US 6,941,875 B2Granted

Temperature controlled railway car

AssigneeTRN Business Trust

InventorsAllen E. Norton, Stephen W. Smith, Alex K. Hoover, Albert A. Beers, Robert J. Barry, Gary W. Kirk, Jr., Joseph A. Seiter

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A composite box structure assembled on and securely attached to a railway car underframe to form a temperature controlled railway car or on insulated boxcar. The composite box structure defined in part by an exterior metal surface, interior side stakes and at least one layer of fiber reinforced plastic attached to the side stakes. Foam insulation may be disposed between the side stakes, the exterior metal surface and the at least one layer of fiber reinforced plastic. The foam insulation provides improved resistance to heat transfer between the interior and the exterior of the composite box structure. An airflow management system may be incorporated into the composite box structure.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A side wall assembly for use in forming a composite box structure mounted on a railway car underframe comprising:

a side wall frame having a generally elongated rectangular configuration defined in part by a top chord extending along an upper edge of the side wall assembly and a side sill assembly extending along a bottom edge of the side wall assembly;
a plurality of support posts disposed between and attached to the top chord and the side sill assembly;
the top chord and side sill assembly extending longitudinally from a first end of the side wall assembly to a second end of the side wall assembly;
a plurality of metal sheets with each metal sheet having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
the interior surfaces of the metal sheets attached with the side wall frame whereby the exterior surfaces of the metal sheets cooperate with each other to form an exterior surface of the side wall assembly;
the side sill assembly having a generally “J” shaped cross section;
a support member attached to an interior surface of the side sill assembly and extending longitudinally from proximate a first end of the side sill assembly to proximate a second end of the side sill assembly;
one end of each support post attached to and secured with the support member;
a first layer of fiber reinforced plastic disposed on the support posts opposite from the metal sheets;
foam insulation disposed between and bonded with the interior surfaces of the metal sheets, adjacent portions of the support posts and the first layer of fiber reinforced plastic;
and
isolators attached to each support post opposite from the metal sheets;
and
the first layer of fiber reinforced plastic disposed on the isolators.

11 more elements

A side wall assembly for use in forming a composite box structure mounted on a railway car underframe comprising:

a side wall frame having a generally elongated, rectangular configuration defined in part by a top chord extending along an upper edge of a side wall assembly and a side sill assembly extending along a bottom edge of the side wall assembly;
a door frame assembly disposed between and engaged with the top chord and the side sill assembly;
the door frame assembly defining a generally rectangular opening in the side wall assembly;
a plurality of support post disposed between and attached to the top plate and the side sill assembly;
the top chord and the side sill assembly extending generally longitudinally from a first end of the side wall assembly to a second end of the side wall assembly;
a plurality of metal sheets with each metal sheet having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
respective portions of the interior surfaces of the metal sheets attached with the side wall frame whereby the exterior surfaces of the metal sheets cooperate with each other to form an exterior surface of the side wall assembly;
a support member attached to an interior surface of the side sill assembly and extending longitudinally proximate a first end of the side sill assembly to proximate a second end of the side sill assembly;
one end of each support post attached to and secured with the support member;
portions of the door frame assembly attached to and secured with the support member;
the door assembly including an upper track attached with adjacent portions of the top chord;
the upper track operable for slidably mounting a door assembly thereon;
a pair of vertical door post assemblies spaced from each other to define portions of the opening in the side wall assembly;
isolators attached to each support post opposite from the metal sheets;
at least one layer of fiber reinforced plastic disposed on the isolators;
and
the layer of fiber reinforced plastic forming an interior surface of the side wall assembly.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/424,279Filed 28 Apr 2003 · division
Priority: 9 Feb 2001
Published: US 2003/0213399 A120 Nov 2003
Granted: 13 Sep 2005
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B61D 27/00
Heating, cooling, ventilating, or air-conditioning
B61D 17/005
Construction details of vehicle bodies: with bodies characterised by use of plastics materials
B61D 17/045
Connections between superstructure sub-units: the sub-units being construction modules
B61D 17/12
With bodies of metal; with composite, e.g. metal and wood body structures: roofs

Family

Application60/267,882Us provisional application · filed 9 Feb 2001
Application10/071,168Parent of this division · filed 8 Feb 2002
US 2003/0213399 A1Pre-grant publication · published 20 Nov 2003
US 6,575,102 B2Parent of this division
US 2002/0148381 A1Published application
US 6,941,875 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.