Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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RAILROAD COIL CAR STRUCTURE
Field of the Invention
[0001] This invention relates to railroad freight cars, and more particularly
to a railroad
coil car.
Background of the Invention
[0002] Railroad coil cars are used for carrying heavy coils of materials,
quite often heavy
coils of sheet steel such as are used in automobile manufacturing or other
sheet metal
manufacturing industries.
[0003] In a coil car, the coils can be carried with the axis of the coils
parallel to the long
axis of the railroad car. Such a coil car is termed a longitudinal coil car
because it has a
lengthwise running trough in which however many coils are carried. Such cars
often have
lateral coil stops to prevent the coils from moving axially in the trough.
Alternatively, the
coils can be transported with their axes oriented cross-wise to the long axis
of the railroad
car. In such a case, rather than having a single, central V-shaped trough
running the length
of the car, the coil car has several shorter troughs running across the car.
Where the troughs
run cross-wise, the railroad car is termed a "transverse trough coil car".
[0004] It is not desirable for a heavy coil of steel to be free to roll during
carriage in the car.
Coil cars are designed so that the weight of the lading coils is carried into
the trough
structure at points of tangency of the coil with the sloped sides of the
trough. That is, the coil
is effectively wedged between the sloped side sheets of the trough. This
condition tends to
prevent the coils from moving when the railroad car is in motion. The trough
is designed
such that the bottom of the trough has an included radius that is smaller than
the lading coils
for which the car is designed so that the points of tangency (or, really,
given that the coils
are cylindrical, the lines of tangency) lie on the sloped side sheets of the
trough, not the
bottom of the trough. When the coil sits in the trough, the bottom of the coil
is suspended
above the underlying structure at the bottom of the trough.
[0005] It may be that a coil of steel sheet may be relatively easily damaged
by undesirably
rough treatment during transport. Accordingly, coil cars may have long-travel
draft gear or
end of car cushioning units to soften deceleration. Where a coil car has a
transverse trough,
in addition to the structure for supporting the coils of lading during normal
operation, there
is also a requirement that the trough have a "trough peak" at either side of
the trough to
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discourage escapement of the coils in the event that the coil car should stop
abruptly. The
trough peak is not intended normally to be contacted by the coils, but only in
an abnormal
operating condition.
[0006] The attachment of the trough structure to the center sill may tend to
be
challenging. The junction of the structure of the trough and the top flange of
the center
sill tends to cause a sharp change in the stress distribution in the
structure. Additionally,
it may be helpful for the trough structures to be manufactured and installed
consistently,
rather than varying from one assembly to the next.
Summary of the Invention
[0007] In an aspect of the invention there is a railroad coil car. It has a
straight-through
center sill and a set of transverse troughs that includes at least a first
transverse trough and a
second transverse trough. There is an intermediate slope sheet assembly that
defines a first
slope sheet of the first trough and a first slope sheet of the second trough.
The intermediate
slope sheet assembly is pin-joint connected to the straight-through center
sill.
[0008] In a feature of that aspect, the center sill has a planar top cover
plate. In another
feature, the center sill has a top cover plate and the pin-joint connection
has a root having
web continuity through the top cover plate of the center sill. In a further
feature, the center
sill is a fish belly center sill. In still another feature, the first slope
sheet of the first trough is
pin-jointed to both the center sill and pin-joint connected to a first trough
peak. In an
additional feature the center sill has one of (a) a clevis; and (b) a tongue.
The first slope
sheet has the other of (a) a tongue and (b) a clevis, and the respective
tongue and clevis are
connected by a pin to define the pin joint.
[0009] In another feature, the intermediate slope sheet assembly includes at
least one A-
flame structure having a pair of first and second legs, each of the first and
second legs
having a foot that is pin-joint connected to the straight-through center sill.
In an additional
feature, the intermediate slope sheet assembly has two of the A-frame
structures. A first of
the A-frame structures is aligned with a first web of the center sill, and a
second of the A-
Frame structures is aligned with a second web of the center sill spaced apart
from the first
web. In still another feature, the intermediate slope sheet assembly includes
a head frame
member, and the first and second legs of the at least one A-frame have
uppermost ends
connected to the head frame. In another feature, the head frame has a web that
has a profile
defining a trough peak form of the intermediate slope sheet assembly.
