US2006220A - House car - Google Patents

Description

June 25, 1935 J. P. MCWILLIAMS Er AL v l 2,006,220

HOUSE CAR Filed March 16, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l I III / Zia June 25, 1935- J. l5. MGWILLIAMS ET AL 2,006,220

HOUSE CAR Filled March 16,1933 3 sheets-sheet 2 7/ i294 F395 74 da gym June 25, 1.935. J. F?. vlvacwlLLlArvls Er AL 2,006,220

HOUSE'CAR Filed March 16, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 445/ 46/ ."T i Il l 'l *44 l Patented June 25, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i' HOUSE CAR of Ohio Application March 16,

12 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to an improvement in house cars. l

At the present time there are a large number of Wooden sheathed box cars owned by various railroads of the country having an inside Width between lining of about 8' 6". The superstructure of many of these cars is so badly deteriorated as to render the cars unilt for further service in their present condition, and the remainderare approaching .the same condition. The underframes of many of said cars, however, being of metal, are still serviceable. Also, the American Railway Association is giving serious consideration to the adoption of a standard all-steel box car in which the inside Width between linings is to be approximately '8' 9%", substantially wider than many of the existing wooden sheathed box cars,`in order to better meet present day conditions.

The owners of said wooden sheathed box cars are, therefore, faced with the problem of deciding whether to maintain the old cars with their dimensions unchanged, or make extensive alterations when repairing said cars which would result in inside dimensions conforming with those of the new standard all-steel box car now under consideration by the American Railway Association.

It isobviously to the best interests of the railroads that the still serviceable steel underframes of the old cars be re-used insofar as possible in order that the cost of modernizing the old Wooden sheathed box cars to metal sheathed box `cars of greater Width may be kept as low as possible.

One object of this invention, broadly, is to provide a metal sheathed box 'or house car wherein the posts to which the side wall metal sheathing is secured are disposed inside of the sheathing and 'the available inside width of the car between linings may, if desired, be made approximately equal to the over-all lengths of the body holsters and other cross members of the car underframe.

More specifically. another object of the invention' is to provide a metal sheathed car, converted from a wood sheathed car, wherein all of the original underframe elements of the car may be retained and re-used to thereby minimize the cost of the conversion, and wherein the effective 50 or available inside width of the car may be materially increased over that of the car in its original form by a re-arrangement of certain of the underframe members, and without increasing the length of the cross bearers and bolsters either by new parts or the addition of castings or the like 1933, Serial No. 661,036

(Cl. 10S-409) whose purposewould be to increase the length of existing cross members.

A further object oi the invention is to provide a metal sheathed box or house car wherein the side wall metal sheathings may be disposed in 5 planes outwardly of vertical planes passingV through the ends of the cross members of the car underframe, variable desired distances to increase the inside width of the car and wherein each side sill occupies a turned and' reversed posil0 vtion as compared with its original position on the same cross members of the underframe of an originally Wood sheathed car from which the conversion has been" made.

Another object of the invention is to provide 15 a metal sheathed box or house car that may have l, been converted from a wood sheathed car having a Z-bar side sill wherein the side sill is so arranged with reference to the cross members of the underi'rame that a minimum amount of met- 20 al sheathing is required to form the side wall.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this speci- 25 fication,fFigure 1 is an elevational view of a portion of the side of a car from the end wall toward the u sual door of a house car, showing the improvements incorporated therein, parts being broken away to better accommodate the ilgure 30 on the sheet. Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view corresponding to the section line 2 2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the car structure shown in Figure 1 and corresponding to the line 3 3 thereof, 35 parts being broken out to better accommodate the figure on the sheet. Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating another embodiment of the invention, Figure 4 showing only those parts adjacent the ends oi.' the cross members of the 40 car and the side sill. Figure 5 is a detailed vertical sectional view oi the structure along the lower portions of the side wall of the carof the wood sheathed present type of box cars before being converted to the wider metal sheathed cars shown in Figures 1 to 4. Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating still another embodiment of the invention. Figure 7 is a detailed side elevational View of the structure shown in Figure 6 illustrating more particularly the brac- 50 ing attachment for the side sill. Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a still further embodiment oi' the invention.` And Figure 9 is a broken side elevational view of the arrangement shown in Figure 8, illustrating more particularly the bracing attachment for the side sill.

