Abstract: Systems are provided for integrating a deployable grip with a vehicle. The deployable grip may comprise a support coupled to a portion of a vehicle and a handle attached to the support and configured to move between a deployed position and a retracted position relative to the support upon application of a force on the handle. The handle provides a physical aid, when deployed, to an occupant of the vehicle while the occupant is entering or exiting the vehicle, is deployable when a door of the vehicle proximal to which the support is coupled to the portion of the vehicle is open, is not deployable when the door is closed.

Abstract: A duct 20 includes: wall portions 24, each of which defines a corresponding one face of an air flow path 22 leading air from an air inlet 20a to an air outlet 20b; and groove portions 26, which are provided on at least two of the wall portions 24, 24, respectively, and extend so as to cross an air flow direction of the air flow path 22, and the groove portions 26 are independent from each other for every wall portion 24, and have a concave shape so as to thin the wall portions 24.

Abstract: A foldable handhold assembly for attachment to a railroad flatcar includes a handhold that has a pair of side rails connected with a horizontal grab bar. A pair of brackets, which each have a mounting surface conforming to the shape of the flatcar sill. The brackets each have a hinge that rotatably couples to the proximate end of one of the side rail, which enables the handhold to rotate about the hinges between a deployed position where the grab bar extends above the flatcar deck and a stowed position where the handhold extends below the flatcar deck. One of the brackets also has latch aligned to selectively retain the handhold at the deployed position.

Abstract: A mass transit vehicle includes a frame and a cabin mounted to the frame. The cabin includes a roof and a passenger zone defining a passenger zone length. An air cleaning unit includes an air cleaner housing mounted to the roof. The air cleaning unit is operable to draw in air through an inlet, through an air cleaning device, and discharge a flow of cleaned air out of an outlet. An air conditioning unit includes an air conditioner housing separate from the air cleaner housing. The air conditioning unit is operable to draw in air through an inlet, through an air conditioning device, and discharge a flow of conditioned air out of an outlet. The outlet of the air conditioning device is in communication with a duct system to direct the flow of conditioned air to the cabin substantially evenly along the passenger zone length.

Abstract: A public transit vehicle has a vehicle body having a roof defining an interior ceiling surface, two side walls each extending longitudinally of the vehicle including an upper side wall portion connecting to the roof and a row of windows underneath the upper portion, a central aisle and two rows of seats each on a respective side of the aisle and along the side wall at the windows. Stanchions for supporting passengers while standing are shaped so that they curve upwardly and outwardly of the aisle to a wider spacing at the ceiling than at the seats. Between two stanchion mounting rails is provided a central ceiling panel dropped from the roof to define an air supply duct longitudinally along the aisle above the passengers. This is supplied with ventilation air by a roof mounted system and communicates by individual sub-ducts with a series of fans in the side walls.

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.

Abstract: A hand hold assembly and method for installation of the same on railroad car walls. The assembly has only three components, but can adapt to virtually any railroad car wall topography of the installation site. An elongated rod is bent or otherwise contorted and cut to fit the topography. Each end of the rod is mounted to the railroad car wall using one of two mounts, either a straight mount or an offset mount. If selected, the straight mount connects the end of the rod parallel to the railroad car wall, and the offset mount, if selected, connects the end of the rod perpendicular to the railroad car wall. The end of the rod is united to the selected mount by heating it, forging it into a bore of the mount and upsetting the end. Upon cooling, a steadfast union is formed. The new and improved assembly provides security and flexibility not before known in the art.

Abstract: This invention relates to grab irons and more particularly to two-piece, adjustable grab irons. The grab iron consists of a handhold-shape containing a mounting flange portion and a rod member as well as a grabfoot-shape containing a mounting flange portion and a base portion having a ring with a hole sized to receive the rod member of the handhold-shape. The rod member possesses a series of holes that are spaced along at least a portion of the rod member, and are formed at the same angle as measured from a horizontal vector. The base portion has a single pin hole having a size and angle that permits alignment with any of the pin holes in the rod member. The two pieces are secured together by the use of a metal fastener such as a steel expansion pin or a screw that is placed through both the pin hole in the base member and the appropriate hole in the rod member. The excess portion of the rod member extending past the grabfoot-shape is cut off.

Abstract: An extendable safety rail for locomotives wherein a set of parallel bars is secured horizontally by the ends to vertical posts adaptable for vertical movement inside suitably sized sleeves mounted on the locomotive sides so as to safeguard men working on a locomotive top when the safety rail is in an upward position. When no work is being done the safety rail is lowered onto rubber cushions by the posts sliding into the mating sleeves to insure sufficient underpass clearing when the locomotive is enroute in regular service. The safety rail includes a centrally spaced support rod hinged to a lower horizontal bar for temporarily holding the guard upwards until the ends thereof are secured by appropriate pins at each vertical post, such that one man can extend the guard.

Abstract: A hand rail assembly (10, 110) including a graspable portion (14, 114) connected at spaced portions, such as ends (15, 18), to a support wall (11) with at least one of the connections (16, 116) being breakable by inadvertent application of high force to the hand rail assembly to avoid substantial damage to the hand rail assembly by such forces. The breakable connection may include a shear pin (30) or releasable ring (143) permitting the breakable connection to be broken by such high forces but assuring the connection to be maintained by forces normally applied to the hand rail assembly in normal use. The breakable connection may be provided at one or both ends of the graspable portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the breakable connection is provided at one end with the other end being provided with a swingable connection. The connections may include brackets (28, 35) or may be defined by distal end portions (140, 148) of the studs (121, 131) connected directly to the wall portion (11).

Abstract: Extensible hand rails are adjustably mounted in vertical guide tubes positioned at the rear of a van or trailer. These hand rails may be moved into retracted positions and held in this position so that the tops of the hand rails will lie flush with the floor of the vehicle. Spring means is used for moving the hand rails into extended or operative position to act as guards and the hand rails may be secured in their operative or extended position.

Abstract: An assembly is provided for blind hole mounting an external appurtenance including safety appliances such as ladder rungs, hand holds, and walkways on a railway freight car. One or more key hole slots are provided through the surface of the car where the external appurtenance is to be mounted. Each slot includes an enlarged bolt head receiving portion through which the head of a fastening bolt may be inserted and a key portion of smaller size forming a continuation of the slot into which the shank of the bolt may be slipped for retaining the fastening bolt in the slot. The relative dimensions of the bolt head and the bolt head receiving portion of the key hole slot are such that the bolt head can only pass through the bolt head receiving portion of the key hole slot when the bolt head is first inserted edgewise through the bolt head receiving portion and the bolt then rotated to a perpendicular position relatively to the key hole slot.

Abstract: An enclosure for a vehicle end opening formed between two side walls includes two bi-fold door assemblies each comprising inner and outer panels pivotally connected to one another and with the free edge of the outer panels in turn connected to a fixed pivot point adjacent the side of the end opening wherein, each inner panel may be folded outwardly 180.degree. about its pivoted connecting means and the thus folded assembly subsequently pivoted about its fixed pivot point 270.degree. into parallel relationship with the vehicle side wall. The pivotal connecting means joining each pair of inner and outer panels includes catch means serving to secure the assembly in both the closed position enclosing the vehicle end opening as well as in the stored position parallel with the vehicle side wall.