Metal working – Means to assemble or disassemble – With work-holder for assembly
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-10
2001-08-28
Rosenbaum, I. Cuda (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Means to assemble or disassemble
With work-holder for assembly
C029S281500, C029S897200, C029S559000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279217
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to railway cars, and more particularly to a system and method for manufacturing a roof for a railway car.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Railway cars are used to carry goods throughout railway systems. For example, freight cars such as hopper, box, or gondola cars may be used to carry lading throughout the United States. In this regard, there has been a continuing move to increase the amount of lading that may be carried by a given car. Railroads have allowed heavier cars, which allow more carrying capacity, and further increases are being realized by reducing the empty weight or tare weight of the cars.
One manner of reducing the empty weight of a car is to utilize lighter materials such as aluminum alloy. Manufacturing a car substantially of aluminum alloy, however, creates many challenges. Consideration must be given to steel/aluminum alloy interfaces, and if the aluminum alloy is to be welded, special care must be given. For example, in welding aluminum alloy, it is frequently desirable to weld in a plane perpendicular to the gravity force field, i.e., horizontal. Otherwise, a welding puddle may tend to drain in one direction or another.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to an aspect of the present invention, a system for assembling a railway car body includes an openable-and-closeable rotating cage for receiving and aligning car components, and rotator mechanism coupled to the rotating cage for selectively rotating the rotating cage and components therein. According to another aspect of the present invention, the openable-and-closeable rotating cage may include 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 an end assembly component, a second end assembly mechanism at a second end of the rotating cage, the second end assembly for holding an aligning an end assembly component, and a locking mechanism for selectively locking one or more of the plurality of ring members in a closed position.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of assembling a railway car body includes placing car body components in an open rotatable cage, closing and locking the rotatable cage, actuating a plurality of compression members to bring body components into alignment, welding portions of the body components with welds accomplished substantially perpendicular to the gravity field, rotating the rotatable cage an incremental amount and welding portions of the body components with welds accomplished substantially perpendicular to the gravity field, and repeating until substantially all the weld-out is completed and the car body is formed as an integral unit.
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Gallinger Jay S.
Young Keith A.
Baker & Botts L.L.P.
Cuda Rosenbaum I.
Nguyen Trinh
TRN Business Trust
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