US2576798A - Car side construction and load bracing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Nav. 27, 1951 E. G. MANGELS CAR SIDE CONSTRUCTION AND LOAD BRACING APPARATUS 2 SHEETS--SHEET l Filed Sept. 13, 1947 NVENTOR. Mngel Erwin G BY l ATTRNEYS Nov. 27, 1951 E. G. MANGELS CAR SIDE CONSTRUCTION AND LOAD BRACING APPARATUS 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Filed Sept. 13, 1947 INVENTOR. Erwi, G. Mangels BY Patented Nov. 27,` 1951 CAR SIDE CGNSTRUCTION AND LOAD BRACING APPARATUS Erwin G. Mangels, Davenport, Iowa Application September 13, 1947, Serial No. 773,808

Claims. (Cl. 105-404) This invention relates to car side constructions and in particular to an improved construction for car sides for railway freight cars such as box cars, cattle cars and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a car side construction having an increased ratio of strength to weight. In other words, it is an object to provide a car side having substantially greater strength if the car is constructed to be of the same Weight as conventional cars now in use or if the car is constructed to be of equal strength a car embodying the present invention will be of substantially lighter weight, which, of course, results in a higher pay load capacity. l

Another object is to provide apparatus for bracing railway box car loads in which the apparatus is an integral part of the car side construction so that the interior car walls are flush and so that the car, if desired, may be used in a normal manner without interference by the load bracing apparatus.

The present day utility loading or adjustable car bracing mechanisms are objectionable in that they require the use of special bracing members having permanent attachments carried thereby and require that a complete set of bracing members with their special attachments be carried in the car at all times. This apparatus is often very heavy and in some instances adds as much as one-third or more to the weight of the car when empty, thus substantially reducing the pay load that can be carried when the car is so equipped. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for adjustably bracing the load which does not require carrying a large supply of heavy bracing members. The apparatus of the present invention is constructed' so that the fixtures for supporting the bracing members are built into the construction of the car side and it is possible to utilize ordinary bracing members of dunnage lumber available at the point where the car is loaded.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a simplified and improved form of car side construction employing an exterior sheathing and car side post members in which the side post members are integrally constructed as part of the exterior sheathing panels, thus reducing the amount of fabrication in producing a car and decreasing the weight necessary to obtain adequate strength.

Another object is to provide an improved car side construction utilizing an improved design of side post member which has greater longitudinal extent, thus reducing the width of unsupported sheathing between adjacent posts, resulting in a stiffer car side having a much higher resistance to stresses tending to bulge the car side.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from lthe following detailed description accompanied by the drawings, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation of a railway box car embodying the present invention with parts broken away to show how the invention may be applied;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing a detail of the car side construction;

Fig. 4 is anenlarged fragmentary sectional View taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. l showing in horizontal section details of the car side construction;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of a modified form of car side construction;

Fig. 6 is a similar enlarged horizontal section at another point on the car side illustrating a modified form of car side construction; and

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view of a portion of a car side to illustrate the application of the present invention to the rebuilding of existing railway freight cars.

In the construction of present day railway freight cars such as box cars and the like the car side construction essentially comprises a plurality of spaced side post members to which are secured an exterior sheathing providing an outer surface or wall of the car. Generally there is secured to this assemblage an inner lining covering and concealing the side posts to provide an interior wall in the car. These side posts comprise the framework of the car side and it is necessary that they be relatively stiff members resistant to twisting, bending, in addition. to stresses which would tend to bulge the car sides outwardly. In the past, side post members have been formed of angle bars or Z-bars or the like.

A preferred form of side post member embodying the present invention is indicated in the drawings by the numeral i and may best be seen in Fig. 4. A plurality of these side post members are arranged vertically, extending between and connected to the side plate, indicated by the numeral 2, at the top of the car side construction and the side sill, indicated by the numeral 3, at the bottom of the car side construction. These side post members are arranged at intervals longitudinally along the car sides usually 3 at opposite points from end sill to end sill of the car. To the eXterior of these side post members are secured a plurality of sheathing panels i which form the exterior wall of the car side. This sheathing may be made of almost any desired material but it is preferable to use metal Y sheets r'or ease of assembling by welding and in order to obtain adequate strength from the thinnest material.

