US3599576A

US3599576A - Cover construction for railroad cars

Info

Publication number: US3599576A
Application number: US799811A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold E Vickerman
Original assignee: General Tire and Rubber Co
Current assignee: Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc
Priority date: 1969-02-17
Filing date: 1969-02-17
Publication date: 1971-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-17

Abstract

This disclosure includes a plurality of adjacent top covers for a railroad freight car opening with rain deflectors and batten sealing of the joint between the adjacent covers. The rain deflector includes a horizontal mounting flange and bottom plate defining a mounting clip conforming to and projecting over a generally flat end of the cover. Caulking material is placed between the end edge of the cover and the base portion of the mounting clip. The batten rests on the upper edge of the deflectors with depending vertical sidewalls closely spaced to the mounting flange. Ribbed sealing elements are secured to the deflector sidewalls and extend outwardly into engagement with an adjacent deflector to horizontally seal the space between the deflectors. The batten resting on the rain deflectors in combination with the sealing members establish an effective seal against light and liquid leakage.

Description

United States Patent Inventor Harold E. Vickerman Milwaukee, Wis. Appl. No. 799,81 1 Filed Feb. 17, 1969 Patented Aug. 17, 1971 1 Assignee The General Tire & Rubber Company Akron, Ohio COVER CONSTRUCTION FOR RAILROAD CARS 1 1 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

3,429,083 2/1969 Voros Primary Examiner-Arthur L. La Point Assistant ExamineF-Richard A. Bertsch Attorneys-John J. Murphey and Frank C. Rote, Jr.

' ABSTRACT: This disclosure includes a plurality of adjacent top covers for a railroad freight car opening with rain deflectors and batten sealing of the joint between the adjacent covers. The rain deflector includes a horizontal mounting flange and bottom plate defining a mounting clip conforming to and projecting over a generally flat end of the cover. Caulking material is placed between the end edge of the cover and the base portion of the mounting clip. The batten rests on the upper edge of the deflectors with depending vertical sidewalls closely spaced to the mounting flange.

Ribbed sealing elements are secured to the deflector sidewalls and extend outwardly into engagement with an adjacent deflector to horizontally seal the space between the deflectors. The batten resting on the rain deflectors in combination with the sealing members establish an effective seal against light and liquid leakage.

PAIENIED hue I um SHEET 1 BF 2 FIGJ v W l ffLilyPllf INVENTOR HAROLD E, VICKERMAN Attorneys PATENTEI] ms: 971' SHEET 2 [IF 2 INVENTOR HAROLD E. VICKERMAN fix; w

Attorneys FIG-6 COVER CONSTRUCTION FOR RAILROAD CARS having rain deflectors for closing of the joint between adjacent covers.

Freight cars for hauling of grain and similar commutative materials are normally provided with an opening extending longitudinally along the center of the roof. The hatchway or opening is generally an unobstructed rectangular opening extending longitudinally for substantially the majority of the length of the car. The hatchway is constructed with an upwardly extending rail terminating in an inverted and downwardly opening top rail channel. A cover assembly is pivotally attached to the roof and seals against the channel for closing of the opening.

Generally, a plurality of adjacent individually pivoted covers are provided and permit the opening of only a portion of the opening or hatchway. Additionally, a special seal construction is provided between the adjacent covers. The prior art seals include rain deflectors secured to each of the cover ends and a pivotally mounted batten closed over the rain deflectors. The rain deflectors and cooperating batten provide a waterproof seal at the junction of the covers over the openmg.

The covers may be formed of a relatively lightweight metal, a glass-fiber reinforced plastic or other similar material to provide a relatively lightweight cover which can be manually opened and closed. The fiber reinforced covers have substantial advantages because they are permanently rustproof, lighter than the usual steel covers and do not require any special balancing mechanism in order to permit operation by a single person.

The rain deflectors are normally inverted channel members having a depending leg interconnected to the adjacent end of the cover. Where the cover is made of metal, they can be formed as an integral part or separately interconnected thereto. Where the cover is formed of fiberglass, the rain deflectors are preferably formed of a suitable metal and interconnected to the fiberglass.

The rain deflectors have been interconnected to the cover by a mounting flange resting on the upper surface of the roof or cover. Caulking material is carefully applied between the flange and the roof or cover to insure a liquid-type seal.

