Acf Industries, Incorporated

Paul J Dumser

Laurence E Culligan

John A Krug

Richard J Wempe

William L Willis

William U Casseau

William T Deet

Bruce A Walter

A weld support (50) for use with a center sill assembly (16) for supporting a cradle pad (12) used to support the end of a railway tank car body (B). The center sill assembly includes first and second spaced apart side plates (18, 20) spaced to either side of the car body, and a top plate (28). The weld support comprises first and second support members (52, 54) installed on opposite sides of the assembly. A pocket (56) is formed in the center sill assembly on each side thereof. A respective weld support member is attached to the top plate adjacent the respective pockets, for the weld support members to extend above the upper surface of the top plate. The weld support members each provide a substantial contact surface with the cradle pad. Each weld support member also helps pool welding material in the respective pockets to effect a strong weld between the cradle pad and center sill assembly.

Weld support for railway tank car underbody construction

An underbody structure (10) supporting an end of a railway car body (B, B') cradled in a cradle pad (12, 12'). A center sill assembly (16) has first and second spaced apart side plates (18, 20) spaced to either side of the longitudinal centerline of the car body. A top plate (28) extends along the center sill assembly, the width of the top plate corresponding to the width between the side plates. The top plate is attached to the side plates to form part of the center sill assembly. A weld support (50) is installed on both sides of the assembly. Part of the respective side plates and top plate are cut-away at the junction formed between to form a pocket (56) in which welding material pools. Weld support members (52, 54) are attached to the top plate adjacent the pockets. The weld supports provide a substantial contact surface between the center sill assembly and the cradle pad. Each weld support helps dam the pooled welding material so it is available to effect a strong and durable weld between the cradle pad and center sill assembly. This allows the tank car to carry heavier loads than could previously be carried.

Increased strength railway tank for underframe construction and method

An improved railway car underbody support structure and method for economically constructing same. The structure includes a center sill assembly having a pair of vertically disposed side plates spaced equidistant from the longitudinal center line of the car body and extending from a coupler longitudinally inboard to a wheeled truck assembly. The truck assembly carries two laterally spaced side bearing members for bearing the load of the car body during lateral tilting of the car body. One of the improved features is a unitary metal member cut from an economically patterned metal plate. The unitary members, which are themselves free of any weld lines which may crack under the extreme loads exerted on railway cars, are welded to the underside edge of a respective side plate and welded together beneath the center line of the car body. The unitary members act as, 1) a bottom side flange to stiffen the side plates, 2) a bottom cover plate to help integrate the still and 3) as a bottom bolster support which extends over a respective side bearing member. The invention also features a mini-bolster inwardly spaced from the main bolster to distribute the car body load through the still assembly; a unique side plate upper edge configuration and weld line placement; and a pair of reinforcing bars welded beneath the end of the car body on the inside vertical surfaces of respective side plates; all to provide improved structural underbody integrity and performance.

Railway car underbody structure and method

An eduction or siphon pipe in a railway tank car extends from adjacent a bottom sump area to a fitting in a top area of the car. The railway tank car has a generally curvilinear inner wall, and the eduction pipe is provided with a shape corresponding to the generally curvilinear inner wall and is supported in proximity thereto. This enables the eduction pipe to readily accommodate radial distortions of the railway tank car during transport. In addition, all (or substantially all) of the fluid commodity in the railway tank car can be withdrawn through the eduction pipe since the lower end thereof may be positioned in close proximity to the bottom sump without concern for radial distortion or deflection of the tank car.

Flexible siphon pipe for tank car

In accordance with the present invention, a railway tank car is provided with a tank car skid arrangement including a continuous tank cradle pad extending the full distance between the stub sills located at opposite ends of the car. The cradle pad is curved to follow the tank bottom contour. A reinforcing plate is rigidly attached to the cradle pad extending transversely and longitudinally outwardly on either side of at least one tank car bottom fitting (lading valve and/or sump) depending from the tank bottom. The reinforcing plate is preferably also curved to follow the contour of the cradle pad and the tank bottom. A tank car skid extending longitudinally and transversely of the bottom fitting is rigidly attached to the reinforcing plate. The skid includes opposite end portions which are welded to the tank and which extend downwardly and inwardly toward a center section which contains the bottom fitting. The skid preferably extends longitudinally of the tank at least three inches on each side of the projection for each one inch that the bottom fitting extends below the outer surface of the tank bottom.

Growing community of inventors

St. Charles County, MO, United States of America

Paul J Dumser