Railway rolling stock – Special car bodies – Freight
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-19
2001-06-12
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Railway rolling stock
Special car bodies
Freight
C105S404000, C105S418000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244191
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to railcars and more particularly, to a hopper car for transporting grain and the like.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Hopper cars have long been used to transport granulated material, such as grain and the like. Hopper cars typically have a pair of side walls that are reinforced by externally arranged side posts. The use of side posts in the prior art adds weight, increases aerodynamic drag and reduces operating efficiency of the hopper car and its material capacity.
Known coaming configurations at the roof of prior art hopper cars are also not designed to add strength to the sections and to permit the formation of a straight member. Prior designs also employ aluminum sheets as the long hood assembly in the hopper body. Such hood designs present problems in being geometrically accurate which cause difficulties during manufacturing of the car. Because of the foregoing shortcomings and others not discussed, it is desirable to provide a hopper car having more efficient design features.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an objective of the invention to provide an improved covered hopper car having improved operating and more efficient manufacturing characteristics. The unique features of the invention include a lightweight metal body, such as aluminum, having a steel under frame. The roof and sides of the car are of a welded construction and are in turn welded together to form an outer shell. The bulkheads, end sheets, floor sheets, and hoppers of the invention are mechanically fastened to this outer shell and under frame to provide improved fatigue resistance. The side of the car is reinforced with a horizontal beam attached to the interior of the side wall rendering the exterior smooth and thus more aerodynamic than a car of similar size with outside reinforcement of its side walls. The hopper and floor sheets are sloped approximately at 40 degrees to horizontal. Combined with an added overhang length from truck center to striker of five feet or more, the car has a significantly increased volumetric capacity of 5400 cubic, feet while occupying nine inches less of track space than a typical grain car with a 4750 cubic feet of volumetric capacity.
The roof of the hopper car herein disclosed includes a plurality of extruded beams bridged by aluminum sheets or the like which are welded to the extruded beams. Two coaming extrusions run the length of the trough and define the trough opening. Two extrusions at each end of the trough attach the coaming extrusions together. Two running board support extrusions run the length of the car and parallel to the coaming extrusions. The running board support extrusions of the invention facilitate the attachment of the roof to the side top chords. The extruded beams provide exacting mill tolerances to provide a straight and unwarped shape even in long lengths. The coaming extrusion and the running board support extrusions further are supplied with integral tab means to attach the support structure of the running boards and make it unnecessary to make these attachments to the main roof structure to thus preserve its structural integrity and making the roof less susceptible to leaks. The coaming cross-section of the car of the invention is a solid bulb which adds cross-sectional strength and a straighter member. The bottom flange of the coaming angles to form the slope of the roof.
The long hood of the hopper is made up of four uniquely shaped extrusions that mechanically fasten to the center sill. When assembled, the long hood assembly fully encases the center sill. The use of the extrusions is inherently geometrically more accurate than using cold formed aluminum sheets, as typically used in the prior art, to attain a more readily controlled matching of parts. The side sill of the car has a unique shape to facilitate the connection of the hopper and side structure by integral connection tab means. The hollow cross-section of the side sill efficiently demonstrates adequate strength properties to meet all applicable governing requirements.
The rail car of the invention has a horizontal side wall reinforcing beam which serves several purposes. It has an integral tab that acts as a splice for the two piece side sheet of the car. This splicing is facilitated by welding. The side wall reinforcing beam also has a downward slope to facilitate unimpeded dumping of grain and other bulk commodities during unloading. Its cross section efficiently provides adequate physical properties, but with a light, efficient design.
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Johnstown America Corporation
McCarry, Jr. Robert J.
Morano S. Joseph
Webb Ziesenheim & Logsdon Orkin & Hanson, P.C.
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