US1067719A - Convertible box-car. - Google Patents

Description

H. W. CURRY.

CONVERTIBLE BOX GAR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. e, 191s.

Patented July 15, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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ATTORNEYS H. W. GURRY.

CONVERTIBLE BOX GAR.

APPLICATION FILED 1113.5, 191s.

Patented July 15, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT FETCE.

HARRY WILMER CURRY, OF HUDSON HEIGHTS, NEW JERSEY.

CONVERTIBLE BOX-CAR.

To all 'whom it may concern: ,m

Ee it known that I, HARRY W, CURRY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hudson Heights, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Convertible Box-Car, oi which the following is a full, clear, and exactl description.

My invention has for its object to pro- 'ide a convertible box car having a hopper at its bottom, which is normally closed by a valve member, the car having at each end of the hopper a movable floor member, there being means for raising the outer ends of i the movable floor member so that grain disposed on the movable floor member may be directed to the hopper to empty the car. These movable floor members have hinged portions, which may be raised to remove the grain, which may fall between the tloor members and the sides of the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide floor members hinged at the sides of the car at the doorways, and adapted to cover the hopper between the first floor members, the second tloor members being adapted to be raised to close the lower portion of the doorways.

At the sides of the car there are slidably disposed door members for closing the upper portions of the doorways, the door members being adapted to engage and support the second-mentioned floor members in rertical position.

Still other objects of the invention will appear in the following complete specification, in which the preferred form et the invention is disclosed.

In the drawings similar characters oit reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, in which- Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation of my car; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 ot' Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the car, with the parts in position to permit of the use of the car one of the kind known as box cars; Eig. 4l is a transverse sectional view of the same car, with the parts in position, so that the car may be used like one of the hopper variety; F ig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the side ot' the car shown in Fig. l oi" the drawings; Fig. G is an inverted plan view oit one of the tlccr members disposed at the ends of the hopper at the bottom of the car; Fig. 7

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led February 8, 1913.

Patented July 15, 1913.

Serial No. 746,983.

is a fragmentary sectional view showing the means for rotating the gearing for raising the floor members at the ends of the car; Eig. 8 is a plan view oil Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of one of the floor members disposed at the hinged doorway of the car; and Fig. 10 is a sectional view on the line 10-10 oi' 9.

There has always been ditiiculty in using box cars for shipping grain, because the grain is apt to leak out of the doorways of the box car, which occasions great loss. Vhen the ordinary box car is used for shipping grain, it is necessary to nail boards against the inner sides of the doorways to.` prevent the weight of the grain from forcing the doors outward sutliciently tar to leave open spaces, through which grain may leak out. Considerable time is required to nail the boards in place, and the cost of the beards which are usually broken and are not returned, amounts to a large sum. The cars are also very often damaged in opening them to empty the grain. My car removes these ditiiculties, as it can be readily converted from a box car to a hopper car for use in shipping grain. Much time is required to unload cars now in use for shipping grain, and the unloading operation is also expensive. With my car the grain may be quickly unloaded, and at coinparatively little expense.

By referring to the drawings it will be seen that a car 11 has a bottom 12, which at the doorways 13 is constructed to form a hopper 1st, with an opening 15. it the bottom of the hopper 14, at each side ot the opening 1.3, there are secured bearing members 16, in which is journaled a valve 17, having an opening 18 therethrough. lt will be seen that when this valve member 17 disposed as shown in Fig. 1 ot' the drawings, it will close the opening 15. but when it is rotated 90O the opening 1 8 will be disposed to permitthe grain to ilow from the opening in the hopper let out thro-ugh the space 19 between the bearings 16. Disposed on the bottom 12 of the car, at each end of the hopper 14, there are guideways 20, on which are disposed the ribs 21 of the movable iloor members 22. These movable floor members 22 have floor sections 23, at their inner ends, the floor sections 23 being hinged to the floor members 22 at the points These floor sections 23 normally rest on the ribs 21 but may be held raised therefromby the pawls 23a which are adapted to engage the racks 23b on the floor sections 23. It will therefore be seen that when the outer ends 25 of the floor members 22 are raised, the grain disposed tliereo-n will flow to the hopper 14, and when the valve 17 is opened, through the valve, to empty the car. When all the grain from the top of the fioor inembers 22 has flowed to the hopper 14, the floor sections 23 may be raised relatively to the floor members 22, and hoes or shovels may be extended between the bottom of the floor sections 23, and the bottom 12 of the car, to remove any grain which may have leaked to the bottom 12 of the car, between the floor members 22, and the sides of the car.

