US2769406A

US2769406A - Counterbalanced end doors for drop end gondola cars

Info

Publication number: US2769406A
Application number: US248227A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ernest G Goodwin
Original assignee: UNITCAST CORP
Current assignee: UNITCAST CORP
Priority date: 1951-09-25
Filing date: 1951-09-25
Publication date: 1956-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 1973-11-06

Description

Nov. 6, 1956 E. e. eoobwm 2,759,405

COUNTERBALANCED END DOORS FOR DROP END GONDOLA CARS Filed Sept. 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor: I Ernest G. Goodwin WMI% his Attorneys Nov. 6, 1956 E. e. GOODWIN COUNTERBALANCED END DOORS FOR DROP END GONDOLA CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 25 1951 FIG. 3

Inventor;

Ernest G. Goodwin his Attorneys United States Fatent (9 COUNTERBALANCED END DOORS FOR DROP END GONDOLA CARS Ernest G. Goodwin, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Unitcast Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 25, 1951, Serial No. 248,227

11 Claims. (Cl. 105406) This invention relates to gondola cars and more particularly to gondola cars provided with pivoted end doors.

The principal object of the invention, generally considered, is to provide an end door of a gondola car having at its lower portion hinged pintles which are adapted to engage corresponding pintles carried by the car sides, and to extend through the hinged pintles flat spring members so that the door, when assembled, will be counterbalanced to enable trainmen to raise the door from open to closed position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a door assembly comprising the door body, hinged portions rigidly. connected to the door body, hinged members rigidly connected to the car sides and spring members extending longitudinally of the door for giving to the door the desired torsion for counterbalancing the weight thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a drop end door of the character described a chamber adapted to house the spring members, said chamber being preferably substantially circular in section and adapted to house a spring retainer and torsioning means by which the torsion of the spring members may be finally adjusted;

Another object of the invention is to provide a method :of mounting a drop end door of the character described whereby the spring members, torsioned as the door is dropped into place, may be further torsioned by first turning and then securing their inner portions'relative '.to the door to adjust the torsion to the weight of the door.

Other objects and features of the invention will herein- :after more fully appear in'the detailed description of the :preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the .accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section through a gon- 'dola car taken immediately in the rear of the upright position of the car door.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the :structure shown in Figure 1, partially in elevation and partially in section, certain of the structural parts of the tear being omitted for the sake of clarity.

Figure 3 is a horizontal longitudinal section taken on line 33 of Figure 1, the direction of view being indicated by the arrows adjacent the ends of the sectional lines.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1, the direction of view being indicated by the arrows at the end of the section line, and

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 4, the direction of view being indicated by the arrows adjacent the ends of the section line. 1

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the side sheets of a gondola car; the numeral 2, the corner posts;'3, the floor sheet; 4, 5 and 6, the end sill construction; and 77 are the center sills. The said parts being of the usual construction, a further description will be unnecessary.

, Adjacent the car ends and riveted to the side sheets are ice the hinged members 8, each of which is formed with a cylindrical boss 9, which is interiorly provided with tapering walls 10 leading to a flat, transverse slot or angular recess 11, the width of the slot being varied as shown in Figure 2, the slot at the left-hand side of the door as illustrated in this figure being of sufiicient width to receive two of the plate springs or torque bars 12, while the slot 13 in the other boss 14 is of sufficient width to receive four of the plate springs 12.

' Secured to the outer flange 15 of the door 16 and to the transverse plate 17 of the door are bosses 18 which are adapted to pivotally embrace the bosses 9 of the hinged members 8, the inner ends 19 of the bosses 18 extend into the member or housing 20 which may be formed by bending the plate 21 so as to provide a substantially U-shaped portion having

upstanding legs

22 and 23, the leg 22 overlapping the outer face of the sheet 17 of the door and being welded thereto by the weldment 24, as clearly shown in Figure 5. The leg 23 is adapted to abut the lower flange 25 of the transverse door plate 17 and is preferably secured thereto by the weldment 26.

I There is provided in the flange 25 of the door a slot 27 as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 6. The position of the slot 27 transversely of the door is dependent upon the number of springs 12 which may be employed. If, as illustrated in the drawings, four springs are extended inwardly from the hinged pintle on the right side of the car and only two from that on the left side of the car,

the slot 27 is positioned at a point where the torsionalefiect on the sets of springs will besubstantially equaL.

That is to say, the slot 27 will be placed much nearer the left side of the car than the right side. The foregoing is merely descriptive of the position of the slot and that position is also dependent upon the length and width 0 the respective spring plates 12.

Seated within the member 20 and having an arm ex-.

30 and 31 being of a size to receive the adjacent endof the respective springs 12. The arm or rigid lug 32 projeeting outwardly from the center of the casting 28 is adapted to be received in the slot 27 and is provided with a curved recess 33 for receiving the end or adjacent side of a crowbar or the like, not illustrated. It will be understood, of course, that the car sides adjacent the upper'end of the door are provided with fastening means to maintain the door in vertical or closed position. Since these fastening means, while shown in Figure 1, do not constitute any part of applicants present invention, no further reference will be made to the same.

