US3142265A

US3142265A - Vehicle liner and method

Info

Publication number: US3142265A
Application number: US58118A
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael J Ford
Original assignee: International Paper Co; Stanley Works
Current assignee: International Paper Co; Stanley Works
Priority date: 1960-09-23
Filing date: 1960-09-23
Publication date: 1964-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 1981-07-28

Description

July 28, 1,964 FORD 3,142,265

' VEHICLE LINER AND METHOD Filed Sept. 23, 1960 g ALONG- THIS LINE g I, i

zo I f9" NAIL ALONG THIS LIN United States Patent 3,142,265 VEHICLE LINER AND METHOD Michael J. Ford, Hartsdale, N.Y., assignor of one-half each to International Paper Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York, and The Stanley Works, New Britain, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Sept. 23, 1960, Ser. No. 58,118 1 Claim. (Cl. 105-423) This invention relates to a vehicle liner and method of fabrication and installation thereof, and, more particularly, to a liner for freight vehicles such as boxcars, trucks, etc. The liner structure is useful for upgrading or repairing lined vehicles and also in the construction of new cars.

The resent application is a continuation-in-part of my copending applications Serial No. 760,012, filed September 9, 1958 and Serial No. 819,996, filed June 12, 1959, both applications now abandoned.

An object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive sturdy liner structure which may be applied with a minimum of labor in the construction of freight vehicles or for the repair or relining of the vehicles. Another object is to provide effective means for rapidly lining a stud-equipped vehicle so as to provide a sturdy and resilient lining adapted for the handling of granular and case materials, etc. A further object is to provide a liner structure in which metal straps are supported within the fibrous walls of a board for supporting the liner and providing a sturdy liner overspace in the freight vehicle wall. A still further object is to provide a method for the fabrication of liner panels and the use thereof for relining of cars at a minimum of cost and while providing an exceptionally sturdy lining therefor. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be seen in the details of construction and operation as set down herein.

The invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

'FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a boxcar showing applied to the car a lining embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a broken vertical sectional view of the structure of the liner applied to the car;

FIG. 3 is a broken elevational sectional view of the liner employed, and

FIG.' 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of apparatus for constructing the inventive liner.

In the illustration given, A designates generally a railway boxcar having a doorway provided with a door frame A. The car A has a floor 10, walls 11, and vertical studs 12 extending at spaced distances about the car.

One difficulty in the lining of a car using standard sized panels is that the boxcars, etc., vary slightly in dimensions and it is necessary that the panels provide a complete closure for the retaining of granular material, etc. within the car. In the practice of my invention, I apply to each corner of the car a partially folded sealing strip 13 having wide side flaps 14, and such a vertical strip is nailed to the studs 12 at each corner of the car, as illustrated in FIG. 1. With this structure, the side flaps 14 provide a substantial area for receiving the overlapping portion of the panels 15 so as to make up for any irregularity in the length of the car.

The vertical right angle strips 13 may be formed of a single core, two-faced corrugated board, scored in the center to provide the right angle shape, and the piece may then be nailed into place as indicated in FIG. 1. While I prefer a single corrugated board structure, it will be understood that any other suitable folded piece may be employed for this purpose.

The panel 15 may be constructed as shown in FIGS. 2

r 3,142,265 Patented July 28, 1964 and 3. In this structure, vertically spaced, horizontallyextending metal straps 16 are secured within the panel. The panel 15 includes an inner liner 17 and a pair of

corrugated cores

18 and 19. An outer liner 20 is bonded to the outer core 19, and the two cores are united through a central liner 21. It will be understood that the central liner 21 may consist of a single sheet uniting the two

cores

18 and 19, or it may consist of two liners 21 bonded together.

The metal straps 16 may be formed of any suitable metal which will effectively hold nails and support the liner structure while anchoring the liner effectively to the studs 12. For this purpose, a nail 22 is driven through the inner liner 17, the end of a strap 16, the core 18, and the remaining portion of the panel 15 (i.e., liners 21 and 2t and the core 19 included therebetween), and into the stud 12 so as to anchor the liner panel 15 firmly to the studs and to the frame of the car. It will be understood that other forms of fastening elements may be employed. The straps 16 may be formed of steel, aluminum, aluminum alloy, or any metal which will hold the nail when it is driven therethrough and thus secure the panel firmly in position. Imperforate malleable steel, andeven tin may be employed so as to permit nailing directly through the strap and into the stud, thus anchoring the panel firmly in place.

While I have shown the liner structure 15 applied to the stud 12 of a new car, it will be understood that the liner may be applied to old car structures and particularly to a wood liner with which many old cars are equipped. If such wood liner has holes or openings therein, the liner panel 15 may be secured thereover to reline the structure and to prevent the escape of granular material through such openings.

For the rapid lining of a car such as illustrated, I prefer to form the liner panels in standard size heights and widths so that they may be nailed in position to the studs 12, as shown in FIG. 1. Starting with the doorpost frame A, the panel 15 is secured in position, and then a second panel is secured so as to extend toward the end of the car and into overlapping relation with the V-shaped strips 13. Even though the second panel 15 does not go to the end of the car, it overlaps the wing 14 of the vertical strip 13 so that it forms therewith a complete seal.

For the ends of the car, normally a slightly wider panel 15a is employed and the varying widths of the railway boxcar are compensated for by the wings 14 of the member 13. As shown in FIG. 1, the side panels 15 are supported above the floor 10 by 2 x 4 spacers, as are the strips 13. The spacers are removed after the panels are installed, and this develops an escape space E for grain that overflows the top of the panels. The end panels 15a are installed flush with the floor.

