Center beam car with deep upper beam structure
AssigneeNational Steel Car Limited
InventorJames W. Forbes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A center beam car has a main deck structure extending laterally from a main center sill, a laterally extending top truss structure, and a central vertically oriented web work structure for carrying vertical shear loads. The center beam so formed defines bunks upon in which to carry cargo. The upper region of the web-work structure includes a deep upper beam structure that has downwardly extending planar surfaces. The surfaces provide a bearing area against which bundled loads can be secured. The surfaces are inwardly reinforced to discourage deflection between adjacent upright members of the vertical web work.
Claims50
A center beam rail road car having a longitudinal centerline, the rail road car being supported by rail car trucks at either end thereof, said railroad car comprising:
- a cargo support structure borne between the trucks, upon which cargo can be carried;
- said cargo support structure including decking having a first end, a second end, and upstanding bulkheads mounted at each of said first and second ends;
- each of said bulkheads having a base adjoining said decking and an upper end upwardly distant therefrom;
- a web work assembly including an array of posts mounted along the longitudinal centerline of the rail road car, said array extending upwardly of said cargo support structure;
- said web work assembly having a lower region adjacent to said cargo support structure, and an upper region distant from said cargo support structure;
- an upper beam located above said web work assembly, said upper beam running between said upper ends of said bulkheads;
- said upper beam having at least one structural member mounted to said upper region of said web work assembly, said structural member having a longitudinally extending face against which lading placed laterally outward of said posts can bear;
- and
- a reinforcement member extending laterally inward of said face to discourage lateral deflection of said longitudinally extending face.
A center beam rail road car having a longitudinal centerline, the center beam rail road car being supported by rail car trucks at either end thereof, said center beam rail road car comprising:
- a center sill extending between said trucks;
- a decking structure extending laterally of said center sill, upon which loads can be placed;
- an open web work structure extending upwardly from said center sill;
- an upper beam mounted upon said open web work structure, said upper beam being mounted to said open web work structure at a joining interface;
- said upper beam having a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced apart, planar members, said planar members each having a smooth outwardly facing surface against which cargo placed laterally outboard thereof can bear;
- and
- said upper beam planar members having an outside lateral dimension matching said open web work structure at said joining interface.
A center beam car having a longitudinal centerline, the center beam car being supported by rail car trucks at either end thereof, said center beam rail car comprising:
- a center sill extending between said trucks;
- a decking structure extending laterally of said center sill upon which loads can be placed;
- an open truss structure extending upwardly from said center sill;
- said open truss structure including an upper beam assembly mounted upwardly of, and parallel to, said center sill;
- said open truss structure including an array of posts extending between said center sill and said upper beam assembly;
- said upper beam assembly having a pair of longitudinally extending, laterally spaced apart, planar members, said planar members each having an outwardly facing surface against which cargo placed laterally outboard thereof can bear, said outwardly facing surfaces standing proud of said posts;
- and
- said planar members each having a longitudinally extending reinforcement mounted laterally inboard thereof to discourage lateral deflection of said faces when cargo placed laterally outward thereof bears there against.
A rail road car having a longitudinal centerline, comprising:
- a pair of rail car trucks and a center beam assembly carried thereupon;
- said center beam assembly having a center sill;
- a cargo support structure extending laterally of said center sill assembly;
- and
- a plurality of posts extending upwardly from said center sill, said cargo support structure including decking having a first end, a second end, and upstanding bulkheads mounted at each of said first and second ends;
- each of said bulkheads having a base adjoining said decking and an upper end upwardly distant therefrom;
- said posts having a lower region adjacent said center sill and an upper region distant from said center sill;
- a non-consumable, longitudinally extending upper beam assembly mounted to said upper region of said posts and running between said upper ends of said bulkheads, said upper beam assembly including a longitudinally extending structural member presenting a bearing surface facing laterally outward, against which cargo can bear, said bearing surface being reinforced to discourage lateral deflection thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.