US 6,584,912 B2Granted

Well car structure

AssigneeNational Steel Car Limited

InventorJames W. Forbes

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A railcar unit has a pair of opposed side sills that are joined by structure that performs the function of a web in a deep beam or bracing in a truss. The joining structure is able to transmit loads that are applied transversely to the longitudinal direction of the car from one sill to the other, and is also able to transmit a bending moment couple, in the form of opposite longitudinal tensile and compressive forces, also transmitted to the side sills. The locations at which the transverse forces are imposed on, or by, the intermediate structure have longitudinal slip. When the railcar unit is placed in longitudinal tension under draft loads, the longitudinal slip allows the floor structure not to be subject to the longitudinal draft loads. In the embodiment described the joining structure serves the additional function of acting as a floor panel for vertical loads carried within the well car unit.

Claims42

Dependent claims

A rail car comprising:

a pair of first and second side beams, and a pair of first and second end structures;
said end structures being carried by rail car trucks;
said side beams extending in a longitudinal direction between said end structures to define a well for lading therebetween;
said side beams each including a top chord, a lower side sill and a web extending between said top chord and said lower side sill;
at least one transverse cross member attached between the lower side sills of the respective first and second side beams;
and
said cross member including a monolithic member having a first end, a second end, and a spanning portion extending between said first and second ends;
said first and second ends having respective first and second attachment fittings formed thereat, said first and second attachment fittings being portions of said monolithic member, said first and second attachment fittings being attached to said first and second lower side sills at respective first and second moment connections;
and
said first and second attachment fittings each including one fitting oriented to be fastened to one of said side beams along a first fastener axis, and another fitting oriented to fasten to that one of said side beams on another fastener axis, said axes extending in different directions.

7 more elements

A rail car comprising:

a pair of first and second side beams, and a pair of first and second end structures;
said end structures being carried by rail car trucks;
said side beams extending in a longitudinal direction between said end structures to define a well therebetween;
said side beams each including a top chord, a lower side sill and a web extending between said top chord and said lower side sill;
at least one cross member extending in a transverse direction between the lower side sills of the respective first and second side beams;
and
said cross member including a monolithic member having a first end, a second end, and a spanning portion extending between said first and second ends;
said first and second ends having respective first and second attachment fittings formed thereat, said first and second attachment fittings being portions of said monolithic member, said first attachment fitting being attached to said first lower side sill and said second attachment fitting being attached to said second lower side sill;
each said lower side sill having an upwardly extending leg portion and a laterally inwardly extending toe;
said first attachment fitting having a first portion formed to mate with the upwardly extending leg portion of said first lower side sill;
said first attachment fitting having a second portion formed to locate above the laterally inwardly extending toe of said first lower side sill;
and
said first attachment fitting having bores defined therein to permit said first attachment fitting to be fastened to said first side beam.

10 more elements

A cross member for a rail road well car, the rail road well car having a pair of first and second side beams, and a pair of first and second end structures, the side beams extending in a longitudinal direction between the end structures to define a well for lading therebetween, the side beams each including a top chord, a lower side sill and a web extending between the top chord and the lower side sill, each of the lower side sills having an upwardly extending leg portion and a laterally inwardly extending toe, wherein said cross member comprises:

a monolithic member having a first end, a second end, and a spanning portion extending between said first and second ends;
said first and second ends having respective first and second attachment fittings formed thereat, said first and second attachment fittings being portions of said monolithic member;
said first attachment fitting being attachable to the lower side sill of the first side beam, and said second attachment fitting being attachable to the lower side sill of the second side beam;
said first attachment fitting having a first portion formed to mate with the upwardly extending leg portion of the lower side sill of the first side beam;
said first attachment fitting having a second portion formed to locate above the laterally inwardly extending toe of the lower side sill of the first side beam;
and
said first attachment fitting having bores defined therein to permit said first attachment fitting to be fastened to the first side beam.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/799,136Filed 5 Mar 2001 · continuation
Priority: 24 Jul 1998
Published: US 2001/0010198 A12 Aug 2001
Granted: 1 Jul 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

B61D 3/20
Adapted for carrying special loads: for forwarding containers
B61D 3/184
Specially adapted for heavy vehicles, e.g. public work vehicles, trucks, trailers: the heavy vehicles being of the trailer or semi-trailer type
B61F 1/10
Details: end constructions
B61D
Body details or kinds of railway vehicles