Patents by Inventor Michael J. Rench
Michael J. Rench has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 7278359Abstract: The invention is directed to a railway car for the transportation of semi-trucks. The railway car may have an interior defined by a support surface for the trucks, a pair of upstanding sidewalls, and a roof. End doors may be located at each end of the railway car for selectively permitting access to the interior thereof. The horizontal width at the ends of the railway car may be selected to permit the trucks to be loaded into the interior of the railway car.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2003Date of Patent: October 9, 2007Assignee: Trinity Industries, Inc.Inventors: Ralph Hartman Schorr, Robert J. Cencer, Robert C. Ortner, Jr., James M. Simpson, Michael J. Rench
-
Patent number: 7275488Abstract: A railway car for transportation of motor vehicles. The railway car may be articulated, comprising two or more units. The railway car may have end doors which are pivotally attached to the roof of the railway car. Flexible seals may be provided along the inner and outer edges of the end doors. Ventilation in the side walls of the railway car may be provided by small diameter perforations grouped at elevations near the top and bottom of each level. The side walls may be constructed by a combination of load bearing side wall panels which function as shear plates, and vertical posts. Protection for the door edges of motor vehicles being carried in the railway car may be provided by providing a plurality of parallel horizontal strips of a relatively soft material along the inside of each side wall on each level. A flexible enclosure may be provided between adjacent car units. A heat-reflecting corrosion-resistant coating may be provided on the galvanized steel corrugated roof to extend the life of the roof.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2001Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Assignee: Trinity Industries, Inc.Inventors: James E. Black, Jr., Andrew B. Eaker, Mark L. Litherland, Michael J. Rench, James C. Robertson, Ralph H. Schorr
-
Patent number: 6935245Abstract: The invention is directed to a railway car for the transportation of semi-trucks. The railway car may have an interior defined by a support surface for the trucks, a pair of upstanding sidewalls, and a roof. End doors may be located at each end of the railway car for selectively permitting access to the interior thereof. The horizontal width at the ends of the railway car may be selected to permit the trucks to be loaded into the interior of the railway car.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2001Date of Patent: August 30, 2005Assignee: TRN Business TrustInventors: Ralph Hartman Schorr, Robert J. Cencer, Robert C. Ortner, Jr., James M. Simpson, Michael J. Rench
-
Publication number: 20040016362Abstract: A tri-level railcar wherein the B deck is fixed along its entire length, rather than having hinged end sections, so that the B deck contributes to the strength and rigidity of the car. To provide sufficient clearance in the A1 and A5 positions, the B deck is positioned at a higher elevation than in conventional prior art auto rack cars. Clearances above each of the three decks may be approximately equal. High cambered decks are preferably employed at both the B and C level. The overall height of the railcar is preferably about 20′2″. All three decks may be continuously loaded and unloaded without the need to stop loading and unloading to pivot the B deck end sections. The ability of the B deck to function as a structural member of the railcar from end to end may eliminate the need for cross braces, i.e., brace bays, as included in typical prior art tri-level auto racks. The side wall posts may all be of the same or similar cross-section.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2003Publication date: January 29, 2004Applicant: TRN Business TrustInventors: Robert J. Cencer, Michael J. Rench
-
Publication number: 20040000253Abstract: The invention is directed to a railway car for the transportation of semi-trucks. The railway car may have an interior defined by a support surface for the trucks, a pair of upstanding sidewalls, and a roof. End doors may be located at each end of the railway car for selectively permitting access to the interior thereof. The horizontal width at the ends of the railway car may be selected to permit the trucks to be loaded into the interior of the railway car.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2003Publication date: January 1, 2004Inventors: Ralph Hartman Schorr, Robert J. Cencer, Robert C. Ortner, James M. Simpson, Michael J. Rench
-
Publication number: 20020035948Abstract: The invention is directed to a railway car for the transportation of semi-trucks. The railway car may have an interior defined by a support surface for the trucks, a pair of upstanding sidewalls, and a roof. End doors may be located at each end of the railway car for selectively permitting access to the interior thereof. The horizontal width at the ends of the railway car may be selected to permit the trucks to be loaded into the interior of the railway car.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2001Publication date: March 28, 2002Applicant: Thrall Car Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Ralph Hartman Schorr, Robert J. Cencer, Robert C. Ortner, James M. Simpson, Michael J. Rench
-
Publication number: 20010035109Abstract: A railway car for transportation of motor vehicles. The railway car may be articulated, comprising two or more units. The railway car may have end doors which are pivotally attached to the roof of the railway car. Flexible seals may be provided along the inner and outer edges of the end doors. Ventilation in the side walls of the railway car may be provided by small diameter perforations grouped at elevations near the top and bottom of each level. The side walls may be constructed by a combination of load bearing side wall panels which function as shear plates, and vertical posts. Protection for the door edges of motor vehicles being carried in the railway car may be provided by providing a plurality of parallel horizontal strips of a relatively soft material along the inside of each side wall on each level. A flexible enclosure may be provided between adjacent car units. A heat-reflecting corrosion-resistant coating may be provided on the galvanized steel corrugated roof to extend the life of the roof.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2001Publication date: November 1, 2001Applicant: Thrall Car Manufacturing CompanyInventors: James E. Black, Andrew B. Eaker, Mark L. Litherland, Michael J. Rench, James C. Robertson, Ralph H. Schorr
-
