U.S. patent application number 09/742603 was filed with the patent office on 2002-09-26 for railcar brake structure.
Invention is credited to Forbes, James W., Haight, Richard C..
Application Number | 20020134279 09/742603 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 4162700 |
Filed Date | 2002-09-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020134279 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Forbes, James W. ; et
al. |
September 26, 2002 |
Railcar brake structure
Abstract
An articulated railcar has several well car units for carrying
shipping containers, highways trailers, or a combination of the
two. The well car units permit the nose of a highway trailer to
overhang the articulated connection between two adjacent cars. A
brake valve is located in a relief formed in the main bolster of
one of the articulated units, out of the way of the overhanging
trailer. Each well car unit has a side beam having a roll formed
top chord reinforced by a top chord plate, a downwardly extending
web, and a lower sill formed of a thick angle. The service, or
auxiliary, and emergency brake reservoirs are mounted in a saddle
bag configuration to the outside face of the webs of the opposite
side beams of the articulated unit, tucked underneath the
reinforced roll formed top chord.
Inventors: |
Forbes, James W.; (Waterloo,
CA) ; Haight, Richard C.; (Hamilton, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Stephen L. Grant
Oldham & Oldham Co., L.P.A.
Twin Oaks Estate
1225 West Market Street
Akron
OH
44313-7188
US
|
Family ID: |
4162700 |
Appl. No.: |
09/742603 |
Filed: |
December 20, 2000 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09742603 |
Dec 20, 2000 |
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09122577 |
Jul 24, 1998 |
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6216604 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
105/3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B61H 13/02 20130101;
B61H 13/00 20130101; B60T 17/04 20130101; B61D 3/187 20130101; B61D
3/184 20130101; B61H 11/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
105/3 |
International
Class: |
B61D 017/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 23, 1998 |
CA |
2,243,906 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A main bolster for an articulation connection end of a railcar
unit of an articulated railcar, wherein said bolster is
positionable to extend laterally to both sides of a central sill
for mounting to an articulation connector, and said bolster has a
relief formed therein for accommodating a brake valve.
2. The main bolster of claim 1 wherein said bolster has a distal
end for location most distant from the central sill, and said
relief is located adjacent said distal end.
3. The main bolster of claim 1 wherein said bolster has a foremost
side for placement generally facing a main bolster of an adjacent
railcar unit, and said relief is formed in said foremost side.
4. The main bolster of claim 3 wherein said bolster has a distal
end most distant from the central sill, and a foremost side for
placement generally facing a main bolster of an adjacent railcar
unit, and said relief is formed in said foremost side adjacent said
distal end.
5. The main bolster of claim 4 wherein said foremost side has a
root and a tip and has a tapered portion between the root and the
tip.
6. The main bolster of claim 5 wherein said tapered portion is
adjacent said tip.
7. A railcar unit of an articulated railcar, said railcar unit
having at least one articulation connection end, wherein said
railcar unit comprises a sill for mounting an articulated
connector, and a main bolster having arms extending laterally from
said sill, at least one of said arms having a relief formed therein
for accommodating a brake valve.
8. An articulated railcar unit as claimed in claim 7 wherein at
least one of said bolster arms has a root and a tip, and said
relief is adjacent said tip.
9. The articulated railcar unit of claim 8 wherein said articulated
end includes a shear plate mounted above said bolster, a lateral
reinforcement mounted to said shear plate, and a pair of protruding
load bearing arms extending longitudinally therefrom on either side
of said sill, said relief being located outboard of one of said
load bearing arms.
10. The articulated railcar unit of claim 9 wherein said
reinforcement is mounted above said bolster and said reinforcement
has another relief corresponding to said relief of said
bolster.
11. The articulated railcar unit of claim 7 wherein said railcar
unit is a well car unit having a well in which the wheels of a
highway trailer can be placed with the nose of the highway trailer
overhanging said articulation connection end in a space defined as
a clearance envelope, and a brake valve mounted to said unit at
least partially within said relief, all of said brake valve lying
outside said envelope.
12. The articulated well car of claim 7 further comprising a brake
valve mounted at least partially within said relief, said brake
valve having an uppermost portion and said uppermost portion lies
below the lowest extent of said envelope.
13. The railcar unit of claim 7 further comprising a brake valve
mounted at least partially within said relief, and separate service
and emergency brake reservoirs connected to said brake valve.
