CA2498520C - Center beam car with increased load capacity - Google Patents

Abstract

A center beam railcar that has increased volume capacity and versatility. The car preferably has a narrow top chord that does not interfere with loading by overhead crane, but still contributes significantly to the strength and load carrying capacity of the railcar. The top chord is preferably of a generally rectangular, tubular configuration, and has a width substantially equal to or slightly less than the width of the intermediate portion of the center beam therebelow. The railcar preferably has a depressed central portion located between a pair of higher end portions.

Description

center Be~azn Car with Increased Load Capacity This application is a divisional of Canadian Patent Application No. 2,315,535 filed August 9, 2000.
Ba~~kground of the Invention The invention relates generally to railcars, and more particularly, to a center beam car.
Center beam cars have proven to be useful zn transportation of various materials, including bulk materials such as l.t~mber prod.ucte which are of high volume azzd low density. However, there remains room for improvement in certain areas.
First, the usax7le volume capacity of the center beam car is often reached before the caz~s weight capacity is reached. This results in inefficiency, in that the weight caxrying capacity of the car is not fully utilized. One of the objects of the ~.nvention is to provide a center beam car is having capacity to carry loads of increased volume.
Another area for improvement relates to efficiency in loading and unloading the cars. While center beam cars can be loaded and unloaded efficiently with forklifts, loading and unloading by overhead crane is difficult due to the fact that the top chord typically overhangs the lvad_ It is a general object of the invention to provide a center beam car which can be more easily loaded by overhead crane.
A further area for improvement concerns securing loads in place. After a car has been loaded, to secure the load in place, workers have generally been required to climb onto the load to secure c;~.bles to the center beam. Winches have been provided on each side of the car, fixed to the side sills at predetermined intervals. Cables are pulled from the winches to the center beam to secure the load. Later, when the car is to b~~ unloaded, workers must again climb onto the car and release the cable ends from the center beams. The need for workers tv climb onto the car after loading and prior t.o unloadi.ng adds time and expense to the loading and unloading operations. Application of the cables is further complicated by the fact that it has generally been necessary to employ corner protectors at the upper corners of the lading to protect the lading from damage by the cables. Application and removal of corner protection adds further time and expense to the loading and unloading 20 operations.
Summary of ,~.he Inyention The invention provides a center beam railcar that addresses the above concerns without unduly increasing the weight or expense of manufacturing the car. The railcar of the inventor preferably provides increased volume capacity and can be loaded and unloadec by overhead crane. The car a3.so preferably provides 3r'. improved system for securing loads_ Preferably, the center beam car of the invention hay sufficient volume ca~~acity to enable the full weight capacity of the car t_o be utilized with certain loads.
Thus, the car can "gross out" and "cube out" at the same time with, e.g., kilra-dried lumber products.
Tn contrast with. the top chords that have been used in center beam railcars in the past, wherein the top chord is significantly wider than the intermediate portion of the canter beam below the top chord, the preferred center beam railcar has a narrow top chord that does not interfiere with loading by overhead crane, but still contributes significantly to the strength and load carrying capacity of the railcar. The top chord is preferably of a generally rectangular, tubular configuration, and has a width substantially equal to or slightly less than the width of the intermediate portion of the center beam therebelow.
This permits the load to be stacked alongside the top chord, increasing the volume of lading that can be accommodated as compared with earlier center beam cars in which the lading generally could be stacked only as high as the bottom of the top chord. The top chord preferably is at a height slightly above the upper ends of the bulkheads.
1.0 To further increase the volume of lading that can be carried, the railcar preferably has a depressed central portior~. In combination with the zlarrow top chord, this preferably provides a cleax loading height of at least about 14 feet above the dsapressed central portion. The depressed central portion is located between a pair of higher end portions each preferably having a length about equal. to the length of products to be carried thereon, or a multiple thereof. Tn one particular embodiment, the length is about 16 feet. The depth of the depression is similarly selected to accommodate products to be carried thereon in a manner that facilitates flexibility in loading products of various sizes. Trl one embad:imea: the depth is 16 ir~. , to enabl=
the depressio~a tc accommodatE bundles of engineered wood products hav~.ng a heighC of 15 ~ in " with the tops of the bundles being at about the same level as the adjacent end portions of the deck.
To increase ver9atility in securing the lading on the railcar, the lading is preferably secured by straps, each having a first end secured on a first side of the railcar, and a second end secured on the opposite side of the railearj with the strap extending over the top chord for materials that are stacked up to the top chord, and with the strap extending under the top chord for materials which are not stacked as high.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the straps are secured at or near t~ze side sills on both sides of the car, thus avoiding the need for workers to climb onto the deck or onto the load to secure the load. This also eliminates the need to provide winches on both sides of the c:ar. Winches may be provided only on one side, with a simple mechanism for securing a strap end provided on the other side. Furthermore, to increase versatility, the winches and mechanisms that are used to retain the ends of the straps preferably are longitudinally adjustable in tracks on the side of the railcar.
The straps may be passed over the lading from one side of the car to the other by coiling a portion of the strap containing a free end, while leaving the other end attached to a winch, and manually tossing the coiled strap portion from one side of the car to the other. This may be efficiently accomplished by a worker standing with his or her back to the railcar, tossing the coiled strap over his or her shoulder.
At its ends, the center may include one or more elongated supports that connect t:he bulkheads to one or more posts . The supports need not be connected to the center sill or to the top chord.
In summary of the foregoing, therefore, the present invention may be considered as providing a center beam railcar comprising a deck including a depressed central portion, bulkheads at opposite ends of the railcar, and a center beam extending longitudinally of the railcar and including a center ,sill, a top chord, and an intermediate structure connecting the top chord and the center sill, wherein the top chord has a width that is not substantially greater than the width of said intermediate structure.

