US2567287A

US2567287A - Drop end gondola car

Info

Publication number: US2567287A
Application number: US647608A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ingram Orville
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-02-14
Filing date: 1946-02-14
Publication date: 1951-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 1968-09-11

Description

6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Rnm NH O. INGRAM DROP END GONDOLA CAR Sept. 11, 1951 Filed Feb. 14, 1946 Sept. 11, 1 951 0. INGRAM DROP END GONDOLA CAR 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 14, 1946 H H NW M NN w W Wu H N m M H W N Q w MN Sept. 11, 1951 o. INGRAM DROP END GONDOLA CAR 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 14. 1946 Sept. 11, 1951 o. INGRAM 2,567,287

DROP END GONDOLA CAR Filed Feb. 14, 1946 GSheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 11, 1951 o. INGRAM 2,567,287

DROP END GONDOLA CAR Filed Feb. 14-, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 11, 1951 o. INGRAM DROP END GONDOLA CAR 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Feb. 14, 1946 Patented Sept. 11, 1951 [UNITED 124 :lfENT ()l'E'FlCZlii?.-

:iDBOl sp GONDOLA CAB Orville: Ingram, Washington, D. C. Application fiebrua ry 14, 1946, Serial No. 647,608 I My invention relates to railway freight ca'rs'and particularly to gondola cars having uoors'hmged to'the car body in a manner requiring that their swinging movement from open position to closed position be performed in opposition to the action of "gravity.

' 1 The invention is particularly useful in connection with the drop end doors of gondola cars which commonly weigh approximately 850'pounds apiece. Considerable difilculty is, therefore, usually experienced in moving the doors upwardly from their horizontal open positions to their closed vertical" positions. Two or more workmen are required to effect closure of these drop end doors'or else some mechanical means, such,' for example, as a crane which is not often available, must be employed.

The principal object of the invention is to provide simple and effective mechanism capable of practical application to a railway car, for imparting to a hinged car door, whose swinging ovement from open position to closed position'iis opposed by the action of gravity, a force generf ated by the opening movement of the door itself which tends to force the door toward closed position. 7

A primary feature of theinvention consists'in providing, a railway car door with a pair of brackets secured to the door adjacent the sides thereof and a pair of brackets immovably secured to the car body adjacent the sides of the door.,

a torsion rod being connected to the door bracket at one side of the door and being connected to the car bracket at the opposite side thereof so that, when the door is moved to open position,:the rod is energized to provide a force tending to return the door to closed position.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing a door with a pair of relatively inclined torsion rods adjacent the hinged edge thereof which are respectively connected at their opposite ends'to the door and to the car'body adjacent the opposite edg'es of the doorso that opening movement of the doorwill energize 'the rods -tdl provide a force tending toreturnthedoor closed position.- A'fui ther'feature of the invention-consistsin providing the side walls of a railway gondola car adjacent opposite side edges of a drop end door with portions to which the ends of torsion rods arranged adjacent the hinged edge of the doormaybe connected. v

A further featureof the invention consists in: so fo'r'ming the ends of the torsion rods secured- 9 Claims. (Cl. 105-406) 1 I :l

2 L. to the car body that they serve as pivotal ino'unt ings forthe'doori Astill further feature of the invention consists in arranging a torsion rod which tends to-retui'n the hinged door toward closed position on' 'the outside of'the door where'itwill not come iri contact with ladin'gwithin-thecar. i 1 g 1 v F Asti-ll furtherfeature' of the invention consists 'inproviding "a" pivoted railway car door with a pair of torsion rods whose opposite ends are respectively connected to brackets carried by the door and to brackets mounted on the car body, the brackets on'the' door being formed with laterally projecting 'pintles for hingedly associating the door'withthe'carv g Still another feature of: the invention consists in providing a drop. end door of a gondola car with brackets adjacent the lowercorners thereof respectively having hub portions engageable with the floor of the car and affording a rotatable supportifor'the door;

-:Still another; feature of the invention consists in providing'a dropend door of'a railway gondola;

car-with a pairof relatively inclined torsion rods whoseopposite ends areadapted to be immovabl-y secured tothe door-and the car body and in providing the door Withbracketshaving hub portions -affording a,pivotal support for thedoo r,

of the i nvention.

