Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02282200 1999-09-13
RAILCAR LOAD TIE-DOWN BELT
WINDING AND STORAGE APPARATUS
Technical Field
This invention pertains to an apparatus for winding and
storing railcar load tie-down belts.
Background
Railcar load tie-down systems are used to securely ship
loads such as lumber, pipe, etc. United States Patent No. 5,460,465
issued 24 October, 1995 discloses one such system which employs a
plurality of spaced-apart belts, each of which are anchored at one end
to one side of the railcar. Each belt can be routed over the load and
wound upon a winch provided on the opposed side of the railcar. The
winch is then tightened to tension the belt against the load.
It is relatively common for railcars to make "empty"
return trips after delivery of a load to a destination, or to travel
"empty" to a location at which a load is to be placed upon the railcar.
Storage and handling of the aforementioned belts can be problematic
during such "empty" trips.
It is known to provide a belt storage box on the railcar for
each belt. The storage boxes are located near the points at which the
respective belt ends are fixed to the railcar. If a belt is not required
for load securement as aforesaid, a belt winding tool is used to wind
into a tight coil all but the last few feet of the belt near the belt end
fixed to the railcar. The coiled belt portion is then stuffed into the
storage box provided for that belt. This prior art technique is time-
consuming and inefficient. The present invention improves upon the
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prior art by facilitating in situ winding and storage of railcar load tie-
down belts.
Summary of Invention
In accordance with the invention, a belt winding and
storage compartment is fixed to an outward facing railcar surface. An
aperture is provided in a front wall portion of the compartment. A
belt winder having belt-receiving means is removably insertable
through the front wall aperture to coil at least a portion of the belt
inside the compartment.
Advantageously, the belt winder incorporates first and
second rods which are fixed at a right angle. A spaced-apart pair of
members are fixed to and extend outwardly from an upper end of the
first rod, parallel to the second rod and in a direction opposite to the
direction at which the second rod extends relative to the first rod.
In one embodiment, an aperture is provided in the railcar
surface, in alignment with the front wall aperture. The aligned aper-
tures rotatably support opposed ends of the belt-receiving means as the
belt is coiled inside the compartment. In an alternative embodiment, a
belt winder support and belt guide plate is fixed to the outward facing
railcar surface. An aperture is provided in the plate in aligritnent with
the front wall aperture. The aligned apertures rotatably support
opposed ends of the belt-receiving means as the belt is coiled inside
the compartment.
The belt winder support and belt guide plate is preferably
spaced apart from an opposed front wall portion of the compartment
by a distance which is just sufficient to accommodate a width dimen-
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sion of the belt between the belt winder support and belt guide plate
and the front wall portion. This prevents the belt edges becoming
jammed against the front wall and/or railcar surface.
Preferably, the compartment has a removable cover to
prevent penetration of water, snow or ice inside the compartment.
Brief Description of Drawing
Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a coiled belt portion
stored in a belt winding and storage box in accordance with the present
invention.
Figure 2 is a section view showing the Figure 1 belt
winding and storage box from the side opposite that shown in Figure 1
and showing a belt winder winding the belt inside the box.
Figure 3 is a partially fragmented oblique pictorial view of
the belt winding and storage box of Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 schematically depicts a belt winding and storage
box equipped with a removable cover.
Figures SA and SB are respectively side elevation and end
views of a belt winder having an integral stabilizer.
Figure 6 is an oblique schematic illustration of a portion
of a railcar side sill on which a belt winder support and belt guide
plate is mounted.
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional end view of a belt winding
and storage box fixed to the Figure 6 railcar side sill over the belt
winder support and belt guide plate, and showing a belt winder posi-
boned to wind a belt inside the box.
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Description
Figures 1-3 illustrate a railcar load tie-down belt winding
and storage apparatus 10. Generally, apparatus 10 incorporates load
tie-down belt 12, belt winding and storage box 14, belt winder 16 and
an outward facing portion of railcar side sill 18.