Shippers have continuously demanded greater integrity and protection against water leakage. Further, it is highly desirable to provide a structure which minimizes the amount of light which can enter through the junction or the seal.

Generally, the present seal constructions have not fully met the shippers demands and in particular have not provided a highly effective seal against the introduction of light through the joint seal and the hatchway opening.

The present invention is particularly directed to a cover assembly which provides an improved liquidtight connection of the rain deflectors to the cover and an improved sealing of the joint between the adjacent covers against liquid and/or light leakage. Generally, in accordance with the present invention, the rain deflectc. is constructed with a mounting clip having a top wall projecting over the surface of the cover and a bottom wall projecting over the bottom of the cover. The caulking material is placed between the end edge of the cover and the base portion of the mounting clip. Furthermore, the upper wall of the mounting clip projects over the cover slightly beyond the cooperating edge of the batten. The rain deflectors have a minimal height and the batten rests on the upper edge or the surface of the deflector with the sidewalls extending downwardly into closely spaced relation to the upper wall of the clip. The reduced height of the rain deflector increases the car clearance at the roof line and the slight spacement of the batten from the upper wall or leg of the mounting clip provides protection against the rebounding of water spray over the top of the deflector. The deflectors are also constructed to extend to the outermost edges of the covers and thus provide additional protection at the adjacent ends of the covers.

To insure a light-tight seal, special resilient sealing members are secured to the exterior sidewalls and at the opposite ends of the rain deflectors and extend outwardly of the rain deflectors into engagement with an adjacent deflector to prevent light from passing horizontally between the deflectors. The batten resting on the rain deflectors in combination with the sealing members establish an effective seal against light leakage. Applicant has found that the light seals are advantageously formed with a series of horizontal spaced vertical ribs and applied to diagonally opposite corners of each cover. The seals of adjacent covers are on the opposite adjacent corners and each projects longitudinally and seals against the adjacent cover.

With this construction, there is a single sea] at each end of each cover and a single pair of seals required for each cover.

The drawings furnished herewith illustrate the mode presently contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the subject invention and clearly disclose the above features as well as others which will be readily understood from the following description.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a freight car illustrating the construction of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top fragmentary view:

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken generally on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken generally on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary pictorial exploded view showing the construction of the rain deflectors of FIGS. 1-4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section showing a cover and cover joint batten in the open position;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the cover closed;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the cover and batten closed; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary top view with the batten open to show a special seal construction.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention is applied to freight car of the hopper variety. The illustrated railway car is a conventional, rectangular, boxlike structure suitably mounted for movement over railroad tracks and having an upper roof 2. A central hatchway or opening 3 extends longitudinally of the roof 2 and is laterally centrally located. A walkway or platform, not shown, is secured to the roof 2 and encircles the opening 3. A plurality of adjacent hoppers 4 and 5 are longitudinally spaced within the car 1 beneath the opening 3. Each of the'hoppers 5 terminate in a bottom discharge outlet 6. Thus, the material, not shown, is introduced through the upper opening 3 and discharged through the outlet 6. The opening 3 is provided with an upward extending rail unit or coaming 7 encircling the edge of the opening and projecting upwardly therefrom. The uppermost end of the coaming '7 te minates in a downwardly opening sealing channel to define an upper sealing edge. A series of covers 8 are longitudinally spaced along the roof for selective individual placement over the aligned portion of the coaming 7. The covers 8 are similarly interconnected along a corresponding edge by one or more suitable hinges 9 to the roof 2. Suitable releasable latches 10, shown as pin type, releasably interconnect the opposite edge of the cover 8 to the roof 2. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, each of the covers 8 is provided with three spaced hinges 9 and a single centrally located latch 10.

The covers 8 are provided with planar surfaces aligned with the sealing channels of coaming 7 with sealing gaskets 11 preferably secured to the inner surface of the cover 8 to establish a liquid and light-type seal between the covers and coaming 7.

