US1760200A

US1760200A - Step for freight cars

Info

Publication number: US1760200A
Application number: US341717A
Authority: US
Inventors: George E Large
Original assignee: Buckeye Steel Castings Co
Current assignee: Buckeye Steel Castings Co
Priority date: 1929-02-21
Filing date: 1929-02-21
Publication date: 1930-05-27
Anticipated expiration: 1947-05-27

Description

May 27, 1930.

G. E. LARGE STEP FOR FREIGHT CARS Filed Feb. 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l G. E. LARGE STEP FOR FREIGHT CARS Filed Feb. 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 oooo oloooooooaoun OOuOclooO .i atented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE E. LARGE, OF COLUIVIIBUS,'OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BUCKEYE STEEL CASTINGS COMPANY, OF COLUBIBUS, OHIO STEP FOR FREIGHT CARS Application filed. February 21, 1929.

This invention relates to steps or ladders, and more particularly to inside steps for freight cars or the like.

A trainman, in travelling along a train of empty gondola cars, in passing from car to car, must either jump down into and climb out of each car, or walk the bulb angle along the top of the car side, unless the cars are provided with inside ladders or steps. Climbing up and down in cars having no steps, is ditficult and laborious, especially in cars with high sides. Running the bulb angle is dangerous, and particularly so when the cars are in motion, since the width of the surface traversed, does not exceed six inches.

Heretofore, inside steps have been formed by riveting short pieces of rolled steel angle to the wall of the car; thus making an in wardly projecting shelf for the foot of the trainman. This construction is objectionable because it often interferes with the loading and unloading of certain mate-rials which tend to catch on to the shelves. As a result of the abuse they receive, due to the loading, unloading and settling of the lading, the shelves are bent downwardly, or the rivets loosened, so that the shelves become unsafe and ill-suited forv their intended purpose. Furthermore, loosening of the rivets causes a crevice to be formed between the angle and the sheet. which catches water and hastens corrosion at this place. The surface of the angle upon which the trainman treads, is also smooth (being a rolled shape), and, therefore, does not provide a sure footing, especially in bad weather.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide inside steps which will eliminate the disadvantages above mentioned.

Another object is to provide inside steps of such design that they may be readily formed in a car end of integral construction, or be placed on a car end of the built-up type.

lVith the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Serial No. 341,717.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a car end of integral construction, and provided with the improved inside steps.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the same, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3'is an enlarged horizontal sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of one of the steps, taken on the line 4:% of Fig. 5. I

Fig. 5 is an elevation of one of the steps, and aportion of the main web of the car end with which it is integral.

Fig.6 is an elevation of the outer side of a car end of the built-up type, and provided with a modified form of inside steps.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical view of the same on the line 77 of Fig. 6. I

Fig. 8 is a top plan View of one of the steps.

Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view on the line 1010 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional view on the

line

11,11 of Fig. 9, and with part broken away.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the improved steps 15 are illustrated as forming integral portions of a one-piece cast steel car end 16. This car end has an outside ladder 17. and it is preferred that the inside steps be placed alongside of this ladder to facilitate the travelling of a trainman from the inside to the outside of the car, and viceversa. Each step 15 is formed by an outwardly projecting dome 18, that is preferably elongated vertically, and provides a recess or pocket 19 which is accessible from the inside of the car, and is located outwardly of the main web 20. A bridge 21 spans the mouth of each pocket intermediate the upper and lower ends of the same, and this divides the face of the pocket into upper and lower communicating

openings

22 and 23, the opening 23 being preferably larger than the opening 22, so that any coal dust or similar matter which may enter the pocket may readily discharge by gravity when the car is unloaded.

From the drawings, it will be noted how neatly this step can be incorporated in the sheet of the casting Without interfering in any way with the clearances either inside or outside of the car.

It has been stated above that the pocket cannot collect or become clogged with bulk lading, such as fine coal or gravel. This is cfic-cted to some extent by making the cavity smallest at section AB, increasing its size gradually in proceeding downward to section Al? Thus, any piece of lading small enough to enter section AB will drop out below at section AB. The curve -13-- E-F of the dome is not a semi-circle, but an irregular curve, depending upon the contour of the bridge 21, which forms the foot rest. In this case, it has been constructed by fitting together four different circle arcs, as shown in Fig. 4.

From Fig. 3 it may be also seen that the curve KLM has the same general shape as the curve KLM at section AB, the former being somewhat larger corresponding to the progressive increase in size described above. Therefore, viewing the integral step from the exterior of the car, one sees a double curved surface not unlike half of an ellipsoid projecting from the end of the car, but made an integral part thereof by a fillcted construction, (see Figs. 1 and 2) As before stated, the inside steps are located in close proximity to the outside ladder, and they are preferably staggered, for the greatest convenience and comfort of theuser. lfhile only two steps are shown on the car end, of course, more than this number may be used if desired, as in deeper cars.