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[0010] In yet another feature, the first slope sheet has at least a first
lateral reinforcement,
the first lateral reinforcement having a termination at a side sill of the
coil car. and the
reinforcement having a cuff rigidly connected to the side sill, the cuff being
adjustable on
fit-up during assembly, and the cuff being rigidly fixed to the reinforcement
on assembly. In
a still further feature, the first slope sheet has at least a first lateral
reinforcement and a
second lateral reinforcement extending cross-wise behind the slope sheet. The
first lateral
reinforcement being a lower reinforcement and the second lateral reinforcement
being an
upper reinforcement. The upper reinforcement has a different cross-section
from the lower
reinforcement.
[0011] In still another feature, the upper reinforcement has at least one of:
(a) a greater
second moment of area in bending perpendicular to the first slope sheet than
has the lower
reinforcement; (b) a greater sectional thickness than the lower reinforcement;
and (c) a
greater weight of metal per lineal unit of run than the lower reinforcement.
In another
feature, the lower reinforcement is a channel section and the channel section
has splayed
legs. In another feature the upper reinforcement is a channel section having
parallel legs.
The lower reinforcement is a channel section having splayed legs. and the
upper
reinforcement has a greater flexural modulus, El, than has the lower
reinforcement. In
another feature the intermediate slope sheet assembly has end cap plates, and
the end cap
plates are welded to side sills of the coil car.
[0012] In yet another aspect, there is a transverse trough coil car having a
stub bolster and a
transverse trough mounted across the stub bolster. The transverse trough
defines a bolster
extension extending laterally across the car outboard of the stub bolster.
[0013] These and other aspects and features of the invention may be understood
with
reference to the illustrative drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
In the description that follows there is reference to the drawings in which:
[0014] Figure la is a general arrangement isometric view of a railroad coil
car viewed from
the "B" end of the car;
[0015] Figure lb is a side view of the railroad coil car of Figure la;
[0016] Figure lc is an end view of the railroad col car of Figure la;
[0017] Figure 2a is a sectional view of the railroad coil car of Figure lc
taken on a central
vertical plane in the middle of the center sill on section '2a ¨ 2a' of Figure
lc;
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[0018] Figure 2b is an enlarged near-end portion of the view of Figure 2a;
[0019] Figure 2c is an is a view similar to Figure 2b from the opposite
direction;
[0020] Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the section of the
trough structure of
the coil car of Figure 2a;
[0021] Figure 4a is an isometric section from underneath of the trough
structure of Figure 3;
[0022] Figure 4b is an enlarged detail of the structure of Figure 4a;
[0023] Figure 5a is partial isometric view of the underside of the center sill
of the coil car of
Figure 2a;
[0024] Figure 5b is an enlarged sectional detail on Figure 5b ¨ 5b of Figure
5a;
[0025] Figure 5c is an enlargement of a portion of the detail of Figure 5b;
[0026] Figure 6 is s perspective view from below of the juncture of an
intermediate slope
sheet assembly and a side sill of the railroad coil car of Figure la;
[0027] Figure 7a is a perspective view of the main bolster of the coil car of
Figure la;
[0028] Figure 7h is an end view along the draft sill of the main bolster of
Figure la; and
[0029] Figure 7c shows a view of the main bolster of Figure 7b on section '7c
¨ 7c'.; and
[0030] Figure 8 shows a view showing an alternate arrangement to that of
Figure 5a.
Detailed Description
[0031] The description that follows, and the embodiments described therein,
are provided
by way of illustration of examples of, particular embodiments of the
principles, aspects or
features of the present invention. These examples are provided for the
purposes of
explanation, and not of limitation, of those principles and of the invention.
In the
description, like parts are marked throughout the specification and the
drawings with the
same respective reference numerals. The drawings may be taken as being to
scale unless
noted otherwise.
[0032] The terminology in this specification is thought to conform to the
customary and
ordinary meanings of those terms as they would be understood by a person of
ordinary
skill in the railroad industry in North America. Following the decision of the
CAFC in
Phillips v. AWH Corp., the Applicant expressly excludes all interpretations
that are
inconsistent with this specification, and, in particular, expressly excludes
any
interpretation of the claims or the language used in this specification such
as may be
made in the USPTO, or in any other Patent Office, other than those
interpretations for
which express support can be demonstrated in this specification or in
objective evidence
of record in accordance with In re Lee, (for example, earlier publications by
persons not
employed by the USPTO or any other Patent Office), demonstrating how the terms
are
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used and understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art, or by way of
expert evidence
of a person or persons of at least 10 years' experience in the industry in
North America.