In accordance with the present invention, the covers 8 are preferably formed of a glass fiber reinforced plastic having a plurality of laterally extending strengthening ribs 12 defined by offset molded portions. The covers 8 include depending side edges or walls 13 which are adapted to extend downwardly over the rails with the lower bottom edge terminating in lips 14 adjacent the roof 2. The ends of the covers 8 are formed as planar or flat end extensions 15 of the U- shaped cover. With the covers in' the closed position, the gasket 11 rests on the aligned portion of the rail 7 with the sidewalls 13 depending downwardly over the rails. This provides a tight seal completely around the rail opening except for the space between the immediately adjacent covers 8.

This junction is closed by a cover-joint seal assembly 16 which particularly forms the subject matter of the present invention.

Generally, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, similar rain deflectors l7 and 18 are secured to the flat ends 15 of the adjacent covers. A batten 19 is pivotally interconnected by hinge connection 20 in alignment with the joint. The batten 19 is generally an inverted channel-shaped member which in the closed position, projects downwardly in covering relationship over the

rain deflectors

17 and 18. A releasable pin-type latch unit 21 or the like releasably interconnects the free end of the batten 19 to the roof 2 and thereby positively hold the seal assembly in a closed position.

The deflectors l7 and 18 and the cooperating batten 19 are specially constructed in accordance with the present invention to form a liquid and light-type sea], as follows. As each of the

deflectors

17 and 18 is essentially identical in construction, the deflector 17 will be described in detail with the corresponding elements of deflector l8 identified by corresponding primed numbers. I

Referring particularly to FIGS. 3-5, the rain deflector 17 includes a flat mounting wall or flange 22 which rests on the upper surface of the cover 8 and particularly the generally flat end 15. The rain deflector 17 includes a vertical wall 23 projecting upwardly from the flange 22 slightly outwardly .of the very outermost edge of the cover end 15. The upper end is formed with a curved inverted channel 24 which curves outwardly from the vertical wall to define a water deflection member. The wall 23 and channel 24 extends laterally to the outermost edges of the cover 8, the front edge of which is provided with a slight indentation or offset portion 25. The mounting flange 22 is also bent downwardly to conform to the configuration of the cover 8 and terminates in a small outwardly projecting lip 26.

A backing and seal plate 27 abuts the bottom surface of the cover in alignment with the mounting flange 22. The plate 27 extends outwardly of the cover edge and then upwardly immediately adjacent the wall 23 of deflector 17. The plate 27 is permanently fixed to the wall 23 by a plurality of spaced spot welds 28 or the like.

The flange 22 and wall 23, in cooperation, define a clip conforming to and telescoped over the end 15 of the complete width of the cover 8. Rivets 29 extend through flange 22, cover end 15 and plate 27 to secure the deflector to the cover 8. A sealing material 30, such as the caulking material presently employed between a flange and a cover, is disposed between the edge of the cover and the base of the clip to establish a liquidtight joint.

The opposite ends of each rain deflector 17 are sealed by similar metallic end plates 31, welded or otherwise secured to the outer ends of the deflector and backing plate 27. The upper end of the edge plate 31 is curved to correspond to the downwardly shaped channel deflector portion 24. The plate 31 extends downwardly to the lip 26 on the downwardly bent portion of the flange 22. In addition, a lateral extension 32 of a generally triangular configuration extends inwardly over the downwardly bent flange 22 to seal the opening established by bending of the flange 22 downwardly of the vertical wall 23 to conform to the depending sides 13 ofcover 8.

The rain deflector 17 therefore extends across the complete lateral dimension of the cover to insure a continuous sealing surface from one edge of the cover to the other.

With adjacent covers 8 in the closed position, as shown in FIG. 2, the

rain deflectors

17 and 18 similarly extend laterally across the opening 3 with a slightspacing therebetween. The

rain deflectors

17 and 18 extend outwardly to the outer edge of the cover 8 and define a planar end surface.

The extension of the rain deflector 17 to the outermost edge of the cover 8 provides a protection against water which flows longitudinally along the side edges of the cover from entering at the junction between the covers 8. Thus, any water flow will encounter the extended vertical wall defined by the lateral bent portion 32 of the end wall 31 and the vertical wall of the deflector, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, and be deflected outwardly and away from the joint.