-4a-Brief Description of the Drawinc(s Fig. 1 is a side e:Levational view of a railcar in accordance with a first embodiment of t:he invention. A horizontal member connecting the bulkhead to the nearest vertical post at a position about half way up the bulkhead, shown.at the right hand end of the car in Fig. 1, but not at the left hand end of the car, may be included at both ends of the car.

Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional end elevational view of the car of Fig. 1, shown on an enlarged scale, showing in cross-section the center laeam, a bolster, and a cross bearer in a depressed deck portion.
Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of the railcar of Fig.
1 with portions omitted for clarity, showing the center sill and cross bearers on the left half, and showing the top chord and floor sheets on the right half.
Fig. ~ is a schematic end elevational view of the railcar of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a railcar in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention_ Two alternative end structures axe shown- At the left end, there is shown a single horizontal structural member connecting the bulkhead with the closest two vertical posts.
At the right end, there are shown two horizontal structural members connect~.ng the bulkhead with the closest two vercic.ai posts. Either of these structures may be used at both ends of the railcar in the second embodiment of the 2U i~7vent~.ori.
Fig. 6 is a schematic sectional end elevational view thereof, shown on an enlarged scale, illustrating in cross-sect~ion the center beam, a bolster, and a cross bearer in a depressed deck section.
fig. 7 is a plan view of the railcar of Fig. 5, with portions omitted for clarity.
Fig. 8 is a schematic end elevational view of the railcar of Fig. 5.
Fig. 9 is a partial side elevational view illustrating a third embodiment of the invention which is similar to the embodiments of Figs. 5-8, except for the configuration of the ends of the center beam.
Fig. 10 ie a scY~ematic end elevational view of the railcar of Fig. 9.
Fig. 11 is a schematic sectional view thereof, Gaken at the depressed deck.
Fig. 12 is a schematic sectional view thereof, with a cross bearer at the upper deck shown in solid lines, and a section at the bolster shown in broken lines, Fig. 13 is an oblique view of the embodiment of Figs.
9-12.
Detailed De~cx~.gtlon of preferred Embod~.ments The invention is preferably embodied in a center beam car for transportation of lumber products or other bulky loads comprising a deck 10 for supporting the load, a censer.
beam ~2 extending longitudinally of the railcar, and a pair of bulkhead4 14, one zit each end of the car, to constrain the lading against lox~gitudinal displacement. The car is supported by a pair oi_ trucks 16 and bolsters 18 near its opposite ends. The deck is supported by a center sill 20, a pair of side sills 22, and a plurality of cross-bearers and/or cross-ties 24. The deck may comprise floor sheets 26, which are preferably i.x~clfned inward toward the center beam, but whic2~. may be horizontal. To facilitate loading and unloading of certain loads, in some embodiments risers 24a (Fig. 13) may project. above the top surface of the floor sheets, Stringers may be attached to the bottom of the floor sheets to stiffen them. The sides 28 of tkie center _7_ beam above the deck preferably are substantially perpendicular to the deck sur'_aces that support the lading, and accordingly are preferably either vertical or inclined sl,ightl.y inward, depending upon the orientation of the load-s supporting surface. straps 52 or cables and winches 30 are preferably provided to secure the lading. The floor sheets 26 may be welded to r_he center sill 20, side sills 22 and cross bearers 24, or may be welded to the center beam and cross bearers only. Tn the latter case, the outer edges of the floor sheets may be bent down between the cross bearers to provide additional. stiffness, or the outer edges may be supported by stringers..
