US2263741A - Railway car wall - Google Patents

Description

1941- L E. E. SCHLESINGE R ,2 ,7

' RAILWAY CAR WALL Filed Sept. 28, 1940 '3 Sheets-Sheet 1 OOO EDO06060000000909 Nov. 25,1941. I E. E. SCHLESINGER 2,263,741 v RAILWAY CAR wALL' v Filed se t. 28, 1940 I s Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 25, 1941. E. E. scHLEsmGEk 7 v RAILWAY CAR WALL Filed Sept. 28, 1940 v s Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 25, 1941 RAILWAY CAR WALL Edgar E. Schlesinger, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Standard Railway Equipment Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Dela,-

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Application September 28, 1940, Serial No. 358,764

14 Claims.

This invention relates to railway car walls and more particularly to ladders, grab irons and other safety appliances commonly attached to the side and end walls of railway cars, particularly house cars, such as box cars and refrigerator cars.

An object of the invention is to provide adequate clearance between the wall of a car and the rungs of Iadders'grab irons and similar attachments. The safety appliance laws formulated by the Interstate Commerce Commission specify that there must be a clearance of at least 2 and preferably 2 between the wall and the rung or grab iron to provide adequate space for the treadof a mans foot or for his holding on to the rung or grab iron.

Another object of the invention is to keep the underframe of the car as short as possible so as to save in the manufacturing cost of the car by reducing the weight thereof and also to save in the hauling cost of the car by reducing the dead weight hauled.

The Interstate Commerce Commission has specified in its safety appliance laws that ladders and grab irons mounted upon the end walls of railway cars must be at least 12 inches from a vertical plane passing through the pulling face of the coupler knuckle when such knuckle is in the closed position and when the horn of the coupler is pressed into contact with the striking casting. If such clearance distance becomes less than 12 inches, the car is charged with a penalty defect and will not be accepted in interchange by any railroad. It is further provided thata car having such defect must be repaired at the first opportunity and still further that, if a car owned by one railroad or car operating line is discovered to have such defectwhile in possession of another railroad, the railroad having possession is required to repair the car so as to overcome the defect and may charge the owner of the car with the cost of such repairs. It is an object of my invention, therefore, to design a car wall in such a Way that the end ladder or grab iron may be kept well within the safety appliance laws without undue increase in the length of the car underframe.

A further object is to comply with the safety laws and maintain a minimum length underframe while avoiding any weakening .of the wall of the car or impairing the resiliency thereof.

A still further object is todesign a corrugated end wall for a house car to meet the above mentioned conditions and, at the same time, avoid difficulties in the manufacture of the wall.

accomplish this by keeping the length of the metallic plate substantially equal if taken as a section through the end wall on any plane between the corner posts of the car.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description by referring to the accompanying drawmgs.

In the drawings:

Fig- 1 is an end elevation of a railway box car embodying my invention, U

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged sections taken on lines 22 and 3-3, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a. view similar to Fig. 2, .showing .a modified construction. f

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the end portions of two diagrammatically indicated cars coupled together.

Fig. 6 is a plan section on line 6--6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. '7 is a diagram showing the bending moment and section modulus of the endwall shown in Figs. 1 and 6, and in modified form in Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a sectionto. enlarged scale similar to a portion of Fig. 6". r

Fig. 9 is a portion of an end elevation of a car showing a modified form of my invention.

As shown in Fig. 1, the boxcar has spaced apart longitudinally extending side sills 2 and spaced apart longitudinally extending side plates 3 at the lower and upper margins, respectively, of the side walls 5. Posts extend between and are secured to the sills 2 and plates 3, including the corner posts 6 which, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8,, are W-shaped members in the modification illustrated. The end wall 8 of the car comprises a metallic plate 9 formed with a flange ll of large radius 12 on each verticalmargin thereof; the plate 9 and the flanges ll being secured to the W-section corner posts 6 to form box section corner members. My invention is not limited to a car having box section corner members but is equally applicable to a car having corner posts as shown in Fig. 3 of CredePatent No. 2,192,813, dated March 5, 1940.. g

The plate 9 is provided with outwardly projecting substantially horizontal major corrugations extending between the opposite vertical margins of the plate 9 and merging into the radiused parts [2 of the flanges l l. The major corrugations M are Wider and deeper in the portions of the .end wall 8 midway between the corner posts 6 and, become, gradually thinner and shallower toward the corner posts 6. Minor corrugations [5 spring fromthe end wall plate 9' I between theend portions 16 of the major corrugations I4 and also merge into the radiused parts [2 of the flanges II. The merging parts of both major (l4) and minor (I5) corrugations are preferably symmetrical. The side sheathing ll of the car is secured to both the corner posts 6 and the end wall flanges II, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8. The car is preferably provided with wood lining I8 for the end (8) and side (5) walls and the roof of the car is secured to the upper margin of the end wall 8. Corner caps 2| and push pole pockets 23 reinforce the corners of the car.