The inverted U-shaped batten 39, as previously noted, is pivotally secured in alignment with the joint. The opposite ends of' the batten 19 extend downwardly over the opposite closed ends of the

deflectors

17 and 18 to provide a partial water stop against the entrance of water into the joint. As most clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the base of the batten 19 is selected to span both of the

deflectors

17 and 18 with the depending sidewalls 33 extending downwardly adjacent the outer edges of the channel portion 24 of the

deflectors

17 and 18. The rain deflectors are provided with a minimal height and interrelated to the cross section and pivot mount of the batten 19 such that the base of the batten rests directly on the upper curved portions of the deflectors as at 34, in the latched posi' tion of the batten. Furthermore, the mounting wall or flanges 22 of the

deflectors

17 and 18 extend outwardly beneath the sidewalls 33 of the batten 19 which terminate in closely spaced relationship thereto. The small space 35 between the batten sidewalls and the flange provides a partial water stop to minimize entrance of water beneath the batten and into the sealing assembly. The interengagement of the batten 19 resting upon the top rail essentially prevents the rebounding of slight amount of water leakage as spray over the top of the deflector and between the adjacent deflectors at the cover joint.

Further in accordance with a particularly novel aspect of the present invention, the opposite ends of the space between the adjacent rain deflectors l7 and 18 is sealed by correspondingly positioned resilient sealing

members

36 and 37. As each of the illustrated members 36 is similarly constructed, the forward member 36 is described in detail.

The illustrated sealing member 36 includes a mounting base 38 which is secured to the vertical wall portion 23 of the deflector 17 by a suitable adhesive ,or the like. The sealing member base 38 generally includes a rectangular configuration secured to the upper end portion of the wall 23 and having a depending leg portion extending downwardly and secured to the lateral extension 32 of the adjacent end plate 31. A plurality of vertical sealing ribs 39 are integrally formed to the outer face of the base 38 in horizontally spaced relation and project outwardly therefrom a distance slightly greater than the space between adjacent deflectors l7 and 18. Each of the ribs 39 is generally formed with a triangular cross section having a relatively heavy base portion integrally formed with the base 38 and tapering outwardly toward the opposite rain deflector. The sealing ribs 39 are deformed by the opposed deflector wall and provide a continuous and positive liquid and lighttight joint between the ends of the deflector 17 an i the adjacent deflector 18.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the forward sealing member 36 is secured to the deflector 17. The rear sealing member 37 in turn is connected to the deflector 18. Thus, a

single sealing member

36 or 37 is required at each end of each cover 8. The sealing

members

36 and 37 are applied to diagonally opposite corners of each cover 8 with the ribs projecting outwardly to the opposite cover to effect the seals as shown. As a result of this construction, there will be a

single sealing member

36 or 37 at each end ofeach cover 8 and a single pair of sealing

members

36 and 37 per cover 8. The opposite diagonal location permits universal application of the covers 8 without the necessity for special correlation between adjacent cover members.

latched in overlying sealing relationship ,with the

adjacent deflectors

17 and 18, a liquid and lighttight joint will be established. The interengagement of the batten 19 with the top rail channels 24 of

deflectors

17 and 18 essentially produce a liquid and light-type junction along the horizontal interengaging surfaces. ln addition, the

end sealing members

36 and 37 extending across the space between the deflectors l7 and 18 effectively seals the opposite ends of the cover spacing against both water and light to complete the sealing.

The present invention thus provides a highly improved sealing assembly which can be readily applied to existing railway car openings, and particularly provide an improved means for sealing of glass fiber reinforced plastic hatch covers and the like. i

Iclaim:

1. In a railroad freight car having a rectangular roof opening and a plurality of separate rectangular covers in slightly spaced relation, rain deflector assemblies secured to adjacent edges of adjacent covers, each of said assemblies including a mounting clip conforming to and telescoped over the edge of the cover and having a vertical upstanding wall portion terminating in an inverted channel extending backwardly over the cover to define a rain deflector, a sealing material disposed between the cover and the clip to seal the joint therebetween, and an inverted channel batten having a rectangular cross section adapted to overlie the adjacent inverted channels with-the base resting on said channels and with the sidewalls extending downwardly into slightly spaced relation to the aligned portion of the cover.