' Figure '2 is a sectional'view" takenon-line '2-- 2 'F C 3:" 'Figures 3 and-4 are enlarged fragmentarys'ec tional view taken on lines 33 and 4 4, resfiee r'i i re js is a view sirnila'r to Figure 1 'iuiistm'tgf inganother form-of-tlie invention applied to theouter face of the drop end door, the'lower portion of the view being taken on a line corresponding toline 5-5' of Figure 8 and the side walls of th car being shown-in section Figure G is an enlarged front view of oneof the castings which are secured to the door at} the lower corners thereof.

Figure 7 is an end view of the casting shown in Figure 6.

Figures 8 and 9 are enlarged detail sectional views on lines 8-8 and 9--9, respectively, of Figure 5.

Figure 10 is an enlarged view adjacent one corner of the door as seen from the outside of the car.

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on line I I II of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating a third embodiment of the invention.

Figure 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line l3-I3 of Figure 12.

Figure 14 is an enlarged view adjacent a lower corner of the door.

Figure 15 is an enlarged sectional view showing one of the brackets secured to'the car body and the adjacent end of the torsion rod connected thereto.

,Referring moreparticularly .to Figures 1 to A of the drawings illustrating one form of the in: vention, I indicates the drop end door of a railway. gondola car having sides 2, a floor 3 and an underframe-4 of usual construction.

- The underf-rame consists of a center ,sill and side sill members which include side sills 6. and floor supporting angles 37. The floor is preierably'formed bya plurality of transversely extending wood planks-or boards which are supported at their ends 'on'the horizontal inturned flanges of the :floor supporting angles. The side walls-of the car are of conventional construction comprising side sheets 8 which, together with conventional side stakes are rigidly secured at their .lower portions to the side sill members 6 and .L The .upperportions of the side sheets and :side stakes :are secured to :top chords or bulb angles 9 shown in Figures 5 and 12 of the drawings.

At their ends, each side wall is provided, as usual, with corner posts It] having portions affording an abutment or stop for the end door when in upright closed position. As is well known, the doors are held in closed positions by mechanism (not shown) carried-by theside walls adjacent the ends thereof.

' Extending transversely of the door adjacent the lower edge thereof are a plurality of torsion rods H which are so connected to the door and to adjacent parts of the car "body that, when the door is moved toward open position, the rodsare twisted and thereby exert a force tending to return .the door toward closed position. Atits lowercorners, the drop end door is provided with brackets l2 each of which has a plate portion 13 rigidly .secured to the main body portion of the door and .an angularly disposed plate portion 14 rigidly ,secured to inturned side flanges l5 of the door. The plate portions =14 are-ofisetinwardly, as indicated at IE, to provide substantially parallel .por-tions which extend downwardl to the bottom-of "the door.

Adjacent the side edges of the door and sextendinginwardly into the spaces afforded by the offsets in the plate portions M of the door brackets are brackets I] which are immovably connected to the car body, being preferably secured ,to the side walls 8 of the car. As seen in Figure 4, each of the-car brackets preferably includes a plate portion l8 for attachment to the adjacent side of the car and a polygonal recess I9 of substantially ;.U shape defined by upwardly inclined sides 20 which are connected at their lower ends by a wall 2|.

One of the ends of the torsion rods H fit within the polygonal recesses I9 in the car brackets while the opposite ends of the rods fit within inwardly opening polygonal sockets 22 in the inwardly offset portions of the car brackets. The ends of the rods within the recesses l9 may be removably secured therein by a block 23 securely held in position by .av bolt 24.

Just inwardly of the-carbrackets I! the ends of the torsion rods which are connected thereto are formed with circular portions 25 of greater diameter than the rods themselves which are disposed within circular openings 26 formed in the inwardly offset portions of the door brackets below the sockets 2.2'. These enlarged circular portions 25 of the rods form pivotal mountings for the door on which the door is pivotally supported, it being seen from the drawings that the lowermost :portions of .the doorbrackets .and of the door itself are positioned sufiiciently above the rfloort that the ,door may freely rotatev on theportions 25.