The center beam 12 preferably acts as a principal load-bearing structural support for the car to support the weigh of the car and the lading. The center beam includes a top chord 32 that bears substantial compression loads. The top chord 32 is connected with the center sill by an intermediate structure thar_ preferably comprises a plurality of vertical posts 34 and a piuraiity of diagonal braces 36.
The vertical posts may be of Z-shaped cross-sect~.on, as shown in Fig_ 3, or may be I-beams, as shown in Fig. ~, or may be of other conf igurati~ons . The diagonal members 3 ~ m.;~
be tubular, or may be of other co:afigurations. The heighr of the center beam is preferably greater than or equal to that o~ the bulkheads..
To facilitate loading and unloading of the railcar using overhead cranes, and to facilitate loading of the car to a height above the bottom of the top chord 32, the top chord preferably is configured so as not to project beyond the sides of the intermediate structure immediately therebeneath 3$. Thin, the top chord in the preferred .
embodiment hag a width that is about equal to or slightly Less than the width. o.f the adjacent intermediate structure_ zn the illustrated embodiment, the sides of the top chord _g_ are positioned slightly inward of the sides of the intermediate struct:ure.. This configuration may be contrasted with the configuration of center beam care in the prior art wherein t:he top chords have projected outward from the surfaces therebelow. See, e.g., U.S. Patent No.
3,244,120 and No. 3,'734,031.
Notwithstanding its reduced width, the top chord 32 herein is one of the prir~cipal longitudinal load-bearing members of the car, and the superstructure of the center beam, i.e., the top chord 32, vert~.Cal posts 34 and diagonal braces 36, Contribute substantially to the strength of the center beam, and thus to the weight-carrying capacity of the car. Ta provide the top chord with sufficient strength.
stiffness and durab.lity for lozxg term usage in commercial rail transport, the top chord is preferably a tubular structure of gen.eral.ly square or other rectangular cross secCion.
To increase the volume of :Lading that can be accommodated by the railcar while maintaining versatility in 2C~ accommodating ladings of various shapes and sizes, the de~k preferably has a depressed center section or well aG oz sufficient length Co~accommoctatE large bundles of products.' while leaving uninterrupted end portions 42 of substantial length that can also support large bundles of products. Ir_ one particular embodiment'., she length between bulkheads 14 is 73 ft., and the length of the depressed center section 40 is 40 ft., leaving end sections 42 of about 16 ft. in length each. The 16 ft, end sections 42 may be used, e.g. for loading studs or other products having lengths of 8 ft. or 16 ft.
The width of the loading surface on each side of c~le center beam is about 4 ft_ _g_ 'The center section may be depressed by any desired dimension, subject to clearance limitations and other practical constraints. 1n some embodiments, the center section 40 is depressed s6 in. to accommodate bundles of engineered wood products having a height of 15 ~ in. zn other embodiments, a 19 in, depression maybe employed. zn still other embodiments, the depth of the depression is 30 in. Where products of varying densities are to be shipped, to facilitate maintaining a sufficiently low center bt 'gravity for the car when fully loaded, products of higher density Such as ~VL may be loaded in the depression, with products of relatively lower density such as engineered wood products being loaded thereabove, The depressed center section ~k0 and narrow top chord 32 combine to increase the clear loading height_ Preferably, the clear loading height ~.s aver 14 ft. These features not only make increased volume available for lading, but also enable the car to transport irregularly-shaped products that might be difficult or impossible to transport efficiently or earlier center beam ears.
In the preferred embodiment, the underframe and the posts 34 assist substantially in supporting the top chord 32 against buckling in the horizontal plane. Under static loading conditions when the car is fully loaded, the top chord 32 and diagonal braces 36 sire loaded in compression, and the center sill 20 and posts 34 are loaded in tension.
