and an open top. A door assembly is pivotally mounted for swinging movement adjacent the open end. A ledge is provided to enhance access by an unloading vehicle. The car may be constructed from an existing box car.
Claims19
An open top rail car for hauling particulate material comprising
- a body being carried by a pair of truck assemblies and having a pair of opposed sidewalls, an end wall, a floor and an open end,
- door means being pivotally mounted on said body at an upper portion and closing said open end in a closed position,
- said door means being swingable from said closed position to a raised position for opening said open end for unloading,
- said body having an open top for receiving a load to be transported,
- said body includes an end sill mounted beneath said door means,
- said end sill having a flat horizontal projecting ledge for engaging a bridge element for an unloading vehicle.
- hinge means affixed to said body and being pivotally connected to said door means at an upper portion of said door means,
- said hinge means includes a plurality of hinges having a respective hinge pin, said hinge pins being disposed along a common horizontal axis for mounting said door means for swinging movement,
- said hinge means is attached to a header means positioned above said door means,
- net means operatively connected to said body adjacent said open top, said net means being arranged to selectively cover said open top,
- trough means provided adjacent said wall and said open end, said trough means for storing said net means, and
- lock means for selectively engaging said projecting ledge and said door means for locking said door means in a closed position.
9 more elements
A rail car for carrying particulate material constructed from a box car having side walls with door openings comprising
- a box car body carried on a pair of truck assemblies and having a pair of opposed sidewalls, an end wall, an open end and an open top, said box car body further having door openings in at least one of said pair of side walls,
- said side walls having closure means permanently affixed to said side walls for the enclosing the door openings of the box car,
- a door assembly being pivotally affixed at its top portion to selectively close and open said open end,
- a plurality of vertical extension members mounted on the top of said side walls, on the top of said end wall and above said open end, a plurality of extension side sheets being affixed to said plurality of vertical extension members for increasing the height of said body for increased load capacity, and
- said door assembly being affixed to at least one of said extension members.
2 more elements
A converted box car for carrying particulate material comprising
- a box car body carried on a pair of truck assemblies and having a pair of apposed sidewalls, an end wall, an open end and an open top, said box car body further having door openings in one of said pair of side walls,
- said box car having closure means permanently affixed to the said door openings of the box car,
- a door assembly being pivotally affixed at its top portion to selectively close and open said open end,
- a plurality of vertical extension members mounted on the top of said side walls and said end wall, a plurality of extension side sheets being affixed to said plurality of vertical extension members for increasing the height of said body for increased load capacity,
- said box car body includes a floor frame having a continuous center sill cut into two sections and a pair of opposite side sills cut into two sections,
- said center sill having a center sill extension affixed in end to end relation between said center sill sections for lengthening said box car body, and
- said pair of opposite side sills having a respective side sill extension affixed in end to end relation between said side sill sections.
4 more elements
A method for converting a conventional railway box car to an open rail car for transporting particle material comprising the steps of
- removing an end wall and roof of the box car to form an open end and open top,
- removing the doors provided on the sidewalls of said box car,
- affixing permanent closure members to said side walls to cover said door openings after removal of said doors,
- mounting a end door on the box car for pivotal movement covering said open end for closing and opening said open for access to particulate material.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.