Acf Industries, Incorporated

James D Mundloch

Frederick E Vorwerk

Douglas C Ruhmann

William U Casseau

Ralph A Britton

A center stub sill railway tank car is disclosed having a generally cylindric, elongate tank. A center stub sill assembly is secured to the lower portion of the tank at each end thereof for transferring longitudinal train and lading loads between the tank and the center stub sill assembly. A bolster assembly is secured to the center stub sill and extends transversely of the car. An improved cradle assembly is secured to the lower end portion of the tank for reinforcing the tank bottom in the area of the center stub sill, the cradle assembly having an arcuate cradle extending at least in part circumferentially upwardly from the bottom centerline of the tank generally at the longitudinal position of the bolster assembly, and an upwardly facing hat section elongate cradle secured to the bottom end of the tank and extending inboard from the cradle. The center stub sill has vertical flanges extending inwardly from the bolster assembly on the outside of the hat section shaped cradle pad and welded thereto so as to transmit loading between the cradle pad and the center stub sill assembly.

Center stub still railway tank car construction

A railway hopper car (200) includes a filament wound fiberglass car body having side walls (202, 204) integral with a roof (208), preferably also formed of a filament wound fiberglass. The fiberglass side walls are connected to longitudinally extending side sills (220, 222) preferably made of steel which extend along each side of the car. The car body includes laterally spaced top sills (226) preferably of fiberglass connected to the fiberglass sides. The car is divided into a plurality of hoppers by transverse bulkheads (244, 246, 248) which are conveniently formed of sandwich panels of wood or wood fibers with fiberglass facings. Hopper slope sheets (258, 260, 262, 264, 266, 268) and end slope sheets (304, 306) are also conveniently formed of sandwich panels of wood or wood fibers with fiberglass facings. Metallic stub sills (282) are located at each end of the car and a metallic shear plate (292) at each end of the car extends transversely of the car to transfer coupler loads from the stub sill to the side sills. The fiberglass body is cut away at lower end portions (340) to avoid direct engagement of the car body with the stub sill and the shear plate. The coupler loads are transferred through the shear plate (292) to the side sills (220, 222) and direct loading of the fiberglass car body with coupler loads is substantially reduced.

Filament wound railway hopper car

Large metal plates (120) located on each side of a railway hopper car are used to connect the hopper slope sheets (102, 104) to the car body sides (16) and longitudinally extending side sills (112). The large plates are generally 'U' shaped and include legs (124, 126) which extend downwardly from the joint between the transverse bulkheads (14) and the slope sheets downwardly along each of the slope sheets. The plates are connected to the car body sides (16) to a smaller side sill reinforcing plate (121) and the side sill (112) with mechanical fasteners (128, 129) such as Huck bolts. The plate includes flange portions (132, 134) extending inwardly from the car body sides containing openings or slots (132, 134) to receive transversely extending reinforcements (140), preferably I beams (142, 142') which reinforce the hopper slope sheets and which are held in place adjacent, but spaced from, the car body sides and side sill with gussets (146) integrally connected to the large plates. Preferably an angle (160) located below the bulkhead slope sheet joint which extends transversely of the car is integrally connected to upper portions of the plate. Clearance (152) is provided between the legs of the plate and the slope sheets and resilient material (154) is located between the legs of the plate and the slope sheets to more evenly distribute loads between the car body sides, side sill, and the hopper slope sheets.

Hopper slope sheet support and connecting means

Bulkhead supports (18) are integrally connected to opposite side portions of a filament wound hopper car body (16). The bulkhead supports include longitudinally spaced extensions (20, 22) extending inwardly from the car body sides. The transverse bulkheads (14) are located within the extensions on either side of the car with longitudinal clearance (31). Resilient bulkhead cushioning members (32) are located between the bulkhead and each extension. The resilient bulkhead cushioning members extend only a short distance transversely to reduce or substantially eliminate the introduction of bending moments into the car body sides when the transverse bulkheads are subjected to lading loads.

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Florissant, MO, United States of America

James D Mundloch