2. In the railroad freight car of claim 1, the separate covers including a resilient member secured to the upwardly extending portion of one rain deflector adjacent one end, and a similar resilient member secured to the upwardly extending portion of the other rain deflector adjacent the end opposite from the first resilient member, said resilient members extending longitudinally of the cover a length in excess of the spacement between the deflectors of immediately adjacent covers;

3. The freight car of claim 1, wherein a sealing rail encircles said roof opening and said covers include a generally rectangular panel having depending sides adapted to extend downwardly of the rail and a flat portion aligned with the upper edge of the rail and adapted to rest in sealing engagement with said upper edge, said cover including end extensions of the panel and depending sides with the mounting clips attached thereto, said clip including a flange conforming to and resting on the extension with said vertical upstanding wall extending upwardly from said flange and terminating in the inverted channel, said clip further including a backing member conforming to and abutting the underside of the extension and extending outwardly to a vertical wall extending upwardly of the edge into abutting engagement with the upstanding wall of the flange, said sealing material between the edge of the cover and the backing member, and means to seal the ends of the deflectors.

4. A railroad freight coverunit adapted to be mounted in aligned spaced relation with similar cover units to close a top wall opening, the unit including a cover, a pair of elongated rain deflectors secured to a top wall of the cover and extending laterally along the opposite ends of the cover and each including a generally vertical wall portion, and a resilient sealing member secured to the vertical wall at an end of one deflector and a similar resilient sealing member secured to the vertical wall at the opposite end of the other deflector, said sealing members projecting longitudinally outward a distance in excess of the space between adjacent covers.

5. The cover unit of claim 4, wherein the sealing members include a plurality of horizontally spaced, vertical ribs projecting outwardly of the cover and formed of a deflecting rubberlike material.

6. A cover unit for closing a roof opening, comprising: a cover with a top surface, a bottom surface having longitudinal side sealing surfaces and depending sidewalls between said top and bottomsurfaces; a rain deflector assembly including a mounting clip attached along and telescoped over a lateral edge of the cover, said clip including a top wall and a bottom wall conforming to and abutting said top and bottom surfaces and sidewalls of said cover, the rain deflector having a vertical wall portion extending upwardly from said top surface and terminating in an inverted channel that extends backwardly over the cover, the clip including the vertical wall portion extending across the width of the cover; and a sealing material disposed between the clip and the lateral edge of the cover to establish a liquid-tight water stop across the lateral edge of the cover.

7. A composite cover unit for closing an elongated hatchway having a sealing rail disposed along longitudinal edges thereof, the composite cover unit comprising:

a plurality of covers spaced adjacent from each other and each closing a corresponding portion of the hatchway, each cover including a flat portion aligned with an upper edge of the sealing rail and adapted to rest in sealing engagement with said upper edge, and including planar end extensions;

a rain deflector assembly including a deflector having a flange'conforming to and resting on said end extension, said deflector having a vertical portion extending upward from said flange and terminating in an inverted channel extending backwardly over the cover to define a horizontal surface;

a backing member conforming to and abutting an underside of said end extension and extending outwardly of the edge I of said end extension and upwardly into connection with said vertical portion of said deflector to define a mounting clip telescoped over said end'extension; and

a sealing material disposed between the cover and said mounting clip to establish a liquid-tight joint.

8. The cover of claim 7, wherein said cover is formed of a 1 glass fiber-reinforced plastic and said clip is riveted to the cover with the clip spaced from the edge of the cover and said sealing material fills the space.

9. The cover assembly of claim 7, wherein each said cover includes depending longitudinal sidewalls, said flange and said backing member conforming to said sidewalls, and means to seal the opposite ends of the deflectors.

10. A composite cover unit for closing an elongated roof opening, comprising:

a plurality of covers spaced adjacent each other along said opening and having longitudinal side-sealing surfaces;

rain deflector assemblies attached to opposite ends of each cover, each deflector assembly including a mounting clip conforming to and telescoped over the end of the cover and having a vertical portion extending upwardly and terminating in an inverted channel extending backwardly over the cover, and including a sealing material disposed between the cover and the clip; and

a resilient member secured to the outer end of the vertical portion of one rain deflector on a'cover, and a similar resilient member secured to the opposite outer end of the vertical portion of the other rain deflector, said resilient members extending longitudinally of the cover for a length in excess of the space between deflectors of immediately adjacent covers to establish a solid joint therebetween.

