US2011076A - Tank car underframe structure - Google Patents

Description

D. c. PRESCOTT TANK CAR UNDERFRAME STRUCTURE Aug. 13, 1935.

Filed Nov. 12, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 13, 1935. D. c. PRESCOTT TANK CAR UNDERFRAME STRUCTURE Filed NOV. 12, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 external source of power applied through suitable shafting. The portions of chains or belts M between sprockets iland l8 travel along the bottom of trough shaped center sill 2 and serve to carry loaded material to the center hopper 30. Each of the sprockets is located in position for convenient inspection, the outer sprockets l6 and I! being mounted in housings 32 at the end of the car, the. lower portions of which are formed by pockets "l9 projecting from the end member I of the underframe and provided with perforated bearing bosses 25 for mounting the sprocket shafts. The central lower sprockets 18' are carried by stub shafts 29 mounted in bearing brackets 2i shown as formed integral with side walls of the center sill above the hopper 30.

Various other elements may' be conveniently formed integral with the underframe, such as the running board brackets 22, air brake reservoir bracket 23, brake cylinder bracket 24, and hand brake bracket 26. Secured to the tank side sheets are suitable brackets 21a mounting additional running boards 28 to facilitat'eaccess tofithe manways and center dome. I

The one-piece construction of the underfr'a'me eliminates labor and expense of machining and assembling various parts and also provides an underframe which is stronger andmore durable than a built-upv structure. Another important advantage of the one-piece 'constructionis the elimination of crevices between joined members into which granular materials-may sift and which eventually would become loose'andimpair the usefulness of the vehicle. :.The' one-piece construction also permits lthedisposition of metalin such a Way as tojprovide' the greatest'strength with the minimum amount :of metal. In particular, the centersiil may be made of'suitable hollow construction to serve as a conveyor trough since underframeforces are distributedthroughout the side plates l as well as the centersill, Thebolsters and ribs'Z'i extend a substantial distance upwardly along the side'plates and reinforcethe same. I

Various details of the structure'illustrated are not essential, such, for instance, as the shaping of the side plates l and the center sill trough, the conveyormechanism used and the arrangement ofthelo'ading openings, and thesemay be varied without departing'from the spirit of the invention and exclusive use of all such modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1-. A railway vehicle trough-shaped center sill arranged toextend from end to end of thevehicle underframe, the transverse web'of said sill sloping smoothly downwardly from the ends towards a centeroutlet opening and said sill having bearings for mounting conveyor mechanisms.

'2. 'A tank car integral cast metal underframe structure including upwardly and outwardly sharply sloping side plates of substantial depth, and a trough-shaped center sill connecting the lower extremities of said plates, said' plates merging with each other at the ends to form substantial portions of the tank end members and the lower portions of said end members forming the ends of the transverse web of said sill.

3. In a railway vehicle, superstructure including a conveyor mechanism pocket projecting from the end wall thereof, and an integral underframe structure including a conveyor trough and side plates forming portions of the car bottom, said side plates merging at the ends to form substantial portions of the superstructure end wall and being bulged outwardly to form continuations of said pocket.

4. In a car for transporting granular materials in bulk, a conveyor trough having an outlet opening, and substantially flat side plates sloping upwardly and outwardly from said trough, said plates and trough extending from end to end of the car body and forming the car underframe for transmitting longitudinal forces.

5. In a tank car, a continuous thickness of metal formingthe tank bottom and also forming the car center sill, said metal having an open trough-shaped part and bolster structure extending beneath and outwardly from the sides of said part.

6. In a tank car, a continuous thickness of metal forming the tank bottom and also forming the mainlongitudinal member of the car underframe, said metal including a longitudinal troughshaped portion extending from 'end to end of the underframe, and bolster structure extending beneath said trough-shaped portion and having top wall elements formed in part by the bottom wall of said trough-shaped portion.

'7. In a tank car, a continuous thickness 'of metal forming the tank bottom and also forming the main longitudinal force transmitting member of the car underframe, and bolster structure depending from said metal and spaced from the ends of the car, said metal including an open trough extending longitudinally therealong and passing through said bolster structure.

8. In a railway car underframe, a trough-like member forming the main longitudinal member of the underframe and the bottom of a tank structure, and bolster arms projecting outwardly from the upright sides of said member intermediate its ends.

;9. In a railway car, tank structure, a deep trough in the bottom thereof and extending smoothly from end to end thereof, and bolster structure including arms extending outwardly from the sides of said trough, there being a conveyor mechanism operating in said trough below the level. of the top of said bolster structure.

10. A tank car underframe structure including a hollow center sill forming a conveyor trough, side plates sloping outwardly'and upwardly from said sill for directing lading material thereinto, and other plates merging with said side plates and extending around the end of the underframe to form part of the car end wall and bulged outwardly in line with said centersill for accommodating conveyor mechanism.

DANIEL o. *PRE'scoTr.

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