Underframes Patents (Class 105/413)
  • Publication number: 20150144025
    Abstract: A running gear frame for a rail vehicle, comprising a frame body. The frame body comprises two longitudinal beams and a transverse beam unit providing a structural connection between the longitudinal beams, such that a substantially H-shaped configuration is formed. Each longitudinal beam has a free end section forming a primary suspension interface. Each longitudinal beam has a pivot interface section associated to the free end section and forming a pivot interface for a pivot arm. Each longitudinal beam has an angled section associated to the free end section, the angled section being arranged such that the free end section forms a pillar section. The pivot interface section is integrated into to the angled section and the frame body is formed as a monolithically cast component made of a grey cast iron material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Cedric Zanutti
  • Patent number: 9022238
    Abstract: A railway vehicle has a cover for a front coupling of the railway vehicle. The cover is formed of at least one displaceable front hatch that can be displaced by a drive between an opened and a closed end position. A displacement of the at least one front hatch is guided such that the displacement takes place along a circular segment path about a rotary axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Udo Bremekamp, Gerhard Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20150096460
    Abstract: An end bodyshell of a railcar bodyshell includes: a pair of end posts provided at a width direction middle portion of the end bodyshell; corner posts respectively provided at both width direction end portions of the end bodyshell; an end plate to which upper portions of the end posts and upper portions of the corner posts are coupled; and an end-side end beam to which lower portions of the end posts and lower portions of the corner posts are coupled. The end-side end beam includes: a middle member connecting the end posts in the width direction; and two side members each connecting the end post and the corner post in the width direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiyuki HIRASHIMA, Shirou HONMA, Kei UCHIDA
  • Publication number: 20150047530
    Abstract: A railcar includes: a pair of side sills extending in a railcar longitudinal direction; end beams respectively located at railcar-longitudinal-direction end portions of the side sills to extend in a railcar width direction; bolster beams located at a railcar-longitudinal-direction inner side of the end beams to extend in the railcar width direction and respectively placed on bogies; center sills each located between the end beam and the bolster beam to extend in a railcar longitudinal direction; a plurality of cross beams located at a railcar-longitudinal-direction inner side of the bolster beams to extend in the railcar width direction; and a corrugated plate fixed to upper surfaces of the cross beams to be displaceable relative to the bolster beams in the railcar longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Hirashima, Shirou Honma, Hitoshi Nagahara
  • Publication number: 20150020709
    Abstract: Provided is rolling stock in which a center beam is formed of an upper plate part, a lower plate part, and a pair of side plate parts located on opposite sides of the upper plate part and the lower plate part into a rectangular tube cross-sectional shape. Each of the upper plate part and the lower plate part is formed by placing a plurality of plate members on each other, at least an outermost one of the plate members is formed in a flat plate shape, and a ridge portion projecting to a tube inner side is formed in a center portion, in the width direction, of the plate member located on an inner side such that the ridge portion is continuous in a longitudinal direction of the center beam, and which has an underframe capable of preventing the upper plate part and the lower plate part from buckling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: NIPPON SHARYO, LTD.
