Abstract: A temperature controlled railroad freight car (20) including an air flow conduit (98) and a related plenum (52) for distributing conditioned air from a refrigeration and heating unit (64) on an end wall (44) of the freight car (20), and a floor structure (40) that contributes to temperature control in a cargo space within the car (20). A diverter directs a flow of air upward into an inlet end of the plenum (52) and allows the flow to expand gradually within the plenum (52), smoothing the flow of air as it enters the plenum (52) so that it continues effectively at sufficient rates over the length of the car (20). The car (20) may include a subfloor (38) of composite construction, supporting a floor (40) that includes several tubular metal segments through which air can flow longitudinally of the car (20).

Abstract: A railroad car includes a body having a pair of side walls and at least a pair of parallel horizontal support beams extending along the side walls at substantially the same height. A movable end portion of a deck built as a lightweight composite structure may pivot with respect to the pair of support beams. A respective counterbalance apparatus is arranged between each of the pair of side walls and the movable deck portion at a location spaced apart from the pivot axis so as to provide a lifting force acting on the movable end portion to urge it to pivot upward about the pivot axis.

Abstract: A railroad car includes a body having a pair of side walls and at least a pair of parallel horizontal support beams extending along the side walls at substantially the same height. A movable end portion of a deck built as a lightweight composite structure may pivot with respect to the pair of support beams. A respective counterbalance apparatus is arranged between each of the pair of side walls and the movable deck portion at a location spaced apart from the pivot axis so as to provide a lifting force acting on the movable end portion to urge it to pivot upward about the pivot axis.

Abstract: An article of manufacture comprising a circuit board construction which comprises a composite of a electronic circuit provided on a dielectric article in which the article comprises a layer of syntactic film.

Abstract: The invention relates to tubular composite constructions of a composite comprising at least one layer of a prepreg construction of continuous filaments of high modulus fiber in a resin matrix and at least one layer of a thin film of syntactic foam comprising rigid microballoons uniformly dispersed in a matrix resin cocurable with the resin matrix of the prepreg.

Abstract: An expansible bottom structure for a fiberglass reinforced plastic tank allows a lower portion of the tank side wall structure to expand radially outwardly without significant deformation of its original shape.The improvement includes a fiberglass reinforced plastic batten having an upper portion bonded to the cylindrical side wall of a tank, a lower portion bonded to the bottom of the tank, and an intermediate arcuate transitional portion adapted to flex under tension to a less arcuate position. Such permissible flexure of the batten transitional portion enables the tank side wall structure to expand radially outwardly under hydrostatic load, while preserving substantially undeformed the desired shape and characteristics of the lower portion of the side wall structure. The batten provides the sole fluid-containing connection between the side wall structure and the tank bottom.

Abstract: An improved upstanding cylindrical tank is provided, in one aspect of the invention, with a ring-like stiffening member at its open upper end to resist flexure and deformation of the side wall structure under wind loading. The stiffening member has a cylindrical inner flange portion formed integrally with the tank wall, an annular web portion extending radially outward from an upper part of the upper flange portion, and a cylindrical outer flange portion depending from an outer part of the web portion and arranged concentrically with the inner flange portion. The stiffening member has a minimum vertical moment of inertia and is configured to have its vertical neutral axis located approximately midway between the furthermost fibers of the inner and outer flange portions.