14. The railcar unit of claim 13 wherein said service and emergency
brake reservoirs are mounted on opposite sides of the longitudinal
center line of said railcar unit.
15. The railcar unit of claim 13 wherein said railcar unit further
comprises a pair of longitudinal side walls, and at least one of
said service and emergency reservoirs is mounted to one of said
side walls.
16. The railcar unit of claim 15 wherein said service reservoir is
mounted to one of said side walls and said emergency reservoir is
mounted to the other said side wall.
17. An articulated railcar having at least two articulated railcar
units, each of said units having an articulation connection end,
each of said ends having a central sill and an articulated
connector mounted therein, said railcar units sharing a railcar
truck to which said articulated connectors are mounted, each of
said units having a main bolster extending laterally of their
respective said central sills, at least one of said bolsters having
a relief formed therein to accommodate a brake valve between said
bolsters.
18. The railcar of claim 17 wherein said bolster has a distal end
for location most distant from the central sill, and said relief is
located adjacent said distal end.
19. The railcar of claim 17 wherein said bolster each have a
foremost side for placement generally facing each other, and said
relief is formed in at least one of said foremost sides.
20. The railcar of claim 17 wherein one of said bolsters has a
brake valve mounting bracket attached thereto in a position to
permit a brake valve mounted to said bracket to nest within said
relief.
21. The railcar of claim 19 wherein at least one of said foremost
sides has a root and a tip, and has a tapered portion between the
root and the tip.
22. The railcar of claim 21 wherein said tapered portion is
adjacent said tip.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to improvements in the structure of
well cars, and in particular to the braking system of those
cars.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Railway well cars may be considered as upwardly opening
U-shaped channels of a chosen length, simply supported on a pair of
railcar trucks. Although single unit well cars are still common,
there has been a trend in recent years toward articulated,
multi-unit railcars which increase the number of containers per
unit length of train. Further, articulated cars are cheaper to
build and maintain per container slot.
[0003] Contemporary well cars may carry a number of alternative
loads made up of containers in International Standards Association
(ISO) sizes or domestic sizes, and of highway trailers. The ISO
containers are 8'-0" wide, 8'-6" wide, and come in a 20'-0" length
weighing up to 52,900 lbs., or a 40'-0" length weighing up to
67,200 lbs. Both stand-alone and articulated well cars can be
all-purpose trailer on flat car ("TOFC") or container on flat car
("COFC") railcars. This means that they can carry both containers
and trailers or containers only. Domestic containers are 8'-6" wide
and 9'-6" high. Their standard lengths are 45', 48' and 53'. All
domestic containers have a maximum weight of 67,200 lbs. Recently
28' long domestic containers have been introduced in North America.
They are generally used for courier services which have lower
lading densities. The 28' containers have a maximum weight of
35,000 lbs.
[0004] Two common sizes of highway trailers are, first, the 28' pup
trailer weighing up to 40,000 lbs., and second, the 45' to 53'
trailer weighing up to 60,000 lbs. for a two axle trailer or up to
90,000 lbs. for a three axle trailer. It is advantageous to provide
well cars with TOFC and COFC hitches at both ends. This permits
either a single 53' three axle trailer or, or two back-to-back 28'
pup trailers to be loaded. The wheels of a trailer can rest in the
well, with the front of the trailer overhanging decking at one end
or the other of well car unit. A second trailer may rest in the
well facing in the opposite direction. Alternatively shipping
containers, typically of 20 ft., 28 ft, or 40 ft lengths, may be
placed in the well, with other shipping containers stacked on top.
Further, well cars may carry mixed loads of containers and
trailers.
[0005] When a long highway trailer rests in the well of one unit of
a multiple unit articulated well car, the nose of the trailer is
held in a king pin mount on the end structure of that same unit,
and can overhang both the articulated connection and part of the
end structure of the adjacent well car unit. Larger highway
trailers usually imply larger loads. A deep side beam can generally
carry a greater load than a shallow beam. Deep side beams generally
yield a relatively deep well. A higher load capacity also tends to
require the use of a larger, 38 inch wheel truck, and a deeper end
structure. The result is that the clearance from the top of the end
structure of each well car unit to the underside of the nose of the
highway trailer may be relatively small. For example, in the well
car described herein, the design clearance is about 5.5 inches
above the bolsters and running boards. The clearance above the
shear plate is greater, approximately 13 inches plus a small
amount. The versatility of a well car is improved if the well is
designed to receive highway trailers of most common sizes.
