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:
Mar. 18, 2003
Filed:
Jan. 22, 2002
Christopher D. Hepburn, Valparaiso, IN (US);
Peter R. Manyek, Highland, IN (US);
Richard W. Rentschler, Griffith, IN (US);
Stanrail Corporation, Gary, IN (US);
Abstract
A railroad car roof panel and skylight assembly. The assembly includes a rectangular metal roof panel. A pair of corrugations are formed in the roof panel with the corrugations extending longitudinally of the roof panel and spaced apart from one another transversely across the roof panel. A pair of light holes are formed in the roof panel between the corrugations. The light holes are positioned longitudinally of each other with each of the light holes having an inner edge. A translucent plastic window is located above each light hole. Each transparent window has a shape similar to but larger than the shape of its light hole and is positioned to overlie the inner edge of its light hole. The transparent plastic window may be planar or dome shaped. A ring shaped gasket formed of an elastomer such as EPDM has an annulus of rectangular transverse cross section with a thickness greater than that of the translucent window. The gasket also has an integrally outwardly extending brim which is thinner than the annulus. An inwardly opening groove is formed in the annulus with the groove sized to receive an edge of the translucent plastic window. An annular clamp ring is positioned on the ring shaped gasket. The clamp ring has a first portion engaging the annulus and a second offset portion engaging the brim of the gasket. A series of swaged lockbolts extend through the metal roof panel and the clamp ring to clamp the gasket and translucent plastic window there between.