In said drawings, and referring first to Figure 5 illustrating the present construction of many thousands' of wood sheathed box cars now owned by the railroads, ||0 indicates one of the metal cross members of the car underframe: |20 one of the Z-bar side sills; |30 a floor supporting angle secured to the side sill |20; |40 the floor boards; the wood ,side sheathing;A |80 the wood side posts; |10 the usual'wood lining terminating a short distance above the floor boards; |80 lthe usual grain shedding cleat; and |90 the usual side sill ller and nailing strip.v

Still referring to Figure 5, it will be noted that the web I2 of the side sill overlies and is riveted to the upper sides of the ends of the cross members` of the car underframe, the outer flange |22 ofthe Z-bar |20 being extended downwardly and riveted to the vertical ends of the cross members, as indicated at |23. The inner ange |24 of the side sill extends vertically upward and to it is riveted the depending'fiange of the angle |30. It will further be noted that the wood sheathing |50 is in a plane lapproximately coinciding with a vertical plane passing through the ends of the cross members of the underframe, ,whereas the lining |10 is disposed in a vertical plane offset several inches inwardly of the vertical 'plane passing through the ends of the cross members. The old cars now owned by the railroads and of which Figure 5 is an exempliflcation, have an inside width between linings o f about 8 6%. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the construction at the opposite side of the carl will be the same as that shown in Figure 5 and, also, that although only one of the cross members of the underframe is shown, the same exemplifies all of the usual cross members of the underi'rame such as the holsters, cross bearers, diaphragm and/or needle beams.

In carrying out the present invention, where it is desired to convert a wood sheathed car such as shown in Figure 5 and above described, to ametal sheathed car of greater inside width and,.

at the same time reuse the side sills as well as the remainder of the underframe, the side sill 20, referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, is turned end for end as compared with its position shown in Figure 5, and also rotated about its longitudinal axis through an angle of 90 and its web 2| riveted to the vertical end faces of the underframe cross members l0, as clearly shown in Figure 3. The flange 24 of the side sill, originally extended vertically upward in the wood sheathed car, is now extended horizontmly outwardly and the other flange 22 of the Z-bar is now extended horizontally to overlie the cross members and be riveted thereto, as indicated at 23. The angle 3l, originally the oor angle |30, in the converted car now occupiesv a position with one of its flanges extending vertically downward in a plane offset outwardly several inches from the ends of the underframe cross members. In actual practice, the .floor angle |30 may be left in the original position relativeV to the Z-bar |20 as shown in Figure 5 or the rivet connectionsv therebetween may be taken out and a new set of rivet connections made providing for a greater over'- of choice dependent upon the size of metal side'- posts to be used with the metal sheathing.A

` To locate the floor boards 40 the dis tance above the tops of the underframe mem--` Web extending perpendicular to the side wall of the car andthe flanges thereof extending in opposite directions asbest indicated in Figure 2. The lower ends of said side posts are anchored to the side sill A20,preferably by angle plates 6| on each side of the web thereof, said angle plates being riveted to the web of the post as indicated by the rivets 62, and also to the outwardly extending flange of the Z-bar and angle 30, as indi` cated at 63. In this manner, the side posts are obviously rrmly supported on the side sill and may additionally be riveted thereto and to the ends of the cross members as by the rivets 64, Preferably wood fillers 65 will be employed with each of the side posts and, at the corners of the car, the original woodcorner posts 86 may be retained, as 'indicated in Figure 2.

