The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 19, 1996
Filed:
Aug. 09, 1995
Robert J Sauer, Blackwood, NJ (US);
Charles L Van Auken, Dillsburg, PA (US);
John W Rudibaugh, West Chester, PA (US);
Pennsy Corporation, West Chester, PA (US);
Abstract
A telescoping bridge plate for auto rack railroad cars for supporting automobiles being driven between railroad cars comprises a top plate with corrugations providing top surfaces separated by grooves, with the top plate having an overlapping end portion and a locking end portion, a bottom plate with corrugations providing top surfaces which seat beneath the top surfaces of the top plate, and grooves which seat beneath the grooves of the top plate, with the bottom plate having an overlapping end portion and a locking end portion, and with the top plate overlapping end portion and the bottom plate overlapping end portion being in sliding overlapping engagement. A cross bar holds the top and bottom plates together and prevents them from separating vertically, and a bridge plate connector is mounted on the locking ends of the top and bottom plates to connect the bridge plates to adjacent auto rack railroad cars so that the bridge plate extends between the adjacent auto rack railroad cars and motor vehicles may be driven from one railroad car to another over the bridge plate to load or unload the autorack railroad cars.