Similarly, the structure of the well car unit is generally designed
not to foul a design envelope defined by the extent of the sizes of
the overhanging noses of highway trailers whose wheels can be
received in the well, whether in terms of height or width.
[0006] A standard AAR brake reservoir is a cylindrical steel tank
approximately 16 inches in diameter and 34 inches long. The
reservoir has an internal curved plate which divides the cylinder
into two compartments. One compartment is an auxiliary compartment
for containing compressed air used for service brake applications.
The other compartment is an emergency compartment, also for
containing compressed air, and is used in emergency brake
applications when more rapid braking is required. Both the brake
valve and the brake reservoir are too large to fit within the 5.5
inch height restriction of the well car described herein, beneath
the nose of the overhanging trailers.
[0007] A compressed air trainline is formed when the cars of the
train are coupled together. Compressed air from the locomotives is
supplied through the trainline to charge the various reservoirs.
The normal charge in the reservoirs is 90 p.s.i.g. When the
locomotive engineer applies the brakes under normal service
conditions, pressure is bled down from the train line, to 85, 80 or
75 p.s.i.g., for example. This causes the brake valve in each
successive car to bleed pressure from the auxiliary reservoir to
the car's brake cylinder or cylinders to match the lowered pressure
in the trainline. The air bled from each auxiliary reservoir is
bled to its respective brake cylinder, and causes the brakes to be
applied, either gently or more firmly depending on the pressure
level selected by the locomotive engineer. In normal operation it
takes a significant length of time for the signal of the pressure
drop in the train line to reach the last car in the train, and for
the pressure to stabilize at the particular value selected by the
train locomotive engineer.
[0008] The brake valve will only open the emergency reservoir when
the pressure drop in the trainline is large and rapid. It is
desirable that an emergency signal travel down the trainline more
quickly than in normal operation. When emergency operation is
selected to "dump" the trainline, the brake valve not only causes
both the auxiliary and emergency reservoirs to be opened to the
brake cylinders, but also causes a valve to vent the trainline to
ambient at that specific car, rather than having to drain all the
way back to the locomotive. The rapidity of the emergency brake
response is then a function of the distance between the valves that
vent, or "dump", the trainline to ambient. The American Association
of Railroads (AAR) standard S-401-92 requires that the length of
brake pipe between any two adjacent control valves not exceed 175
feet, to give desired emergency brake performance. A more equal
spacing of the brake valves leads to a more even time lapse between
successive brake valve actualizations and hence a more uniform
brake application from one car to the next. The term "uniform"
means that there is less time delay in the brake application from
one car to the next. This in turn results in less slack action in
the train.
[0009] Traditionally, brake valves and brake reservoirs have been
located on top of the end structure of the articulated well car
units. The need to maintain clearance from the noses of the highway
trailers, as noted above, requires a different placement. One
alternative is to locate the brake valve in the space between the
car units, above an articulation truck. However, the space
available tends to be limited by the requirement that the cars be
able to follow a 180' bend radius.
[0010] In light of the foregoing, there is a need for a multiple
unit articulated railcar that can satisfy the twin requirements
that the brake valves and brake reservoirs not interfere with
overhanging highway trailers that can fit in the very restrictive
space between adjacent intermediate units and that they not be
separated by more than 175 feet.
[0011] The U-shaped section of the car is generally made up of a
pair of spaced apart left and right hand side beams, and structure
between the side beams to hold up whatever load is placed in the
well, and to carry shear between the beams under lateral loading
conditions.
[0012] In earlier types of well car the side beams tended to be
made in the form of a single, large beam. While simple in concept,
they were often wasteful, having a large weight of material in
locations where stress may have been low. It is advantageous to
design a sill in the form of a hollow section, of relatively thin
walls, and to provide local reinforcement where required. It is
also advantageous that the hollow section be formed at the mill as
a hollow tube or roll-formed section where possible, rather than
welded.
[0013] This often yields a saving in effort, may permit the use of
a higher yield stress steal, and may also reduce the number of
stress concentrations in the resulting structure. As the wall
thickness decreases the prospect of buckling under buff loads
increases, and measures to increase stiffness and hence to increase
the buckling load would be advantageous. It would also be
advantageous to provide protection for the sills to discourage
damage to the sills due to clumsy loading of trailers or
containers.