Box 14 has opposed vertical steel plate end walls 20, 22;
vertical steel plate front wall 24; and, horizontal steel plate bottom
wall 26. End wall 22 has opposed vertical edges 28, 30 and opposed
horizontal edges 32, 34. Similarly, end wall 20 has opposed vertical
edges 36, 38 and opposed horizontal edges 40, 42. End walls 20, 22
are welded or otherwise fixed to side sill 18 along edges 36, 28
respectively, and extend outwardly therefrom. End walls 20, 22 must
extend from side sill 18 by a distance greater than the width of belt 12
to facilitate insertion and winding of belt 12 within box 14.
Front wall 24 has opposed vertical edges 44, 46 and
opposed horizontal edges 48, 50. Front wall 24 and end wall 22 are
joined (i.e. welded) along edges 46, 30 respectively; and, front wall
24 and end wall 20 are similarly joined along edges 44, 38 respect-
ively. Front wall 24 thus extends parallel to railcar surface 18, and is
spaced outwardly therefrom. An aperture 52 is provided in front wall
24.
Bottom wall 26 extends outwardly from side sill 18 and
has two pairs of opposed horizontal edges; 54, ~6 and 58, 60. Bottom
wall 26 is joined (i.e. welded) to side sill 18 along edge 54. Bottom
wall 26 and front wall 24 are joined (i.e. welded) along edges 56, 50
respectively. Bottom wall 26 and end wall 22 are joined (i.e. welded)
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along edges 58, 34 respectively. Bottom wall 26 and end wall 20 are
joined (i.e. welded) along edges 60, 42 respectively.
Front wall 24 and bottom wall 26 may optionally have
lower central portions removed therefrom as illustrated. In the case of
bottom wall 26, the removed portion may extend from edge 54 to edge
56. These portions are removed to accommodate the lower coiled
portion of belt 12 as shown in Figure 1, to allow drainage of any
moisture from inside box 14, and to ease removal of the coiled belt
portion from box 14 by insertion an object (such as a workman's hand)
to apply an upward force as indicated by arrow 3 in Figure 1.
Belt winder 16 depicted in Figures 1-3, which is conven-
tional in the art, is formed by connecting rigid rods 62, 64 at right
angles. A spaced-apart pair of belt-receiving members 74, 76 are
fixed to and extend outwardly from an upper end of rod 64, parallel to
rod 62 and in a direction opposite to the direction at which rod 62
extends relative to rod 64.
A first end 12A of belt 12 is secured to winch 78 (Figure
1). The opposed, second end 12B of belt 12 is threaded between belt-
receiving members 74, 76 as shown in Figure 3. End 12A of belt 12
is fed through a slot (not shown) in winch drum 83. Belt 12 is
secured to drum 83, for example by passing pin 70 through a loop 72
sewn in belt end 12A and then fastening the opposed ends of pin 70
which protrude through the loop to drum 83 by means of rivets 75 or
other suitable fasteners. A steel bar may be inserted into one of winch
apertures 84 in winch drum extension 80 to provide leverage for
winding belt 12 on drum 83. In order to relieve the belt tension to
unwind belt 12 from drum 83, ratchet pawl 86 is lifted upwardly away
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from the teeth of ratchet wheel 82 to enable free reverse rotation of
drum 83. Alternatively, if winch 78 is not required to anchor belt end
12B on the railcar, one could fix belt end 12B directly to the railcar.
In such case, another winch (not shown) can be provided on the
opposite side of the railcar to receive belt end 12A and tension belt 12
in tying a load down on the railcar.
Box 14 is fixed to side sill 18 relatively close to winch 78.
Although attachment of box 14 to side sill 18 is preferred, it will be
sufficient to fix box 14 to any outward facing portion of the railcar
within relatively close proximity to winch 78.