To reduce compression loads on the narrow top chord, the strength and stiffness of the posts may be increased by increasing the widths of their flanges 42, and the strength and stiffness of the diagonal braces 36 may similarly be increased. Also, the center sill 20 in the preferred embodiment has a fish belly configuration, wherein the center sill is relatively sklallow adjacent the bolsters, but inward of the bolsters the bottom of the center sill slopes -lo-downward to provide the center sill with a deep central portion 42.
The unloaded car preferably has a weight not greater than about 70,000 lbe. In some embodiments, the weight of the car is about 64,000-66,000 lbs.
Preferably, tree railcar is capable of carrying at least about 110 tons of wood products having a density of about 3C
lbs. per Cubic foot without exceeding the AAR Plate F
clearances. The AAR Plate F clearance template ig shown «t l0 60.
The preferred mechanism for retaining lading on the railcar employs straps 52, rather than cables, and izwolves securement of the straps at low elevations on opposite Sides of the railcar, with one end of each strap secured on one side at or near the side sill, and the other end of the strap secured on the other side of the railcar, at or near the side sill. As showy i: i~ia. 2, the strap 52 is passed over the Zading 54 and, where the lading is stacked to the top chord 32, is passed over the cop chord. Where the lading is not stacked to the height of the top choxd, as in Fig_ 6, the strap may be passed under the top~chord to the other side of the railcar. The straps are preferably of a nonstandard width, e.g., 4 ~ in., to reduce the possibility of the straps beizlg misappropriated for use in other applications.
Rather than including winches on both sides of the railcar as in the past., winches 30 are preferably provided on only one side, with one or more connecting mechanisms 56 provided on the other side to secure the free ends of the straps 52. The winches 30 and connedting mechanisms 56 are preferably longitudinally adjustable along tracks 58 (Fig.
5) so that the longitudinal positions of the straps may be adjusted to increase versatility in handling load components of various dimensions. To avoid requiring workers to be positioned on the railcaY to secure and release the straps, the tree end of then strap 52 may be thrown manually from one side of the car to the other. This may be accomplished by a worker standing facing away from the railcar, tossing the rolled up strap over his or her shoulder to the other side of the railcar. To facilitate this, a weight may be attached to the free end of the strap, or to a tether attached to the free end of the strap.
As an alt2rnat.i,ve, or in add~.tion to the use of straps rather than cables, to protect corners of wood product loads, corner protectors may be included as integral parts of the wood product bundles.
l5 Tn the embodiment o~ Figs. 1-4, a diagonal brace 36 connects the top of t:he bulkhead 14 to the center sill 20.
A~ shown at the right:-?lan.d end of the center beam in Fig. 1, an additional horizor_tal. brace 45 may connect the bulkhead to the d~.agonal brace a:~d/or to the nearest post 34. The 2o horizontal brace 46 is positioned apprax,imately halfway up the bulkhead.
Tn the embodi.menr_ o~ Figs. 5-8, at the ends of the center beam 12, one oz- more structural members may connect the bulkhead with one or more posts 34, without being 25 connected to the center sill 2Q or to the top chord 32, and wi;.hout any of the diagonal members 36 being attached to the bulkhead. Tn the arrangement shown at the left in Fig. 5, a single horizontal member 48 is connected to the bulkhead 14 and to each of the two po9tq 38 closest to that bulkhead, 30 about midway between the top chord and the center sill, without being connecting to the center sill or to the top chord. Irr another arrangement, shown at the right in Fig_ S, two horizontal structural supports 50 are connected to ..