[0014] In the past one method of dealing with areas of higher
flange stresses in the side construction stress concentration was
to use a member of greater weight. As the thickness of structural
members is reduced it would be advantageous to transfer loads from
the railcar trucks to the bolsters, and thence to the side sills,
more smoothly to discourage or reduce stress concentrations. One
way to do this is to increase the depth of section at the bolster,
with a consequent increase in height of the end decking.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] In a first aspect of the present invention there is a main
bolster for an articulation connection end of a railcar unit of an
articulated railcar. The bolster is positionable to extend
laterally to both sides of a central sill for mounting an
articulation connector, and the bolster has a relief formed therein
for accommodating a brake valve.
[0016] In an additional feature of that aspect of the invention the
bolster has a distal end most distant from the center sill, and a
foremost side for placement generally facing a main bolster of an
adjacent railcar unit. The relief is formed in the foremost side
adjacent the distal end. In a further additional feature bolster
has a tapered portion is adjacent its tip.
[0017] In another aspect of the invention there is a railcar unit
of an articulated railcar. The railcar unit has at least one
articulation connection end. The railcar unit comprises a sill for
mounting an articulated connector, and a main bolster having arms
extending laterally from the sill. At least one of the arms has a
relief formed therein for accommodating a brake valve.
[0018] In an additional feature of this aspect of the invention,
the articulated end includes a shear plate mounted below the
bolster, a lateral reinforcement mounted to the shear plate, and a
pair of protruding load bearing arms extending longitudinally
therefrom on either side of the sill. The relief is located
outboard of one of the load bearing arms. In a further additional
feature, the reinforcement is mounted above the bolster and the
reinforcement has another relief corresponding to the relief of the
bolster.
[0019] In a further additional feature of that aspect of the
invention, the railcar unit is a well car unit. It has a well in
which the wheels of a highway trailer can be placed with the nose
of the highway trailer overhanging the articulation connection end
in a space defined as a clearance envelope. The brake valve is
mounted at least partially within the relief with all of the brake
valve lying outside the envelope.
[0020] In a further additional feature of that aspect of the
invention, the railcar unit further comprises a pair of
longitudinal side walls. It has emergency and service reservoirs
for its brakes. At least one of the service brake and emergency
reservoirs is mounted to one of the side walls. In a further
feature of that additional feature, the service reservoir is
mounted to one of the side walls and the emergency reservoir is
mounted to the other side wall.
[0021] In an alternative additional feature of that aspect of the
invention, the railcar unit has a pair of end structures each for
mounting to a railcar truck, and a pair of side beams extending
between the end structures. Each of the beams has a top chord and a
lower sill. A brake valve is mounted at least partially within the
relief. Service and emergency brake reservoirs are connected to the
brake valve and mounted to at least one of the beams.
[0022] In a further additional alternative feature of that aspect
of the invention, each of the top chords is formed of a hollow
section having an inboard portion and an outboard portion. Each
beam has a web connected between the inboard portion and the lower
sill. The web has an outboard face. At least one of the service and
emergency reservoirs is mounted to one of the outboard faces and is
at least partially overhung by the top chord.
[0023] In a further alternative additional feature of the invention
the railcar unit is a well car unit having a well for receiving the
wheels of a highway trailer, such that the nose of the highway
trailer overhangs the articulation connection end to define a
highway trailer clearance envelope. The railcar unit has a brake
valve mounted to lie at least partially within the relief. All of
the brake valve lies outside the envelope. The railcar unit has a
service brake reservoir and an emergency brake reservoir mounted
thereto outside the envelope.
[0024] In another alternative additional feature of that aspect of
the invention, the railcar unit is a well car unit. It has a well
for receiving the wheels of a highway trailer, such that the nose
of that highway trailer overhangs said articulation connection to
define a highway trailer clearance envelope. The well car unit has
a pair of end structures each for mounting to a railcar truck. A
pair of side beams extend between the end structures.
[0025] Each of the beams has a top chord, a lower sill, and a web
extending between the top chord and the lower sill. Each web has an
outboard face. A brake valve is mounted to the railcar unit at
least partially within the relief and completely outside the
envelope. A service brake reservoir is connected to the brake valve
and mounted to the outboard face of one of the webs. An emergency
brake reservoir is connected to the brake valve and mounted to the
outboard face of the other web. The top chord of one beam at least
partially overhangs the service brake reservoir. The top chord of
the other beam at least partially overhangs the emergency
reservoir.