By way of illustration, for a 40-foot boxcar, usually referred to as a 40 boxcar size, the liner panel 15 may be 8 feet wide and 4 /2 feet high. The scored V-shaped member 13 at the corners may be 9 feet high by 2 feet wide. The panels 15 may be secured one above the other to form a 9 foot high liner, and, as stated, the ends of the liner units near the corner will be received within the 9 foot high centrally scored member 13. In the ordinary case, the end panels 15a may be 4 /2 feet high by 9 feet wide.

By employing the metal straps 16 as illustrated, it is found that the corrugated board liners can be effectively anchored in position and held against dislodgement by the nails 22, while at the same time the panel structure provides a cushioning structure which protects the cargo items being shipped against damage. Further, in the event any portion of a liner panel 15 is damaged or broken, the liner can be readily removed and replaced,

amazes or, alternatively, patched portions can be secured in position over such openings.

In installation, the nails 22 pass through the

corrugated cores

18 and 19,

liners

17, 20 and 21, and through the ends of the straps 16 so as to firmly clamp the board panel against the stud or frame. It is found that the cores 1S and 19 of the corrugated board yield under the nailheads so as to be slightly indented, as in a tufting operation, and leave the inner liner surface 17 substantially even throughout so that the nails are not projecting for engagement with the merchandise carried in the vehicle. At the same time, the metal straps 16 serve to lock the entire board firmly in position and also provide a reinforcing, weighted carrying support for the portions of the board extending between the studs or over openings in the frame.

In the assembly operation for the

panels

15 and 15a, relatively unskilled labor may be used and still achieve rapid installation. As can be seen from FIG. 3, I prefer to have imprinted upon the inner liner 17 longitudinal stripes 23 indicating the position of the straps 16 so that the installer can see where the nails are to be driven. Even though the freight vehicles vary slightly in length, the installer has no difiiculty in securing a good seal because the wide wing portions 14 of the vertical corner strips 13 overlap the edges of the panel 15 to provide the necessary seal.

In the use of the various structures, repair is readily accomplished. The portion of the board which is damaged may be readily cut out and an insert placed within the cut-out portion and tape employed to cover the edges of the insert and the liner. For example, where a portion of the board has been damaged, a segment about the damaged portion may be cut out so as to remove all of the damaged area. The removed area is employed as a template to cut a repair portion, which is then slipped into place and taped in position. This can be accomplished with or without the metal strap reinforcement.

The fibrous portions of the liner advantageously may be impregnated with a moistureproofing agent. A suitable agent for this purpose is an adhesive marketed under the tradename Stabind by the A. E. Staley Mfg. Co., of Decatur, Illinois. This also serves to unite the liners with the corrugated cores. Optionally, this may be provided as part of the adhesive bonding the various sheets and cores together. In the fabrication of the inventive liner panel, the various sheets and straps are advanced in continuous form through a pressing section P-l. Intermediate sheets are contemporaneously corrugated to provide the

core bodies

18 and 19, and simultaneously with the formation of the composite panel, the inner liner sheet 17 may be imprinted with indicia as at P-2 for positioning of the securing nails.

By providing the fluting of both cores to run in a vertical direction, I find that substantially fewer straps are required than are employed in the conventional grain car door. Further, the employment of malleable imperforate straps makes possible the use of less metal, since the straps are not weakened by pre-punching. When the imperforate straps 16 are pierced by a securing nail, the tang-like portions developed thereby bite into the remainder of the panel to keep the metal reinforcing member from separating from the core under the repeated buffeting normally encountered in transit. This then preserves the overall integrity of the panel, especially against delaminating.

Although delamination is effectively prevented, as mentioned above, a certain amount of strap freedom within the panel is achieved by positioning the straps adjacent the flutes of the corrugated core. The straps are adhesively united to the peaks of the flutes of the core, and thus can shift slightly relative to the remainder of the panel when an exceptional stress is encountered. However, the straps are firmly united to the innermost liner 17, and promote the integrity of this liner. The liner 17 is desirably impregnated with a moistureproofing agent, and when the car interiors are washed down, there is no undesirable delamination. Here, it will be appreciated that a liner installation may well last as long as the previously-employed wooden liners. With a change of lading, it is not unusual for the carrier or the shipper to wash down the interior of the car so as to rid the car of any dust or other refuse material.

In addition to reinforcing the inner liner 17, the straps operate advantageously in acting as media for fastening the panel to the side walls of the car. They also act as washers or surface material for the nail or staple employed to secure the panel to the wall. Still further, the straps act as a snap lock for the staple or nail to prevent it from working out into the lading on subsequent loadings. The imperforate strapping becomes indented, giving a tufting effect, and, in so doing, the steel strapping closes down on the diameter of the hole and crimps down on the leg of the staple or the shank of the nail, as the case may be, thus preventing these potential claimcausing attachments from damaging the lading.

While, in the foregoing specification, I have set forth specific structures in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be understood that the details of construction and procedure may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

In combination with a freight vehicle having side and end walls providing corners,

(A) a vertical V-shaped member secured within each corner and having wing portions extending along the side and end of the car, and

(B) a liner panel having an end portion extending in overlapping relation to the wing portion of said vertical member,

(i) said panel having at least two corrugated cores arranged in face-to-face relation,

(ii) a liner sheet adhesively secured to each core face,

(iii) a plurality of flat imperforate metal straps extending in spaced-apart, parallel relation perpendicularly to the flutes of said cores and positioned interiorly of said panel and in contact with the liner sheet innermost of said vehicle, and nail means extending through said straps securing said panel to said vehicle.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,803,617 Hummel May 5, 1931 2,595,087 Leslie Apr. 29, 1952 2,710,134 Schroeder et a1 June 7, 1955 2,794,761 Williamson June 4, 1957 2,966,214 Ford Dec. 27, 1960 2,966,438 Ford Dec. 27, 1960