US2021675A

US2021675A - Car roof structure

Info

Publication number: US2021675A
Application number: US32052A
Authority: US
Inventors: John J Tatum
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-02-24
Filing date: 1935-07-18
Publication date: 1935-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1952-11-19
Also published as: US2055055A

Description

Nov. 19, 1935. J. J. TATUM CAR ROOF STRUCTURE Original Filed Feb; 24, 1934 Patented Nov. 19, 1935 John J. Tatum, Baltimore, Md.

Original application February 24, 1934, Serial No. 712,833. Divided and this application July 18,

1935, Serial No. 32,052

2 Claims. (01. 108-54) This application is a division of my application Serial No. 712,833, flled February 24, 1934, embodying improvements in the roof structures of box or house cars, and particularly to a car roof structure designed for giving greater inside vertical height, or free inside height, to vertically increase the storage capacity ol. the car by providing a clear storage space in the roof zone in free communication with the storage space of the car body.

More particularly the invention relates to a mansard type of roof having sloping roof sheets and inclined extension or hip sheets joining the same to the side sheets or side wall structure, and the object of the invention is to provide simple, reliable and efiicient means for joining the hip and side sheets in such manner as to furnish astrong and durable connection at the eaves and to stifien the hip sheets so as to resist wearing and other stresses caused by the movements or the car.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying. drawing, in which:--

Fig. 1 is a transverse section through the roof of a car embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modified construction.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1 o the drawing, l represents the upper portion of a car body of box or house type having side wall structure formed of the outer side metal sheets or sheathing 2 and the lining 3 of any suitable material, the side sheets and lining having their upper edges terminating in substantially the same horizontal plane. Arranged at the eaves line at each side of the body is a Z-shaped beam 4 constituting a side plate. The body portion of this beam is disposed in a horizontal plane and bears against or directly rests upon the upper edge of the side wall structure, the beam being so arranged that the flange at its outer edge extends downwardly and the flange at its inner edge extends upwardly. The outer or downwardly extending flange of the beam laps over upon and of the car, downwardly and outwardly toward the side wall of the car, said roof sheets 8 and 9 terminating at their outer edges in flanges l bent downwardly at a' sharp angle therefrom.

The roof proper 6, which is of suitably less width than the width of the car, the outer ends of the roof sheets terminating short of the side wall structure, or the distance between the side walls or sheets, but which extends transversely the major portion of the distance between the 10 roof center and side walls, is supported at a proper elevation above the eaves beam 4 so as to form a storage space or chamber ll located in the roof zone or above the level of said eaves beams and in clear and unobstructed communication with the storage space of the car body therebelow. To this end, extension sheets or hip sheets 12 are provided at the sides of the roof, which are of relatively less transverse extent than the roof sheets, to form a supporting roof base, and which may be sloped or pitched at a greater angle than the roof sheets, whereby the roof 6 is carried upon the side and end walls at such height as to provide a storage space or chamber ll of the desired depth. The sheets I! extend upwardly and inwardly at 'the desired angle of inclination or slope from the upper flanges of the side of the eaves beams to the sides of the roof and are provided at their lower edges with flanges l3 suitably secured, as by rivets to the upstanding 3 flanges of the eaves beams. The hip sheets are provided at their upper edges with flanges l5 suitably secured, as by rivets l5, to the downturned flanges ill of the roof sheets 8 and 9. The flanges l3 and I5 convert the hip sheets into beams to assist in carrying the load of the roof.

By this construction a roof is provided which is elevated for the purpose of making the car as high as possible between the floor and ceiling without encroaching on the American Railway 40 Association clearance lines, and in which the roof is stably supported by the inclined extension or hip sheets l2 which properly restrict the width of the root and at the same time are so sloped as to form with the sloping roof sheets a proper water shed for the purpose of carryingv of! all rain water or water from melting ice or snow without the necessity of employing special means for this purpose or protecting parts of the side roof structure against leakage or other conditions causing rust. 'The manner in which the roof is supported leaves the full height or depth of the body and roof internally clear to be filled with freight or lading up to the level of the roof, and provides within the roof zone the storage chamber II which may be employed to receive automobile loading frames or racks which may be stored therein when the car is not being used for the transportation of automobiles, thus allowing one and the same car to be employed for the transmission of automobiles as well as other kinds of freight. The described construction and arrangement of the eaves beams 4 provides a joint connection at the eaves whereby the roof is supported from the side wall structure the hip sheets II are stiffened and reinforced in a simple but effective manner to adapt them to withstand weaving and other stresses falling thereon when the car is in motion, and which otherwise might possibly cause distortion of the roof. This eaves joint construction not only provides a strong and durable fastening connection between the parts of the side walls and roof, but obviates the necessity of employing special means for protecting the parts at this point against leakage or other conditions causing rust.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a modified form of my invention in which the extension or hip sheet I2 is flanged at its upper edge, as at l6, so that it may extend under the flange of the roof sheet and the body portion of the roof sheet adjacent thereto, to which portions of the roof sheet the hip sheet is riveted or otherwise secured, as at H. In this form of my invention I have also shown a modified form of eaves beam 4', said beam being substantially S-shaped. This beam is arranged so that its body portion l8 bears at its upper part against the lining 3 and thence extends at an outward and downward angle therefrom. The upper flange IQ of this beam projects outwardly in a horizontal plane at substantia ly the same level as the upper edge of the lining, while the lower flange 20 of said beam extends downwardly from the lower edge of its body portion in a vertical plane parallel with the side sheet 2 which it overlaps and to which it is fastened by rivets or other suitable fastening means 2|. The hip sheet of this construction extends downwardly and outwardly from its upper edge at a suitable angle of inclination and is provided at its lower edge with an outwardly bent portion or flange 22 which rests upon and is riveted or otherwise suitably secured, as at 23, to the upper horizontal flange of the S-shaped eaves beam. By this construction, and by the use of ans-shaped eaves beam arranged as set forth, the advantages gained by the use of the Z-shaped beam are secured in addition to other advantages. The use of the S-shaped beam, for example, provides a better means for attaching or securing to the beam the roof sheets, the roof rafters, and the side sheets, as well as side posts, as the iivets can be more easily applied than with any other form of beam. If desired, the roof sheet may be bent under and interlocked at its side edge with the upper edge or flange of the hip sheet, and the lower edge or flange of the latter may likewise be bent under and secured to the horizontal flange of the S-shaped eaves beam. This 8- shaped eaves beam, like the Z-beam, bears against the lining and reinforces and stiffens the hip sheet to adapt it to effectually withstand weaving and other strains.

While the features of construction herein disclosed for purposes of exempliflcation are preferred, it will, of course, be understood that changes in the form, construction, arrangement and proportions of parts within the scope of the appended claims may be'made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim is:-

1. In a mansard type car roof structure, the

combination with the car sides, of roof sheets terminating at their ends short of the car side wall structure, and inclined hip roof sheets connecting said roof sheets and the car sides, whereby the inside vertical loading space of the car is increased while the outside measurements of the car are within standard clearances.

2. In a mansard type car roof structure, the combination with the car side, wall structure of roof sheets terminating at their ends short of the car side wall structure, flanges depending from the ends of said sheets, and inclined hip roof sheets connecting said roof sheets and car side wall structure, a flange on the upper edge of the hip sheets secured to the flange of the roof sheet, and a flange at the lower edge of the hip sheet secured to the side wall structure.

JOHN J. TATUMQ