Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Structural member making
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-10
2001-08-21
Rosenbaum, I Cuda (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Structural member making
C029S466000, C029S469000, C029S281100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276058
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to railway cars, and more particularly to a system and method for manufacturing 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 manufacturing an aluminum alloy and steel railway car includes an aluminum alloy-body-manufacturing subsystem for producing an aluminum alloy railway car body, a steel-underframe-manufacturing subsystem for producing a steel car underframe, and an underframe-and-body combination subsystem for mating and attaching an aluminum alloy railway car body from the aluminum alloy-body-manufacturing subsystem and a steel underframe from the steel-underframe-manufacturing subsystem. According to another aspect of the present invention, the aluminum alloy-body-manufacturing subsystem of the system may include an openable-and-closeable rotating cage for receiving and aligning car body components and a rotator mechanism coupled to the rotating cage for selectively rotating the rotating cage and components therein.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a railway car including manufacturing a substantially all-aluminum alloy car body, manufacturing a substantially all-steel car underframe, preparing the underframe for mating with the car body, and mating the car body to the underframe. According to another aspect of the present invention the step of manufacturing a substantially all-aluminum alloy car body may include 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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