As the opposite ends of each rod arerespectively held by one of the door brackets and the car bracket adjacent the .opposite edge of the door, the rods will be twisted when .the ldooris moved from its closed upright position toward its horizontal closed position. Thus movement of the door from closed to open position energizes the torsion rods so that a force is set up'in them tending to move the door toward ,closed position.

To prevent lading from contacting the torsion rods and thereby possibly injuring them and pre-' venting them'from acting in'the manner desired, they are preferably enclosed by a cover 2! which may be welded to the ,door adjacent its upper edge and which at its lower edge maybe conveniently riveted to an inturned flange 2 8 of the door.

The form of the invention-illustrated in Figures "5 to' 11, inclusive, is applied to a railway gondola car having generally the same structural features as the car illustrated in the form of'the invention just described and cor-responding features of the two cars are, therefore, designated by similar reference numerals.

In this embodiment of the invention, the-torsion rods 29 are arranged on the outer-face of the door instead of the inside face where the lading within the car will be unable to contact them. The positioning of the rods on the outer face Of the door without decreasing the lading carrying capacity .of the car is accomplished by arranging the rods irran outwardly opening .corrugation :30 at thelower edge of thedoor. Instead of being provided with :the customarily in-v turned flanges thereof, the drop enddoorjis provided with .zoutturned side :ttmarginal iizfianges g3l Positioned at the lower cornersoi the'door are b acke s 32 ach of which isl'forme Witha plate portion 33 securedto the main body portion of the door and with an. outwardly extending plate portionv 34 secured to the adjacentside flange 3!. The platepor-tions'34 ofthe brackets arerecessed, as indicated at 35, and on opposite sides thereof the plates are connected ;to the main plates .33 of the brackets by substantiallytriangular reinforcing flanges 36,.

Positioned in. each of the recesses 35is one end of .one of the-torsion-rods29 which extends :toward the adjacent side wall of the car and :is rigidly connected therewith. Projecting from one side of theportionwof the plate, below the recess 35 is a polygonal socket 31 for, receiving the corresponding end of the other torsion rod. Projecting from the opposite side of the lower portion of the plate portion 34 is a trunnion or hinge pintle 38. w v v The trunnions of the brackets secured to the door are rotatably supported in brackets 39 carried by the car body. Each of the brackets 39 preferably includes a plate portion 40 adapted to be rigidly secured to the adjacent side wall of the car and a substantially U shaped recess 4| having substantially horizontally arranged arms or legs 42. The trunnions 38 extend into the U shape recesses M and are removably secured therein by brackets 43 connected bybolts 44 or other suitable means to one of the arms 42. Above the recesses 4| each of the car brackets 39 is formed with a polygonal socket 45 for receivihg the correspondingly shaped end of the torsion rodwhich extends through the recess 35 in. the car bracket.

As in the embodiment of the invention heretofore described, the oppoiste ends of the torsion rods are respectively securely held in the door brackets 32 and in the car brackets 39 so that, when the door is swung inwardly from its upright closed position, the rods are twisted and thereby provide a force tending to return the door to closed position As the trunnions 38 bearing in the recesses 4| in the car brackets 39 support the entire weight of the door, the lower edge of the door may be conveniently curved outwardly and upwardly as indicated in Figure 8. Thus no portion of the door adjacent its hinged edge with the exception of the trunnions38 engages the car floor as the door is being swung to either open or closed position. In-the embodiment of'the invention illustrated in Figures 12 to 16, the railway gondola car illustrated is of substantially the same construction as the gondola car illustrated in the first described embodiment of the invention and corresponding features of car construction are, therefore, designated with corresponding reference numerals. The floor. of the car, however, in this embodiment of the invention is shown as being formed of metal plate instead of wood, and it may beconveniently connected to the side walls of the car by welding or any other suitable means.