[0026] In another aspect of the invention, there is a well car unit
of an articulated railcar.
[0027] It comprises a pair of end structures, at least one of the
end structures being an articulation connection end for connection
to an articulation truck. It has a well capable of receiving the
wheels of at least one size of highway trailer, the size of the
noses of the sizes of highway trailer which the well is capable of
receiving defining a nose overhang clearance envelope relative to
said articulation connection end. The railcar includes a brake
cylinder for actuating the brake of said well car unit. A brake
valve is connected to control the brake cylinder and is mounted to
the well car unit within half the length of the well car unit from
the articulation connection end. A service brake reservoir is
connected to the brake valve. An emergency brake reservoir is
connected to the brake valve. The service and emergency brake
reservoirs are mounted to the well car unit to lie outside the
envelope.
[0028] In an additional, alternative feature of that aspect of the
invention, the well car unit has a pair of side beams extending
longitudinally between the end structures to define sides of the
well. The service reservoir is mounted to one of the sides and the
emergency reservoir is mounted to the other.
[0029] In a further alternative additional feature of that aspect
of the invention, the well car unit has a pair of side beams
extending longitudinally between the pair of end structures to
define sides of the well. The beams have an outboard face. The
service reservoir is mounted to the outboard face of one of the
beams and the emergency reservoir is mounted to the outboard face
of the other. In a further alternative feature of that additional
feature, each of the beams has a top chord, a lower sill and a web
joining the top chord and the lower sill. The top chord overhangs
the one of the service and emergency reservoirs mounted to the
beam.
[0030] In a further alternative additional feature of that aspect
of the invention, the brake valve is mounted to one of the end
structures and the reservoirs are mounted to the well car unit
closer to the brake valve than to the other end structure.
[0031] In a still further aspect of the invention, there is an
articulated railcar having at least two articulated railcar units
sharing an articulation truck and each having an articulation
connection end connected to the truck. At least one of the railcar
units is a well car unit. It has a well, and a pair of end
structures at opposite ends of thereof The well is capable of
receiving the wheels of at least one size of highway trailer. The
sizes of the noses of the sizes of highway trailer which the well
is capable of receiving define a nose overhang clearance envelope
relative to the articulation connection ends of the railcar units.
At least one of the railcar units has a brake cylinder for
operating a brake of the railcar. At least one of the railcar units
has a brake valve connected to control operation of the brake
cylinder. The brake cylinder valve is mounted to the one railcar
unit less than half the length of that railcar unit from the
articulation connection end. At least one of the railcar units has
a service brake reservoir connected to the brake valve. At least
one of the railcar units has an emergency brake reservoir connected
to the brake valve. The brake valve, service brake reservoir and
emergency brake reservoir are all mounted to the railcar in
positions lying outside the envelope.
[0032] In an additional feature of that aspect of the invention,
the railcar has another brake valve mounted thereto less than 175
feet from the other brake valve.
[0033] In a still further aspect of the invention, there is a
railcar unit comprising a pair of ends mounted to railcar trucks,
and intermediate structure connecting the. A service brake
reservoir and an emergency brake reservoir are separately mounted
to the railcar unit.
[0034] In an alternative, additional feature of that aspect of the
invention, the intermediate structure includes a pair of side walls
extending longitudinally between the ends. The service and
emergency brake reservoirs are each mounted to one of the side
walls. In a further, additional alternative feature, the service
brake reservoir is mounted to one of the sidewalls and the
emergency brake reservoir is mounted to the other.
[0035] In yet another further aspect of the invention, there is an
articulated railcar having at least two articulated railcar units.
Each of the units has an articulation connection end.
[0036] Each of the ends has a central sill and an articulated
connector mounted therein. The railcar units share a railcar truck
to which the articulated connectors are mounted. Each unit has a
main bolster extending laterally of its respective central sill. At
least one of the bolsters has a relief formed therein to
accommodate a brake valve between the bolsters.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] For a better understanding of the present invention and to
show more clearly how it may be carried into effect, reference will
now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings, which
show an apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the
present invention and in which:
[0038] FIG. 1a is a plan view of an articulated railcar having
three articulated well car units.
[0039] FIG. 1b is a side view of the articulated railcar of FIG.
1a.
[0040] FIG. 1c is an enlarged plan view of one end unit of the
railcar of FIG. 1a.
[0041] FIG. 1d is an enlarged side view of the end unit of FIG.
1c.