To assemble the device the member 20 is formed; the casting 28 is inserted therein and moved to position so that the arm 32 is in alignment with the slot 27 inthe The member 20 is then welded" to the door with the arm 32 extending through the slot 27.

flange 25 of the door.

The springs 12 are then inserted into the casting 28 and the door portions of the hinged pintle, i. e. the members 18, are then secured to the ends of the member 20. Thev hinged members 8 are then inserted over the end of the springs and into the recesses in the members 18. The springs and hinged members are then held to the door and the latter is applied to a gondola car in the manner de- 7 are.causedtto rotate relative weight ofuth'e particular door.

to the casting 28, thustensioning or torque loading the spring members. After the hinged members 8 have been riveted in position, the door is swungLopen toascertain whether or'not sufiicient torsiorr resides in the spring members to counterbalance-the If it is found that there is -insuflicienttorsion,in the springs, -a crowb'ar is theninterposedubetween.th'ei doorsheet 17 and the opening.

'ddonhhas b n. d1:0pped-ClOWn' in final mounting posit inztheQCar, the combination of a plurality oftorsion bars disposed in saidhous'ing and extending outwardly beyond thetends thereof,.a spooldisposed for partial rotation in said housingand having oppositely opening angular recessesnto respectively receive the respective inner; end portions. of sairLtorsion bars and being formed with 'an integral,lug extending in said slot and movable therein inian .arcraboirttheaxis of said housing and adapted to besecuredin fixedrposition therein incident to the final adjustmentsofcthe torque loadon said torque bars, said spoolbeilig formed with abutment faces limiting its par- V tiallrotary movement in both'directions, said male hinge memberslrespectively being formedwith angular recesses toirespectivelvreceive the'respective outer .end portions of .the' re's'pective torque bars, said male members after therdo'or is dropped to its final position being held against rotation andv with'said spool, giving said torque'bars an initial torque load, and the mounting of the spoolfor free partialtrotation permitting it to be given a partial rotation..to give the final individual adjustment ofthe load onlsaidrtorque bars, said lug being then secured against any'r'novement inany direction'in said slot.

vided. with a ing rigid therewithrand extending in said slot, said pool being formed with an abutment face limiting its partial rotarymovement in one direction, and said car hinge members respectively being formed with angular recesses to respectively receive the respective outer end portions of the respective torque bars. 1

4. In a drop end door f r a gondola car, said door 1 bein'g formed with a slot, door hinge members "carried by said door, and cooperating car hingemembers to be secured in position to theside of the car aftenthe door has been dropped down in finalrnounting position in the car, the combination of a plurality of torsion bars disposed in said door and extending outwardly beyond portions thereof, a spool, disposed for partial rotation in said door and having oppositely opening angular recesses to receive the respective inner end portions of said torsion bars and being provided with a lug rigid therewith and extending insaid slot and movable therein in an arc and adapted to besecured ina fixed position therein incident toithe 'final adjustment of thetorque-load of said torque bars, said spool being formed with an abutmentface limiting its partial rotary movement in'one direction.

5 In a drop end door for a gondola car, said'door being formed with a slot, door hinge'menibers carried by said door,- and cooperating car hinge membersrto be secured in position to the side walls 'of the car after the door'h'as" been dropped down in final mounting *position inthe car,

' the combination of a torsion bar disposed in said door 72.. In ac-drop door for a: gondola car, said door having v alubularhou'sing at its lower portion and a slot opening into said-"housing; door hinge members carried'bysaid door, and cooperating car hinge members to be secured in;position;t'o ifhe sidewalls of-the car after the'door has 7 been droppe'd 'down in finalmounting position in the car, T

the combination-tote plurality of torsion bars disposed in said;ho'using and extending outwardly beyond the ends thereoflaspool disposed-for partial rotation in said housingwanduhavingoppositely opening angular recesses to respectiyelyireceive the respective inner ends of the respectivestorsionbars and being formed with an integral H lngextending insaidslot and movable therein in an are" about .the axisiof said spool and adapted to 'be secured ins-fixed position-thereinincident to the final adjustment of the torque load on-said'torque bars, said spool being for'medciwith :abutment face limiting its partial rotary movement inboth directions, and'said car hinge members respective1y being formed with angular recesses to respecandextending outwardly beyond a portion :thereof, a

spool disposed'forpartialrotation in said door and ha'ving anan'gul'ar recess-to receive the inner end portion of said torsion rod'and having a lug rigid withit-and extending in "said slot and movable'therein an arc andadapted to be "secured in a fixed position therein incident to the final adjustment of'the'torque load of 'said torque bar; said spool being formed with an'abutrnent'limiting its partial rotary movement inone direction.