[0033] In terms of general orientation and direction, for railroad car body
units described
herein the longitudinal direction is defined as coincident with the rolling
direction of the
railroad car when on tangent (that is, straight) track. In a Cartesian frame
of reference,
this is the x-axis, or x-direction. The longitudinal direction is parallel to
the center sill,
and parallel to the top chords and side sills. Unless otherwise noted,
vertical, or upward
and downward, are terms that use top of rail, TOR, as a datum. In a Cartesian
frame of
reference, this may be defined as the z-axis, or z-direction. In the context
of the railroad
car as a whole, or any car body unit thereof, the term lateral, or laterally
outboard, or
transverse, or transversely outboard refer to a distance or orientation
relative to the
longitudinal centerline of the railroad car, or car body unit, or of the
centerline of a
centerplate at a truck center. Given that the railroad car or railroad car
body units
described herein may tend to have both longitudinal and transverse axes of
symmetry,
unless noted otherwise, a description of one half of the car may generally
also be
intended to describe the other half as well, allowing for differences between
right-hand
and left-hand parts. As such, the term "longitudinally inboard", or
"longitudinally
outboard" is a distance taken relative to a mid-span lateral section of the
car, or car unit.
Pitching motion is angular motion of a railcar unit about a horizontal axis
perpendicular
to the longitudinal direction (i.e., rotation about an axis extending in the y-
direction).
Yawing is angular motion about a vertical or z-axis. Roll is angular motion
about the
longitudinal, or x-axis. The abbreviation kpsi, if used, stands for thousands
of pounds per
square inch. Where this specification or the accompanying illustrations may
refer to
standards of the Association of American Railroads (AAR), such as to AAR plate
sizes or
lading rules, those references are to be understood as at the earliest date of
priority to
which this application is entitled. Unless otherwise noted, it may be
understood that the
railroad cars described herein are of welded steel construction. The commonly
used
engineering terms "proud", "flush" and "shy" may be used herein to denote
items that,
respectively, protrude beyond an adjacent element, are level with an adjacent
element, or
do not extend as far as an adjacent element, the terms corresponding
conceptually to the
conditions of "greater than", "equal to" and "less than".
[0034] Railroad coil cars are the predominant car type for carrying metal
coils, and
particularly coils of steel. The coil car may be covered or uncovered,
depending on the
circumstances. Cars for carrying transversely-oriented coils are described
herein. The
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coil cars describe herein have a longitudinally running center sill and a pair
of side sills
located to either side of the center sill.
[0035] In the past, coil cars have had straight-through center sills that
carry the
longitudinal buff and draft loads to which the car is subjected, and also the
vertical
bending load. The center sill may have had a flat horizontal upper flange
extends the full
length of the car from draft sill to draft sill. Transverse troughs are then
mounted above
the center sill. Coil cars may have "fish belly" center sills. The term "fish
belly" arises
from the shape of the beam in side view in which the bottom flange of the
center plate
dips downward between the trucks, giving a greater depth of section in the
middle portion
of the car than at the draft sills, and hence a higher flexural moment, El,
for resisting
bending, giving the general appearance of a "fish belly".
[0036] In railroad terminology the "draft sill" is that portion of the center
sill lying
longitudinally outboard of the truck center. A single unit rail car typically
has two draft
sills, one at each end of the car. In some instances, e.g., where the draft
sill is made as a
unitary casting or as a pre-fabricated assembly, the draft sill extends
inboard of the truck
center for a short distance to allow for the draft sill to mate with the main
portion of the
center sill inboard of the truck center and inboard of the main bolster. The
draft sill is
typically sized to fit the draft gear. That is, the draft sill typically has
two vertical webs
that are laterally spaced apart a distance sufficient to form a draft pocket
in which to
mount the draft stops and to receive the draft gear, the yoke, and the
coupler. The draft
sill has a top cover plate, or top flange to which the webs are welded. The
draft sill also
typically has a bottom sill that extends outboard of the truck center and that
bifurcates to
permit the draft gear to be installed in the draft pocket. The top cover plate
of the draft
sill is usually considered to be the top of the center sill, and is located at
a height
determined by the requirements of the coupler centerline height. Generally,
the top cover
plate of the draft sill is located roughly 41" ¨42" above Top of Rail. The
flange defined
by the top cover height of the draft sill is a defined datum height in this
specification.