-12~
each bulkhead 14, and to the two pasts 34 closest to that bulkhead, without being connected to the center sill or to the top chord. The two horizontal supports may be spaced at about 1/3 and 2/3 of the height of the cEnter beam.
From the foregoing, it should be appreciated that the invention provides a novel and improved center beam car.
The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above azid shown in the accompanying drawings, nor to any particular embodiments. The invention is particularly pointed out and further described in the following claims.

Claims (25)

CLAIMS:

1. A center beam railcar comprising a deck including a depressed central portion, bulkheads at opposite ends of the railcar, and a center beam extending longitudinally of the railcar and including a center sill, a top chord, and an intermediate structure connecting the top chord and the center sill, wherein the top chord has a width that is not substantially greater than the width of said intermediate structure, and is free of any structure protruding substantially beyond the width of the intermediate structure.

2. The railcar of claim 1 wherein said top chord is of a generally rectangular, tubular configuration.

3. The railcar of claim 1 wherein said top chord is of generally square tubular configuration.

4. The railcar of claim 1 wherein said center beam extends to about the same height as said bulkheads.

5. The railcar of claim 4 wherein said railcar has a clear loading height of at least about 14 ft. above said depressed central portion of said deck.

6. The railcar of claim 4 wherein said railcar is capable of carrying at least about 110 tons of wood products having a density of about 30 lbs./cu. ft. in commercial rail service.

7. The railcar of claim 1 wherein the deck includes first and second end portions at a first elevation and a depressed central portion at a second elevation, each of the end portions having a length equal to an integral multiple of the length of a standard product to be carried by said deck.

8. The railcar of claim 7 wherein said first elevation is above said second elevation by a dimension approximately equal to the height of a product to be carried in said depressed central portion.

9. The railcar of claim 8 further comprising elongated flexible members for securing the lading, and longitudinally adjustable winches for securing said elongated flexible members.

10. The railcar of claim 9 wherein said railcar further comprises a pair of side sills, and wherein said winches are supported on one of the side sills, and the elongated flexible members are of sufficient length to extend from said winches over the lading and top chord to the opposite side sill when the car is fully loaded, and wherein said railcar further includes retaining means on the opposite side sill to secure the free ends of the elongated flexible members.

11. The railcar of claim 10 wherein said intermediate structure includes a plurality of posts, and further includes, at each end, one or more elongated structural supports connecting one or more of the posts to a respective one of the bulkheads, and wherein said elongated structural supports are not connected to the center sill or the top chord.

12. The railcar of claim 1 wherein said center beam comprises a center sill, a top chord, a plurality of posts extending between the center sill and the top chord, and one or more structural supports which are connected to one of said bulkheads and one or more posts, and which are not connected to said center sill or to said top chord.

13. The railcar of claim 12 wherein each of said one or more structural supports extends substantially horizontally between said bulkhead and said one or more posts.