The brackets secured to the lower corners of the door and designated by the reference numeral 45 areeach formed with a plate portion 41 secured to the main body of the door and with an angularly disposed plate portion 48 secured to the adjacent inturned flange49 of the door. The side plate portions 48 of the brackets angle inwardly and form the top walls of sockets 50 for receiving one end of each of the torsion rods The sockets 5B are preferably open at both ends and triangular flanges 51 are positioned at the outer ends thereof to prevent the cooperating torsion rods 52 from being pushed all the way through the socket.

Below the sockets 50, the door brackets are provided with hub portions 53 whose peripheries engage the floor of the car and, therefore, afford a rotatable support, The central portion of each of the hubs 53 is apertured as at 54 through which the corresponding end of the other torsion rod extends for connection to the car body.

Positioned at opposite sides of the door are brackets 55 preferably having plate portions 56 by which the brackets may be secured to the car 6 sides. Each bracket 55 has an upwardly opening recess 51 for receiving the polygonal end 58 of the torsion rod which extends through the opening inthe central portion of the hub of the adjacent door bracket. Rotatably mounted in one of the walls of the recess 51 is a bolt 59 having a nut 60 which overlies the adjacent end of the torsion rod and retains it in the recess, Each of the car brackets may also be provided with an upstanding wall or flange 62 which is adapted to partially overlap the hub portions 530i the brackets 46. The walls 62 of the brackets are spaced sufficiently from the upstanding legs 63 of an end angle 64 to receive the hub portions of the door brackets and to prevent lateral shifting thereof The inwardly opening corrugation 65 at the bottom of the door in which the torsion rods are disposed may be conveniently closed by a cover plate 66 to protect the rods from lading within the car. :j,

Various modifications may be made in the structural details of the embodiments of the invention illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is: 1. In a railway car having an underframe and a body supported thereby, the combination with an end door whose swinging movement to closed position is opposed by the action of gravity, of a pair of relatively inclined torsion rods extending transversely of the door adjacent the lower edge thereof, a pair of brackets rigidly secured to the door adjacent opposite sides thereof, and brackets rigid with said car body respectively adjacentsaid brackets on the door, one end of each rod being rigid with one of the brackets secured to the door and the opposite end of each rod projecting beyond the bracket secured to the opposite side of the door into engagement with the bracket mounted on said car body adjacent the opposite side of the door, the portions of said rods that engage the car body brackets serving as hinge members for said door, when the door is swung to open position the rods are twisted and thereby exert a force tending to move the door toward closed position.

- '2. A door mechanism for the drop end door of a railway gondola car involving a pair of relatively inclined torsion rods extending transversely of the door adjacent the lower edge thereof, brackets rigid with the lower corners of the door respectively having portions provided with means to which one of the ends of each of said torsion rods is connected, and brackets respectively immovably secured to the car outwardly of said door said brackets on the door respectively having por-. tions through which the opposite ends of said torsion rods extend for connection to the brackets on the car so that when the door is moved toward open position the rods are energized to provide a force tending to return the door to closed position, the portions of said rods that engage the car body brackets serving as hinge members for said door.

3. A door mechanism for the drop end door of .a railway gondola car involving a pair of relatively inclined torsion rods extending transversely of the door adjacent the hinged edge thereof, brackets rigid with the lower corners of the door, and brackets rigid with the car body and respectively disposed adjacent the side edges of the door, the opposite ends of each rod being respectively connected to a bracket on the door and to the bracket on the car adjacent the op- 7 positeside of the door, the portions 'o'f'said rods adjacent the'ends thereof connected to the brack 'e'ts on the car afiording a pivetal support for the door;

4. A door mechanism for the dr'ope'nd-door of a railway gondola car involving a pair of relatively inclined torsion rods extending transversely of the door adjacent the hinged edge thereof, brackets rigid with the lower corners of the door, and brackets rigid with the car body respectively adjaceht the side edges of the door, the brackets en the door respectively having a ertured portions through which one end of each of said rods eX-.

tends, {the opposite ends of each of said rods bein respectively connected to one of the brackets on the door and to the bracket on the car at the oppesite side of the door, the portions of the rods extending through the said apertures in the car brackets snowing pivotal snppbrting means for the door.