In the `form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 through 4, each of the side post members I is an integral port.'o'n of the sheathing panel land dis? posed along one vertical edge thereof. The opposite vertical edge of each sheathing panel overlaps an adjacent side post member and is secured to said side post member in any-suitable`ma`n ner, such as welding, rivetinglor lthelike. ,It may v be seen that the s de post members and'she'athing form the frame and outer wall of the car side. At the interior of the sheathing, angle bars 5 may be disposed :and secured `to-.the sheathing and/for the side posts to hold furring or nailing strips 6 inorder that suitable inner lining, indicated 'by the numeral 1, may be nailed thereto to provide an vinterior wall of the car side construction. The furring or nailing strips E may be secured to the angle bars 5by a bolt 8 passing through the angle bars and the lfurring as shown in Fig. 4.

At the location .of "the door opening in the car side construction the sheathing panel may be constr-ucted without an integral side post member, and in this instance the sheathing panel may be secured directly to a door post I, as shown in the right hand portion of Fig. 4.

The multiple channel side post members may include at least one and preferably two channel shaped recesses II Yopeningftoward theeXterior of the ycar side wall and at yleast one channel shaped recess I2 opening into the interior of the car. While adjacent walls of the recesses `I I and I2 are shown in the'drawings as being substantially at vright angles toeach other, it will be seen that this angle maybe varied, if desired.

The side post members I have outer vfaces formed'by vertically disposed sheathing engaging `flange portions I3, some of which may be edge anges of the side `post 'member' and some Yof whichim'ay be intermediate flange portionsof the post members disposed `between the .connecting adjacent channel shaped recesses. portions I3 afford relatively wide `lcontact .areas between "the side lpost members and the exterior sheathing which facilitate. a secure engagement These flange between sheathing and side post members `by welding, riveting or the like. -Eurthenit `may be seen that when the sheathing of an adjacent panel overlaps the side post member-and vis secured theretofsuch sheathing covers the channel shaped recesses II and forms with the side post members two closed spaced vtubular columns -at an edge of each sheathing panel which provide a sturdy and stiifthough light weight,construc tion. vThe form of side vpostfmember vshown in the drawings in cross section has the appearance ofv two connected U-shaped portion-s with f' edge/anges at the free ends of the -legs of the' Us and an intermediate flange portion in the -plane of theedge ilanges connecting the U-shaped portions.

At the interior of the'ca'r side wall the side post members I have flange portions I9 which in `the form'of side post member shown in the drawings are spaced on each side of the interiorly `facing recess I2 and'formthe'bottoms of the'outwardly facing recesses I I. These spaced Yflange 'its 4 portions I9 provide for increased strength of rthe car side construction due to the manner in which they are secured to the frame of the car. The side post members I may be secured to the floor and sill 3 of the car in any suitable manner. The ends of the side post members I abut the underside of the side plate 2 and may be welded or otherwise secured thereto along the longitudinal vlines at the junction of the Avtop edges of the langes t9 -and the sidefplate l2, fas yindicated by the numeral 9 in Fig. 2. In the form of side post members shown in the drawings Vthis af- V-fordsconnection-along spaced longitudinal lines 'and provides a very secure connection of the side post members to the side plate 2.

Since 'the side post members are formed of ,sheet metalstock-and are of substantially greater width than previous designs of side post members! fewer posts are required and a stiff car side construction results with relatively few side fpost members. 'The wallstructure of rthe .pres- -ent'invention has high resistance ltostressestending to bulge the car side walls-due vto the-.fact that the width of unsupported sheathing between the widesidepost membersis reduced. n

At suitable vertical intervals valong Ythechan.- nelshaped recess I2, stieningelements Itmay -beidisposed andsecuredto the wallsof -the .re- :cess `I2. Asma-y beseen in Fig. 3, a :preferred form of stifening element comprises a .short channel shaped 7section Vof sheet metal disposed transverselyof the 4recess I2 yand -welded to -the .side walls ofthe recess i12-2. These istiiening'elements resist relative movements-of the Ysidewalls of the recesses and add a great deal of rigidity and Ystillness Yto `the iside post Lmembers. These stifleing elements resist .stresses tending to vcause relative lateral movements :of ith'e recessed Iside Walls are particularly eiective in increasling lthe-resist'ances .to V:stresses tending `Vto `bulge the Tcar side walls. .The 'side .posts are additionally stiliened by the lining fl which engages with ithe -'outer sidewalls Vof -.the outwardly yfacing ychannels of Ithe side posts. Y

Fin laddition these stiffening elements serv another function lin combination with the chanrnel shaped recesses I2 :which open to the interior of fthe fcar. The recesses: Ilz, vwhich Fare 'provided atloppo'site VA'points#along the car side 1wa'11,11serlve as keepers for 'the Lends lof transverse bracing members I 5,-iandareextrem'elyhelpful 4in bracing 'the load placed in the car. The --st'iie'ning :teleL 'ments-iillmay be-usedltofsupporlt such transverse bracing members at spaced foar heights.