The horizontal section of the end wall 8 shown in Fig. 6 and the diagram of Fig. 7 are related to each other in that the horizontal axis A of the diagram is proportional to the width of the car; that is, the distance between the corner posts 6 shown in Fig. 6. The scaled divisions on the vertical axis B of the diagram are proportioned in bending moment units, such as inch pounds. The parabola C is a graph of the bending moment induced in the end wall of the car when a substantially horizontal thrust is distributed uniformly over every unit surface of the wall. This is in compliance with a well known rulethat a beam supported at its ends and loaded uniformly over its span has a bending moment indicated by a parabolic curve. For example, the point at which the major corrugations l4 begin to taper toward their ends is indicated on Fig. 7 by the line D which is a vertical projection from the point then the bending moment at point 30 is propor tional to the length of the line D which is included between the horizontal axis A and the parabola C. This bending moment is measured by the scale along the line B, or the vertical axis of the graph. The scale on the vertical axis line B also indicates units of section modulus, such as inches cubed. The zig-zag line E indicates the section modulus of any point on an end wall comprised of a metallic plate formed with outwardly projecting major (l4) and minor ([5) corrugations as hereinabove described. The section modulus. for example, at point 30 is indicated by the length of the line D which is included between the horizontal axis A of the graph and the zig-zag line A E. This section modulus is measured by the scale along the vertical axis B.

In order to determine the strength of the end wall 8 uniformly loaded as hereinabove described. the section modulus line, which in the illustration shown in Fig. '7, is the zig-zag line E, is laid out. A parabola is drawn on the same horizontal axis. using the same terminal points as the section modulus line, the parabola being of the maximum size which may be included entirely within the zig-zag line; in other words, no part of the zig-zag line should extend within the parabola. It is evident from Fig. '7, then, that the parabola C is the largest that can be drawn within the zig-zag line E and the strength of the end wall 8 can then be computed from the characteristics'of theparabola C. Also by a well known rule of mechanics, the end wall has its maximum resiliency when the zig-zag line E follows most closely the parabola C.

In a house car, a ladder 33 must be provided on one side wall 5 adjacent a corner of the car and another (34) on the end wall 8 adjacent the same corner, such ladders 33, 34 to be arranged so that a man can climb from the ground upon the roof of the car. The corner of the car diagonally disposed from this corner is similarly equipped. The other two corners of the car are equipped with grab irons 36 and steps 3! arranged so that switchmen may support themselves by such steps and grab irons and ride the car during switching operations. The Interstate Commerce Commission has set up very rigid requirements in regard to such ladders and grab irons. As hereinbefore pointed out, there must be a clearance of at least 2" and preferably 2 between the wall of the car and the part of the ladder or grab iron upon which a man's hand or foot is intended to rest.

Fig. 5 is a. diagram wherein the lines 62 indicate diagrammatically the outlines of two adjacent house cars coupled together. Striking castings 43 which form caps or reinforcements for the ends of the underframe center sills commonly extend beyond the end walls 8 of the car. The couplers 45 are supported by the center sills of the car and extend through openings 45 (see Fig. l) in the striking castings 43.

In certain rules formulated by the Interstate Commerce Commission the couplers 45 are to be forced inwardly through the openings 45 as far as possible (see Fig. 5); that is, until the horns 48 of the couplers 45 meet the striking castings 43; then an imaginary vertical plane G is drawn through the pulling faces 49 of the coupler knuckles 5| when such knuckles are in their closed positions. Using this imaginary plane G as a reference plane, it is required that ladders and grab irons mounted upon the end walls of cars must be at least 12" from this plane. This distance is indicated by dimension H in Fig. 5. If dimension H should become less than 12" the car acquires a penalty defect with the consequences hereinabove pointed out.

The end walls of railway cars, particularly house cars intended for the transportation of breakable commodities, are designed to be relatively resilient so that when the lading is thrust against the end wall of the car during service movements of the train, the end wall bulges outwardly and often takes a permanent set in preference to excessive shocks upon the lading with consequent damage to such lading. It is evident that a heavy thrust from inside the car upon an end wall might give such wall a contour indicated by the dotted line of Fig. 5. When the end wall acquires this bowed contour. the ladders 51 and grab irons 53 mounted thereon are obviously moved toward the reference plane G. The distance between the ladder 51 (or the grab iron 58) mounted on the bowed end and the reference plane G is indicated by the dimensions J in Fig. 5. Since the distance J must, at all times, be not less than 12", it has become common practice to design cars so that dimension H is 14" or more so as to avoid a penalty defect when the end wall is bowed outwardly. It is apparent that increasing the dimension H also means extending the striking casting 43 outwardly and increasing the length of the underframe of the car.

