System and method for manufacturing a railcar body

A system for assembling a railway car body, the system comprising:

• an openable-and-closeable rotating cage for receiving and aligning at least two railway car components;
• the openable-and-closeable rotating cage including a plurality of ring members, each ring member including a first portion, second portion, and third portion with the first portion pivotably coupled to the second portion, and the second portion pivotably coupled to the third portion;
• a plurality of cross members coupled to the plurality of rings;
• a first end assembly mechanism at a first end of the rotating cage, the first end assembly for holding and aligning a railway car end assembly component including an end sheet;
• a second end assembly mechanism at a second end of the rotating cage, the second end assembly for holding and aligning a railway car end assembly component including an end sheet;
• a locking mechanism for selectively locking one or more of the plurality of ring members in a closed position;
• a plurality of vertical compression members located on an interior portion of the rotatable cage, the vertical compression members for bending and holding side sheet components in a desired location during assembly of a railway car body;
• and
• a rotator mechanism coupled to the rotating cage for selectively rotating the rotating cage and the railway car components therein.

A system for assembling a railway car body, the system comprising:

• an openable-and-closeable rotating cage for receiving and aligning at least two railway car components;
• the openable-and-closeable rotating cage including a plurality of ring members, each ring member including a first portion, second portion, and third portion with the first portion pivotably coupled to the second portion, and the second portion pivotably coupled to the third portion;
• a plurality of cross members coupled to the plurality of rings;
• a first end assembly mechanism at a first end of the rotating cage, the first end assembly for holding and aligning a railway car end assembly component including an end sheet;
• a second end assembly mechanism at a second end of the rotating cage, the second end assembly for holding and aligning a railway car end assembly component including an end sheet;
• a locking mechanism for selectively locking one or more of the plurality of ring members in a closed position;
• a plurality of vertical compression members located on an interior portion of the rotatable cage, the vertical compression members for bending and holding railway car side sheet components in a desired location during assembly of a railway car body;
• a plurality of bottom-chord clamping mechanisms for aligning and holding a railway car bottom chord component;
• and
• a rotator mechanism coupled to the rotating cage for selectively rotating the rotating cage and the railway car components therein.

A system for assembling a railway car body, the system comprising:

• an openable-and-closeable rotating cage for receiving and aligning at least two railway car components;
• the openable-and-closeable rotating cage including a plurality of ring members, each ring member including a first portion, second portion, and third portion with the first portion pivotably coupled to the second portion, and the second portion pivotably coupled to the third portion;
• a plurality of cross members coupled to the plurality of rings;
• a first end assembly mechanism at a first end of the rotating cage, the first end assembly for holding and aligning a railway car end assembly component including an end sheet;
• a second end assembly mechanism at a second end of the rotating cage, the second end assembly for holding and aligning a railway car end assembly component including an end sheet;
• a locking mechanism for selectively locking one or more of the plurality of ring members in a closed position;
• a plurality of vertical compression members located on an interior portion of the rotatable cage, the vertical compression members for bending and holding side sheet components in a desired location during assembly of a railway car body;
• a plurality of bottom-chord clamping mechanisms for aligning and holding a railway car bottom chord component;
• a plurality of center partition floor sheet support members for holding railway car center partition components during assembly;
• a plurality of gate-frame-alignment-and-holding stations for holding hopper gate frame components during assembly of a railway car body;
• and
• a rotator mechanism coupled to the rotating cage for selectively rotating the rotating cage and the railway car components therein.

A system for assembling a railway car body, the system comprising:

• an openable-and-closeable rotating cage for receiving and aligning at least two railway car components;
• the openable-and-closeable rotating cage including a plurality of ring members, each ring member including a first portion, second portion, and third portion with the first portion pivotably coupled to the second portion, and the second portion pivotably coupled to the third portion;
• a plurality of cross members coupled to the plurality of rings;
• a first end assembly mechanism at a first end of the rotating cage, the first end assembly for holding and aligning a railway car end assembly component including an end sheet;
• a second end assembly mechanism at a second end of the rotating cage, the second end assembly for holding and aligning a railway car end assembly component including an end sheet;
• a locking mechanism for selectively locking one or more of the plurality of ring members in a closed position;
• a plurality of vertical compression members located on an interior portion of the rotatable cage, the vertical compression members for bending and holding side sheet components in a desired location during assembly of a railway car body;
• wherein the system further comprises a plurality of squeeze units for selectively applying forces to close the rotatable cage;
• and
• a rotator mechanism coupled to the rotating cage for selectively rotating the rotating cage and the railway car components therein.