11. A composite cover unit for closing a roof opening, comprising: a plurality of adjacent covers each with longitudinal side sealing surfaces; a rain deflector assembly for each end of each cover, each assembly including a mounting clip conforming to and telescoped over the end of the cover and having a vertical portion extending upwardly and terminating in an inverted channel extending backwardly over the cover; a sealing material disposed between the clip and the cover; and a resilient member secured to each vertical portion of the rain deflector adjacent one end and extending longitudinally of the cover a length in excess of the space between the deflection of immediately adjacent covers.

Claims

1. In a railroad freight car having a rectangular roof opening and a plurality of separate rectangular covers in slightly spaced relation, rain deflector assemblies secured to adjacent edges of adjacent covers, each of said assemblies including a mounting clip conforming to and telescoped over the edge of the cover and having a vertical upstanding wall portion terminating in an inverted channel extending backwardly over the cover to define a rain deflector, a sealing material disposed between the cover and the clip to seal the joint therebetween, and an inverted channel batten having a rectangular cross section adapted to overlie the adjacent inverted channels with the base resting on said channels and with the sidewalls extending downwardly into slightly spaced relation to the aligned portion of the cover.

2. In the railroad freight car of claim 1, the separate covers including a resilient member secured to the upwardly extending portion of one rain deflector adjacent one end, and a similar resilient member secured to the upwardly extending portion of the other rain deFlector adjacent the end opposite from the first resilient member, said resilient members extending longitudinally of the cover a length in excess of the spacement between the deflectors of immediately adjacent covers.

4. A railroad freight cover unit adapted to be mounted in aligned spaced relation with similar cover units to close a top wall opening, the unit including a cover, a pair of elongated rain deflectors secured to a top wall of the cover and extending laterally along the opposite ends of the cover and each including a generally vertical wall portion, and a resilient sealing member secured to the vertical wall at an end of one deflector and a similar resilient sealing member secured to the vertical wall at the opposite end of the other deflector, said sealing members projecting longitudinally outward a distance in excess of the space between adjacent covers.

6. A cover unit for closing a roof opening, comprising: a cover with a top surface, a bottom surface having longitudinal side sealing surfaces and depending sidewalls between said top and bottom surfaces; a rain deflector assembly including a mounting clip attached along and telescoped over a lateral edge of the cover, said clip including a top wall and a bottom wall conforming to and abutting said top and bottom surfaces and sidewalls of said cover, the rain deflector having a vertical wall portion extending upwardly from said top surface and terminating in an inverted channel that extends backwardly over the cover, the clip including the vertical wall portion extending across the width of the cover; and a sealing material disposed between the clip and the lateral edge of the cover to establish a liquid-tight water stop across the lateral edge of the cover.

7. A composite cover unit for closing an elongated hatchway having a sealing rail disposed along longitudinal edges thereof, the composite cover unit comprising: a plurality of covers spaced adjacent from each other and each closing a corresponding portion of the hatchway, each cover including a flat portion aligned with an upper edge of the sealing rail and adapted to rest in sealing engagement with said upper edge, and including planar end extensions; a rain deflector assembly including a deflector having a flange conforming to and resting on said end extension, said deflector having a vertical portion extending upward from said flange and terminating in an inverted channel extending backwardly over the cover to define a horizontal surface; a backing member conforming to and abutting an underside of said end extension and extending outwardly of the edge of said end extension and upwardly into connection with said vertical portion of said deflector to define a mounting clip telescoped over said end extension; and a sealing material disposed between the cover and said mouNting clip to establish a liquid-tight joint.

8. The cover of claim 7, wherein said cover is formed of a glass fiber-reinforced plastic and said clip is riveted to the cover with the clip spaced from the edge of the cover and said sealing material fills the space.

10. A composite cover unit for closing an elongated roof opening, comprising: a plurality of covers spaced adjacent each other along said opening and having longitudinal side-sealing surfaces; rain deflector assemblies attached to opposite ends of each cover, each deflector assembly including a mounting clip conforming to and telescoped over the end of the cover and having a vertical portion extending upwardly and terminating in an inverted channel extending backwardly over the cover, and including a sealing material disposed between the cover and the clip; and a resilient member secured to the outer end of the vertical portion of one rain deflector on a cover, and a similar resilient member secured to the opposite outer end of the vertical portion of the other rain deflector, said resilient members extending longitudinally of the cover for a length in excess of the space between deflectors of immediately adjacent covers to establish a solid joint therebetween.