GB460881A - Improvements in or relating to rail cars - Google Patents

Abstract

460,881. Railway-vehicle underframes. BUDD MANUFACTURING CO., E. G. Sept. 18, 1936, No. 25408. Convention date, Sept. 18, 1935. [Class 103 (vi)] In a light-weight railway vehicle of the kind in which the body framework comprises trussed side frames B, Fig. 1, and a load-carrying roof whereby a relatively free under - floor space is obtainable, this space is utilized, by extending the framework downwardly, as an enclosed hold C for the installation and protection of the auxiliary equipment of the vehicle and is closed by a series of detachable hatches 60. The vehicle underframe includes a series of longitudinals 25 of inverted channel section, a number of transverse relatively shallow box beams 20, which are united by welding as shown in Fig. 5 to the channel section pillars 46 of the side frames B, and a composite boxshaped centre sill structure 28-36, Fig. 1. Two longitudinal rows of vertical stays 55 extending from truck to truck are welded. at their upper ends to the longitudinals 25, and at their lower ends to two longitudinal sills 57 that constitute the main elements of the hold framework. The sills 57 are additionally suspended by means of curved stays 56 of channel section which at their upper ends embrace the lower ends of the pillars 46, Fig. 7. Corrugated panelling 54 extends from the ends of the transverse beams 20 to the sills 57. Channelled guides 62, 63 of different depths welded to the sills 57 form supports for a series of hatch doors 60, the edges of which are retained in the shallow guide 62 by means of spring-controlled plungers 65 operating against the base of the deeper and opposite guide 63. In order to remove any door it is moved transversely against the effect of the spring plungers until it is clear of the shallow guide 62. When the side frames are interrupted to form door openings, the framework of the hold may be reinforced under such openings by means of diagonals arranged in the same planes as the vertical stays 55. At the transverse meeting edges of two adjacent doors of the hold flanged members 69, Fig. 13, may be arranged to contact along a line non-coincident with the line 70 along which the main portions of the doors contact.