US1808872A - Car roof - Google Patents

Description

June 9, 1931.` w. D. THOMPSON 1,808,872

CAR RooF Filed'sept. 21, 1925 4 sheets-sheet 1 w "8 R1 *X Y Q8 N HR W QQ' \N S T; l f8 Q @nucl/Ufo@ ZmMm/m 8 asm. Wm Afm/4J MM l'fofzneago June 9, 1931. w. D. THOMPSON 1,808,872y

CAR ROOF.

Filed sept. 21, 1925 4 sheets-sheet 2 `lune 9, 1931. w. n. THOMPSON GAR ROOF Filed sept. 21, 1925 sheets-sheet 5 @gli jrmaww /vulw June 9, 1931.

v w. D. THOMPSON CAR ROOF Filed Sept. 2l, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 9, 1931 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM: D. THOMPSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIG-NOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO HUTCHINS CAR ROOFING COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE CAR ROOF

Appiication sled september 21, 1925. serial No. 57,73o.'

In the present state of the art roof constructions for railway freight cars are of great variety. This is partly due to difthe dimensions as well as to make various changes in the car frames; Due to such conditionsand also to the fact that cars of every make travel in all directions and over all the various railway lines, great difficulty is experienced in making necessary repairs. Thus, if a car having the roof of some specific design is in need of repairs, it may be necessary to send to a distant point for necessary repair parts and during all this time the car is out of service. This also makes it necessary for the railway shops to hold in stock a large number and variety of repair parts that they may be available when needed.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome the difficulties as above set forth by providing a standardized construction of roof which i-s adjustable so as to be universally applicable to all varieties and sizes of railway freight cars now in general use.

It is a further object to construct such roof of comparatively few elements which are standardized in form and dimensions. The invention therefore consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a cross section through a portion of a car on one side of the ridge to which my improved roof is applied.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the same roof applied to a car of different dimensions.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the construction shown in Figure 2.

Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged views of portions of Figure l.

Figure 6 is a section taken on line 6 6 of Figure 3 slightly modified in construction.

Figure 7 is a section similar to Figure 4 showing a slightly modified construction.

Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Figure 7 Figure 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Figure 7 Figures 10, 11 and 12 are views similar to Figures 4 and 7 showing still other modifications.

Figures 13 and 14 illustrate a modified construction showing adj u-stment at the eaves for different widths of cars.

As has been stated, railway freight box cars are of a great variety but all have the elements of first, side plates extending longitudinally of the car at the top of the side walls; second', carlines extending transversely between the side plates, and third, usually but not always, purlines extending longitudinally of the car at a plurality of points in the length of the carlines. With certain types of roofs the roofing sheets are arranged between carlines and consequently must correspond in width to the spaces between said carlines. Such construction is not suitable for universal application for there is no standardized spacing of carlines in car construction Where the roof is formed of metal sheets it is customary to run these sheets either from ridge to eaves 'or completely across from eaves to eaves. Neither of these types as heretofore constructed is suitable for universal application for there is no standard width of car bodies. With flexible car'roofs it is usual to provide for independent movement of the adjacent sheets with weather proong means Vbetween said sheets permitting such movement. However, the clearanceprovided is only sufi'icient to take care of the'movement incident toydistortions in the car frame and will not provide for any change in area to be covered.

Vith my improved construction the roof is formed of separate series of roofing sheets on opposite sides of the ridge together with weather proofing means at ridge and eaves such as to permit of relative adjustment of said sheets for various widths of car bodies. The roof is also designed to be placed above the carlines so as to be independent of any particular spacing of such carlines. There is also provision for weather proofing between the side edges of adjacent sheets and for securely holding said sheets down upon the roof frame without interfering with the adjustment for different widths of cars.

As specifically illustrated in Figures 1 and turn-bend S, S.

3 A are side plates of the car frame. B are carlines of any suitable construction and of any spacing which extend between the side plates A and together therewith form the roof frame. C is a ridge purline and D one or more intermediate purlines arranged above and secured to the carlines B. These may either be a part of the original roof frame or if not may be supplied before mounting my improved roof upon the frame.

The roof proper comprises roofing sheets E which are of standard form and dimensions. In length these sheets are such as to extend from'side plate to ridge of cars of minimum width but will extend only a part of such distance with cars of greater width. As shown in Figure 9 the sheets are panned and have marginal portions F at their opposite sides raised slightly above the main portion and provided with upstanding flanges G terminating in laterally extending flanges H. The sheets E are supported upon the purlines D, ridge C and side plates A, the tops of all of which members are in a common plane. Between the plates are arranged mullions J secured to the purlines, side plates and ridge preferably of such thickness that the `flanges I-I of the sheets rest thereon. K are weather proofing caps embracing the mullions J and the upstanding flanges of the sheets, said caps being of a length corresponding to that of the sheets. Y

The construction as thus far described may be applied to any car frame without regard to its type or dimensions. It is necessary, however, that the area covered should correspond to the dimensions of the car frame which necessitates an adjustment either at the ridge or eaves. Preferablyv this adjustment is made at the ridge and to this end the ridge caps L are of sufhcient width to provide for the maximum variation in width in of the junction caps passing downwardv through the ridge purline forms a securing means therefor and for also holding down thecaps K and L at the ridge.

To weather proof at the eaves the sheets E are fashioned for engagement with lashings preferably by the provision of the double re- The latter forms an outwardly opening pocket inl which the flashing T extends, said flashing being also provided with a return bent portion T. The flashing T is secured to the fascia U preferably by the bolts U and thus serves not only as a weather proofing means but also a means for limiting outward movement of the sheets at the eaves. The caps K are preferably provided at their outer ends with the return bent flanges K and flashings V between the adjacent lashings T serve to complete the weather proofing of the joint.