To further utilize as much of the original wood sheathed box car as possible, when the same is to be converted to incorporate the present invention, the original wood side plates 66 are reemployed but have an additionally reinforced attachment to the carlines 61 by means of a U- shaped strap or plate 68 extending around the sides and bottom thereof -and riveted to theend of the carline, as indicated at 69, and another plate or strap extending over the top and down the outer side thereof and which -is riveted to the top of the carline as indicated at 12. Further, to adapt the. old structure to the metal sheathing and wider dimension, a Z-bar side plate 'I3 is employed, the same having its upstanding flange 14 positioned between the overlapping ends of the straps 68 and 1| and riveted thereto, the

other flange of the side plate 13 being downturned as indicated at 15. The upper ends of the Z-bar side posts are anchored to the yside plate 13 by plate angles 'I6 similar to the plate angles 6| employed at the bottoms thereof.

The side wall metal sheathing may be of any l desired type and preferably consists of plane or flat sheet metal panels 50-50 and 5|, the same being applied to the outer sides of the posts, as shown. The lower panel 5| 'preferably comprises a single panel extending from corner post to door post and in addition to being riveted to the side posts has its lower edge riveted to the side sill structure by the series of rivets 52 and thus' provide a weather sealed structure along the bottom of the sidewall. 'I'he vertical lap joints of the upper series of panels 50 are preferably opposite each of the side posts, as indicated at 53 in Figures 1 and 2.- At the corners of the car, the end panel 50 and end of the panel 5| are preferably lapped under and riveted to the sideiiange 54 of the metal end wall of the car. The upper edges of the panels 50 are extended beneath the dependingoverlie and are riveted to the upper edge of the l panel 5| as indicated by the series of rivets 56, thus providing Water shedding joints, as will be understood.

The inside lining of the car 10 is applied against the inner sides ofthe corner and side posts and is disposed in a vertical plane approximately coinciding with avertical plane passing through the web of the side sill and ends of the cross members, as best indicated in Figures 2 and 3. In Figure 3 is indicated by dotted lines at |19 the original position of the lining of a wood box car .prior to conversion and it will be noted that at each side of the car, the inside width has been increased several inches. In the present instance as shown in Figure 3, the increase is approximately three inches on each side or a total increase in the inside width of the car of approximately six inches, this increase being obtained by reusing the original side sills and cross members of the underframe and without the addition of any castings or other extension memvbers that would otherwise add to the cost of material as well as labor. Furthermore, the present improvements permit the reclaiming or reuse of the old 'wood side plates and carlines by the mere addition of reinforcing plates or straps and Z-bar side plates. 'f

Referring next to the construction shown in Figure 4, 2li) indicates one of the cross members of the car; 229 the side sill; 230 the angle corresponding to the original angle |39; 23| an additional angle; 290 the floor Stringer; 240 the floor boards; 210 the inner lining; 26|! the Z-bar side posts; and 250 the outside metal sheathing. In this construction, the side sill is turned through an angle of with reference to its original position illustrated in Figure 5 and with its web extending vertically in a plane corresponding substantially to a vertical plane passing through the vertical end sections proper of the cross members of the underframe. The angle 23|) is also shown shifted from one side to the other side of the z-bar flange and relocated inwardly slightly so as to permit using side posts 26|) of smaller size. The lower angle 23| is preferably employed in order to provide a firmer connection between the Z-bar side sill 220 in its rotated position and the cross members, inasmuch as the angle 23| allows of a riveted connection with the ends of the cross members, as indicated at 232. In the Figure 4 arrangement, the same advantages are obtained as in thestructure illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and also an additional advantage in that a lesser quantity of material is required to complete the sheet metal sheathing inasmuch as the same is not extended downwardly as far as in the construction illustrated in Figure 3, for instance. In the Figure 4 form, there will preferably be only one series of panels extending from the side sill up to the side plate.

Referring next to the construction shown in Figures 6 and '1, one of the metal cross members of the underframe is indicated at 3||i to the top of which at the end thereof is shown the Z-bar side sill 320 attached by means of its lower inwardly extending flange 324, the web extending vertically and the upper flange 322 extending horizontally outward. In this arrangement it will be noted that the side sill is so located that the web thereof is in a vertical plane dis-- posed somewhat inwardly of a vertical plane passing through the vertical end faces of the cross members, thus providing for a somewhat increased inside width of the car but not as great as that'provided by the arrangements shown in Figures 3 and 4. To the web of the side sill is secured an additional longitudinally extending angle 33| and also another angle 33|), the latter being so arranged that its outer flange extends vertically upward and to which the lower edge of the metal side sheathing 350 is adapted to be riveted therealong as indicated at 352. The floor boards 340 are supported on the angle 33| and combined angle 330 and side sill flange 322, as shown. In this arrangement, metal side posts 365 are employed to the outer flanges of which is riveted the sheathing and to the inner flanges of which is secured the inner wood lining 310.

