Railway rolling stock – Car framing and structure – Freight
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-17
2001-10-16
Stormer, Russell D. (Department: 3617)
Railway rolling stock
Car framing and structure
Freight
C105S396000, C105S355000, C105S409000, C105S401000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302031
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to the field of railway cars and more particularly to railway cars having sidewalls.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Railway cars are often used to transport bulk commodities and materials. In transporting such lading, it is desirable to provide railway cars that are efficient with respect to cost and ease of manufacture, load carrying capacity and energy required to move the cars throughout a railway system. Also, railway cars must be designed to meet various government regulatory standards and industry operating standards. For example, the Association of America Railroads (AAR) has established standardized operating envelopes which define maximum allowed exterior dimensions for a wide variety of railway cars. Many advances have been made with respect to making railway cars stronger, lighter, larger in volume, greater load carrying capacity, easier to manufacture, and more aerodynamic. However, the search continues for improved railway cars that are even more efficient and cost effective.
Hopper cars and gondola cars may be used to transport a wide variety of goods and materials such as bulk commodities (corn, wheat, soy beans, etc.) and raw materials (coal, iron ore and other minerals). Gondola cars typically have a pair of sidewalls, a pair of end walls, a solid floor, and no roof. Hopper cars may be either open or covered depending upon the type of bulk lading which will be carried within the respective hopper car. A typical hopper car includes floor sheets which are sloped from the sides and ends of the car to form a series of pockets or hoppers with openings which allow discharge of the bulk lading.
In designing a railway car, it is desirable to maximize volume available for loading, while at the same time, maintaining exterior dimensions of the railway car within the appropriate AAR operating envelope.
Increasing volume may be achieved by minimizing the thickness of the associated sidewalls as long as the sidewalls maintain sufficient strength and durability for the associated loading. Side posts or side stakes are often provided to stiffen sidewalls to help carry lateral loads and beam loads.
Frequently, railway cars, such as hopper cars and gondola cars, have numerous side posts spaced along each side of the respective car to provide such support. Some conventional hopper cars may have eleven (11) or more side posts extending along each side of the respective car. Numerous side posts increase material cost and complexity of the design and manufacture of the associated railway car. Frequently, side posts are placed on the exterior of the associated sidewall to increase interior volume or cargo carrying capacity of the resulting railway car. However, exterior side posts, which often have a rectangular cross section, may increase aerodynamic drag and reduce railway car operating efficiency. Also, relatively thick exterior side posts limit potential increases in cargo volume as compared to a similar railway car with interior side posts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with teachings of the present invention, a railway car is provided which substantially eliminates or reduces disadvantages and problems associated with previous railway cars. According to one aspect of the present invention, a railway car is provided with a pair of sidewalls respectively disposed on opposite sides of the car. Each sidewall is supported by side posts spaced longitudinally along the exterior of each sidewall. A longitudinal stiffener is also disposed along the interior surface of each sidewall. The side posts are load bearing members which cooperate with the longitudinal stiffeners to give increased support to the sidewalls of the railway car.
Technical advantages of the present invention include reducing the number and thickness of side posts required to support each sidewall of a railway car while increasing the cargo carrying capacity of the resulting railway car. Longitudinal stiffeners disposed along the interior surface of each sidewall increase the load carrying ability of the sidewalls and allow the use of thinner side posts. Manufacturing cost of the railway car may also be reduced by providing side posts and longitudinal stiffeners with substantially the same cross section. For some applications, the sidewall may be formed by overlapping metal sheets which are joined with each other by mechanical fasteners. The longitudinal stiffener of the present invention is preferably secured to the sidewall using the same mechanical fasteners which are used to attach the overlapping metal sheets with each other. As a result of incorporating teachings of the present invention, the number of mechanical fasteners required to form each sidewall and to attach the associated longitudinal stiffener may be minimized. This feature of the present invention reduces both manufacturing time and cost.
Another technical advantage according to one aspect of the invention, includes combining thin-but-stiff side posts with longitudinal stiffeners to allow the inside width of the resulting railway car to be increased, and thereby, increasing the volume of the railway car without exceeding the applicable AAR operating envelope.
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Trinity Aluminum Rapid Discharge IV General Specifications, RSB RDIV 0996/3M
Rolling Stock Light BeghGon LW™RSA Show Car, Johnstown America Corporation.
Coulborn John W.
Smith Stephen W.
Baker & Botts L.L.P.
Jules Frantz F.
Stormer Russell D.
TRN Business Trust
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