[0037] The term "stub bolster" is used in this specification. A stub bolster
is a laterally
fore-shortened bolster having a bottom flange, a top flange and at least one
vertical web
inter-connecting the top and bottom flanges. The bottom flange extends
laterally to define
a seat for the side bearing, and is truncated outboard of the side bearing
mount. Likewise,
the bolster web, or webs, terminate outboard of the side bearing mount. A stub
bolster, by
definition, does not extend to the side sills of the car.
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[0038] Figures la, lb, lc, and 2a show a railroad coil car, generally as 20.
Other than as
indicated, the major structural elements of coil car 20 are symmetrical about
the
longitudinal vertical plane (or x-z plane) of the car and also about the
lateral vertical
plane. Coil car 20 has a railcar body unit 22 supported upon railcar trucks 24
for rolling
motion in the longitudinal direction along the rails.
[0039] Railcar body unit 22 includes a center sill 26 and a pair of first and
second, spaced
apart side sills 28, 30. Coil car 20 has a set of troughs 32. In the example
shown the
troughs are transverse and include first, second, third, fourth and fifth
troughs 34, 36, 38,
40 and 42. There could be fewer troughs, but there could also be more troughs,
as many
as ten or twelve, depending on the maximum size and type of coils of lading
that the car
is intended to carry. These troughs are supported by center sill 26 and extend
between,
and are bounded laterally by, side sills 28 and 30. Between pairs of adjacent
troughs there
are slope sheet assemblies 44 and at the ends of the car are end slope sheet
assemblies 46.
Trough slope sheet assemblies 44 are double-sided and end slope sheet
assemblies 46 are
single-sided. Slope sheet assemblies 44 and 46 mount to center sill 26.
[0040] These various components of coil car 20 will now be described in
greater detail,
commencing with center sill 26.
[0041] Center sill 26 is a straight-through center sill (as opposed to a stub
center sill). It
forms the central spine of the car and carries the buff and draft loads along
the trainline from
coupler to coupler. It also provides the dominant resistance to vertical
bending, although part
of the car's resistance to vertical bending is also contributed by side sills
28 and 30. In the
example shown, center sill 26 includes draft sills 48 and a central or
intermediate center sill
portion 50 that extends the length of the car between the truck from draft
sill to draft sill.
Draft gear, including couplers 52, are mounted at the outboard ends of draft
sills 48. Coil
car 20 may have, and in the example illustrated does have, either long-travel
draft gear or
and end-of-car-cushioning (EOCC) unit.
[0042] Each of draft sills 48 has a pair of side webs 54 and a top cover plate
56, and a
bifurcated bottom flange, or flanges 58 that form a top hat section that is
open from the
bottom to admit installation of the EOCC in the draft pocket 60. Coupler 52
has a coupler
centerline height h52 relative to Top of Rail (TOR). The top cover plate of
draft sill 48 also
has a height, h56, relative to TOR that is a datum height in this discussion.
Draft sill 48 may
have, and as illustrated does have, a welded-fabrication truck center
assembly. This
assembly, and the draft sill generally, may alternatively be a single-piece
casting.
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[0043] In the fabricated assembly of draft sill 48 shown, a main bolster 62
intersects draft
sill 48 at the truck center. Main bolster 62 may be a bolster that extends
fully across the car
and has and connections to side sills 28, 30. Alternatively, main bolster may
be, and in the
example illustrated is, a stub bolster that terminates immediately outboard of
the side
bearing mount 64.
[0044] A draft sill may include, and in the example illustrated does include,
a transition, or
stub 66 that extends for some distance longitudinally inboard of the truck
center. Transition
stub 66 mates with one end of central or intermediate center sill portion 50.
[0045] Intermediate center sill portion 50 has a top flange or top cover plate
72, a bottom
cover plate, or bottom flange 74, and first and second side webs 76, 78. They
co-operate to
form a hollow section in which side webs 76 and 78 are spaced apart and
parallel, and lie in
vertical planes. Similarly top cover plate 72 and bottom flange 74 are spaced
apart, and at
any given longitudinal section they are parallel in the y-axis. In the
embodiment illustrated,
top cover plate 72 of center sill intermediate portion 50 lies in the same
plane as top cover
plate 56 of draft sill 48. In the embodiment as shown top cover plate 56 may
be a straight
continuation of top cover plate 72, formed from the same monolith of material,
i.e., rather
than butt-welding the parts together.