The *ends of vthe vtransverse bracing lmembers fI'Ii may lbeA inserted f-within'the recesses f-i 2 byftilting 'the longitudinali-axis of such ltransverse bracing 'members uri-til fthe-'distancebetweenlthe lends of :the bracing member lis v :shorter Pthan -lthe :Idistance lbetweeniopposite side f-post members. rEhe vertical spacing-*of the stileningelements isf preferably such `to :permit -lthe `insertion-il a fdesire'd Anumber :of L'transverse 'bracing members between adjacent stiirening elements.-

Forexampl'epas shownfin Fig. 1 by ith'euse of a Iplurality-fof Vlbra'cing-lmenflbers i5 having vtheir ends disposed in Ithe 5hannel spaced Yrecesses -'I'-2, an fend @of `Lthe -car A"may be partitioned to form a bin vfor-carrying small '-loose articles, as indicated by the numeral F6 in Fig. il. Atlthefheight of one fof the Vstirfening 'elements iifdl, `transverse bracing members I5 may =he used 'Ito -supp'ort .a removable floor v-vor "deck Il Luseful 5to ltie'r Ztl-'xe load The :numeral lif indicates -a-cra'ted `object carried Iby'the fflo'or -or :deck IFI 'and additionally braced by a transverse bracing member disposed at the bottom of the article on the iioor or deck I7 and a second transverse bracing member supported by the next higher stiffening element I4 in the region of the top of the article.

As another illustration of the use of the present car side construction in the bracing of railway car loads, the numeral 20 indicates an object shorter than the space between adjacent recesses l2 and braced by the use of transverse bracing members and a plurality of short longitudinal bracing members 2l supported between the object and the transverse bracing members I5.

It may thus be seen that the present invention in addition to providing a sturdy, rigid oar side construction also incorporates an apparatus for bracing the load of the car which may be used to brace a large variety of objects of varying size and shape. Furthermore, the bracing apparatus does not utilize special bracing members with xed attachments which necessitates their beiner carried in the car whether used or not. All that is required is a supply of dunnage lumber as is available at loading sites for normal dunnage purposes. In fact, a quantity of the transverse bracing members l may be made in advance by cutting timbers to the proper predetermined length for use in freight cars embodying the present invention.

Another important feature accruing from the use of the herein described car side construction is that it overcomes one of the major objections to conventional dunnaging practices. Normally a freight 'car load is braced by nailing dunnaging lumber to the car lining so that each load is braced by cutting and fitting bracing members to nt as the car is loaded. This appreciably increases loading time and justies the cost of utility loading apparatus now on they market. Also, in the desire for speed of unloading, the removal of the dunnage lumber is accompanied by damage to the car lining. After a relatively few trips it may be necessary to remove and replace the car lining, Which is a substantial maintenance item.

When it is not desired to use the load bracing apparatus afforded by the present invention the car is ready for normal use Without removing any equipment or making any alterations because the iixed portions of the load bracing apparatus reside in the channel shaped recesses l2 which are wholly disposed within the car side wall.

Fig. 5 illustrates a modified form of car side embodying the present invention which comprises side post members 23 of the same configuration as shown in Figs. l through 4, except that the side post members are not integrally constructed as a part of a sheathing panel. Sheathing panels 24 are provided and may be located so that their adjacent edges overlap in the region of the central flange portion 25 between the two channel shaped members making up the side post 23. Thus, the adjacent overlapped portions of the sheathing panels may be secured together and to the side post member at this point.

In Fig. 6 an alternative form of car side wall construction in the region of the door opening is shown. In this modification side-post members 28 are integrally formed along one side edge of the sheathing panel 2S, as shown in Figs. 1 through 4 of the drawings. To form a door post in the region of the door opening a side post member 28 is disposed adjacent the desired location of the door opening. A door post construction is then aiorded by providing a sheathing section 30 which overlaps and covers the exterior of the side post member 28 and has a flange 3l extending inwardly to the interior of the car side wall for a distance equal to the thickness of such side wall. A suitable insert 32, shown in the drawing as formed of wood, may be used to provide a nailing strip to which the lining may be secured and to back up ilange 3l of the door post construction. The insert or door post nailing strip 32 may be bolted or otherwise suitably fastened to the side post member and the sheathing section 3D as indicated in Fig. 6.

The present invention is also extremely benecial in the rehabilitation or remodeling of existing railway cars. For example, at the time when a car lining is removed for replacement, side post members embodying the present invention may be built into the car side wall. If the exterior sheathing is in satisfactory condition, it may be left in place and side post members of the type shown in Fig. 5 may be secured thereto. Such a construction would greatly stiften and strengthen the car side walls and will at the same time provide the improved load bracing apparatus of the present invention.