At the ends of the car, adjacent the top 26, there are shafts 27, which are journaled in brackets 28, these shafts 27 having drums 29, to and around which are secured chains 30, these chains 30 being fastened to the floor members 22, at their ends 25. It will therefore be seen that the shaft 27 may be rotated to raise the ends of the floor members 22, to empty the car.

Journaled in bearings 31 in the car, there are vertical shafts 32, which are adapted to rotate the shafts 27, through the gearing 33. At the top 26 of the car there are recesses 34, in which are disposed the angular terminals 35 of the vertical shafts 32. It will be seen that the vertical shafts may be rotated by means of wrenches, fitting their terminals 35, for raising and lowering the ends 25 of the floor members 22. These recesses 34 are normally closed by the lids 37.

Disposed longitudinally of the car, intermediate of its sides, and above the hopper bottom 14, there is a beam 39, which serves as a means for supporting the free ends 40 of the floor members 41. These floor members 41 are hinged to the car 11 at the points 42, at the bottom of the doorways 13. The floor members 41 are large enough to form a continuation of the floor from one of the floor members 22, and its section 23, to the other floor member 22 with its section 23, so that when these floor members 41 are disposed on the beam 39 the car will have a flat bottom, extending fro-iii one end of the car to the other, which willeiiable it to be used as a box car. However, when it is desired to use a car as a hopper car, these floor members 41 are raised to vertical position, so that they will be disposed as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the floor members 41 having pockets 43 in which are pivoted hooks V44, these hooks 44 being adapted to engage the eyes 45, extending in the doorway 13, the floor members 41 being held inV vertical position by this means. Vhen the floor members 41 have been raised, and have been secured in this manner, the

car may be filled with grain, up -to the top of the floor members'41, after which the door members 46 may be moved to the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. Tliese door members 46 are mounted to slide in guideways 47 at the inner sides of the car, and are adapted to move across the top of the doorway, so that the ends 4S of the door members 4G may be engaged by the guideways 49 to hold the door members 46 in position at the doorway. These door members 46 are provided with depending flanges 50, which engage the inner sides of the top of the floor members 41, to assist in holding the floor members 41 in position, and to prevent leakage of the grain between the floor members 41 and the door members 46. The door members 4G are provided with windows 51, which enable Ythe shippers to till the car 11 with grain above the top of the floor members 41. Y

The valve member 17 has at its outer side a toothed wheel 52, which may be engaged by a tooth 53y pivoted to a bracket 54, so that the valve 17 may be opened as may be desired, and may be held in such position. The valve 17 also is provided with a spindle 55, having an opening, through which may be disposed a pin 56, this pin also being disposed through brackets 57, one at each side of the toothed wheel 52, so that the pin will hold the valve 17 in closed position, and will prevent any tampering with the valve. To the free end of the pin 56 there may be secured a seal 5S, so that at a glance trainmen may ascertain whether the valve has been tampered with.

It will be seen by referring to Fig. 6 of the drawings that the ribs 21, below the movable fioor members 22, may be held in position relatively to each other by the braces 59.V

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A car having a bottom with a hopper, there being an opening in the hopper, bearings in the hopper, one at each side of the opening, and a valve member jcurnaled in the bearings, for rotating onV a horizontal axis for closing the opening in the hopper at the will of the trainniaii.

2. A car having a bottom with a hopper, there being an opening in the hopper, bearings in the hopper, one at each side of the opening, a valve member journaled in the bearings Vfor rotating in a horizontal axis to close the hopper, teeth on the valve member for rotatingtherewith, and a finger having means for engaging the teeth for holding the valve member in adjusted position relatively to the hopper.