14. A center beam railcar capable of carrying a load of material, comprising:
a deck supporting said load, bulkheads at opposite ends of the railcar, and a center beam connected to each bulkhead, said center beam acting as a principal load-bearing structural support for the car to support the weight of the car and the load, said center beam comprising a center sill, a top chord, and an intermediate structure connecting the top chord and the center sill and assisting substantially in supporting the top chord against buckling in a horizontal plane, said intermediate structure comprising a plurality of vertical posts and diagonal members, said top chord, vertical posts and diagonal braces contributing substantially to the strength of the center beam, and thus to the weight-carrying capacity of the car, said top chord bearing substantial compression loads and having sufficient strength, stiffness and durability for long term usage in commercial rail transport, said top chord being free of any structure protruding substantially beyond the width of said intermediate structure to permit the load to be stacked against the center beam and alongside the top chord, said top chord being positioned at approximately the same height as the top of each bulkhead, said deck including first and second end portions at a first elevation and a depressed central portion at a second elevation, said railcar having a clear loading height of at least about 14 ft.
above said depressed central portion of said deck, said railcar being capable of carrying at least about 110 tons of products having a density of about 30 lbs./cu. ft., said railcar having an unloaded weight of not greater than about 70,000 lbs.

15. The railcar of claim 14 wherein each of said first and second end portions has a length of about 16 ft.

16. The railcar of claim 15 wherein said depressed central portion has a length of about 40 ft.

17. The railcar of claim 16 wherein the unloaded car has a weight of about 64,000 to 66,000 lbs.

18. The railcar of claim 17 further comprising a pair of side sills and a plurality of elongated flexible members for securing the lading with one end of each elongated flexible member secured on each side at or near the side sill, and a plurality of winches, wherein the elongated flexible members are of sufficient length to extend from said winches over the lading and top chord to the opposite side sill when the car is fully loaded, and wherein said railcar further includes retaining means on the opposite side sill to secure the free ends of the elongated flexible members.

19. A center beam railcar in accordance with claim 18 wherein said top chord is a rectangular tubular member.

20. A center beam railcar carrying a load comprising a plurality of bundles of products, said railcar comprising:
a deck, bulkheads at opposite ends of the railcar, and a center beam connected to each bulkhead and having about the same height as each bulkhead, said center beam acting as a principal load-bearing structural support for the car to support the weight of the car and the load, said center beam comprising a center sill, a top chord, and an intermediate structure connecting the top chord and the center sill, the top chord having a width not substantially greater than the width of said intermediate structure and being free of any structure protruding beyond the width of said intermediate structure, the load being stacked to the height of the top chord and alongside the top chord, said top chord bearing substantial compression loads and having sufficient strength, stiffness and durability for long term usage in commercial rail transport, said deck including first and second end portions at a first elevation and a depressed central portion at a second elevation, said railcar having a clear loading height of at least about 14 ft.

above said depressed central portion of said deck, said railcar being capable of carrying at least about 110 tons of wood products, said railcar having an unloaded weight of not greater than about 70,000 lbs., each of the end portions having a length approximately equal to an integral multiple of the length of one of said bundles, wherein said first elevation is above said second elevation by a dimension approximately equal to the height of one of said bundles.

21. The railcar of claim 20 wherein each of said first and second end portions has a length of about 16 ft.

22. The railcar of claim 21 wherein said depressed central portion has a length of about 40 ft.

23. The railcar of claim 22 wherein the unloaded car has a weight of about 64,000 to 66,000 lbs.

24. The railcar of claim 23 further comprising a pair of side sills and a plurality of elongated flexible members for securing the lading with one end of each elongated flexible member secured on each side at or near the side sill, and a plurality of winches, wherein the elongated flexible members are of sufficient length to extend from said winches over the lading and top chord to the opposite side sill when the car is fully loaded, and wherein said railcar further includes retaining means on the opposite side sill to secure the free ends of the elongated flexible members.

25. A center beam railcar in accordance with claim 24 wherein said top chord is a rectangular tubular member.