Fig. '7 illustrates the addition of side post members embodying the present invention to an existing car side construction. The numeral 35 indicates the side post member of the original construction which is of the conventional Z section. The original sheathing panels 36 meet in a lap joint and are secured to the side post 35. With the lining removed it is a relatively simple matter to secure side post members 31 embodying the present invention to the sheathing at opposite points along the car side walls. Suitable nailing strips 33 may be secured to the new side post members 31 in any of the well accepted methods so that a suitable lining indicated by the numeral 33 may be secured to the car side wall construction to provide a flush surface on the interior of the car.

- While the above description of the present invention has been in connection with railway box cars, it may be readily seen that the invention may be applied equally benecially to constructions of other types of cars, such as, for example, a stock car used for carrying cattle, when built with a single floor or for smaller animals such as pigs, sheep or chickens when built with two or more floors or decks. In applying the invention to cars of this type the frame of the car side wall would be similar to that described above. The side post members would be secured at opposite points along the car, extending from the side plate to the side sill. Instead of the sheathing panels applied as the exterior wall of the car, a plurality of spaced horizontal slats may comprise the outer car wall.

It is to be understood that variations and modications of the specic devices herein shown and described for purposes of illustration, may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for bracing the load of a railway car which comprises in combination with the outer car side walls, side post members disposed at opposite points along said car side walls and each defining a vertically extending channel shaped recess opening to the interior of said car, spaced ange portions carried by said side post members for attachment to said outer car wall, and means extending between and secured amazes totithewalls of" each of said vertically.Y` extending channel shaped. recesses to. stiienl said.Y side.v post members and-airord a supportfontransverseload bracing members. which.. extend. across. the: ineterior ofi tlrecar. fronrsidewall toJ side walll 2. Apparatusfor bracing the loadof arailway car'which comprises in combination with outer car side Walls, side' post members disposed at opposite points along said car. side walls andleach defining ai vertically7 extending channelv shaped recesszopeningto theinteriorv of said car, spaced langeportions. carried bysaidisidelpost. members for attachment .to saidouter car walls, and vmeans extending between and securedY tothe walls of eachnfi said. vertically: extending.' channel.y shaped recesses: tofstiifen said. side. postY members and afford? a. support for transverse. load` bracing members which' extendacross the interior. of. the car from side wallftside wall, saidmeans being disposed at'. oppositezqequal' heights; in said. recesses and. including channel shaped. members extending transversely between the walls of said recesses.

3.V A railway car. side construction which com.- prises a plurality. of vertically disposed sheet metal side post members spaced. along the car side, said side post members each being. formed. to

providefspaced parallel and vertically extending channels facing toward the exterior of the car side,.a channel intermediate said spaced channels facing toward. the interior of the car and. open toward such interior, the side walls of which.V are side walls of. the spaced channels and an attaching ange at: the outer edge of. aside. wall of. an outwardly` facing. channel, and a plurality of vertically-spaced transversely disposedrigidbrac.- ing elements-extending across the space between the. side walls of each inwardly facingr channel and.- attached at their ends to said side walls; said bracing elements afiordng supports at various heightsv forv transverse load bracing members;

4. A railway car side construction such as de.- i-lned. in claim 3 in which; saidf. bracing elements are: channel shaped` sheet. metal members,` dis.- posed-.with their. channels. facing the: exterior of .the sheathing and; bridging the spaces between exteriorlyv facingchannels'offthe spacedvside post members, and,` vertically spaced. stiiening elements inY the. interiorly facing channels. ofsaid side.- posts; said stiiening elements extending transversely` across the space between the side Walls of said interiorly facing channels andl being secured at their ends to the channel side walls, said bracing elements aiTording supports at various heights. for. transverse load bracing members;

ERWIN G. MANGELS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name: Date 1,120,739 @stranden Dec. 15, 1914 1,238,874 Bella Sept. 4, 191-.7 1,336,892 Crane Apr; 13, 1920 1,558,323 Whyte Oct. 20, 1925 1,900,711 Howard Mar. 7, 1933 1,995,532 Blest et al Mar. 26, 1935 2,007,514 Wilson et al July 9,1935 2,115,037 Moses Apr.v 26, 1938 2,207,361 Thompson July 9, 1940 2,265,178' Lohse et al. Dec. 9, 1941 2,336,440 Kass Dec. 7, 1943 2,407,523

Willoughby Sept. 10,` 1946

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