The end ladder 34, as shown in Fig. 1, is comprised of spaced apart vertically extending stiles 60 and spaced apart horizontally extending rungs 6|. The rungs 6| are preferably disposed opposite certain of the minor corrugations [5 of the end wall plate 9. The grab iron 35 shown to the right of Fig. l is also preferably disposed adjacent a minor corrugation IS. The apices 63 of these minor corrugations [5 are depressed inwardly; in other words, the apices 63 instead of being convex outwardly are now concave out wardly, as shown to enlarged scale in Figs. 2 and I 3. Where a ladder rung or grab iron does not necessitate depressing a corrugation, as the major corrugations I5 or the minor corrugations '64 at the upper right part of Fig. 1, the contour of such corrugations is preferably like the major corrugation 66 in Fig. 2. The safety appliance laws are complied with if the radius dimension K in Fig. 2 is 2", preferably 2 1 or even greater. In order to facilitate manufacture, the length of the cross section through the undepress'ed corrugations like 66 between ' points 68 and 69 plus the length of the cross section through the depressedcorrugations' like "H between points 68 and 13 is preferably substantially equal to the length of the cross section taken on any plane between the corner posts of the car. Such an arrangement facilitates the easy flow of metal during pressing of the plate and eliminates the possibility of wrinkles being formed.

An end wall having a cross sectional contour as indicated in Fig. 2, wherein the major corrugations l4 extend undepressed betweenthe corner posts and the :minor corrugations i5 are depressed adjacent the ladder rungs 6!, has a section modulus indicated by the line M in Fig. '7. It is pointed out that the line M is outside the bending moment parabola C for the end wall 8 vention, conditions are such that ladders 34 and grab irons 36 may be moved 1% closer to the interior of the car by depressing certain minor corrugations l5 as disclosed. It is evident from Fig. 5 that the moving of the ladders 34 and grab irons 36 closer to the interior of the car makes possible a shortening of the striking castings 43 an equal amount. Striking castings are commonly heavy metallic members (cast or fabricated) so that any reduction in the size thereof results in a very considerable saving in cost and weight of the car. i v i 1 r Fig. 3 showsdetails of the method of mounting the grab irons 36 upon the end wall 8 so as'to make use of the depressed minor corrugations 16.

Fig. 4 is similar to Fig. 2, but shows a minor corrugation 86 with a flat apex 8! in place of an apex having an outwardly concave surface. With such' an arrangement, the ladder rung 83 must be a slightly greater distance from the interior of the car than is necessary with a design as shown in Fig. 2. The section modulus of an end wall wherein the minor corrugations 80 are flattened, as in Fig. 4, is indicated by the line N in Fig. '7. It is evident, as is the case of Fig. 2, that the flattened minor corrugations 86 do not detract from the strength of the end because the line N is also outside the parabola C.

It is evident from Figs. 2 and 8 that a depression (16) in a minor corrugation l5 results, in effect, in biiurcating the minor corrugation. In other words, the minor corrugation is split to form two parts at, one part being disposed on each side of the rung 6 I.

I do not intend to limit my invention to an end wall wherein the minor corrugations are depressed to provide adequate clearance for ladder rungs and grab irons. For example, Fig. 9 shows a modification wherein the ladder rungs St are disposed opposite the end portions of the major corrugations 9|, in which case the apices of the major corrugations 9! may be depressed inwardly (93) to provide clearance. Such an arrangement would not weaken the end any more than depressing the minor corrugations. Furthermore, corrugated walls may be provided wherein only the major corrugations extend between the corner posts of the car; in other words, the minor corrugations would be dispensed with. With such an 'arra'ngeinent the corrugations could also be depressed in a mannersimilar to that herein disclosed for depressing the minor or major corrugations.

Theaccoinpanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the-exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1-. In a railway car having a wall comprised of a metallic plate, said plate formed with a plurality of spaced apart outwardly projecting substantially horizontal corrugations, a rung disposed adjacent one of said corrugations, substantially the entire portion of said last mentioned corrugation which is aligned with said run having reduced depth to provide clearance between said wall and said rung.

2. In a railway car having a wall comprised of a metallic plate, said plate formed with a plurality of spaced apart outwardly projecting substantially horizontal corrugations, a rung disposed-adjacent one of said corrugations, the portion of said last mentioned corrugation which is adjacent said rung having a flattened apex. thereby forming a corrugation having reduced depth to provide clearance between said wall and said rung.

