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:
Feb. 11, 1997
Filed:
Sep. 25, 1995
Donald J Ehrlich, Lafayette, IN (US);
Rodney P Ehrlich, Monticello, IN (US);
Francis S Smidler, Lafayette, IN (US);
DeWayne B Williams, Lafayette, IN (US);
Wabash National Corporation, Lafayette, IN (US);
Abstract
A novel door structure is provided for each end of a railcar in an articulated train. The train includes a plurality of railcars which are coupled together and spaced apart from each other a small distance. The door structure can be easily opened and closed even though the railcars in the train are only spaced apart from each other a small distance. A first embodiment of the novel door structure includes first and second door members, each of which have first and second panels that are hingedly connected together, which are attached to each end of each railcar. The first panel of each door member is foldable relative to the second panel and the panels are movable to lie adjacent to a side wall of the railcar. Structure is provided for connecting the door members to the sides of the railcar and for allowing the panels to rotate relative to the side of the railcar. A second embodiment of the novel door structure includes first and second door members, wherein the first door member is positioned at an upper portion of the end of the railcar and is movable to a lower portion of the railcar end to open an upper portion of the railcar end, and the second door member is positioned at a lower portion of the railcar end and is movable to an upper portion of the railcar end to open a lower portion of the railcar end.