[0046] Bottom flange 74 could be flat and horizontal. Alternatively, as seen
in Figures
la, lb and lc, center sill 26 is a fish belly center sill, the deeper portion
of the center sill
that defines the fish belly as indicated at 75. Bottom flange 74 may be, and
in the
embodiment illustrated is, a "fish belly" bottom flange, i.e., the depth of
the bottom
flange 74 below the coupler centerline datum height (or, expressed
differently, the draft
sill cover plate datum height) increases toward the longitudinal center of the
car such that
the bottom flange is lower at the location of maximum bending moment than it
is at the
truck centers and at the bottom flange of the draft sill.
[0047] As noted, top cover plate 72 can also be named the top flange of center
sill 26. It
can be seen that top cover plate 72 of center sill 26 is at the datum height
of draft sill top
cover plate 56 at the truck center. First trough 34 and fifth trough 42 are
centered over the
respective truck centers at opposite ends of car 20. Three full troughs 36,
38, and 40 are
space along, and mounted to, central portion 50 of center sill 26.
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[0048] The next structural components of the underframe of coil car 20 are
side sills 28
and 30. Side sills 28, 30 run parallel to and are spaced laterally from center
sill 26. Side
sills 28 and 30 each have a top chord 68, a bottom chord 70, and a web 69 that
extends
and joins top chord 68 and bottom chord 70 together. In the illustrations, top
chord 68,
bottom chord 70, and web 69 are formed as a single formed section, which may
be a
pressing. The pressing may include an upwardly protruding, longitudinally
extending
stand-off bead formed in top chord 68, and may carry a seal upon which the
coil car
cover may sit, if provided.
[0049] In Figure 3 there is a cross-section of an intermediate slope sheet
assembly 80,
such as would lie between, and define, the sides of the respective troughs.
There is a
trough slope sheet assembly between troughs 34 and 36, a second between
troughs 36
and 38, a third between troughs 38 and 40, and a fourth between troughs 40 and
42.
[0050] Each trough sheet assembly 80 includes a pair of central A-frames 82,
84; and a
pair of first and second slope sheets 86, 88. Slope sheets 86, 88 extend from
side to side
of car 20 and are joined at their ends to side sills 28, 30. Each slope sheet
is backed by
first and second reinforcements 90, 92 that run laterally behind them. The top
of each
assembly 80 includes a trough peak assembly 94.
[0051] Each A-frame 82 or 84 has first and second legs 96, and 98 that
underlie the
respective slope sheets 86 and 88. There is a head frame, or head frame
assembly, 100 at
the apex of the A-frame. Each of first and second legs 96, 98 is a formed
structural
member, such as an I-bean, a wide-flanged beam, or a hollow structural
section. In the
example illustrated they are I-beams in which the upper flange underlies, and
is welded to
the respective slope sheet, be it 86 or 88. First and second legs 96, 98 each
have a footing
102 that has the form of a cap, or end plate 104 welded across the lower end
of the I-
beam of leg 96 or 98, and a tongue 106 welded to the end plate. Tongue 106
protrudes
from plate 104 perpendicularly to seat between a pair of side plates 108, 110
that form a
clevis. A pin 112 passes through bores in side plates 108, 110 and through
tongue 106 in
a double shear arrangement. Tongue 106 thereby has a degree of freedom of
motion
relative to the clevis, that degree of motion being a rotational degree of
freedom about the
axis of pin 112. The bottom edges of side plates 108, 110 are welded to the
top flange,
i.e., the top cover plate 72 of center sill 26.
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[0052] As seen in Figures 5a, 5b and 5c, a web reinforcement, or doubler, 114
is welded
to the outside face of the respective ones of webs 76, 78 immediately abutting
the
underside of top cover plate 72, opposite tongue 106. As seen in Figure 5c the
combined
width of web 76, 78 and doubler 114 is the same as the thickness of tongue 106
such that
they effectively form the root of the clevis formed by side plates 108, 110,
whose inside
faces are co-planar, or roughly co-planar with the corresponding faces of web
76, 78 and
doubler 114.
[0053] At the top of legs 96, 98 head frame 100 has a cap plate 116 that has
portions 118
that define lands that are welded across the top ends of the I-beam legs 96,
98. Cap plate
116 also has a central portion 120 that ties portions 118 together. Head frame
100 also
has a central web 122 that is welded to, and forms a stem of, portions 118 and
120.