3. In a railway car having a wall comprised of a metallic plate, said plate formed with a plurality of spaced apart outwardly projecting major corrugations, a plurality of spaced apart minor corrugations between the end portions of the major corrugations, a ladder having spaced apart rungs disposed respectively adjacent certain of said minor corrugations, the portions of said last mentioned corrugations which are adjacent said rungs having reduced depth to provide clearance between said wall and said rungs.

a. In a railway car having a wall comprised of a metallic plate, said plate formed with a plurality of spaced apart outwardly projecting substantially horizontal corrugations, a ladder having spaced apart rungs disposed respectively adjacent certain of said corrugations, substantially the entire portions of said last mentioned corrugations which are aligned with said rungs having reduced depth to provide clearance between said wall and said rungs.

5. In a railway car having a wall comprised of a metallic plate, said plate formed with a plurality of spaced apart outwardly projecting substantially horizontal corrugations, a grab iron disposed adjacent one of said corrugations, substantially the entire portion of said last mentioned corrugation which is aligned with said grab iron having reduced depth to provide clearance between said wall and said grab iron.

6. In a railway car having a wall comprised of a metallic plate, said plate formed with a plurality of spaced apart outwardly projecting corrugations, a rung substantially aligned with one of said corrugations at least, a portion of the apex of said last mentioned corrugation being formed concave outwardly to provide clearance between the corrugation and the rung.

'7. In a railway car having a wall comprised of a metallic plate, said plate formed with a plu rality of spaced apart outwardly projecting substantially horizontal corrugations, a ladder having spaced apart rungs respectively aligned with certain of said corrugations the apices of at least parts of said last mentioned corrugations being formed concave outwardly to provide clearance between the corrugations and the rungs.

8. In a railway car having a wall comprised of a metallic plate, said plate formed with a plurality of spaced apart outwardly projecting major corrugations and a plurality of spaced H apart minor corrugations between the end portions of the major corrugations, a ladder having spaced apart rungs disposed respectively adjacent certain of said minor corrugations, said last mentioned corrugations being depressed inwardly to form clearance between the corrugations and the rungs.

9. In a railway car having a wall comprised of a metallic plate, said plate formed with a plurality of spaced apart outwardly projecting corrugations, a rung disposed adjacent one of said corrugations, said last mentioned corrugation being depressed inwardly to form clearance between the corrugation and the rung, the length of the cross section of the depressed and undepressed parts of the corrugation being substantially equal. 10. In a railway car having a wall comprised of a metallic plate, said plate formed with a plurality of spaced apart outwardly projecting substantially horizontal major corrugations, a plurality of spaced apart minor corrugations between the end portions of the major corrugations, certain of said minor corrugations dividing adjacent their ends to form a greater number of shallower corrugations and a ladder adjacent said wall having spaced apart rungs, each disposed adjacent a space between two of said shallow corrugations.

11. In a railway car having spaced apart frame members, a metallic plate extending between and secured to said frame members, said plate formed with a plurality of outwardly projecting substantially horizontal corrugations arranged so that said plate functions as a beam between said frame members and one or more rungs disposed respectively adjacent certain of said corrugations, the apices of said last mentioned corrugations being depressed inwardly adjacent said rungs to increase the clearance betweenthe rungs and the corrugations and proportioned so as to maintain the beam strength of said plate substantially equal to the strength of a plate wherein the corrugations are not depressed.

12. In a railway car having spaced apart frame members, a metallic plate extending between and secured to said frame members, said plate formed with a plurality of outwardly projecting substantially horizontal major corrugations and a plurality of spaced apart minor corrugations disposed between the end portions of said major corrugations arranged so that said plate functions as a beam between said frame members and one or more rungs disposed respectively ad; jacent certain of said minor corrugations, the apices of said last mentioned corrugations being depressed inwardly adjacent said rungs to increase the clearance between the rungs and the corrugations and proportioned so as to maintain the beam strength of said plate substantially equal to the strength of a plate wherein the corrugations are not depressed.

13. A metallic plate adapted to be used as a wall of a railway car in which a ladder is disposed entirely adjacent said wall, said plate formed with a plurality of spaced apart substantially horizontal corrugations having apices projecting convexly on one side of said plate, a portion of at least one of said apices being concave and having a height less than the height of the convex portions to provide clearance between said plate and the rungs of said ladder.

14. In a railway car, a corner post comprising a pair of angularly disposed arms, a metallic end wall plate having a vertical margin flanged on a relatively large radius, means to secure one of said arms to the body part of said late and the other of said arms to the flange thereby forming a hollow post structure, said plate formed with a plurality of spaced apart substantially horizontal, outwardly projecting corrugations which merge into said flange, and a ladder spaced outwardly from said plate and including a plurality of rungs respectively aligned with certain of said corrugations, the apices of said certain corrugations being depressed inwardly to provide increased clearance between said rungs and said plate and the depressed parts also merging into the flange of said plate.

EDGAR E. SCHLESINGER.

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