At the roof of the car, the arrangement is somewhat similar to that shown in Figure 3, the carlines 361 having a strap 31| secured thereto, which takes over the upstanding flange 314 of a Z-bar side plate 313, the latter having its outer flange depending and to the inner side of which is secured the upper edge of the sheathing as by the rivets 355. In this arrangement, each carline 361 has an outwardly extended flange 369 engaging beneath the wood side plate 366, which is confined between the ends of the carlines 361 and the metal side plate 313. At each carline tie plates 368 are riveted t-o the carline extensions 369 and web of the side plate 313, as indicated. The upper and lower ends of the metal posts are anchored to the metal side plates and side sill by the corner angles 316 and 36|, respectively.

In order to afford a more secure attachment between the side sill and cross members of the underframe, a combined attaching and bracing member 390 is employed at each cross member. Said attaching member 399 is of angular cross section with one flange 39 |l thereof secured by a pair of rivets 392 to the web of the side sill, the member 390 being angularly bent so that the other flange 393 thereof will lie against the side web of the crossv member and to which it is riveted as by a plurality of rivets 394, thus affording a larger riveting area between the side sill and each cross member.

Referring to the construction illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, the end portion of one of the cross members is'indicated at 4|0, the turned Z-bar side sill at 420, the latter having .its lower flange 424 extending inwardly and riveted to the top of the cross member and its upper flange 422 extended horizontally outwardly. In this arrangement, the side sill is located substantially in the same vertical plane as that of Figure 6 but, as will be understood, its position may be shifted inwardly or outwardly, as desired, to provide the desired inside width of the car. 'Ihe arrangement of angle 43|, angle 430, side sheathing 450,

side posts 465, corner angle 46| and inner sheathing 410 is the same as that illustrated in- Figure 6 and need not be further described. I

In the Figure 8 arrangement, to provide a more substantial attachment between the side sill and each cross member, a combined attaching and bracing plate 490 is employed, the same being of generally rectangular form with a central rectangular opening 49| to allow' the same to be passed over the endA of the cross member, as shown. Said plate is secured to the web of the side sill `by horizontal series of rivets 492 and, along its lower edge, by another series of rivets 493 tofa depending flange 494 of an angle having its other flange riveted to the bottom flange of the cross member 4 0 as by the rivets 495.

In all of the converted forms illustrated and described, it will be noted that the webs of the Z-bar side sills are approximately in line with the inner sides of the posts and that the greater section modulus of the Z-bar is presented to the advantage for the reason, as understood by those skilled in the art, that all wooden superstructure box cars are built as underframe carrying cars, that is, the posts, braces and Wood side plates are not intended or depended upon to carry the live or dead load of the car, this function being intended primarily for the underframe wherein the load stresses applied vertically to the cross members, other than the bolsters, are transmitted laterally inwardly to the center sill. With the converted car of the present invention, employing metal side plates, posts and sheathing, each side wall of the car including the side plate, side sill, posts and sheathing, forms a girder with the side plate in compression and the side sill in tension and the load primarily transferred to the bolsters, thus relieving the center sill of a large part of its live and dead load-carrying functions and increasing the life of the car.

From the preceding description, taken in connection with the drawings, it will be seen that the railroads are enabled to not only convert many of their present wood sheathed box cars to metal sheathed cars but also at the same time, to rn'ake the converted car of such increased inside width as Amay be desired while reusing the underframe members, including the side sills, of the present Wood sheathed box cars, thus minimizing the expense of conversion and at the same time providing a much more serviceable and longer life car than at present.