Additionally, trough peak assembly 94 has a cover 124 that includes first and
second
members, or first and second sides identified as a pair of first and second
skirts 126, 128
that are welded to remaining edge portions of central web 122. Head frame 100
is
effectively a structural knee.
[0054] Additionally, trough slope sheet assembly 44 has a set of laterally
extending
reinforcement 90, 92 in which first reinforcement 90 is a lower stringer 130
and second
reinforcement 92 is an upper stringer 132. Lower stringer 130 and upper
stringer 132
extend across the rail car from side sill to side sill. They have web
continuity through the
I-beams of the A-frames. At the laterally outboard ends there are sockets or
cuffs 134,
136 that are welded to the respective side sills on installation. Cuffs 134,
136 are able to
slide on stringers 130, 132 such that their axial position can be adjusted on
fit up, and
once installed stringers 130, 132 are welded in place in the cuffs.
[0055] Upper stringer 132 may be different from lower stringer 130. That is,
to the extent
that coils engage the slope sheets, larger diameter, heavier coils will engage
the slope
sheets at a higher location. Accordingly, upper stringer 132 may have a
heavier section,
or specifically, a larger second moment of area and a larger flexural modulus
than lower
stringer 130. Moreover, whereas upper stringer 132 may have the form of a
channel with
parallel legs welded toes-in to the back side of the respective slope sheet
86, 88, lower
stringer 130 may have toes that are splayed apart, such that the lower leg is
welded closer
to the lower margin of slope sheets 86, 88 to provide more proximate
reinforcement to
that edge than if lower stringer 130 had been a channel with square legs
rather than
splayed legs.
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[0056] Trough peak assembly 94 extends across the car between side sills 28,
30. At the
laterally outboard ends there are end plates 140 that cap the ends of cover
124, and to
which the ends of skirts 126, 128 are welded. Skirts 126, 128 are inclined
upwardly
toward each other, and are joined at the peak where cover 124 is bent between
them. The
slope of inclination of skirts 126, 128 is steeper than the slope of slope
sheets 86, 88. End
plates 140 have an upper portion that is generally triangular to correspond to
the slope of
skirts 126, 128 and to extend slightly beyond them. End plates 140 have a
lower portion
that forms a generally polygonal-shaped foot or base that has angled upper
side margins
that run along the upper portions of the outboard edges of slope sheets 86,
88, a truncated
edge that runs away from that edge, and a bottom edge that runs horizontally.
The base or
bottom edge overlaps, and is lap welded to, the inside margin of the top chord
of the side
sill 28, 30.
[0057] As indicated, the ends of trough peak assembly 94 are capped by end
plates 140
and fixed in position by the welded connection of end plates 140 to side sills
28, 30. The
central portion of trough peak assembly 94 is mounted to the laterally spaced
apart head
frames 100 of A-frames 82, 84. In addition, there is a pair of internal
gussets 142, 144
that each have an upstanding web 146 that conforms to, and reinforces, the
profile of
peak assembly 94. A horizontally extending flange 148 runs along the bottom
edge of
web 146 and has broadened end tabs that butt against, and are welded to the
lower
margins of skirts 126, 128 immediately upward of the bend of those lower
margins.
Internal gussets 142, 144 function as formers or frames to hold the shape of
trough peak
94, and are located mid-way between end plates 140 and A-frames 82, 84
respectively.
[0058] The lower edges of skirts 126, 128 are bent to conform to the slopes of
slope
sheets 86, 88. These lower edges lap over the upper edge of slope sheets 86,
88, to which
they are welded. Internal corner gussets 150, 152 lie in a horizontal plane at
the corner of
the bends of the lower margins of the skirts, as seen in Figure 6. Similarly,
additional
corner gussets 154, 156 are located in a horizontal plane level with, or
approximately
level with, the top chord flange of side sills 28, 30, with one leg welded to
end cap 140
and the other leg welded to the underside of slope sheet 86, 88.
[0059] The lower edges of slope sheets 86, 88 underlie, and are mated in a lap
joint with,
a trough bottom in the form of a pan 160 that has a central web 162 and
upturned edges
164 that may be bevelled upwardly as shown. The bevelled edges, or flanges,
are on the
same slope as the slope sheets 86, 88. When assembled in this manner, each pan
160 and
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adjoining pair of slope sheets 86, 88 combine to form a V-shaped channel, in
which the
pan functions as the back or flange of the channel, and the slope sheets
function as the
legs or webs of the channel.