To complete the holding down of the roof the caps K are securely fastened to the roof frame. This is preferably accomplished by a pin lV which is riveted to and depends from the cap K passing through an aperture W in the mullion and having a portion W2 reduced in diameter pivotally engaging a plate 73 and secured by a nut W4 and washer W5. The plate W3 is anchored to a member X which extends between adjacent carlines and is bolted or otherwise secured thereto. Such anchorage is independent of any particular construction of side plate or of carlines and will exactly locate the pivot pin W in relation to the eaves.

With the construction as described, it will be understood that all of the metallic elements may be standardized as to formand dimensions and may be held in stock in the various car building and repair shops. In applying the roof to cars, the only variation is in the relative adjustment of these elements and in the construction of the roof supporting frame to which they are applied. Such variations are easily made in any shop and consequently the standard roof may be applied to any type or size of car, also repairs can be quickly made and as there are no special parts which are not held in stock, the cars do not remain long'out of service.

To compensate for variation in length of cars it may be necessary to alter the width of the end sheets. This, however, is easily accomplished as theend sheets are provided with `down-turned flanges and sheets of standard width may be easily altered bythe re-bending of this flange.

s In some cases of extremely narrow widths of cars the standard sheets may be longer than the distance between the ridge and sides of the car. In such event, by increasing the thickness of the fascia the eaves ends of said sheets will 'lie inside of the outer facing of the same and will thus be protected.

Where the width of the car is such that the inner ends of the sheets do not' extend to the ridge purline, I provide an auxiliary support for the same and this preferably comprises brackets Y which .mayk be secured to the ridge ypurline and to the intermediatepurline in the central line of eachsheet, said brackets having depending socketportions Y Yfor receiving a wooden supporting strip Z. The strip Z may thus be positioned withoutregard to the spacing between the carlines being arranged at the center of each sheet and thereby affording proper support therefor.

From the above it is obvious that my improved roof is applicable to all the various constructions of cars which are now in use but in the drawings I have illustrated its application to only a view of the different constructions. Thus, as shown in Figure 1, the side plates A and carlines B are formed of wood as was the practicewith the older type of car body construction.

Figures 2 and 8 show channel shaped carlines B having depressed portions B2 for receiving the purlines D.

Figure 6 shows the supporting strip Z for the upper portions of the sheets as morticed into the purline D and ridge purline C.

Figures 4; and 7 show constructions of extremely narrow body in which it is necessary to build out the sides by an extra thick fascia U thereby avoiding any overlapping of the sides of the car by the roofing sheets.

Figure 10 shows a metallic Z bar side plate A having a built-up wooden portion A2 for supporting the eaves ends of the sheets.

Figure 11 shows an angle bar side plate A3 with a flange member A4 secured to1 and depending therefrom to afford a connection for the fascia U2.

Figure 12 shows a. construction for extremely wide cars where it is necessary to cut away the upper ends of the sheathing` 1 so that the fascia 2 may be attached directly to the side plate A. The mullions are also cut away at the eaves to form a recess 3 in which the return bent ends of the sheets and the flashings may be located. rlhus, if the width of the car is such that the sheets when adjusted outward to the limit will not reach the plane of the sheathing, the recess 3 will provide for the engagement of said sheets.

In the modified construction shown in Figures 13 and 14 the adjustment for different widths of cars is made at the eaves instead of at the ridge. This is accomplished by lengthening the pocket formed by the return bend S sufliciently so that the distance which the flashing T can be adjusted therein is equal to one-half of the difference between the width of the narrowest and widest cars in general use on standard gauge tracks. The construction is otherwise similar to that which has been previously described. Figure 13 shows the roof as adjusted for the widest cars and Figure 14 as adjusted for the narrowest cars.

The specific constructions which have just been described do not form the sub-ject matter of the present invention but merely serve to illustrate its range of application.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A universal car roof applicable to all variations in size and type of freight cars in general use on standard gauge tracks comprising a sheet intermediate the ridge and the eaves panned to form a continuous upstanding flange along its sides and across its ridge end, a ashing forming a Weatherproof joint with the lower end of said sheet, and a ridge cap overlapping the upper end of said sheet and bearing on the bottom of the pan to form a weatherproof joint, the overlap being variable dependent upon the width of the cars and permitting adjustment to correspond to maximum and minimum widths.

2. A universal car roof applicable to all variations in size and type of freight cars in general use on standard gauge tracks comprising a sheet intermediate the ridge and the eaves having continuous weather proofing means along its sides and across its ridge end, a flashing forming a weatherproof joint with the lower end of said sheet, and a ridge cap overlapping the upper end of said sheet and bearing thereon to form a weatherproof joint, the overlap being variable dependent upon the Width of the cars and permitting adjustment to correspond to maximum and minimum widths.

3. A universal car roof applicable to all variations in size and type of freight cars in general use on standard gauge tracks, comprising a sheet intermediate the ridge and the eaves having continuous weatherproofing means along its sides and across its ridge end, a flashing forming a weatherproof joint with the lower end of said sheet, and a ridge cap overlapping the upper end of said sheet means along the side edges thereof and acrossone end, a cooperating member overlapping said end of the sheet to form a weatherproof joint, the lap between said sheet and cooperating member being variable to extend or contract the width of the roof to a degree corresponding to the difference between maximum and minimum width of such cars, while maintaining said overlapped weatherproof joint in all positions of adjustment, and means to cooperate with the weatherproong means at the edges of the sheet to form a continuous weatherproof joint at the edges of the sheet from end to end irrespective of adjustment of the sheet and cooperating member with respect to one another.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM D. THOMPSON.

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