Although the invention has herein been shown and described with particular reference to the conversion of one type of wood box car to a metal sheathed car, nevertheless the same is by way of description only and not by way of limitation, inasmuch as the conversion described may be carried out with reference to other types of Wood sheathed carsand, further, the improvements incorporated in new cars all without departing from the spirit of the invention. All changes and modifications are therefore contemplated that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

-1. A house car including: a metal underframe having cross members; Z-bar side sills directly attached to said cross members at the respective ends thereof, each Z-bar having its web disposed vertically with one of its fianges overlying and secured to the tops of the cross members and its other flange projecting horizontally outwardly beyond the ends of the cross members; an angle secured to said last named flange of ,each Z-bar and having its outer flange extending vertically and also disposed in a plane outwardly beyond a vertical plane passing through the ends of the cross members; metal side posts having their lower ends terminated above said outwardly extended flanges ofthe Z-bar sills and anchored to said side sills and to said outer flanges of said angles; and metal sheathing formed separately from the posts and secured to the outer sides of said posts and also to said vertically extending flanges of the angles.

2. A house car including: a metal underframe having cross members; a Z-bar side sill attached to the ends of said cross members, said Z-bar having its web disposed vertically with one of its flanges overlyingand secured to the tops of the cross members and its other flange projecting horizontally outwardly beyo'nd a vertical plane' passing through the end faces of the cross members; an angle secured lto said outwardly extended flange of the Z-bar and having its outer flange extending vertically; a longitudinally extending iloor Stringer secured to said overlying flange of the Z-bar; floor boards secured to said stringer; metal side posts anchored at their lower ends to said side sill; metal sheathing secured to the outersides of said posts and to said outer vertical ange of the angle; and an inner lining positioned against the inner sides of said posts and secured in said position, said lining being disposed in a vertical plane substantially coinciding with a vertical plane passing lthrough the ends of the cross members.

3. A metal sheathed and widened box car converted from a wood sheathed box car, the converted car including: a metal underframe having cross members; an angle-sectioned side sill having one portion thereof secured to the cross memvends to said Z-bar side plate and side sill; and

metal sheathing secured to said Z-bar side plate, side sill and outer sides of said posts.

4. A metal sheathed and widened box car converted from a wood sheathed box car, the converted car comprising: a metal underframe having cross members; a Z-bar side sill secured to said cross members and having its web extending vertically and one of its flanges extending outwardly of the web and beyond the ends of the cross members; an angle secured to said outwardly extended Z-bar flange and having its outer flange extending vertically; carlines; a Wood side plate secured to the ends of said carlines; a Z-bar side plate located on the outer side of the wood side plate; means securing the wood and Z-bar side plates together; metaly posts secured at their upper and lower ends to the Z-bar side plate and side sill; and metal side sheathing secured to said Z-bar side plate, side posts and angle.

5. A metal sheathed box car-converted from a wood sheathed box car originally having a metal underframe of cross members -and a Z-bar side sill with the web thereof horizontally overlying and secured to the tops of the cross members, the converted car having a. Z-bar side sill with its web disposed vertically to thereby present its greater section modulus to vertical stresses, the lower p flange of the Z-bar being secured to the tops of the cross members and the upper flange of the Z-barprojecting horizontally outwardly of the vertical plane through the ends of the cross members; metal posts anchored at their lower ends to the upper Z-bar flange; metal sheathing secured to the outer sides of said posts; and a side plate to which the upper edge portions of the sheathing are secured.

6. A metal sheathed and widened boxcar converted from a wood sheathed box car originally having wood side plates and a metal underframe of cross members and Z-bar side sills with the Webs of the latter horizontally overlying and secured to the tops of the cross members, the converted and widened car including the Z-bar side sills, each with its web disposed vertically in a.

plane approximately coinciding with a vertical plane passing through the ends of the cross members and one of its flanges extending outwardly of said plane, said side sills being secured to the cross members at the ends thereof; carlines; wood side plates secured to the ends of said carlines; Z-bar side plates disposed outwardly of the wood side plates; means securing the wood and Zbar side plates together; metal -sidel posts secured at their upper and lower ends to said Z-bar side plates and side sills; and metal sheathing secured to said lZ-bar side plates, side sills and outer sides of said posts, the Z-bar side sills in the converted car presenting their greater section modulus to vertical stresses and the converted side walls functioning. as girders.