[0042] FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a side beam of the end unit
of FIG. 1c taken on `2-2`.
[0043] FIG. 3a shows a plan view of brake lines for the railcar of
FIG. 1a at the articulation end of the railcar unit, with railcar
structure shown in dashed lines.
[0044] FIG. 3b shows a plan view of brake lines for the railcar of
FIG. 1a at the connection end of the railcar unit, with railcar
structure shown in light phantom lines.
[0045] FIG. 4a shows a side view of brake lines for the railcar of
FIG. 1a at the articulation end of the railcar unit, with railcar
structure shown in light phantom lines.
[0046] FIG. 4b shows a side view of brake lines for the railcar of
FIG. 1a at the connection end of the railcar unit, with railcar
structure shown in dashed lines.
[0047] FIG. 5 shows a partial plan view near the connector end of a
railcar unit as shown in FIG. 1a.
[0048] FIG. 6 shows an end view of the skeleton of the end
structure of the railcar of FIG. 1a.
[0049] FIG. 7 shows a partial side view of the end structure of
FIG. 6.
[0050] FIG. 8a shows an enlarged plan view of a portion of the
railcar of FIG. 1c.
[0051] FIG. 8b shows an enlarged side view of a portion of the
railcar of FIG. 1c.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0052] The description of the invention is best understood by
reference to the Figures, in which some proportions have been
exaggerated for the purposes of conceptual illustration. Referring
to FIGS. 1a and 1b, an articulated rail car is shown generally as
20. It is made up of three articulated well car units, a first end
unit 22, an intermediate unit 24 and a second end unit 26 supported
on a pair of standard end trucks 28 and 30, and a pair of
articulated trucks 32 and 34 located between units 22 and 24, and
between units 24 and 26 respectively.
[0053] End unit 22 has a connector end structure, indicated
generally as 36, an articulation end structure indicated generally
as 38, and a well structure, indicated as 40, extending between
them. Well structure 40 has a pair of opposed side members in the
nature of left and right hand beam assemblies 42 and 44, held apart
by a floor assembly 50. Floor assembly 50 includes a central cross
beam such as cross beam 52 of floor assembly 50. Other cross beams
include a pair of medial cross beams are shown as 54 and 56 and a
pair of end cross beams 58 and 60. Between pairs of cross beams
floor assembly 50 has H-shaped force resolvers 62 and 64 each
having a force resolver cross member 70 connected to side beam
assemblies 42 and 44 respectively.
[0054] For the purposes of the present disclosure the floor
assemblies shown are all the same, whether considering the multiple
unit articulated railcar of FIGS. 1a and 1b, or the single unit
well car of FIGS. 1c and 1d. Referring to floor assembly 50 of unit
22, the spacing between main cross beam 52 and 28' medial cross
beams 54 and 56 is unequal to the spacing between 28' medial cross
beams 54 and 56 and 40' end cross beams 58 and 60. Four ISO 40'
container cones located on 40' cross beams 58 and 60 are indicated
as 72. The unequal pitch of the cross members is such that the well
structure 40 can accommodate either two ISO 20' containers, each
with one end located on cones 72, a single 40' ISO container, also
located on cones 72, a single 45' domestic container or a single
48' domestic container. Depending on the configuration of container
carried in well structure 40, unit 22 is designed also to support
an upper, stacked 40' ISO container, or single stacked 45', 48' or
53' domestic containers.
[0055] Force resolver cross members 70, 74, 76, and 78 are located
midway between each successive pair of cross beams. They have
either short floor panels, left handed ones designated as 80 and
right handed ones as 82, or long floor panels, left and right
handed ones designated as 84 and 86, respectively, welded to them.
Four floor panels are generously welded to each cross member to
form the H-shape shown. At each end of floor assembly 50 there is a
pair of load spreading struts 88 and 90. They transfer longitudinal
loads between end structures 36 and 38 and side beam assemblies 42
and 44 through end cross beams 58 and 60. Left and right hand cross
beam socket fittings 92 and 94 receive the ends of struts 88 and
90. Finally, at either end of floor assembly 50 left and right hand
floor panel extensions 96 and 98 are located between socket
fittings 92 and 94 and side sill assemblies 42 and 44. Floor panel
extensions 96 and 98 permit a 53' trailer to be carried in well
structure 40.