An aperture 88 (Figure 3) is provided in side sill 18 in
alignment with front wall aperture 52. Belt-receiving members 74, 76
of belt winder 16 are inserted (as indicated by arrow 6) through the
aligned apertures 52, 88 which rotatably support members 74, 76 at
their opposed ends, as shown in Figure 3. Belt 12 is then threaded
between belt-receiving members 74, 76 as aforesaid. Rod 62 is then
grasped and rotated in the direction of the solid line portion of arrow
4, drawing belt 12 in the direction of arrow 5 and coiling belt 12
around belt-receiving members 74, 76 inside box 14 as seen in Figures
2 and 3. Belt first end 12A remains secured to winch 78, as described
above.
After all but the last few feet of belt 12 extending between
winch 78 and box 14 have been coiled inside bQx 14, belt winder 16 is
removed by withdrawing belt-receiving members 74, 76 from aper-
tures 52, 88 leaving belt 12 in the wound and stored position shown in
Figure 1 and thus ready for removal and use as required.
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Box 14 may be fitted with a removable cover 90 as shown
in Figure 4. Cover 90 prevents penetration of water, snow or ice into
box 14. This in turn prevents the coiled belt portion stored inside box
14 from becoming frozen within box 14. Such freezing can make it
difficult to remove the coiled belt portion from box 14 and difficult to
uncoil the belt for use in tying down loads. A chain or other retention
means can be connected between cover 90 and box 14 (or between
cover 90 and a point on side sill 18 proximate box 14) to prevent loss
of cover 90.
It is not essential to provide aperture 88 in side sill 18.
Indeed, the thickness of the steel plate comprising a conventional
railcar side sill may make it difficult and expensive to provide aperture
88 in side sill 18 and in alignment with aperture 52. If aperture 88 is
not provided, then belt-receiving members 74, 76 can be stabilized by
fixing a cross-piece 92 to rod 64 of winder 16 as shown in Figures
5A, SB. When rod 62 is rotated as aforesaid to coil belt 12 around
belt-receiving members 74, 76 cross-piece 92 and rod 64 bear against
front wall 24 of box 14. Cross-piece 92 and rod 64 are thus maintain-
ed generally parallel to front wall 24 and belt-receiving members 74,
76 are consequently maintained generally perpendicular to front wall
24 to facilitate unimpeded winding of belt 12 inside box 14 as afore-
said.
Figures 6 and 7 depict a further alternative which may be
employed if aperture 88 is not provided in side sill 18. A belt winder
support and belt guide plate 94 is fixed (i.e. welded) to side sill 18 as
shown in Figure 6. An aperture 96 is provided in plate 94. Belt
winding and storage box 14 is then fixed' to side sill 18 as shown in
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Figure 7, with aperture 52 in alignment with aperture 96. Belt-receiv-
ing members 74, 76 of winder 16 (without cross-piece 92) can then be
inserted through apertures 52, 96 to rotatably support the opposed ends
of members 74, 76 as belt 12 is coiled inside box 14 by rotating
winder 16 as aforesaid. Belt winder support and belt guide plate 94
preferably has a thickness which is just sufficient to accommodate the
width dimension of belt 12 between plate 94 and front wall 24. This
ensures smooth winding of belt 12 inside box 14. If the displacement
between plate 94 and front wall 24 is much larger than the width
dimension of belt 12 then belt 12 may wind unevenly inside box 14
with the belt edges becoming jammed against front wall 24 and/or side
sill 18 making it difficult to remove the coiled belt from box 14.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light
of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are
possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the
spirit or scope thereof. For example, box 14 need not be a "box", but
may have any configuration capable of accommodating the width and
diameter of coiled belt 12. As another example, instead of providing
cross-piece 92 on winder 16 as shown in Figures SA and SB, one may
alternatively form rod 64 from flat bar stock. In such case, the flat
bar bears against front wall 24 of box 14 to stabilize winder 16 as it is
rotated to coil belt 12 inside box 14 as aforesaid. Accordingly, the
scope of the invention is to be construed in accgrdance with the
substance defined by the following claims.