7. A metal sheathed box car converted from a wood sheathed box car originally'having a metal underframe of cross members and a Z-bar side sill with the web thereof horizontally overlying and secured to the tops of the ends of the cross members, the converted car having a Z-bar side sill with its web disposed vertically and its upper flange extending horizontally outwardly, the lower flange being secured to the cross members; means additionally connecting the web of the Z-bar side sill to the cross members; posts anchored at` their lower ends to said outwardly extended flange of the side sill; and metal sheathing secured to the outer sides of said posts.

8. A house car including: a metal underframe having cross members; Z-bar side sills located entirely above and secured to the tops of said cross members at the ends of the latter, each Z- bar having its web disposed vertically; bracing connectors secured to the webs of the Z-bars at points above the cross members and to the cross members; side posts anchored at their lower ends to the side sills; and side wall metal sheathing secured to the posts.

9. A house car including: a metal underframe having cross members; a Z-bar side sill having its web disposed vertically and in a plane inwardly oiset from a vertical plane passing through the vertical end faces of the cross members, said Z- bar having its lower ange secured to the cross members and its upper flange extending horizontally outward; an angle secured to said outwardly extending flange, the angle having one of its flanges extending vertically; a side plate; posts anchored at their top and bottom ends to said side plate and side sill; and metal sheathing secured along its bottom edge to said vertical flange of the angle.

10. A metal sheathed box car converted from a wood sheathed box car originally having a metal I underframe of cross members and a Z-bar side sill with the Web thereof horizontally overlying and secured to the tops of the ends of the cross members, the converted car having a Z-bar side sill with its web disposed vertically and its upper flange extending horizontally outwardly, the lower flange being secured to the cross members; posts anchored at their lower ends to said outwardly extended flange of the side sill; and metal sheathing secured to the outer sides of said posts.

11. In a car side wall repair and widening construction adapted to be erected upon existing underframe metal cross members of an originally wood sheathed car having an original inside width substantially less than the over-all length of the cross members, in combination: a metal side plate having a vertically disposed depending flange; a plurality of vertically disposed metal posts secured at their upper ends to said side plate; metallic sheathing riveted to the outer sides of said posts and to said depending vertical flange of the side plate; and means for securingthe bottom ends of the posts and uniting the lower edge of the metal sheathing to the existing cross members including, a Z-bar side sill having its web disposed vertically approximately in line with the inner faces of the. posts and one of its flanges extended outwardly beyond the end faces of said cross members and beneath the bottoms of the posts, and an angle secured to said outwardly extended Z-bar ange, said sheathing being secured at its loweredge to said angle.

12. In the art of repairing and increasing the inside width of box cars originally having wood sheathing, wood posts, wood lining and a metal underframe including crossmembers and Z-bar side sills, wherein each side sill has its outer ange depending and secured to the ends of the cross members, its web overlying and secured to the tops of the cross members and its inner ilange extending upwardly approximately in line with the inner surface of the sheathing, the improvement which includes: removing said wood sheathing, posts, lining and Z-bar side sills from the underframe'; repositioning on and securing the Z-bar side sills to the original cross members. each sill with one of its anges attached to said cross members, its other flange extending outwardly and the Webs of the Z-bars disposed in vertical planes located substantial distances outwardly of the respective vertical planes originally occupied by said inner upwardly extended flanges of the Z-bars; securing metal posts at their lower ends to and in vertical alinement with said outwardly extended iianges of the repositioned Z-bar side sills; securing metal sheathing to the outer sides of said posts; and securing wood lining to the inner sides of said posts approximately in vertical alinement with .the Webs of the repositioned Z-bar side sills whereby, the inside width of the car is increased an' amount corresponding substantially to the difference between the original distance between said upstanding flanges of the Z-bar side sills and the distance between the vertical webs of the repositioned Z-bar side sills.

JOHN P. MCWILLIAMS. FRANK DITCHFIELD.

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