    Inventors: Kentaro Hayashi, Koji Nakao
  • Publication number: 20150000556
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a vehicle body. The method includes coupling a frame assembly to a platform, wherein the platform is in a cambered and unloaded condition, and wherein the frame assembly has a degree of play at coupling points with the platform and securing the coupling points to eliminate the degree of play and thereby to provide substantially zero residual stress in the vehicle body in the cambered condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Harold Kendall, Daniel Ganzer, Zuoguang Liu, Aiqin Jiang
  • Patent number: 8757067
    Abstract: A railroad well car includes a spaced trucks grouped in pairs, and a railcar body supported on a pair of the trucks, the body comprising a pair of spaced end structures, each end structure supported on one truck, and a well structure extending between the end structures. The well structure comprises a pair of top chord members extending between the end structures; a pair of side sills extending between the end structures; a pair of end chords extending between the side sills; four corner container support members, each secured to one end chord and one side sill; a plurality of floor beams extending between the side sills forming at least a portion of a floor for the well structure; and a plurality of side truss members extending between one side sill and one top chord on each side forming an open truss side for the well structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: JAC Operations, Inc
    Inventor: Keith Alan Miller
  • Patent number: 8757066
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for pivoting one or more front flaps (1a, 1b) of a track-guided vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle. To achieve that the front flap can be opened and closed without friction and that it does not have any visible joints, the invention provides that the device comprises at least one carrier element (2) which, on the one hand, is connected with the front flap (1a, 1b) and, on the other hand, with the vehicle undercarriage, wherein the carrier element (2) can be pivoted in the horizontal plane relative to the vehicle undercarriage, and which is designed to change, during the pivoting, the front flap (1a, 1b) from a closed position into an opened position and vice versa. Furthermore, the device comprises an activation element (3) which, on the one hand, is connected with the at least one carrier element (2) and, on the other hand, with the vehicle undercarriage for pivoting the at least one carrier element (2) relative to the vehicle undercarriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Heinisch, Reiner Krause
  • Publication number: 20140150688
    Abstract: There is provided a railcar including a under frame, paired side bodyshell parts, and a roof bodyshell part. Strap bar receiving parts hanging downward from the roof bodyshell part are fixed to the roof bodyshell part. An upper horizontal member and a lower horizontal member are provided like bridges between the paired side bodyshell parts. The upper horizontal member and the lower horizontal member are disposed at an interval in a vertical direction and connected by connection pipes. The upper horizontal member is formed by a plurality of reinforcement pipes and the lower horizontal member is formed by a plurality of reinforcement pipes. At least one ends of the plurality of reinforcement pipes are fixed to the strap bar receiving parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicants: EAST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY, JAPAN TRANSPORT ENGINEERING COMPANY, KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Taguchi, Jin Kato, Aya Kojima, Keisuke Mizutani, Kenichi Koyama, Tetsuya Asaka, Takashi Ono, Takashi Azuma
  • Patent number: 8739705
    Abstract: An autorack railroad car has an underframe that, in contrast to the prior art, has a straight-through center sill that is shallower, and of diminished geometry-based sectional properties generally, in the middle portion between the trucks than at the end portions at either the draft sills at the draft gear or at the truck centers. The bottom flange of the center sill is carried at a constant height from end to end, and is free of kinks in elevation. In the mid-span portion of the car, from truck center to truck center, the center sill is shallower in section than the side sills. The bottom flange of the center sill is carried at a height that corresponds to, or is higher than, the height of the lower flanges of the side sills, such that the cross-bearer arms are shallow, and the bottom flanges of the cross-bearer arms are substantially level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: National Steel Car Limited
    Inventors: Davood Rezaei, James W. Forbes, Jamal Hematian
  • Publication number: 20140083321
    Abstract: A railcar includes a heat-resistant floor, and the heat-resistant floor includes a floor panel, a heat absorbing layer provided under the floor panel and configured to absorb heat, and a supporting plate configured to support the heat absorbing layer from below. The supporting plate includes contacting portions each configured to contact the heat absorbing layer and separated portions each continuously formed from the contacting portion in a railcar width direction, separated downward from the heat absorbing layer, and extending in a railcar longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Eiichi Kato, Chihiro Okayama, Seiichi Hayashi, Osamu Muragishi, Yuji Kamei, Shuichi Mizuma
  • Patent number: 8646391