[0060] As may be noted, each intermediate slope sheet assembly 80 can be
assembled as
a module, or sub-assembly, and then be inserted into the car between side
sills 28, 30 as a
unit. It is secured to center sill 26 at pins 112. Pins 112 are not able to
transmit a bending
moment in the x-z plane. That is, when car 20 is subject to buff and draft
loads, center sill
26, and therefore top cover plate 72, may tend to stretch or compress. This
action causes
shear loads in the x-direction to be transmitted into intermediate slope sheet
assemblies
80 at pins 112. However, that force transfer may tend not to be accompanied by
a
moment about the y-axis that might otherwise tend to want to impose a bending
moment
on center sill 26, and top cover plate 72, otherwise tending to rotate the
element and to
cause a local rotational discontinuity in the stress field in the center sill
at that location.
[0061] Center sill 26 and side sills 28, 30 form the dominant structural
members of the
underframe of coil car 20. The center sill and side sills are joined by
lateral structural
members. In car 20 there are also lateral structural members joining center
sill 26 to side
sills 28 and 30. There are end sills 158 at either end of the car, and
laterally extending
stub walls 180. There are lateral catwalks 184 that run across the end of car
20 inboard of
end sill 158 and stub wall 180. The major lateral structural connection along
the car is
provided by the transverse trough assemblies of troughs 34 to 42.
[0062] Half-trough peak assemblies 170 are located at the ends of the car
opposite the
slope sheet of the next inboard slope sheets of the intermediate slope sheet
assemblies 80.
Half-trough peak assemblies 170 include a roof or hat 168, a pair of end
plates 172, and a
set of internal webs 174. The roof or hat 168 may be a bent single sheet that
forms the
roof peak 166 and, in contrast to the intermediate trough peak assemblies, has
only a
single side sheet, or skirt, 176, that faces across the trough toward the
interior of the car.
[0063] The roof or hat or cap 168 may be formed from a bent sheet to form the
ridge cap
that has an inboard web or skirt 176 and an outboard leg 178 that conform to
the profile
of internal webs 174. Internal webs 174 have one side that has the same dog-
leg profile as
webs 146. Outboard leg 178 follows the contour of the outboard edge of webs
174 and
terminates at the upper edge of a lateral stub wall 180 that runs across the
end of car 20
from the end of side sill 28 to the end of side sill 30. There are webs 182
that lie in the
respective planes of webs 54 of draft sill 48 and support the inclined slope
sheet support
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and center sill top flange extension horizontal flange portion 186, and
consequently
lateral cover plate 188 that extends across car 20 from top chord to top chord
of side sills
28, 30. Accordingly, the structure defines a continuous stub wall at the end
of car 20. The
trough facing skirt, namely skirt 176, is mounted with a gap between its
lowermost
margin and the uppermost margin of the nearest slope sheet 86, 88 such that
there is no
shear web continuity between the skirt and the slope sheet.
[0064] First trough 34 and last trough 42 are centered on the respective truck
centers. As
seen in Figures 7a, 7b and 7c, there is a stub bolster 190. It has a bottom
flange 192, a
pair of vertical webs 194, 196 spaced apart from each other and that stand
upwardly from
bottom flange 192. At the location of the truck centers, the top flange 72 of
center sill 26
is broadened locally. At these locations, the respective trough bottoms 198
are welded to
the upper margins of webs 194, 196. Vertical webs 194, 196 and bottom flange
192
terminate laterally outboard of the side bearing mount. From that point to
side sill 28, 30,
trough 34 and trough 42 function as the lateral bolsters of the car. That is,
trough bottom
198 forms the flange of the bottom of a channel, and slope sheets 86, 88 form
the legs of
that channel, with that hybrid channel performing the role of the main
bolster.
[0065] This approach may tend to make manufacture easier, and to reduce the
amount of
material used. The geometry of the trough sheet at the bolster location is a
large, wide,
flat-bottomed V-shape. This geometry, by itself, has a large second moment of
area,
reducing dependence on the bolster for stiffness in transferring side bearing
loads to the
center sill and carrying the side sill. By using the natural beam-like
properties of the
trough sheet and its geometry, the bolster can be reduced to a stub-bolster
that bears the
side bearing loads, and a trough sheet that performs the beam function
customarily
provided by a traditional bolster. In the example, the bolster top flange is
partially or
wholly eliminated relative to standard designs.