Patent number: 6289822Abstract: A railway car for transportation of motor vehicles. The railway car may be articulated, comprising two or more units. The railway car may have end doors which are pivotally attached to the roof of the railway car. Flexible seals may be provided along the inner and outer edges of the end doors. Ventilation in the side walls of the railway car may be provided by small diameter perforations grouped at elevations near the top and bottom of each level. The side walls may be constructed by a combination of load bearing side wall panels which function as shear plates, and vertical posts. Protection for the door edges of motor vehicles being carried in the railway car may be provided by providing a plurality of parallel horizontal strips of a relatively soft material along the inside of each side wall on each level. A flexible enclosure may be provided between adjacent car units. A heat-reflecting corrosion-resistant coating may be provided on the galvanized steel corrugated roof to extend the life of the roof.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 1998Date of Patent: September 18, 2001Assignee: Thrall Car Manufacturing CompanyInventors: James E. Black, Jr., Andrew B. Eaker, Mark L. Litherland, Michael J. Rench, James C. Robertson, Ralph H. Schorr
-
Patent number: 5829360Abstract: An auto rack car has an improved door locking mechanism for heightened security in auto rack car doors which rely on upper and lower lock assemblies for security. The improved locking mechanism is lightweight and inexpensive and is adaptable for retrofit installation to lock assemblies which are currently in use on auto rack cars. The locking mechanism thus provides a commercially viable means to prevent unauthorized intrusions into the car involving unlocking of an upper lock assembly and subsequent flexure of the door while a lower lock assembly remains locked.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 1997Date of Patent: November 3, 1998Assignee: Thrall Car Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Michael J. Rench, Eric M. Wrobley
-
Patent number: 5765486Abstract: A railway car for transportation of motor vehicles. The railway car may be articulated, comprising two or more units. The railway car may have end doors which are pivotally attached to the roof of the railway car. Flexible seals may be provided along the inner and outer edges of the end doors. Ventilation in the side walls of the railway car may be provided by small diameter perforations grouped at elevations near the top and bottom of each level. The side walls may be constructed by a combination of load bearing side wall panels which function as shear plates, and vertical posts. Protection for the door edges of motor vehicles being carried in the railway car may be provided by providing a plurality of parallel horizontal strips of a relatively soft material along the inside of each side wall on each level. A flexible enclosure may be provided between adjacent car units. A heat-reflecting corrosion-resistant coating may be provided on the galvanized steel corrugated roof to extend the life of the roof.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 1995Date of Patent: June 16, 1998Assignee: Thrall Car Manufacturing CompanyInventors: James E. Black, Jr., Andrew B. Eaker, Mark L. Litherland, Michael J. Rench, James C. Robertson, Ralph H. Schorr
-
Patent number: 5657698Abstract: A pivot plate assembly for supporting vehicles over the articulation between pivotably interconnected railway car units, and allowing rolling transport of vehicles from one railway car unit to the next. Platforms are pivotably attached to respective railway car units adjacent their interconnected ends. A vehicle has its front end portion secured to one of the pivotal platforms and its rear end portion secured to the other platform while the platforms are oriented collinearly with respect to one another. The vehicle thereby maintains the pivotal platforms collinear with one another as the railway car units pivot with respect to one another. Accordingly, the pivotal platforms remain substantially stationary with respect to the vehicle supported thereon throughout pivotal movement of the railway car units to stably support the vehicle straddling the articulation between pivotably interconnected railway car units during transport.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 1995Date of Patent: August 19, 1997Assignee: Thrall Car Manufacturing CompanyInventors: James E. Black, Jr., Donald J. Blunden, Michael J. Rench, Ralph H. Schorr
-
Patent number: 4979856Abstract: Transportation equipment having at least one deck for supporting and transporting four-wheel vehicles such as automobiles and trucks; at least one track secured to the deck; the track having a pair of substantially upwardly extending spaced apart surfaces; chock blocks for a vehicle transported on the deck to secure the vehicle against longitudinal movement; each chock block having a horizontal first member which nests with the track and is quickly removable from such nesting arrangement by upward displacement; each chock block having a second member substantially horizontally positioned and permanently laterally joined to the first member; the second member having a sufficient length to extend along, and terminate beyond, the tread face of a tire of a vehicle located along side the track; and the chock block having a lock for removably securing the first member to the track, when in nesting position therewith, to prevent the chock block from horizontal movement along the track and upward movement from the trType: GrantFiled: January 16, 1990Date of Patent: December 25, 1990Assignee: Thrall Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Donald J. Blunden, Michael J. Rench
-
Patent number: 4838743Abstract: Transportation equipment having at least one deck for supporting and transporting four-wheel vehicles such as automobiles and trucks; at least one track secured to the deck; the track having a pair of substantially upwardly extending spaced apart surfaces; chock blocks for a vehicle transported on the deck to secure the vehicle against longitudinal movement; each chock block having a horizontal first member which nests with the track and is quickly removable from such nesting arrangement by upward displacement; each chock block having a second member substantially horizontally positioned and permanently laterally joined to the first member; the second member having a sufficient length to extend along, and terminate beyond, the tread face of a tire of a vehicle located along side the track; and the chock block having a lock for removably securing the first member to the track, when in nesting position therewith, to prevent the chock block from horizontal movement along the track and upward movement from the trType: GrantFiled: March 9, 1988Date of Patent: June 13, 1989Assignee: Thrall Car Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Donald J. Blunden, Michael J. Rench