3. A car havinfi a bodv. a movable Hoor member in the car and having ribs extending at one end, means for raising the other end of the floor member, a floor section hinged to the lirst end oi the floor member normally resting on the ribs, and movable relatively to the body of the car.

4t. A car having a body, a movable floor member in the car and having ribs extending at one end, means for raising the other end ot the floor member, a floor section movable relatively to the floor member, and the body, and normally resting on the ribs.

A car having a bottom with an outlet, Yfloor members extending at each end et the outlet, ribs on the iioor members extending in the direction of the outlet, iioor sections normally disposed on lthe ribs and movable relatively to the floor members, and means tor raising the tloor members at a distance from the floor sections.

G. l-r car, a movable floor member in the car and having ribs extending at one end,

a shaft journaled in bearings in the car, a-

iiexible member secured to the i'loor member at its other end, and adapted to be wound on the shaft, means for rotating the shaft, and a floor section disposed at the iirst end of the floor member normally resting on the ribs and movable relatively to the ribs and the bottom of the car.

7. A car having guideways, a movable floor member in the car and having ribs extending at one end for traveling in the guideways, a licor section disposed at t-he said end of the iioor member, the iioor section being movable relatively to the floor member and the guideways, and being normally disposed on the ribs, and means ior raising the other end oit the iloor member.

S. A car having a bottom with an outlet, guideways disposed at each end ot theoutlet, licor members disposed above the guideways, ribs on the tloor members extending in the direction of the outlet ior traveling` in the guideways, iioor sections disposed on the ribs at the inner ends of the floor members, the floor sections being movable relatively to the floor members, and the guideways, and means tor moving the outer ends oi' the iioor members.

9. A car having sides with doorways, and a bot-tom, which at the doorways extends below the horizontal plane at the bottom of the doorways, a beam in the car between the doorways, and extending above the bottom of the car, two tloor members, one hinged on a horizontal axis at the bottom oit each doorway, the floor members being normally disposed horizontally and resting on the beam, but being adapted to be raised to close the lower portion of the doorways, guideways at the sides of the car, and door members slidable in the guideways :tor closing the upper portions of the doorways.

10. A car having sides with doorways, and a bottom, which at the doorways extends below the horizontal plane at the bottom oi the doorways, a beam in the car between the doorways, and extending above the bottom of the car, two tloor members, one hinged on a horizontal axis at the bottom of each doorway, the floor members being normally disposed horizontally and resting on the beam, but being adapted to be raised to close the lower portion ot the doorway, gnideways at the sides oi" the car, and door members slidable in the guideways for closing the upper portions ot the doorways, the door mem bers having flanges for engaging the floor members :tor holding them in. vertical position.

ll. A car having a doorway and a bottoni, which at the doorway extends below the horizontal plan-e at the bottom oi' the doorway, a loor member hinged on a horizontal axis at the bottom oi the doorway, and adapted to be disposed horizontally, but which at the will of the trainman may be raised to a vertical position to close the lower portion of the doorway, a guideway on the car, at the side ot the doorway, and a door member tor moving in the guideway for closing the upper portion ot the doorway.

12. A car having a doorway, and a bottom which at the doorway extends below the horizontal plane at the bottom of the door way, a tloor member hinged on a horizontal axis at the bottom oi the doorway, and adapted to be disposed horizontally, but which at the will of the trainman may be raised to a vertical position to close a portion of the doorway, means tor supporting the floor member in horizontal position, a gnideway on the car at one end of the firstmentioned tleor member, a second lloor member in the car, and having ribs extending in the general direction ot the iirst tloor member tor traveling in the guideways, a floor section at th-e inner end et the second iloor member, and movable relatively there to, and normally disposed on the ribs, and means tor raising the cute end et the second floor member.

In testimony whereof have signed my name to this speciiication in the presence oit two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses SAM E. PAUL, Cime. F. MICHEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, C.

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