[0066] In an alternate embodiment shown in Figure 8a, there is a railroad coil
car 220 that
can be taken as being the same as coil car 20. It differs insofar as legs 222
and 224 are pin
jointed not only at the lower end at pin 112, but also at the upper end at
pins 226. That is,
head frame 230, rather than being rigidly welded to the upper ends of legs
222, 224 has hard
points 232 than engage upper clevises 234 of legs 222, 224, at a tongue-and-
clevis joint,
being joined by pins 226 in double shear. Given that the axis of pins 226 is
in the y-
direction, the pin joint is not able to transmit a bending moment in the x - z
plane.
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[0067] In review, there is a railroad coil car 20. It has a straight-through
center sill 26 and
a set of transverse troughs 32 that includes at least a first transverse
trough 34 and a second
transverse trough 36. There is an intermediate slope sheet assembly 44 having
a first slope
sheet 86 of first trough 34 and a first slope sheet 88 of second trough 36.
Intermediate slope
sheet assembly 44 is pin-joint connected to straight-through center sill 26.
[0068] Center sill 26 has a planar top cover plate 72. The pin-joint
connection has a root or
footing 102 having web continuity through top cover plate 72 of said center
sill 26 by means
of side plates 108, 110 and a doubler 114. Center sill 26 is a fish belly
center sill, the fish
belly being identified at 75. In an alternate version, first slope sheet 86 of
first trough 34 is
pin-jointed to both center sill 26 and pin-joint connected to a first trough
peak assembly 94.
Center sill 26 has one of (a) a clevis such as defined by root side plates
108, 110; and (b) a
tongue, such as tongue 106; and first slope sheet 86 has the other of (a) a
tongue such as
tongue 106 and (b) a clevis such as defined by root side plates 108, 110, and
the respective
tongue and clevis are connected by a pin such as pin 112 to define the pin
joint, i.e., a joint
that functions as a hinge and does not transmit a bending moment.
[0069] Intermediate slope sheet assembly 44 has at least one A-frame structure
82, 84
having a pair of first and second legs 96, 98, each of first and second legs
96, 98 having a
foot that is pin-joint connected to center sill 26. Intermediate slope sheet
assembly 44 has
two of said A-frame structures 82, 84. A-frame structure 82 is aligned with
first web 76 of
center sill 26, and second A-Frame structure 84 is aligned with second web 78
of center sill
26 spaced apart from first web 76. Intermediate slope sheet assembly 44
includes a head
frame 100. First and second legs 96, 98 of A-frame structure 82, 84 have
uppermost ends
connected to head frame 100. Head frame 100 has a web 122 that has a profile
of trough
peak 94 of intermediate slope sheet assembly 44.
[0070] First slope sheet 86 has a first lateral reinforcement 90. It has a
termination at side
sill 28, 30 of coil car 20. Reinforcement 90 is a stringer 130 that has a cuff
134 rigidly
connected to side sill 28, 30. Cuff 134 is adjustable on fit-up during
assembly, and is fixed
rigidly to stringer 130 on assembly. First slope sheet 86 has a second lateral
reinforcement
92 in the form of a stringer 132 that extends cross-wise behind slope sheet 86
(or 88).
Stringer 130 is a lower reinforcement and stringer 132 is an upper
reinforcement. Upper
stringer 132 has a different cross-section from lower stringer 130. Upper
stringer 132 has a
greater second moment of area in bending perpendicular to said first slope
sheet than has
lower stringer 130, a greater sectional thickness, and a greater weight of
metal per lineal unit
of run. Lower stringer 130 is a channel section having splayed legs. Upper
stringer 132 is a
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channel section having parallel legs. Upper stringer 132 has a greater
flexural modulus, El,
than lower stringer 130. Intermediate slope sheet assembly 44 has and cap
plates 140. End
cap plates 140 are welded to side sills 28, 30 of coil car 20.
[0071] Various embodiments have been described in detail. Since changes in and
or
additions to the above-described examples may be made without departing from
the nature,
spirit or scope of the invention, the invention is not to be limited to those
details but only by
a purposive reading of the claims as required by law. As may be understood
without further
multiplication and repetition of description, the various features of the
several embodiments
may be mixed and matched as appropriate.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-08-05