The bridge 21 which forms the foot rest, has a roughened upper surface 2%, for greatest safety, and it consists of a flange oryoke 25 and a web 28, both of which have their surfaces continuous with the other two main I surfaces of the structure, thus taking advan- 7 tage of their rigidity and permitting the foot rest or bridge itself to be comparatively small. strength, and provide an unobstructed path for the flows of metal in casting.

I may also mention that the recessed construction of this integral inside step not only protects it from injury due to lading, but

alsofrom the corrosive action of the elements.

Bioreover, it presents smooth rounded surfaces whieh tend to prevent accidents.

While the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive has been designed especially for use with one-piece cast metal car ends, I am aware that a similar construction may be made part of bu1lt-up car The fillets 27 also contribute to its large hole in a rolled sheet to receive a step design of the shape shown in Figs. 1 to 5 1nclusive, the one-piece step shown in Figs. 6 to 11 has been made with fitting surfaces arranged in a diamond shape, so that the step may be fitted into the car wall at a

seam

30, 31, by simply shearing appropriate notches in the edges of the sheets 33 to be joined, as shown in Fig. 6. The edges of the casting overlap the sheared edges of the sheets, shown at 34t, and suitable fastenings such as rivets 35 at the four corners, secure the casting in place.

T ie head 36 of the casting provides a surface for the sheets (on one side), to abut against, and prevents possible leaking of the lading. Aside from the fact that the two

openings

37 and 38 are triangular in shape (88 being the larger of the two), the rest of the casting consists of curved surfaces constructed in exactly the same manner as the ones shown in Figs. 1 to 5. The foot rest or bridge 39 of this form of the invention is also the same, being an integral part of the casting and merging at its ends into the edge frame 40 which encircles the inner face of the pocket.

While both forms of the invention were conceived for use on theends of gondola cars, I do not wish to be limited thereto, since it is manifest they might wellbe applied to other types of cars, and to the sides as well as the ends of cars.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction, manner of use and advantages of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, and that changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

ll hat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v I H 1. An inside step for freightcarseor the like, including a. hollow dome-shaped member having a mouth, and abridge extei'iding across the month between thetop and bot tom of the latter.

2. An inside step for cars or the like, including a dOmeshapedmember forming a pocket, and a bridge extending horizontally across the mouth of the pocket. i

3. An inside step for career the like,.in-

eluding a dome-shaped,member forming apocket, and a bridge extending horizontally across the mouth of thepocket, said bridge having a. roughened upper surface.

4. An inside step for cars or the like, in cluding adome-shaped member forming a pocket, and a bridge extending horizontally across the mouth of the pocket, said bridge having its ends merging into the. side walls ofthe dome Y 7 5. An inside step for cars or the like, in eludingadome-shaped member forming a pocket, and a bridge extending horizontally across the mouth of the pocket, the bridge being provided with a reinforcing web which has its ends merging into opposite sides of the dome.

6. An inside step for cars or the like, including a dome-shaped member forming a pocket in a car end and provided with a bridge extending horizontally across the pocket and dividing the face of the pocket into upper and lower openings, said openings communicating with each other through the interior of the pocket.

7. An inside step for cars or the like, including a dome-shaped member forming a pocket in a car end and provided with a bridge extending horizontally across the pocket and dividing the face of the pocket into upper and lower openings, said openings communicating with each other through the interior of the pocket, the upper surface of the bridge being roughened and forming a foot tread.

8. An inside step for cars or the like, including a dome-shaped member forming a pocket in a our end and provided with a bridge extending horizontally across the pocket and dividing the face of the pocket into upper and lower openings, said openings communicating with each other through the interior of the pocket, the lower opening being of larger area than the upper opening, as and for the purpose described.

9. An inside step for cars or the like, including a dome-shaped member forming a pocket in a car end and provided with a bridge extending horizontally across the pocket and dividing the face of the pocket into upper and lower openings, said openings communicating with each other through the interior of the pocket, the interior of the pocket being gradually enlarged from the upper opening downwardly toward the lower opening.

10. An inside step for freight cars or the like, including a one-piece casting consisting of a dome-shaped member having an internal pocket with a bridge extending across the mouth of the pocket and having its ends merging into the sides of the dome-shaped part.

11. An inside step for freight cars or the like, includin a onepiece casting consisting of a dome-shaped member having an internal pocket with a bridge extending cross the mouth of the pocket and having its ends merging into the sides of the dome-shaped part. and a reinforcing web arranged below the bridge and having its ends merging into the sides of the dome-shaped part.

12. A metal step for freight cars or the like, consisting of a hollow dome-shaped part, the interior of said part forming a pocket to receive the toe of a shoe, and a bridge extending across the mouth of the pocket and havspecification.

GEORGE E. LARGE.