5; In a door mechanism for the drop-end door of a railway gondola 'c'a'r involving a pair of relatively inclined torsion rods extending transversel of the door adjacent its lower edge, brackets respectively secured to the lower corners of the door, and brackets immovably mounted on the car body respectively adjacent the sides of the deer, 'said rods being respectively provided with polygonal end poi-trons, each of said brackets being'provided with-means for engaging one of said olygonal portions to hold it against rotation with respect thereto so that when the door is 'moved'to open position said rods will be energized to provide a force tending "to return the door to closed position, brackets secured to the door respectively having recessed portions permitting said rods to extend beyond them into engagement with the brackets on the car body, the portions of said rods that engage the car body brackets serving as hinge'members for said door.

6. in a door mechanism for the drop end door of a railway gondola car involving a pair of relatively inclined torsion rods extending transversely of the door adjacent its lower edge, brackets rigidly secured to the adjacent sides thereof and respectively having portions-offset inwardly from the sides of the door, and brackets rigid with the car body adjacent opposite side edges of the door and respectively provided with portions proj'ectihg into the spaces afforded by said oiiset portions of the brackets secured to the door, one end of each torsion rod being anchored in the onset portion of one of the door brackets and the other end thereof being anchored in the bracket on the car at the opposite side of the door whereby said rods will be energized upon an opening movement of the door to provide a force tending to return the door to closed position, the portions of said rods that engage the car body brackets serving as hinge members for said door.

'7. In'adoor mechanism for the drop end door of a railway 'g'ohdel'a car ihvolvihg a of relatively inclined torsion rods exten ing transversely of the door 'ad-j a'eent its lower edge, brackets secured to the door "adjacentopposit'e sides there=- of, anti br'ackets secured to the car body respectively adjacent the-side edgesof the door, each or the brackets secured to the car body having an upwardly opening recess, the opposite ends ofeach rod being respectively connected to one of the brackets on the door and to the bracket on the carat the opposite side of the door, and removable r'nean's'closing' the upper end of the recess of each of the brackets secured to the car body forlocking the adjacent end of the torsion rod insaid recess, the portions of said rods that engage the car body brackets serving as hinge members for-said door.

8. In a door mechanism for the drop end door of a railway gondola carinvolving a pair of rela tively inclined torsion rods extending transversely 'of'the door adjacent its lower edge adapted to exert a force tending *to move the door toward closed position when it is opehed, said rods being provided at each end with a polygonal portion, brackets respectively secured to the lower corners of the door, and brackets respectively secured to the car body adjacent opposite sides of the door, each of the brackets on the "door having a polyg; onal recess for'receiving one end of one 'cf's'aid rods and also having arecessed portion through which the corresponding end of the other red ex= tends so that it may be anchored to the adjacent bracket on the car body, the portions of said rods that engage the car body brackets serving as hinge members for said door.

9. In a door mechanism for the drop end door of a railway gondola car involving a pair of rela tively inclined torsion rods extending transversely of the door adjacent its lower edge, brackets respectively secured to the lower corners of the door, and brackets secured to the car body ad jacent opposite sides "of the door, each er the brackets on the car respectively having an up= wardly opening recess for receiving one end of one of the torsion rods, and means associated with each recess for preventing upward rnovemeht of the end of the torsion rod disposed therein, the portions of said rods that engage the "car body Y brackets serving as hing members "for said door.

ORVILLE INGRAM.

REFERENCES oIrEi) I The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number I Name Date 199,383 :Ste'inhofi Jan. 22, 1878 514,076 Hotz Feb. 1894 781,643 Edwards l Feb. '1, 1905 1,119,940 wards Dec. 8, 1914 2,0 1,318 Qilpin Nov. 17', 1938 2,157, 12 'liatum July 25, 1939 2,205,323 nice June 25, 194i) 2,452,163 swarm 062. 26, 19423