GB969894A - Freight container support rack - Google Patents

Abstract

969,894. Railway vehicle undercarriages. PULLMAN Inc. Dec. 2, 1960, No. 41487/60. Heading B7L. A railway flat car 13, Fig. 1, has a rack 14 for supporting a freight container or containers 10 extending substantially the whole length of the car, the rack including a pair of closelyspaced sill members, e.g. 150, Fig. 2, extending longitudinally of the car bed, bolster structures, e.g. 18, 20 extending transversely of and secured to the sill members in spacedapart relation, mounting means, e.g. rollers 26, 32 for mounting the rack for longitudinal movement on the car bed, cushioning means 40 interposed between the sill members and the car bed for cushioning impact forces applied longitudinally of the car, the rack and cushioning means being constructed relative to each other so that both the rack and the cushioning means may be positioned on top of the flat car, and freight container securing and indexing means, e.g. 50, 52, Fig. 6, for securing the container 10 between respective bolsters on the rack. The cushioning device described with reference to Figs. 13 and 14 (not shown), is the same as that described in Specification 251,094. In Figs. 2 and 6, the rack 14 has two end bolsters 18 connected by two pairs of spaced sill members 112, 150, with a central bolster 20, the bolsters having on their upper parts conical bracket structures as indicated at 52 which are receivable within cylindrical recesses 50 within the bottoms of two containers 10 and which structures are secured by bolts passing through holes 54 in the structures and corresponding holes in the containers 10 as described with reference to Fig. 11 (not shown). The bolsters 18 are provided at each end with a roller assembly 24 engaging a corresponding track 28 on the vehicle 13 whilst the bolster 20 is provided with roller assemblies 30 engaging tracks 34 on the vehicle 13. Each bolster 18 is formed from a pair of channel members 70 welded to spacer plates and top plates 86. Mounting plates 104 between the members 70 are provided at their lower ends with flanges 106 which underlie the horizontal flange 102 of a T-section guide member 94 secured to the vehicle frame centre sill (not shown) and thus prevent the bolster moving vertically with respect to the vehicle frame during relative longitudinal movements therebetween. The centre bolster 20 is similarly connected to a T-section guide and is formed from an I-beam 116 to which is welded a cover-plate 120. The channel side members 112 are joined by tieplates 114 whilst the channel sill members 150 are joined by tie-plates, e.g. 166. Referring to Fig. 6, the structures 52 on the bolsters 18 have considerable play in the recesses 50 whilst the corresponding structures 176 on the centre bolster are close fits in the associated recesses, to facilitate the mounting of the containers on the carriage. The cushioning device 40, Fig. 10, is mounted between the sill members 150 and its end members 42, 44 engage stops 46 on the frame of the vehicle 13 and lugs 48 on the members 150. Springs 220 for expanding the cushion device 40 are positioned between the end members 42, 44. The conical structures, e.g. 52, 176 may be provided on the containers and the recesses 50 then provided in the bolstirs. In another embodiment the rack is formed of two end bolsters only connected together by a pair of spaced sill members, each bolster being of the construction of the previously described centre bolster 20. A single freight container is secured to the bolsters, elongated angle members extending transversely under the ends of the container being engageable with elongated angle members extending transversely across the tops of the bolsters as described with reference to Figs. 15 to 17 (not shown). Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 897,293.