Acf Industries, Incorporated

Other

Eugene J Cordani

Frederick E Vorwerk

Richard H Dugge

James C Hammonds

A high volume covered railway hopper car is disclosed which has vertical end walls so as to fully utilize the space over the trucks of the car for lading volume. An automatic pneumatic unloading system is provided so as to unload a pulverant lading from the end compartments or hoppers, as well as the center, of the car, thus eliminating the necessity of sloped end sheets. A pneumatic loading system is provided which permits loading from below and thus permits the elimination of hatches, walkways, and the like on the roof of the car so as to permit the roof to extend substantially the full extent of AAR height clearances thereby to further maximize the lading volume of the car.

High volume covered hopper car with loading from below and automatic

A railroad car (12) has a set (B1) of brakes acting on wheels (W1) at one end of the car and a set (B2) of brakes acting on wheels (W2) at the opposite end of the car. A mechanism (38) for applying a brake force produced by operation of a hand brake (HB) includes a force splitter (40) interconnected with the hand brake and one set (B1) of wheels to transmit the brake force to this set of brakes. A first torque unit (54) is interconnected with the force splitter to transfer the brake force from one end of the car to the other. A second torque unit (74) is interconnected with the first torque unit and the other set (B2) of brakes to transmit the brake force to this other set of brakes. Application of both sets of brakes in response to operation of the hand brake prevents movement of the car.

Hand brake mechanism including force dividing assembly

An articulated truck center connection of known construction joins extensions extending in opposite directions from the transverse center of adjacent car end portions to the center plate of a truck supporting the adjacent ends of the cars. A pair of side bearings are mounted on the truck bolster on opposite sides of the articulated center connection. Each side bearing includes a rectangular channel or tube mounted on the truck and a first bearing surface which receives a first extension from one adjacent car end. The first extension is free to slide horizontally on the first bearing. The channel or tube extends above the first bearing surface and a second extension from the other adjacent car includes a depending bearing member which rests upon and is supported by the first bearing member. A pivot allows the second car end to rotate vertically about the center connection as the cars transverse vertical inclines. The depending member is free to slide upon the upper surface of the first bearing member as the second car end rotates horizontally relative to the truck.

Constant contact side bearing for articulated rail cars

A container car is provided having a depressed center section for carrying bulk lading such as stacked containers. Transverse bulkheads at opposite ends of the car maintain bulk lading from moving longitudinally relative to the car. Side sills are provided on each side of the car of simple design which is easy to fabricate and assemble. The transverse bulkheads include supports which transfer lading loads from the upper portion of the bulkhead down into the side sill and into the end portion of the car, and also transmit longitudinal impact and squeeze loads between the end portion of the car and the side sills in the center section.

Stacked container well hole gondola car

A railway flat car is provided including a center sill extending throughout the length of the car. A deck is attached to the center sill, and a side sill assembly is connected at opposite sides of the car to the deck. The side sill assembly includes an upper side sill member adjacent the deck and a depending vertically inclined first plate attached to the upper side sill member. The first plate is attached to crossbearers in the car in the main body of the car and at opposite end portions of the car. The first plate is foreshortened at least in the bolster-truck area of the car. The side sill assembly further includes on either side of the bolster-truck area of the car and through the bolster-truck area of the car, a second vertical plate transversely spaced from the first plate. At least one and preferably a pair of caps are attached to the lower portion of the second plate, preferably on opposite sides of the second plate. Because of the caps the neutral axis of the side sill assembly is located downwardly from the upper side sill member. The caps have a combined cross section sufficient to carry a significant portion of the longitudinal and vertical loads applied to the car in the bolster-truck area. Lower cover plates may be attached to the caps and the second plate and triangular end plates applied transversely to the first plate, second plate and the end of the caps. A significant portion of the longitudinal and vertical loads are transferred from the center sill outwardly to the side sill assemblies by crossbearers on one side of the bolster-truck area and are transferred back to the center sill on the other side of the bolster-truck area.

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Florissant, MO, United States of America

Eugene J Cordani