Railway freight car
AssigneeTrinity Industries, Inc.
InventorsStephen W. Smith, Joseph C. Lightner, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A railway car (10) is provided. Railway car (10) comprises hopper assemblies (18) having floor panels (22, 24, 26, and 28) that are angled at approximately 40.degree. or less. Floor panels (22, 24, 26, and 28) are fabricated from an aluminum material such that cargo may slide down floor panels (22, 24, 26, and 28) and exit hopper assembly (18) through an outlet (20) with relative ease while maximizing volume. Aerodynamic side posts (54) and improved side plates (58 and 60) which prevent water from entering hoppers (18) are also provided. An improved hatch (56), having first and second coaming portions (88 and 86) that are formed by a single extrusion process, is also presented.
Claims11
An aerodynamic side post for attachment to a side sheet of a railway car, the side post comprising:
- a support body having first and second curved ends and an elongate flat middle portion;
- a stiffener formed on an interior surface of the support body;
- first and second fin bodies substantially parallel to the flat middle portion and coupled to the first and second ends of the support body, respectively;
- a first interior fin portion connected to the first fin body and the first curved end at their juncture;
- a second interior fin portion connected to the second curved end and second fin body at their juncture.
The aerodynamic side post of claim, 1, wherein the stiffener is centered on the flat portion of the support body between the first and second curved ends.
A side post for attachment to a side sheet of a railway car, the side post comprising:
- a first curved end portion;
- a second curved end portion;
- a substantially flat middle portion connecting the first and second end portions;
- a first fin connected to the first curved end portion and extending outward therefrom;
- a second fin connected to the second curved end portion and extending outward therefrom;
- first interior fin portion connected to the first fin and the first curved end portion where the first fin and the first curved end portion are connected;
- a second interior fin portion connected to the second fin and the second curved end portion where the second fin and the second curved end portion are connected;
- and
- a stiffener disposed on an interior surface of the flat middle portion.
A railway car, comprising:
- an underframe;
- first and second truck and wheel assemblies disposed at opposite ends of the underframe;
- a roof;
- and
- a plurality of side posts disposed between the roof and the underframe, each side post having a width and a depth, each side post comprising:
- a first curved end portion,
- a second curved end portion,
- a substantially flat middle portion connecting the first and second end portions,
- a first fin connected to the first curved end portion and extending outward therefrom,
- a second fin connected to the second curved end portion and extending outward therefrom.
- a first interior fin portion connected to the first fin and the first curved end portion where the first fin and the first curved end portion are connected,
- a stiffener disposed on an interior surface of the flat middle portion, and
- wherein a ratio of the depth to width is less than 0.2.
A side post for attachment to a side sheet of a railway car, the side post comprising:
- a first curved end portion having a radius of curvature of approximately three inches;
- a second curved end portion having a radius of curvature of approximately three inches;
- a substantially flat middle portion connecting the first and second end portions;
- a stiffener disposed on an interior surface of the flat middle portion;
- a first interior fin portion connected to the first fin and the first curved end portion where the first fin and the first curved end portion are connected;
- and
- a second interior fin portion connected to the second fin and the second curved end portion where the second fin and the second curved end portion are connected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.