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rail vehicle for driving operation on track systems with ballast permanent way. The invention is to effectively avoid or at least significantly reduce an agglomeration of snow and ice in cavities of the vehicle underfloor. For this purpose it is provided that the rail vehicle in the region of its underfloor comprises at least one flexible membrane which spans hollow spaces which are positioned open towards the track systems or support frame structures of the underfloor of the rail vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignees: DB Fernverkehr AG, Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schmidt, Dieter Fastnacht, Alfred Krumpf, Juergen Kupies, Kasper Schroeder-Bodenstein, Maik Scholz
  • Patent number: 8607713
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for pivoting one or more nose flaps of a track-guided vehicle, a railway vehicle in particular. It is hereby provided for the device to comprise at least one supporting frame (10) connected or connectable to the vehicle undercarriage and at least one actuating device connected on one side to the at least one supporting frame (10) and on the other to the pivotable nose flap (1a; 1b) for pivoting the nose flap (1a; 1b) relative to the supporting frame (10) from a closed state into an opened state and vice versa, wherein the actuating device comprises at least one lifting spindle drive (30a, 32a; 30b, 32b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Denny Scholz
  • Publication number: 20130263757
    Abstract: An autorack railroad car has an underframe that, in contrast to the prior art, has a straight-through center sill that is shallower, and of diminished geometry-based sectional properties generally, in the middle portion between the trucks than at the end portions at either the draft sills at the draft gear or at the truck centers. The bottom flange of the center sill is carried at a constant height from end to end, and is free of kinks in elevation. In the mid-span portion of the car, from truck center to truck center, the center sill is shallower in section than the side sills. The bottom flange of the center sill is carried at a height that corresponds to, or is higher than, the height of the lower flanges of the side sills, such that the cross-bearer arms are shallow, and the bottom flanges of the cross-bearer arms are substantially level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: National Steel Car Limited
    Inventors: Davood Rezaei, James W. Forbes, Jemal Hematian
  • Publication number: 20130180429
    Abstract: A carriage body for a rail vehicle, in particular for a high-speed train, said carriage body having a base and lateral walls that extend upwards on opposing sides of the base. The base and the lateral walls delimit an interior of the carriage body for transporting persons and/or goods. A longitudinal support for transmitting longitudinal forces is located in each transitional region between the base and the lateral walls, said longitudinal support extending in the longitudinal direction of the carriage body. The carriage body has at least one undercarriage support that extends below the base from the one longitudinal support to the other longitudinal support, said undercarriage support extending partly at a distance to the base so that a space for receiving at least one device for operating the rail vehicle is formed between the undercarriage support and the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: BOMBARDIER TRANSPORTATION GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Schwiegel, Frank Rhode, Heiko Walluks, Christian Eichhorn, Olaf Lemcke
  • Publication number: 20130133547
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for pivoting one or more front flaps (1a, 1b) of a track-guided vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle. To achieve that the front flap can be opened and closed without friction and that it does not have any visible joints, the invention provides that the device comprises at least one carrier element (2) which, on the one hand, is connected with the front flap (1a, 1b) and, on the other hand, with the vehicle undercarriage, wherein the carrier element (2) can be pivoted in the horizontal plane relative to the vehicle undercarriage, and which is designed to change, during the pivoting, the front flap (1a, 1b) from a closed position into an opened position and vice versa. Furthermore, the device comprises an activation element (3) which, on the one hand, is connected with the at least one carrier element (2) and, on the other hand, with the vehicle undercarriage for pivoting the at least one carrier element (2) relative to the vehicle undercarriage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Heinisch, Reiner Krause
  • Publication number: 20130042788
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for pivoting one or more nose flaps of a track-guided vehicle, a railway vehicle in particular. It is hereby provided for the device to comprise at least one supporting frame (10) connected or connectable to the vehicle undercarriage and at least one actuating device connected on one side to the at least one supporting frame (10) and on the other to the pivotable nose flap (1a; 1b) for pivoting the nose flap (1a; 1b) relative to the supporting frame (10) from a closed state into an opened state and vice versa, wherein the actuating device comprises at least one lifting spindle drive (30a, 32a; 30b, 32b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventor: Denny Scholz
  • Patent number: 8356557
    Abstract: A rail vehicle having a car body, which is supported on a running gear by a spring device, and a rolling compensation device, which is coupled to the running gear and the car body. The rolling compensation device may be arranged kinematically in parallel to the spring device. The rolling compensation device counteracts rolling motions of the car body toward the outside of the curve about a rolling axis during travel in curves. The rolling compensation device, in order to increase the tilting comfort, is designed to impose, in a first frequency range and under a first transverse deflection of the car body, upon the car body, a first rolling angle about the rolling axis, which corresponds to a current curvature of a current section of track being travelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH
    Inventor: Richard Schneider
  • Publication number: 20120272858
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rail vehicle for driving operation on track systems with ballast permanent way. The invention is to effectively avoid or at least significantly reduce an agglomeration of snow and ice in cavities of the vehicle underfloor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicants: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, DB Fernverkehr AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schmidt, Dieter Fastnacht, Alfred Krumpf, Juergen Kupies, Kasper Schroeder-Bodenstein, Maik Scholz
  • Patent number: 8230792
    Abstract: A well car for carrying shipping containers has a pair of end structures supported by rail car trucks, a pair of first and second spaced apart side beams extending between the end structures and a well defined therebetween. A container support cross member is mounted between the side sills in a position to support an end of a shipping container load carried within the well. The container support cross member may be a monolithic beam member with a attachment fitting formed at an end thereof. The attachment fitting is connectable to a side sill at a moment connection. The remaining end of the cross member is similarly configured and connected to the second side sill. Each end of the cross member has load bearing surface portions which may be used for supporting a corner of a shipping container. The moment connections permit a bending moment to be carried by the cross member between the first and second side sills.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: National Steel Car Limited
    Inventor: Mohamed A. Khattab
  • Publication number: 20120137926
    Abstract: A rail vehicle having a car body, which is supported on a running gear by a spring device, and a rolling compensation device, which is coupled to the running gear and the car body. The rolling compensation device may be arranged kinematically in parallel to the spring device. The rolling compensation device counteracts rolling motions of the car body toward the outside of the curve about a rolling axis during travel in curves. The rolling compensation device, in order to increase the tilting comfort, is designed to impose, in a first frequency range and under a first transverse deflection of the car body, upon the car body, a first rolling angle about the rolling axis, which corresponds to a current curvature of a current section of track being traveled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: BOMBARDIER TRANSPORTATION GMBH
    Inventor: Richard Schneider
  • Publication number: 20120090501
    Abstract: A vehicle for multi-modal transportation includes a first frame and a second frame. Each frame includes beams spaced apart from and disposed substantially parallel to the frame's other beam. Each frame also includes a bogie connector that enables the frames to connect to bogies for transportation in a rail mode. The second frame is movable relative to the first frame between a full open position and a full closed position. A portion of the second frame's beams are concentrically nested in a portion of the first frame's beams to enable the second frame to move telescopically relative to the first frame between the full open position and the full closed position. The vehicle also includes an axle and wheels operatively secured to the first frame or the second frame for transportation in a highway mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventor: Thomas P. Kelly
  • Patent number: 7954437
    Abstract: A railroad well car includes a pair of spaced trucks, and a railcar body supported on the trucks, the body comprising a pair of spaced end structures, each end structure supported on one truck, and a well structure extending between the end structures. The well structure comprises a pair of top chord members extending between the end structures; a pair of side sills extending between the end structures; a pair of end chords extending between the side sills; four corner container support members, each secured to one end chord and one side sill at four corners of the well structure; a plurality of floor beams extending between the side sills forming at least a portion of a floor for the well structure; and a plurality of side truss members extending between one side sill and one top chord on each side forming an open truss side for the well structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Freightcar America, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith Alan Miller
  • Publication number: 20110005425
    Abstract: A railway car includes a railway car underframe having a first longitudinal side sill and a second longitudinal side sill with at least one sidewall assembly disposed along the first longitudinal side sill of the railway car underframe. The sidewall assembly is formed in part from a side sheet, an interior vertical support post, and an exterior vertical support post. A first end of the interior vertical support post and a first end of the exterior vertical support post are each respectively disposed adjacent to the first longitudinal side sill of the railway car underframe. The exterior vertical support post is coupled to an exterior surface of the side sheet. The interior vertical support post is coupled to an interior surface of the side sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: Trinity Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: George S. Creighton
  • Patent number: 7866267