65in a-di'o'p" end 'd'oor'for a gondola car, said doorbeing" formed with a'slot, door hinge members carried by-said door, and cooperating car hinge-members to be secured; V

in position to the sidewalls ofthe car afteftliedoor has' beer'idrop'ped down in' final mounting position in theicar, V the combination of 'a torsion bar disposed in said door' andflex'ter'iding outwardlyfbeyond a portion thereof, a spooldisposed=for partial rotation-in said door "and hav-- ing 'an-angula'rrecess toreceive therinner portion of said torsion rodandihavinga lugrigid with it and extending in 'said slotand movable therein in anarc'a nd adapted" to be secured in a fixedpo'sition thereinineident'to'the;

finaladjiistment of the torque load-on-said torque bar.

7. "Door-'rnechani"s'm'for'a drop end door of a gondolaf" car, comprising a-torque bar disposed in'said doon sa id bj'ar" having i an outer end extending outwardly beyond a.

V portion ofsaid door and'anchored' to a side of"said'car;

tiyelys receive the respective outer end portions of .the

respectiye tolquo. bars. t Y V V 3, I drop end door; for a gondola car, said door have naattufiq r sho tin a t ow p rt n; a a s u opening into said housing door hinge members carried r V I dcooperating. car hinge members to be seeur'e'd 'in position to the side walls of the car after the has eentrreppe down iii final mounting positron min car, the combination of a plurality of 'to'r disposed in said housing and extending out- Wardlyibeyond theendsthereof, a spool disposedfor p'a'itial rotation in said housing and having oppositely opening angular recesses to receive respectively theres'peca spool carried-by said door intermediate sides thereof and disposed forpa'rtial rotation relative thereto, said spool having aslo t'rec'eiving an innerportio'n of said torque "bar, means for rotating sa'idspool to adjustthe torque load onsaid bar, and means for securing said spool.

against rotation relativeto-s aid door and thereby fixing; the torque load'on said bar. Y

'8 'lna'm th'odof m wherein, firstiyfthe doorfvvith the car hinge memb'ers associated therewith is manipulated into proper position withrelation-tof a" gondola car, secondly,- the door'with;

said car hinge members is lowered into position and simultaneouslvwitlf the-final' 'stages "of such lowering "said car hinge membersare partially rotatedin one direction-to twist said torque bars while'the'inner end porftions-"ofsaid torque bars are held' againstturning, and -thirdlyythe car V htn ge-niembers are peinianen-tlysecured -inand to the car; the subsequent steps comprising-tuining'the inner end tive inn'er end" portions of said torsion bars and beingipr portiens of the torque "ba'rs' in the-revefse direcnon while untingadrop door in a gondola an and adjusting'the' torque'loadof torque bars tending to move thedoor'trom open-toward closed-position,-

holding their outer end portions against turning to adjust the torque load of the torque bars in accordance with the Weight of the particular individual doors, and securing the inner ends of said torque bars against rotary movement relative to said door.

9. In a method of mounting a drop door in a gondola car and adjusting the torque load of a torque bar tending to move the door from open toward closed position, wherein, firstly, the door with the car hinge members associated therewith is manipulated into proper position with relation to a gondola car, secondly, the door with said car hinge members is lowered into position and simultaneously with the final stages of such lowering one of said car hinge members is partially rotated in one direction to twist said torque bar while the inner end portion of said torque bar is held against turning, and thirdly, the car hinge members are permanently secured in and to the car; the subsequent steps comprising, turning the inner end portion of the torque bar in the reverse direction while holding its outer end portion against turning to adjust the torque load of the torque bar in accordance with the weight of the particular individual door, and securing the inner end of said torque bar against rotary movement relative to said door.

10. In a method of mounting a drop door in a gondola car and adjusting the torque load of torque bars tending to move the door from open toward closed position, wherein, firstly the door is manipulated into proper position with relation to a gondola car, and, secondly, the door is lowered into position and simultaneously with the final stages of such lowering the outer end portions of said torque bars are partially rotated in one direction while 6 their inner end portions are held against turning to twist said torque bars to a definite fixed standard degree; the subsequent steps comprising adjusting the torque load of the torque bars by turning the inner end portions of the torque bars in the reverse direction while holding their outer end portions against turning in accordance With the torque load required by the weight of the particular individual door, and securing the inner ends of said torque bars against rotary movement relative to said door.

11. In a method of mounting a drop door in a gondola car and adjusting the torque load of a torque bar tending to move the door from open toward closed position,- wherein firstly, the door is manipulated into proper posi tion with relation to a gondola car, and secondly, the door is lowered into position and simultaneously with the final stages of such lowering the outer portion of said torque bar is partialy rotated in one direction while the inner portion thereof is held against turning to twist said torque bar to a definite fixed standard degree; the subsequent steps comprising adjusting the torque load of the torque bar by turning the inner portion thereof in the reverse direction while holding its outer portion against turning in accordance with the torque load required by the weight of the particular individual door, and securing the inner portion of said torque bar against rotary movement relative to said door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,580,760 Goodwin Jan. 1, 1952