[0056] Side beam assembly 42, identical to side beam assembly 44,
has a top chord member 106 in the form of a hollow sectioned,
square steel tube 108 surmounted by a 1 inch thick top chord plate
110, with fillet welds all along the seams. At each section X'
shown in FIG. 1c plate 110 is supplanted by a thinner, 1/2 inch
thick plate 112. Returning to FIG. 2, a web 114 is mounted to, and
extends downwardly from, a lap joint against the inner face of
square steel tube 108 to meet lower side sill 116 in the form of a
1/2 inch thick angle iron 118 having a 7 3/8 inch vertical leg and
a 7 inch inwardly extending toe. A 1/2 inch thick reinforcement 120
is welded to the lower face of the toe of angle iron 118.
Stiffeners 122 in the form of steel channel sections, shown in FIG.
1d, are welded, toes inward, intermittently along the outside face
of side beam assembly 42 at locations corresponding to the
junctions of cross beams, such as cross beam 52, and spines such as
cross member 70.
[0057] At each end of railcar unit 22 loads carried in the floor
and in the side beam assemblies 42 and 44 are transferred to and
from either a railcar end connector 130 or an articulation end
connector 131. There are two primary load paths. The first load
path is from the connector into a stub sill 132, into a bolster 134
and a shear plate 136 and thence to beam assembly 42 or beam
assembly 44. The second load path is from connector 130 or 131,
through stub sill 132, along a downwardly curving and spreading
stub sill neck 138 into a spreader plate 140 and thence through
left and right hand struts 88 and 90 into floor assembly 50.
[0058] Care has been taken on each of these paths to reduce stress
concentrations that had formerly been found disadvantageous.
Considering FIG. 10a, which is typical, on the first path, lower
side sill 116 and web 114 end at a smoothly curved transition
flange 142 which extends to the longitudinal location of main body
bolster 134, Similarly, welded to the top of each of side beam
assemblies 40 and 42 is a tapered superior transition member 144
which extends from well beyond the transition of web 114 into beam
assembly 40 or 42, to the end of beam assembly 40 or 42. This
permits a deeper transition section over the wheel well allowance,
and a correspondingly better stress distribution. Further, it
permits, a deeper main bolster 134, and a deeper transition from
side sill assemblies 40 and 42 to bolster 134, with lower stress
levels generally, permitting a heavier loading generally. Superior
transition member 144 carries loads to bolster 134 and into a
reinforcing cross member 146 at the same level as male or female
side bearing arms 148 or 150 and allows those sliders to be at a
greater elevation from the rails, in turn permitting a heavier duty
articulated truck with greater load bearing capacity.
[0059] Examining FIG. 6 more closely, the skeleton members of
articulated truck end structure 38 include main bolster 134, which
extends laterally of stub sill 132. Stub sill 132 has a rectangular
cross section formed by a pair of stub sill sides, 154 and 156, a
bottom flange 158 which extends laterally beyond both stub sill
sides, and a false flange 160 welded between sides 154 and 156 to
form a socket for receiving the root of articulated connector 131.
Sides 154 and 156 extend rearwardly to form the sides of neck 138.
Bottom flange 158 also extends in a downwardly bent leg along the
lower edges of sides 154 and 156 to form the forward face of neck
138. Shear plate 138 is welded across the top edges of stub sill
sides 154 and 156 and the top of main bolster 134. The rearward
edge of shear plate 138 is bent downwardly to form forward bulkhead
166 of the well of railcar first end unit 22. In the particular end
structure shown, a pair of female side bearing arms are shown. Male
sliders could have been shown instead without altering the
principles of the invention provided that clearance for the
corresponding female bearing arms of the adjacent railcar unit is
maintained outboard of the male side bearing arms. Lateral
reinforcing member 146 is mounted to shear plate 164 above bolster
134. Both lateral cross member 146 and bolster 136 have a
longitudinal rake angle yielding a tapered outboard extremity. This
gives, in effect, a relief, indicated generally as 170. The male
bolster and bolster reinforcement of the adjacent railcar unit also
have an outboard relief, such that a brake valve 172 can be mounted
in the space of the relief, at a height such that the uppermost
extremity of brake valve 172 lies at a low enough level not to
interfere with the bottom side of a highway trailer nose clearance
envelope, whether that highway trailer nose is overhanging the end
structure from the well of the same railcar unit or from the
adjacent unit.
