Patents Assigned to Freightcar America, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11577762
    Abstract: A open top railcar comprises a pair of spaced trucks, a railcar body supported on the trucks, the body comprising a pair of side structures on opposed sides of the railcar and a pair of end structures on opposed ends of the railcar, and a top chord extending the length of the side structures and the width of the end structures, wherein the top chord includes an inwardly sloped top surface configured to discharge lading toward the interior of the railcar through gravity. The railcar may further include corner cap, or end cap members, with each corner cap, or end cap including inwardly sloped top surface configured to discharge lading toward the interior of the railcar through gravity. The railcar may be a hopper railcar having a plurality of discharge chutes forming pockets for the body which open to the interior with a plurality of door operated through a pneumatic door operating system and further including a manual door operating override for each door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: FREIGHTCAR AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher S. Wissinger, Todd L. Lydic, Michael A. Selapack
  • Publication number: 20130255533
    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. The rail car includes safety platform and handbrake wherein operator walkway platforms are included with co-planer end walkways and running boards, wherein the running boards are above the top chords of the sidewalls of the well car; and a handbrake operated with a hand wheel is mounted on one side of the railroad well car, which hand wheel extends below the top chords of the side walls of the well car whereby the hand wheel is accessible from the side of the railcar via an operator on the ground.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: FREIGHTCAR AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Jeff Boring, Dave Lohr, Greg P. Josephson, Christopher S. Wissinger
  • Publication number: 20130160670
    Abstract: A open top railcar comprises a railcar body supported on the spaced trucks, the body comprising side and end structures on the railcar, and a top chord extending the length of the side structures and the width of the end structures, wherein the top chord includes an inwardly sloped top surface for discharging lading toward the railcar interior. The railcar may further include corner cap, or end cap members, including inwardly sloped lading discharging top surfaces. The railcar may be a hopper railcar having discharge chutes forming body pockets opening into the interior with pneumatic doors having manual override for each door. The railcar may include a nonmetallic touch pad housing secured to the side structures and including a plurality of touch plates mounted in the housing configured for operating selective individual doors and combination of doors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: FREIGHTCAR AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: FREIGHTCAR AMERICA, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130032055
    Abstract: A railroad open top hopper car comprises a pair of spaced trucks supporting a railcar body, the body comprising a pair of side structures railcar, wherein each including (i) a top chord extending the side structure length, (ii) a plurality of upper side stakes extending from the top chord, (iii) an intermediate side chord extending the side structure length and below the top chord and coupled to the upper side stakes, (iv) a plurality of lower side stakes extending from the intermediate side chord, and (v) a side sill extending the length and below the intermediate side chord and coupled to the lower side stakes. The body forms discharge chutes forming pockets for the body with a plurality of intermediate doors and end doors, wherein the end doors are larger than the intermediate doors. Each door may include a biased door seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: FREIGHTCAR AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Gregory P. Josephson, David A. Lohr
  • Patent number: 8342105
    Abstract: A open top railcar comprises a body on pair of spaced trucks, and a top chord extending the length of the side and the width of the end of the railcar, wherein the top chord includes an inwardly sloped top surface configured to discharge lading toward the interior of the railcar through gravity. The railcar further includes corner cap members that have inwardly sloped top surfaces configured to discharge lading toward the interior of the railcar through gravity. The railcar has a plurality of discharge chutes including a plurality of doors operated through a pneumatic door operating system and a manual door operating override for each door. The railcar also includes a nonmetallic touch pad housing provided with a plurality of touch plates for operating selective doors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Freightcar America, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael A Selapack, Christopher S Wissinger, Todd L Lydic
  • Publication number: 20120137925
    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: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: FREIGHTCAR AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Keith Alan Miller
  • Publication number: 20110179969
    Abstract: A open top railcar comprises a pair of spaced trucks, a railcar body supported on the trucks, the body comprising a pair of side structures on opposed sides of the railcar and a pair of end structures on opposed ends of the railcar, and a top chord extending the length of the side structures and the width of the end structures, wherein the top chord includes an inwardly sloped top surface configured to discharge lading toward the interior of the railcar through gravity. The railcar may further include corner cap, or end cap members, with each corner cap, or end cap including inwardly sloped top surface configured to discharge lading toward the interior of the railcar through gravity. The railcar may be a hopper railcar having a plurality of discharge chutes forming pockets for the body which open to the interior with a plurality of door operated through a pneumatic door operating system and further including a manual door operating override for each door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: FREIGHTCAR AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Selapack, Christopher Wissinger, Todd Lydic
  • 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
  • Patent number: 7832340
    Abstract: The door operating system of the present invention can be applied to new railcar or retrofitted to existing railcar designs. The hopper car will have a pair of doors on opposed sides of the center sill which are connected through a door spreader. The pneumatic, individual door operating system is connected to the door spreader through an adjustable spreader fulcrum in which the sliding adjustment may add in a proper connection force or tension between the door operating system and the individual doors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Freightcar America, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert H Dorian, Todd L Lydic, Michael Selapack
  • Publication number: 20080282929
    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: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: FREIGHTCAR AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Keith Alan Miller
  • Publication number: 20070175357
    Abstract: The door operating system of the present invention can be applied to new railcar or retrofitted to existing railcar designs. The hopper car will have a pair of doors on opposed sides of the center sill which are connected through a door spreader. The pneumatic, individual door operating system is connected to the door spreader through an adjustable spreader fulcrum in which the sliding adjustment may add in a proper connection force or tension between the door operating system and the individual doors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Publication date: August 2, 2007
    Applicant: FREIGHTCAR AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Dorian, Todd Lydic, Michael Selapack