    Abstract: A well car for carrying shipping containers has a pair of end structures supported by rail car trucks, a pair of first and second spaced apart side beams extending between the end structures and a well defined therebetween. A container support cross member is mounted between the side sills in a position to support an end of a shipping container load carried within the well. The container support cross member may be a monolithic beam member with a attachment fitting formed at an end thereof. The attachment fitting is connectable to a side sill at a moment connection. The remaining end of the cross member is similarly configured and connected to the second side sill. Each end of the cross member has load bearing surface portions which may be used for supporting a corner of a shipping container. The moment connections permit a bending moment to be carried by the cross member between the first and second side sills.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: National Steel Car Limited
    Inventor: Mohamed A. Khattab
  • Patent number: 7861659
    Abstract: A lightweight hopper car that includes one or more reinforcing members at specified locations, so that the hopper car has both a carrying capacity and a structural strength comparable to those of existing, heavier hopper cars. Specifically, the present application discloses that the hopper car may be reinforced at one or more locations including (i) at selective intersections between the center sill and slope sheets of cargo wells; (ii) between side slope sheets of adjacent cargo wells; (iii) at the junction between the side sheets and end slope sheets of the hopper car; and (iv) along the end combing seal between opposed carlines, if the hopper car is covered. In addition, the present application discloses a novel means of reinforcing side sheets of a rail car, including hopper cars, against the warping that commonly occurs when welding the side sheets at the car is fabricated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Gunderson LLC
    Inventors: Michael Gillis, Gregory J. Saxton, Marvin Gordon Rains
  • Patent number: 7856931
    Abstract: A center sill for inclusion in a center sill assembly of a railroad freight car. The center sill includes a first main structural member of metal plate bent to a three-sided shape including a bottom cover and a pair of side web portions, and a top cover plate fastened to the side web portions to form a box beam structure. Horizontal filler plates that may be of thicker material are fastened to the bottom cover portion at the ends. Stub sills may be attached to the ends of the center sill to form a center sill assembly for a freight car such as a hopper car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Gunderson LLC
    Inventor: Michael Gillis
  • Patent number: 7836831
    Abstract: The invention relates to a convoy comprising at least two intercoupled rail vehicles between which an adapter is arranged, said adapter including at least two interconnectable sets of bellows which are respectively provided with a plurality of frames, in addition to adapter sheets , and a support for the adapter sheets, that can be displaced on a sliding plate arranged between the rail vehicles above a coupling device . At least one anti-catching device is provided on the intercoupled end regions of the rail vehicles , said anti-catching devices extending essentially over the entire width of the vehicle, and the two rail vehicle are intercoupled by a spiral sleeve. The sliding plate is embodied as three parts, part of the sliding plate arranged on the spiral sleeve being detachably connected to the coupling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens AG Oesterreich
    Inventors: Clemens Eger, Georg Fleischmann
  • Publication number: 20100258031
    Abstract: A rail road car such as a double tub coal gondola car has a center sill that is narrow in the middle between the two tubs, and wider at the draft arms. The center sill has a transition section that provides a smooth, gradual transition between the respective bottom flange portions of the two without sharp changes in direction in the stress fields in tension and compression, and with little or no out of plane eccentricities in load path, and with a tendency to minimize or avoid local stress concentrations. The center sill includes a set of access apertures and corresponding bridges or ties that maintain the lateral halves of the center sill flange main portion in appropriate relationship to each other with respect to resistance to buckling. The tubs fasten mechanically to the sides of the center sill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: NATIONAL STEEL CAR LIMITED
    Inventor: James W. Forbes
  • Patent number: 7806058
    Abstract: A head brace and a method for attaching a stub sill to a tank of a railroad tank car by the use of such a head brace. A stub sill includes side plates having ears that extend upward to support the tank near where the head of the tank is attached, and a head brace is welded to the side plates and to the head of the tank in a weld joint that can be continuous along the head brace from the ears of the side plate to the center of the head brace. Doublers may be provided on the sill where the head brace is welded to the side plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Gunderson LLC
    Inventors: Gregory J. Saxton, John N. Niosi, Robert D. Woolston
  • Patent number: 7637217
    Abstract: This invention is a railway car and system to carry automobiles and load and unload them by drivers driving under a bridge-like opening to ramps through the car and centering the auto parallel to and under the car. A ramp or lift takes the auto up to floor level. The auto is driven, pulled or pushed to storage spaces on the train including up ramps which are hinged at the top and let down to tale vehicles between one or more upper levels or to tilt park the vehicle on the ramp. These ramps are pulled up with a vehicle chocked thereto to get the maximum practical number of vehicles on the railway car. The rail car can be loaded while stationary or while moving along an area paved flush with the rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Inventor: Leonard D. Barry
  • Publication number: 20090241799
    Abstract: A head brace and a method for attaching a stub sill to a tank of a railroad tank car by the use of such a head brace. A stub sill includes side plates having ears that extend upward to support the tank near where the head of the tank is attached, and a head brace is welded to the side plates and to the head of the tank in a weld joint that can be continuous along the head brace from the ears of the side plate to the center of the head brace. Doublers may be provided on the sill where the head brace is welded to the side plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Gregory J. Saxton, John N. Niosi, Robert D. Woolston
  • Publication number: 20090151596
    Abstract: This invention is a rail grade load/unload rail carrier with primary vertical load bearing sub-assemblies positioned above the carrier body floor. Carrier body sub-assemblies are vertical columns with stay cables attached to rail carrier bar joist sides. The design features carrier body floor elevation slightly above rail grade, and detachable rail wheel bogies outside the carrier body, to enable motor vehicle rail grade loading/unloading. Rail wheel bogie variants may be used for rail gage adaptation. Further, loaded motor vehicles provide rail carrier motive power; drive wheels protruding downward through carrier floor apertures to bear on rail flanking traction strips. Traction strips connect to a vehicle staging platform which has; integral rails, rail line connection, and highway access. Autonomous motor vehicle carrier translation along rails and across the staging area, negates need for conventional rail terminal handling facilities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventor: William Harvey Sproat
  • Publication number: 20090101041
    Abstract: A generator set has a transversal configuration on the locomotive. The generator set and its configuration on the platform offer good performance with respect to the space it occupies along the length of the locomotive platform deck, and offer better access for maintenance purposes. A walkway interface structure supports a modular design for locomotives using standardized major sub-assemblies that can be easily interfaced from one locomotive and under-frame to another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: RAILPOWER TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
    Inventors: Martin Burns, Philippe Fusey, Daniel Plourde, Michel Cousineau
  • Patent number: 7506590
    Abstract: Interconnected train cars (ZUV) with at least two rail vehicles (WA1, WA2) coupled to each other, between which there is a passage (UEB) with at least two gangway bellows (WB1, WB2), which can be connected to each other and which each have several bellows frams (BR1, BR2, BR3, BR4), and the passage (UEB) has additional passage plates (UB1, UB2, UB3, UB4) and a support (ABS) for the passage plates (UB1, UB2, UB3, UB4), with this support being able to move on a sliding plate (GLP) arranged between the rail vehicles (WA1, WA2) above a coupling device (KUP), wherein there is at least one pile-up prevention device (AC1, AC2) at the end regions of the rail vehicles (WA1, WA2) coupled to each other, with the pile-up prevention devices (AC1, AC2) each extending essentially over the entire vehicle width, the bottom edges of the bellows frames (BR1, BR2, BR3, BR4) being arranged over the upper edges of the pile-up prevention devices (AC1, AC2), and the sliding plate (GLP) being arranged under the bottom edge of the pil
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Transportation Systems GmbH & Co KG
    Inventors: Gerhard Moser, Clemens Eger, Christian Flegel, Christoph Schmidt
  • Patent number: 7497171
    Abstract: A well car for carrying shipping containers has a pair of end structures supported by rail car trucks, a pair of first and second spaced apart side beams extending between the end structures and a well defined therebetween. A container support cross member is mounted between the side sills in a position to support an end of a shipping container load carried within the well. The container support cross member may be a monolithic beam member with a attachment fitting formed at an end thereof. The attachment fitting is connectable to a side sill at a moment connection. The remaining end of the cross member is similarly configured and connected to the second side sill. Each end of the cross member has load bearing surface portions which may be used for supporting a corner of a shipping container. The moment connections permit a bending moment to be carried by the cross member between the first and second side sills.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: National Steel Car Limited
    Inventor: Mohamed A. Khattab
  • Publication number: 20080276831
    Abstract: A railway car is provided with superior riding quality by improving the flexural rigidity of the car body structure while suppressing increase of body structure mass. A reinforcing plate is attached to a roof construction on the side facing an inner side of the car body at a longitudinal center portion of a railway car body structure composed of a roof construction, a side construction, an underframe and an end construction. The range in which the reinforcing plate is adhered in the longitudinal direction of the railway car body structure is between two body bolsters, and the range in which the plate is adhered in the horizontal direction of the roof construction is approximately half the length of the roof construction in the horizontal direction. The thickness of the reinforcing plate is increased gradually as the height of the roof construction in the vertical direction increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Hideyuki Nakamura, Takashi Furukawa, Takashi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7438001
    Abstract: The invention provides a railway car with superior riding quality by improving the flexural rigidity of the car body structure while suppressing increase of body structure mass. A reinforcing plate 7 is attached to a roof construction 1 on the side facing an inner side of the car body at a longitudinal center portion of a railway car body structure 10 composed of a roof construction 1, a side construction 2, an underframe 3 and an end construction 4. The range in which the reinforcing plate 7 is adhered in the longitudinal direction of the railway car body structure 10 is between two body bolsters 6, and the range in which the plate 7 is adhered in the horizontal direction of the roof construction 1 is approximately half the length of the roof construction 1 in the horizontal direction. The thickness of the reinforcing plate 7 is increased gradually as the height of the roof construction 1 in the vertical direction increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Nakamura, Takashi Furukawa, Takashi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20080250965
    Abstract: A rail car collision system is disclosed that includes a front face and an underframe having a first anticlimber. The first anticlimber protrudes from and extends across at least a portion of the front face at a first position. At least one second anticlimber extends along at least a portion of the front face at a second position that is vertically different than the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Peter Clark, Chad Hewitt
  • Patent number: 7334528
    Abstract: A well car for carrying shipping containers has a pair of end structures supported by rail car trucks, a pair of first and second spaced apart side beams extending between the end structures and a well defined therebetween. A container support cross member is mounted between the side sills in a position to support an end of a shipping container load carried within the well. The container support cross member may be a monolithic beam member with a attachment fitting formed at an end thereof. The attachment fitting is connectable to a side sill at a moment connection. The remaining end of the cross member is similarly configured and connected to the second side sill. Each end of the cross member has load bearing surface portions which may be used for supporting a corner of a shipping container. The moment connections permit a bending moment to be carried by the cross member between the first and second side sills.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: National Steel Car Limited
    Inventor: Mohamed A. Khattab
  • Patent number: 7261044
    Abstract: A boxcar and load restraint system are provided with improved load carrying capabilities and performance characteristics of uninsulated boxcars and insulated boxcars. An insulated boxcar with the load restraint system may have increased load carrying capacity, increased service life, and reduced maintenance costs as compared to conventional insulated boxcars. All or portions of the load restraint system may be used in uninsulated boxcars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Trinity Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: George S. Creighton, D. Bruce Fetterman, Guy W. Steeves, Robert J. Barry
  • Patent number: 6910428
    Abstract: An undercar assembly for a railroad car. The undercar assembly has a structural member extending longitudinally between the longitudinal sides of the railroad car, where this structural member includes a pair of longitudinally extending beam elements transversely spaced apart from one another. At least one auxiliary equipment bay is defined between the longitudinally extending structural member and one of the longitudinal sides of the railroad car. The auxiliary equipment bay is capable to receive at least one auxiliary equipment, the structural member being operative to support at least in part the auxiliary equipment in the auxiliary equipment bay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Bombardier Transportation (Technology) Germany GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Laflamme, André Banville
  • Patent number: 6722288
    Abstract: A railway car having a lowered center of gravity is provided. The underframe of the railway car is preferably formed by extending a series of cross bearers between a pair of side sills and spacing them laterally between a pair of end sills. A center sill is then preferably disposed on top of the cross bearers and extended between the end sills along a center line of the railway car underframe. One or more floor stringers are preferably also included and disposed generally parallel to the center sill and extended between the end sills. In one embodiment, the one or more floor stringers may be disposed on stringer support spacer beams positioned on one or more of the cross bearers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: TRN Business Trust
    Inventor: Albert A. Beers
  • Patent number: 6505564
    Abstract: A well car for carrying shipping containers has a pair of end structures supported by rail car trucks, a pair of first and second spaced apart side beams extending between the end structures and a well defined therebetween. A container support cross member is mounted between the side sills in a position to support an end of a shipping container load carried within the well. The container support cross member may be a monolithic beam member with a attachment fitting formed at an end thereof. The attachment fitting is connectable to a side sill at a moment connection. The remaining end of the cross member is similarly configured and connected to the second side sill. Each end of the cross member has load bearing surface portions which may be used for supporting a corner of a shipping container. The moment connections permit a bending moment to be carried by the cross member between the first and second side sills.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: National Steel Car Limited
    Inventor: Mohamed A. Khattab
  • Patent number: 6484644
    Abstract: An articulated railcar has several well car units for carrying shipping containers, highways trailers, or a combination of the two. The well car units permit the nose of a highway trailer to overhang the articulated connection between two adjacent cars. A brake valve is located in a relief formed in the main bolster of one of the articulated units, out of the way of the overhanging trailer. Each well car unit has a side beam having a roll formed top chord reinforced by a top chord plate, a downwardly extending web, and a lower sill formed of a thick angle. The service, or auxiliary, and emergency brake reservoirs are mounted in a saddle bag configuration to the outside face of the webs of the opposite side beams of the articulated unit, tucked underneath the reinforced roll formed top chord.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: National Steel Car Limited
    Inventors: James W. Forbes, Richard C. Haight
  • Patent number: 6446562
    Abstract: The present invention aims to manufacture a car body with ease. A hollow material 10 comprises the lower portion of a side structure 201 of the car body. A face plate 11 of the hollow material 10 at the external side of the car has a lower end which projects further downward than a face plate 12 at the internal side of the car. The lower ends of the face plates 11, 12 are connected by a rib 13. The hollow portion thus formed is triangular in shape. A rib 14 above the rib 13 is formed horizontally. The face plates 11, 12 and a rib 15 positioned above the rib 14 are eliminated from the region of one or more doorways 220. The lower end of the doorway 220 of the side structure 201 is equipped with the hollow portion, so that it stays strong against transfer of the side structure. A hollow-shaped material 110, which comprises the end portion of an underframe 203, has an end portion in the width direction which forms a slope (rib 114) facing towards the upper side of the external side of the car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Ina, Seijiro Todori, Masaki Yono
  • Publication number: 20020117078
    Abstract: The present invention aims to manufacture a car body with ease.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Ina, Seijiro Todori, Masaki Yono
  • Patent number: 6435102
    Abstract: The invention relates to the front section of a railway car comprising a motor transverse beam (2) which is horizontally arranged and vertical to the railway car axis (1). Both front section ends are firmly connected to the longitudinal supports located on the sides of a railway car (1), said supports being parallel to the railway car axis (1). The longitudinal supports (10) extend along the railway car axis (1) as diagonal longitudinal supports (3) from the motor transverse beam (2) toward the buffer elements (4). The longitudinal support ends which are situated opposite the motor transverse beam (2) are firmly connected to said buffer elements (4). A coupling support (6) is arranged in the middle of the motor transverse beam (2). Supports (5) which diagonally extend forward are firmly connected to said coupling support and the buffer elements (4). This results in forming a more compact nose of the inventive front section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Inventor: Zdenek Malkovsky
  • Publication number: 20020069787
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to enable production of high-accuracy car body with ease. An underframe 10 is constituted by bonding together a plurality of hollow-shaped materials 50, 60 that are arranged along a longitudinal direction of a car body. The hollow-shaped material 60 constituting the end portion of the underframe 10 in the width direction is provided with a hollow-shaped material 65 corresponding to a part of a side sill. A hollow-shaped material 90 at the lower end of a side structure 20 is provided with a hollow-shaped material 95 corresponding to a part of a side sill. An overlap between a projecting segment 101 of the side sill 95 and the upper surface of the side sill 65 is welded from above. An overlap between a projecting segment 103 of the lower end and a projecting segment 73 is welded from below. The size of the overlap is provided in prospect of the shrinkage of the underframe 10 by welding the bolsters thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventors: Masaki Yono, Tetsuya Takeichi, Norihisa Okada
  • Publication number: 20020002928
    Abstract: An articulated railcar has several well car units for carrying shipping containers, highways trailers, or a combination of the two. The well car units permit the nose of a highway trailer to overhang the articulated connection between two adjacent cars. A brake valve is located in a relief formed in the main bolster of one of the articulated units, out of the way of the overhanging trailer. Each well car unit has a side beam having a roll formed top chord reinforced by a top chord plate, a downwardly extending web, and a lower sill formed of a thick angle. The service, or auxiliary, and emergency brake reservoirs are mounted in a saddle bag configuration to the outside face of the webs of the opposite side beams of the articulated unit, tucked underneath the reinforced roll formed top chord.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2001
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Applicant: National Steel Car Limited
    Inventors: James W. Forbes, Richard C. Haight