Vehicle transporting railroad car with hinged deck section lock

Abstract

A railroad car for transporting vehicles comprising a first deck having side sills and being supported near each end by a railroad truck; a vertical side wall along each side of the car; each side wall including a plurality of spaced apart vertical columns having lower ends rigidly connected to each of the side sills; a second deck horizontally located above the first deck and rigidly connected to the columns; the second deck having a hinged section joined to each opposing end of a central portion, rigidly connected to the columns, to pivot about a horizontal axis; each hinged section being vertically pivotal and having an outer end with a lock attached to it to movably secure the outer end in upward and downward positions; each hinged section having side edges; a laterally movable, spring-biased rod along each hinged section side edge; the rod having a forward end extendable beyond the hinged section side edge into locking engagement with a retainer on the adjoining car wall; the rod forward end having outwardly sloping top and bottom flat surfaces; and the retainer having a sloped surface engageable with the rod top sloped surface, and the retainer having an upper sloped surface engageable with the rod bottom sloped surface. The spring progressively and continuously forces the rod farther and farther outwards when wear occurs between the retainer and rod surfaces, maintaining contact therebetween.