[0060] The brake system of the railcar unit are shown in FIGS. 3a,
3b, 4a and 4b, these drawings showing both the handbrake and
pnuematic systems in dark lines. A 1-1/4" trainline is indicated as
174. It extends from a railcar end coupling 176 along the outside
of side beam 42 to an articulation coupling 178, whence it is
joined by a flexible hose 180 that is coupled to the adjoining
trainline of the next articulated car unit. Brake valve 172 is
mounted in relief 170 of bolster 134, one corner being fixed
directly thereto, and another corner being mounted to a bracket 184
welded to female side arm 186. Bracket 184 is a chain hack. Each of
the articulated ends of the car has a pair of chain hack to permit
the articulated truck to be chained to the bodies of the adjacent
well car units. This allows the truck to be picked up with the car
clear of the wheels. This is convenient for changing out
wheels.
[0061] A 3/4" service reservoir brake line 188 joins, and permits
communication between, brake valve 172 and auxiliary, or service
reservoir 190. Service reservoir 190 is a 3500 cu. in. cylindrical
canister mounted in service reservoir brackets 192 to the outer
face of web 114 of side beam 42, falling at least partially within
the profile of top chord member 108. Similarly, a 3/4" emergency
reservoir brake line 194 joins, and permits communication between,
brake valve 172 and emergency reservoir 198, similarly mounted in
emergency reservoir mounting brackets 200 in the shadow of top
chord member 108 of side beam 44.
[0062] As noted above, the well car units each have well
structures, like end unit well structure 40, that are suitable for
carrying shipping containers or highway trailers, or a combination
load. Each end of the unit is equipped with a trailer hitch 206 or
208 for receiving the king pin of a highway trailer. The decking
adjacent to hitches 206 and 208 is kept clear of obstructions that
could interfere with carriage of highway trailers.
[0063] The overall length of the three car unit articulated railcar
of FIG. 1 between coupler centres is 191'-0 1/2", and 188'-5" over
the striker faces. A standard compound brake reservoir 210 is shown
mounted on the connector end of unit 26. The saddle bag placement
of service and emergency brake reservoirs 190 and 198, as described
above, on the outside faces of side beams 42 and 44 does not
impinge upon the space envelope required to permit overlength
highway trailers to be loaded in well 40. Similarly, the placement
of brake valve 172, as shown, is such that its uppermost
extremities lie clear of the highway trailer loading envelope, in
rebate 170. Rebate 170 is sufficiently large that brake valve 172
does not impede the motion of the car units during turns on a 180'
turn radius. The location of the brake reservoirs and brake valves
in relatively close proximity to each other is convenient.
[0064] Top chord member 108 could also be formed as a three sided
roll formed channel, or other shaped hollow or open section
channel, surmounted with a reinforcing plate such as plate 110. An
upwardly opening U-shaped channel with a with a thick plate welded
across the toes to form a closed section is one such alternative
embodiment. The use of a steel tube is considered advantageous
since such tube are readily available, and require less fabrication
effort on assembly.
[0065] Although the saddle bag reservoir configuration described is
preferred, other configurations of brake reservoirs can be
employed. For example, a larger number of reservoirs of smaller
diameter could be mounted to shear plate 138, provided always that
they do not interfere with clearance for the noses of the highway
trailer types the railcar unit is designed to carry. Similarly, a
single, long reservoir of the same, or similar, diameter to those
shown (roughly 10 1/2 inches) with an internal bulkhead, or
partition, could be mounted to one or the other of side beams 40 or
42. Alternatively, two separate reservoirs, as shown, could be
mounted to the same side of railcar unit 22. It would also be
possible, depending on space restrictions, to mount the reservoirs
inside the webs of the side beams, rather than outside, provided
they could be adequately protected from clumsy loading of cargo
into well 40. It is not necessary that reservoirs 190 and 198 be
mounted on the same railcar unit. They could, for example be
mounted on unit 24 and brake valve 172 mounted on unit 22. However,
notwithstanding the existence of numerous other possible
configurations, the more or less symmetrical saddle bag
configuration, on the outside face of the side beam webs, with the
top chords at least partially overhanging the reservoirs and with
the reservoirs mounted to the same unit as the brake valve, is
preferred for its simplicity, ease of installation, and access for
servicing and maintenance.
[0066] Although the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1c and described
above is preferred, the principles of the present invention are not
limited to this specific example which is given by way of
illustration. It is possible to make other embodiments that employ
the principles of the invention and that fall within its spirit and
scope as defined by the following claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *