US3368500A - Opening and closing device for tiltable roofs of box cars - Google Patents

Description

Feb, 13, 1968 K. 'RAAB ETAL 3,368,500

OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR TILTABLE RCOFS OF BOX CARS 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 5, 1965 'INVENTORS Feb. 13, 1968 v K. RAAB ETAL 3,368,500

OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR TILTABLE ROOFS OF BOX CARS Filed Nov. 5, 1965 9 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Feb. 13, 1968 v K.RAAB ETAL 3,363,500

OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR TIL TABLE ROOFS 0F B OX CARS Filed Nov. s. 1965 9 Sheets-Sheet K. RAAB ETAL Feb. 13, 1968 OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR TILTABLE ROOFS OF BOX CARS Filed Nov. {5, 1965 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR-S Feb. 13, 1968 K. RAAB ETAL OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR TILTABLE ROOFS OF BOX CARS Filed Nov. 3, 1965,

9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.8

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r bmue IM/ ?er K. RAAB ETAL Feb. 13, 1968 OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR TIL'IABLE ROOFS OF BOX CARS 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Nov. 5, 1965 INVENTORS r je m 23/9 n k Feb. 13, 1968 K. RAAB ETAL OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR TILTABLE ROOFS OF BOX CARS Filed NOV. 5, 1965 9 Sheets-sheaf -'7 INVENTORJ WW. G M 9, 1 $7 a 1 Feb. 13, 1968 N K. RAAB ETAL 3,368,500

OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR TILTABLE ROOFS 0F BOX CARS Filed Nov. 5, 1965 9 Sheets-Shem. 8

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7 7a 5 INVENTORS:

Feb. 13, 1968 K. RAAB ETAL OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR TILTABLE RGOFS OF BOX CARS 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed Nov. 5, 1965 m m E V W United States Patent ()fiice 3,368,500 OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR T'ILTABLE ROOFS F BOX CARS Karl Raab, Wiesbaden, Helmnt Kiinig, Minden, Westphalia, and Christian Stiefel and Wilhelm Blank, Aachen, Germany, assignors to Waggonfabrik Talbot, Aachen, Germany Filed Nov. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 506,220 12 Claims. (Cl. 105-377) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Freight car having open top with roof tiltable bodily laterally in either direction to close or open the top with the weight of the roof structure being counterbalanced by spring devices connected to the bearings about which the roof tilts together with a device for tilting the roof to and from closed position in either direction.

Thepresent invention relates to an opening and closmg arrangement for tiltable roofs of freight vehicles, especially railway freight cars, in Wl'llCh a roof extending over the entire length of the car box is, in closed condition of the vehicle, sealed with regard to the walls of the car box and, for purposes of obtaining a loading opening of substantially the same size as the loading bottom surface of the vehicle, is tiltable by means of a drive arranged on one box end face only, selectively to either side of the vehicle, said roof being supported by supporting columns tiltable in bearing means at the end faces of the car box.

With tiltable roofs of this type, especially due to their tiltability to either side of the car box, a rehable and weather proof seal with regard to the car box walls represents a ditlicult problem. Whereas with roofs t ltable to one vehicle side only, the roof sections abut against fixed sealing surfaces arranged perpendicularly with regard to the direction of movement of the roof sections with roots tiltable to either side of the vehicle, only such sealing arrangements can be employed which are located outside the path of movement of the roof. Such sealing arrangements, however, require under all circumstances a reliable synchronism of all roof sections and especially of the roof ends. Such synchronism of all roof sections is not assured with heretofore known opening and closing arrangements which have the tilting drive arranged on one side only. With tilting drives of this type WhlCh are considerably more advantageous as far as their actuation is concerned than drives arranged on both ends of the vehicle, the long thin roof sections twist so that the nondriven roof end lags, and the sealing effect cannot be obtained.

Opening and closing arrangements for roofs tiltable to either side of the vehicle are known according to which certain features with regard to the sealing of the roof edges have to be put up with which are disadvantageous in actual use of the freight vehicle. Thus, for instance, with heretofore known tiltable roofs, it was impossible to make the roof loading opening of substantially the same size as the bottom loading surface of the vehicle. On the other hand, it was necessary for purposes of broadening the space required for the tilting of the roof, to reduce the size of the car box at the expense of its loading capacity, or the side wall upper frames had to be located so low that the normal height for the side wall doors or lateral opening could not be obtained. In this connection also designs have become known according to which the roof is tilted beyond the opening of the car box in a way which endangers the life of the persons loading the freight car.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to 3,368,500 Patented Feb. 13, 1968 provide an opening and closing arrangement for tiltable rooms of freight vehicles which will overcome the above mentioned drawbacks.

It is another object of this invention to provide an opening and closing arrangement as set forth in the preceding paragraph which will assure a uniform synchronism in the movement of box car roof ends in spite of the arrangement of the drive at one end only.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an opening and closing arrangement of the type set forth above, which will assure a proper seal at the edges of the roof regardless of whether the roof is tilted according to the lift-tilting principle or according to the sliding principle.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates an opening and closing arrangement according to the invention for a lifttilting roof which is actuated by means of separate shafts for the lifting and lowering on one hand and the tilting on the other hand, FIG. 1 showing in view the roof in closed condition and the drive for the tilting of the roof arranged at one end wall of the freight vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1 as seen in the direction of the arrow A while some parts have been omitted for the sake of clarity.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 but with the roof in opened condition.

FIG. 4 shows a modified opening and closing arrangement according to the invention for a lifttilting roof which is opened and closed by a single shaft for the lifting and lowering and for the tilting of the roof.

FIG. 5 is a side view of FIG. 4 as seen in the direction of the arrow B.

FIG. 6 shows a view similar to that of FIG. 4 but with the roof in opened condition.

FIG. 7 is a view of a further embodiment according to the present invention for a folding wing roof, said figure showing the roof in closed condition and also show ing the driving means for said roof.

FIG. 8 is a side view of FIG. 7 as seen in the direction of the arrow C.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to that of FIG. 7 but with the a roof in opened condition.

FIG. 10 is a view of still another embodiment of an opening and closing arrangement according to the present invention for a pure tilting roof with sliding means, the roof being shown in closed condition.

FIG. 11 is a side view of FIG. 10 as seen in the direction of the arrow D.

FIG. 12 shows the roof of FIG. 10 in opened condition.

FIG. 13 is a section through an embodiment of a sealing strip according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a section through a modified sealing strip according to the invention.

As mentioned above, the present invention is concerned with the provision of an opening and closing arrangement for tiltable roofs of freight vehicles which will assure a reliable synchronism of both roof ends in spite of the fact that the drive for tilting the roof will be located at one end of the vehicle only, while the roof for assuring a reliable seal may be designed according to the lift-tilting principle or according to the sliding principle. Both sealing types for the lift-tilting roof as well as for the pure tilting roof require under all circumstances a perfect synchronism of both roof ends in order to obtain a reliable seal. Such synchronism is not assured with heretofore known opening and closing arrangements accord- 3 ing to which at each car end there are provided work storage means which are not coupled to each other and compensate only for the different forces of movement in conformity with the tilting angle of the roof.

With a lift-tilting roof, both roof ends have to be uniformly hoisted out of their sealing position with one end and the same stroke, while with one end drive it is necessary under all circumstances to convey the hoisting movements from the drive end to the non-driven end. For this transmission of forces, usually longitudinal shafts are employed. However, inasmuch as the hoisting forces to be conveyed are considerable, even strongly dimensioned shafts will in view of the non-avoidable torsion angle caused by the considerable length of the shaft not assure the required hoisting precision and synchronism.

For purposes of remedying the above mentioned drawbacks of heretofore known opening and closing arrangements of the type set forth above, and for realizing the objects outlined above, the present invention suggests to design an opening and closing arrangement for tiltable roofs of freight vehicles in such a way that flexible pulling elements, such as cables, chains, or the like, are employed as power transmitting means for opening and closing the roof and for lifting and lowering of one or both end bearings and/or for the hoisting movement of the supporting columns. Moreover, according to the present invention, work storage means known per se, for instance compensating springs, arranged at both car end walls are connected to the tiltable supporting columns by means of flexible pulling elements the movements of which are positively coupled through the intervention of one or more connecting shafts extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the first embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 shows a lift-tilting roof having an end bearing 5 at both end walls of the vehicle. The said end bearing 5 is adapted to be lifted and lowered by means of cables 8a and 8b. The tilting of the lifted roof 1 is effected by means known per se. Work storage means 6 known per se and arranged at both end walls 2' (one only being shown) which in this particular embodiment are represented by two tension springs 6a arranged one alongside the other, are, according to the present invention, connected to tilting supporting columns 2 by means of flexible pulling elements 9. The flexible pulling elements 9 comprise a chain 9a and a cable 9b. Chairn 9a is on each end wall 2' of the vehicle for purposes of obtaining a synchronism coupled with the chain 9a on the other end wall of the vehicle, said coupling being effected by means of a connecting shaft 7 extending in longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In this way a definite synchronism will be realized when lifting and lowering the roof and when tilting the same so that the sealing elements on the upper frames 3 of the side walls will effect a proper seal.

For purposes of opening and closing the said lift-tilting roof 1, there are provided two actuating shafts 4a and 4b of which shaft 4a is operable to lift and lower roof 1, whereas shaft 41) brings about the tilting of roof 1. In its normal position, the roof formed by an undivided troughshaped member rests in a sealing manner by means of laterally angled off longitudinal edges on correspondingly angled longitudinal members of the side wall upper frame 3. It is from this sealing position that the roof has to be lifted before it can be tilted laterally. The lifting of the roof is effected by means of a drive shaft 4a operable from each side of the vehicle and extending in horizontal direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. 7 Drive shaft 4a is between inner bearing areas 2a and 2b provided with a thread on which in response to a rotation of shaft 4a a spindle nut 11 will be moved in either direction depending on the rotation of shaft 4a thereby actuating a lever 12 which is pivotally connected to nut 11. Lever 12 is linked to a two-arm lifting lever 14 which is rotatable about a bearing pivot 13.

The free arm of lifting lever 14 has by means of a compensating member 15 connected thereto the two cables 8a and 8b. Cable 8b which is intended for lifting the roof at that end of the vehicle which is provided with a drive is passed over a deviating roller 16 and coming from the top is connected to the end bearing 5 which is adapted to be lifted and lowered while sliding in guiding rails 17 on the end wall 2 of the vehicle. Cable 8a which is adjustable in length by means of a turnbuckle 18 is passed over deviating rollers 19 through the side wall upper frame 3 to that end of the vehicle which is not driven and there is in the same manner as cable 812 passed over a deviating roller 16 and connected with the likewise vertically displaceable end bearing 5 of the supporting columns 2. When drive shaft 4a is rotated, the two cables 8a and 8b are pulled downwardly by the same distance so that the end bearings 5 at both vehicle ends will be uniformly lifted as a result of which the roof will, with the length of the supporting column 2. remaining the same, be uniformly lifted out of its sealing position.

The end bearing 5 on the end wall of the vehicle with the drive is extended downwardly and the said extension 20 has welded thereto a pivot 21. Pivotally mounted on said pivot 21 is a lever 22 the upper portion of which is provided with a gear segment 22a, whereas the lower portion has a longitudinal slot 22b. Slot 22b is engaged by a spindle nut 23 which in response to a turning movement of shaft 411 moves lever 22 either to the right or to the left depending on the side to which the roof 1 is to be pivoted. Gear segment 22a meshes with a gear segment 24 of bearing 5 whereby in response to the turning of lever 22 also roof 1 will be tilted.

The tilting forces which continuously vary during the tilting operation are equalized by work storage means 6 arranged at each end of the vehicle so as to keep the manual crank forces substantially the same. The work storage means 6 are designed as two tension springs 6a which are arranged adjacent to each other. The work storage means 6 are arranged between two fixed points of the end walls of the vehicle and points of attack of the supporting columns 2. Said work storage means 6 are under pre-tension and are interconnected by pulling elements 9. Pulling elements 9 are each composed of a chain 9a and a cable 912. Chains 9a pass over sprocket wheels 7a whereas cables 9b pass over deviating rollers 25. The sprocket wheels 7a of both vehicle ends are connected to a common connecting shaft 7 which extends through the side wall upper frame 3 in longitudinal direction of the vehicle whereby the tilting forces and the tilting movements of roof 1 at both ends of the vehicle are coupled to each other so as to assure a reliable synchronism. The ends of cable 912 are in the center of the vehicle connected to connecting members 26 of the two supporting columns 2. The connecting members 26 are provided with protruding studs 27 which when roof 1 is closed are lowered into recesses 28 at the vehicle end walls and form arresting means for the roof against tilting during the lifting and lowering of the roof. The engagement and disengagement of the arresting means is eflfected automatically by the lifting and lowering movements of the supporting columns 2.

In view of the fact that the work storage means 6 are under pre-load, the lifting forces are considerably reduced, and the cables 8a and 8b provided for lifting the end bearings 5 are considerably relieved. In order to be able to safely maintain roof 1 in its respective tilted position, bearing bolt 13 has freely pivotally mounted thereon an angle lever 29. Arm 29a of angle lever 29 will be turned in counterclockwise direction by a cam 30 on lifting lever 14 when roof 1 is lowered. In this connection the other arm 29b of angle lever 29 presses on a cam 31 of end bearing 5 and prevents roof 1 from an accidental lifting movement. Angle lever 29 furthermore brings about that roof 1 will forcibly be lowered if during the lowering movement it should accidentally get stuck at one side.

According to a further development of the present invention as illustrated by the embodiment in FIGS. 4 to 6, the opening and closing arrangement according to the present invention is likewise shown in connection with a lift-tilting roof which advantageously is lifted, tilted and lowered by a single actuating shaft 40 only. The lifting, tilting and lowering of end bearing 5 on the driving side of the vehicle is effected with this embodiment by means of a carriage 45 known per se and a gear 42. According to the invention, the lifting and lowering of bearing 5 is effected by means of flexible pulling elements 8 while synchronism is assured. The work storage means for equalizing the tilting movement of the lifted roof 1 are according to the first embodiment set forth in FIGS. 1 to 3 designed as parallelly arranged tension springs 60 which are connected to the supporting columns 2 through the intervention of flexible pulling elements 9. The flexible pulling elements 9 are composed of a chain 9c and a cable 9d while the chains 90 pass over sprockets 7c and are coupled to each other by a connecting shaft 7 whereas cables 9d pass over deviating rollers 64.

For lifting and tilting roof 1, actuating shaft 4c of FIG. 4 is rotated continuously in one direction, whereas for tilting the roof back to its covering position and lowering said roof, actuating shaft 40 is rotated in the opposite direction. In order to open the roof toward one definite side of the vehicle, the operator starts actuating shaft 4d in the corresponding direction of rotation. The supporting columns 2 carrying roof 1 are connected to the end bearings 5 the housings 5c of which are rotatable about pivots 5d. Pivots 5d are welded to sliding members 40 so that their axes are horizontal. Sliding members 40 are displaceable in vertical direction in guiding rails 41 on the end walls of the vehicle. The driving end of pivot 5d has freely rotatably journalled thereon a pinion 42 which has laterally arranged tread sections 43 by means of which pinion 42 rests on side walls 44 of a carriage 45. The teeth of pinion 42 mesh with the teeth of a rack 46 which is fixedly arranged between side walls 44 of carriage 45. Side walls 44 and in part also rack 46 are so designed as to form a trough in the central portion of carriage 45, said trough being formed in conformity with the contour of the teeth of pinion 42. Pinion 42 is lowered into said trough when carriage 45 occupies a position in the center of the vehicle end wall while roof 1 is closed. Carriage 45 which by means of track guided rollers 47 can be displaced toward either vehicle side on a support 48 which is arranged transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, is provided with a fork 49 which embraces lateral pivots 50 of a spindle nut 51. By turning a threaded spindle 4d which is driven by actuating shaft 40 through a sprocket wheel transmission 52, spindle nut 51 will be moved toward one or theother side of the carriage depending on the direction of rotation of shaft 4c. Carriage 45 will likewise be moved laterally and will move with its inclined running surfaces below pinion 42 which will thereby be lifted and at the same time be turned in view of the intermesh of the teeth. Together with pinion 42, also the end bearing housing which is freely rotatable on the same pivot 5d, and furthermore the sliding members 40 displaceable in the end wall guiding means will be lifted.

The two end bearings 5 are coupled together as to their movement by means of a cable 80 which is connected at the lower end to sliding member 40 and which is also connected with the sliding member 40 at the non-driven vehicle 'end by means of reversing rollers 53, 54 and 55 through the side wall upper frame 3. The end bearing 5 located at the non-driving end will thus be lifted to the same extent as the end bearing 5 at the driving end. If for some reason it should occur that roof 1 in spite of its weight will during the lowering movement get stuck, a further non-illustrated cable may be provided which will be guided in the same manner as cable 8c but will be connected from the top to sliding member 40 of the driving end and will be connected from the bottom to said sliding member 40 of the non-driving end of the vehicle.

As has been mentioned above, during the lifting of pinion 42, the latter will simultaneously be rotated while a control lever 56 fixedly connected to pinion 42 by a bend-resistant bridge member 57 and rotatable on pivot 5d will likewise be rotated. This control lever 56 will when being rotated, with its cam 58 actuate a mechanism 59 which is connected to supporting columns 2 and comprises levers and springs. This mechanism brings about that a follower bolt 60 is moved in axial direction until it abuts against the extensions 62 of control levers 56 which in the meantime have turned into the range of the follower bolt 60, said bolt 60 being pressed by spring means against the said extensions 62. It is to be noted that follower bolt 60 is axially displaceable in a bushing of supporting columns 2 and for purposes of arresting the roof in closed position and during the lifting operation, is moved into a longitudinal slot of an end wall support 61. When bore 63 which corresponds in diameter to the follower bolt 60 and pertains to control lever 56 has moved into a position in which it is coaxially arranged with regard to the follower bolt 60, follower bolt 60 will under the thrust of the spring associated therewith spring into bore 63 of control lever 56 and out of the longitudinal slot of the end wall support 61. As a result thereof, supporting columns 2 are by means of the connection of the bolts with the control lever 56 rotated during the rotation of control lever 56 so that roof 1 will be tilted. The engagement or springing of bolt 60 into bore 63 of the control lever 56 will be effected in the very instant at which the merging portion of the trough section of carriage 45 with the horizontal portion thereof passes into the center of the vehicle. During the further movement of carriage 45, no further lifting of bearing 5 will be effected but merely a further rotation of pinion 42 whereby roof 1 will be tilted. The lift-tilting arrangement which is symmetric with regard to the center of the vehicle permits the opening and closing movement for either side of the vehicle. The Work storage means 6 are arranged in the same manner as is the case with the opening and closing arrangement according to FIGS. 1 to 3. These work storage means relieve the lifting forces and due to their connection with the connecting shaft 7 extending in longitudinal direction of the vehicle will assure complete synchronism of both roof ends.

FIGS. 7 to 9 illustrate a third embodiment according to the present invention in which the roof forms a twowing tiltable roof with liftable lateral roof sections 12 and 1 According to the principle of the present invention, the tilting movement on the driving side is effected by means of flexible pulling elements 10. Also with this embodiment, the work storage means 6 are in conformity with the invention, connected with the supporting columns 2 by means of flexible pulling elements 9 comprising chains 9e and cables 9]. The pulling elements 9 in the form of chains 9e are through sprocket wheels 7e by means of longitudinal connecting shafts 7 coupled to each other and thus assure a definite synchronism of the movement of the roof ends.

Roof 1 comprises a central roof section which in a manner known per se is in a cantilever fashion supported by rotatable supporting columns 2 in fixed end bearings 5 of the end walls of the vehicle at such a height that said central roof section will during the opening operation to either side of the vehicle pass with all its elements over the fixed parts of the vehicle box. Roof 1 furthermore comprises two lateral roof sections 1e and 1 Each of said two roof sections 1e and If is on one hand pivotally suspended in the corresponding longitudinal marginal portion of the central roof section and on the other hand has its outer longitudinal edges which are designed as sealing means resting on the side wall upper frames 3 in a sealing position. The lifting of the lateral roof sections 1e and 11 out of the sealing position is effected by means of an actuating shaft 4 arranged at one end of the vehicle. When shaft te is rotated, a spindle nut 70 is displaced in transverse direction of the vehicle and through the intervention of a link bar 71 pivots a two-arm lever 72 about a bearing pivot connected to the end wall of the vehicle. The upper lever arm of lever 72 has welded thereto a circularly arched member 74. When the roof is in closed position, lever 72 occupies a position in which the center 75 of said circularly arched member 74 is located above the center of the tilting bearing. By rotating lever 72 in clockwise direction about pivot 73, the said member 74 is lowered to such an extent that its center 75 coincides With the center of bearing 5. When said circularly arched member 74 is lowered, also a roller pair 76 is lowered which is controlled by member 74 which is located therebetween. Roller pair 76 is connected to a connecting member 77 which is connected to a lifter rod 78 so that the latter will likewise be pulled downwardly. The upper end of lifter rod 78 engages a lever arm 9 of the lateral sections or wings 1e and if. The wings 1e and 1] which with their fixed longitudinally extending shafts 80 are tiltably mounted in the longitudinal edges of the central roof section are in response to a downward pull of the lifter rod 78 tilted out of the sealing position and in response to a lifting of lifter rod 78 are folded into sealing position.

For purposes of tilting the three roof sections together, the circularly arched member 74 is brought into coaxial arrangement with the center of the end bearing 5. This is brought about by the engagement of spindle nut 70 with an abutment. The rotatable portion of bearing has connected thereto a two-groove pulley segment 31. These grooves have inserted thereinto cables and 10] which are coming up from below and have reversed windingup sense. Cables 10c and 10 are fixedly connected to the cable pulley segment 81 at points 82 and 83. By means of these two cables, it is possible to tilt roof 1 toward either side depending on the direction of rotation of the actuating shaft 4e. By turning actuating shaft 4 two spindle nuts 84 are moved which are connected to each other. Cables Ne and 10f are connected to said spindle nuts through the intervention of deviating rollers 85 and 86. By means of this two-cable arrangement, the roof will be reliably held in its closed position as well as in its opened position and also in all intermediate positions. Inasmuch as the arched member 74 during the lifting of the wings 1e and 1 has been brought into concentric arrangement with the center point of the bearing 5, the rollers 76 which are positively guided by the member 74 will during the tilting of roof 1 not perform a stroke, which means that the roof tilts with wings 1e and 1f folded up and remaining in folded up condition.

The work storage means 6 for equalizing the tilting forces are with the embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 9 designed in conformity with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 6. The said work storage means 6 are by means of pulling elements 9 comprising chains 9e and cables 9 connected to the supporting columns 2. The movements of chain 9e are coupled through sprocket wheels 7e of a connecting shaft 7, and cables 9} pass over deviating rollers 7 and are connected to supporting columns 2. The work storage means 6 have no influence on the upward folding and lowering of the wings but, as described in connection with the first embodiment, also in this instance assure a safe synchronism for both roof ends in view of the fact that they are coupled through longitudinally extending connecting shafts 7.

In the last and fourth embodiment of the present invention, the invention is illustrated in connection with a pure tilting roof 1, while also in this instance as conveying members for opening and closing the roof and, more specifically for the lifting and lowering and/or for the tilting movement of the supporting columns, flexible elements are employed such as cables, chains, and the like. The roof forms a single piece trough which rests on supporting columns 2 in a cantilever fashion which are journalled in fixed end bearings 5 at the end walls of the vehicle. The roof is tilted by means of a drive which is known per se while in conformity with the invention flexible elements 10g are provided which supported by Work storage means 6 known per se will assure a reliable synchronism of both roof ends. The work storage means 6 are in this embodiment somewhat changed over those described in connection with the preceding embodiments of the invention.

Roof 1 of the embodiment of FIGS. 10 to 12 is at both longitudinal edges on a certain arched portion smooth at the bottom surface and is designed in conformity with the circularly arched part about the tilting axis. Elastically deformable longitudinally extending sealing bands or strips 101 press from below against the arched members 100. Said bands 101 are by means of longitudinal sheet metal members 102 connected to the protruding longitudinal members 103 of the lateral upper frame 3, said sheet metal members 102 being angled for shedding water. During the opening and closing of roof 1, the latter will with its arched portions 100 slide over the sealing bands 101 pressed thereagainst while said sealing bands 101 correspondingly elastically deform in conformity with the direction of movement of the roof. A lifting or lowering during the opening and closing of roof 1 is not necessary with this design.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate two embodiments for sealing bands of the type just mentioned. According to FIG. 15, the sealing strip 101 which is connected to longitudinal member 103 of the side wall upper frame 3 by means of angled longitudinal sheet metal member 102 consists of a highly wear-resistant and strong material, such as neoprene. Sealing strip 101 is by means of screws connected to member 103 while longitudinal slots 121 in sealing strip 101 permit an adjustment of the latter.

FIG. 14 shows a modified form of the sealing strip 101. According to this embodiment, an additional metal strip 119 is by means of longitudinal strips 102 connected to the longitudinal member 103 of the side wall upper frame 3. Metal strip 119 carries at its upper somewhat angled-off edge a round bar 120 which is welded to the metal strip 119. Slipped over round bar 120 is a sealing strip 101 in the form of a slotted tube, which consists of a yieldable and wear-resistant material of polyamide, as for instance nylon. Both sealing strips will assure a proper seal of the pure tilting roof. The described sealing strips will have a longer life.

With the embodiment according to FIGS. 10 to 12, the supporting column 2 located at that end of the vehicle Where the drive for the roof is arranged is extended downwardly beyond the bearing 5 and ends between two arresting cams 104 and 105 which are turnable from an effective to an ineffective position and vice versa. These arresting cams are mounted at those ends of horizontally extending arresting shafts 106 and 107 which face toward the central plane of the vehicle. Each of shafts 106 and 107 is adapted independently of the other to be turned from the corresponding vehicle side after a safety latch 108 has been released. In response to a turning of the respective shaft, the cam arranged thereon will be turned out of the tilting range of the downwardly extended supporting column so that the lower end of the respective supporting column 2 can be tilted only toward the operators side, and the roof can be tilted to the opposite side.

For purposes of tilting roof 1, there is provided an actuating shaft 4g which is horizontally arranged above the arresting shafts 106 and 107 at that end of the vehicle which carries the drive for the roof. Actuating shaft 4g may be actuated from either side of the vehicle. The direction of rotation of actuating shaft 4g for purposes of opening the roof is automatically determined by the arresting cams 104, 105 moved out of the range of movement of the lower end of supporting column 2. If, for instance, the opening and closing operation for locally determined reasons is most convenient from the right-hand side of the vehicle or if, for instance, the roof is to be tilted toward the left vehicle side because this affords a better loading possibility, the safety latch of the right-hand arresting shaft 106 is released and the said latch is turned while the right arresting cam 104 is moved into its ineffective position. Actuating shaft 4g may thus be turned only in such a direction that the 'lower end of supporting column 2 will tilt toward the freed right-hand vehicle side, and the roof 1 will as explained further below be tilted toward the left vehicle side.

By turning the actuating shaft 4g, a spindle nut 109 mounted on the central thread portion of actuating shaft 4g will move sidewards and will turn a two-arm-lever 110 about a fixed pivot 112, siad lever 110 having its lower lever arm embracing a pivot 111 in a slide. In this Way, also the tooth segment 113 which is welded to the upper lever arm 110 Will turn about pivot 112. Tooth segment 113 meshes with a gear segment 114 of bearing 5 to which also supporting column 2 is connected.

Cable connecting parts 115 are provided on the supporting columns 2 of both vehicle ends. Connected to members 115 are flexible pulling elements 9 which in the present instance are formed by wire cables 5g and 9h. Cables 9g and 911 are connected to levers 117 through the intervention of deviating rollers 116. Levers 117 are freely rotatable about pivots 118 at the end walls of the vehicle, and work storage means 6 for equalizing the various tilting forces are arranged between levers 117. Work storage means 6 of the embodiment of FIGS. 10 to 12 are formed by pressure springs 6g. The transmission of tilting forces from that end of the vehicle which carries the drive for the roof to the other end of the vehicle is in conformity with the present invention effected by a transmission member 10 which forms a link chain 10g. Link chain 10g is along the arch of the tilting radius mounted on the supporting columns 2. This may be effected for instance by means of fish plates or the like at every other or third chain link. The synchronism of both roof ends is obtained by means of said link chain 10g in which instance two connecting shafts 7 arranged in the side wall upper frames 3 through sprocket wheels 7;: and 7h are in continuous engagementwith link chain 10g.

The above described four embodiments of the present invention clearly show that the opening and closing arrangement accordingto the present invention may be employed for opening and closing roofs of freight vehicles which roofs may be designed as lift-tilting roof, wingtilting roof or as pure tilting roof.

According to the present invention, flexible pulling elements 8, 9, 10 which may be designed as cables, chains or the like, serve as power transmitting means for opening and closing the roof. These flexible pulling elements may be arranged for lifting and lowering of one or both end wall bearings 5 and/or for the tilting movement of the supporting columns 2.

According to the further feature of the present invention, both vehicle end walls have arranged thereon work storage means 6 of a heretofore known type which in the particular designs described above may be formed by tension springs 6a, 60, 6e or by pressure springs 6g. These equalizing springs are connected to the tiltable supporting columns 2, according to the present invention, by means of flexible pulling elements 9 the movements of which are automatically coupled through one or more connecting shafts 7 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Preferably, the connecting shafts 7 are arranged in hollow side wall upper frames 3.

As will be evident from the above the present invention provides for an opening and closing arrangement for tiltable roofs of freight vehicles by means of which a synchronism of the roof extending over the entire length of the car will be assured. The opening and closing of the roof mav be effected by means of one drive only at an end wall of the vehicle and to either side of the vehicle. The arrangement according to the invention makes pos- 10 sible a roof construction which furnishes a charging or loading opening of the same size as the loading bottom surface of the vehicle.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular constructions shown in the drawings but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A top loading freight vehicle, especially boxcar, having side and end walls and also having a roof extending over the entire opening defined by said side and end walls, said roof being tiltable bodily in either lateral direction to uncover the opening in the top of the car, said vehicle comprising: bearing means respectively supported by said end walls and in substantially axial alignment with each other, supporting means arranged at each of said end walls and connected to said roof while being pivotally journalled in said bearing means, said supporting means being tiltable selectively for tilting said roof in either lateral direction from a first position in which said opening is closed to a second position in which said opening is entirely uncovered, an vice versa, driving means arranged on the outside of one of said end walls only and drivingly connected to the adjacent said supporting means for selectively tilting said roof from said first position to said second position, and vice versa, power storage means on each end wall, a flexible power conveying means respectively arranged on each said end wall and connected at one end to the respective power storage means and operatively connected at the other end to the respective adjacent supporting means, said power storage means at a point above the axis of said bearing means and receiving power from said roof and storing the power as said roof tilts away from closed position and returning power to the roof as the roof tilts toward closed position, and rotatable shaft means extending in the longitudinal direction of said vehicle on a side wall thereof and journalled on said vehicle and drivingly connected to both of said supporting means so as to couple the supporting means together for tilting thereof in unison.

2. A freight vehicle according to claim 1, in which said power storage means includes springs.

3. A freight vehicle according to claim 1, in which at least one of said side walls has its upper marginal portion provided with a longitudinally extending hollow frame section, and in which said rotatable shaft means extends through said hollow frame section.

4. A freight vehicle according to claim 1, which includes guiding means on each of said end walls for receiving and vertically guiding said bearing means on the respective end walls to permit lifting of said roof from said vehicle, and control means on said one end wall operatively connected to both of said bearing means and selectively operable moving the same upwardly and downwardly in said guiding means.

5. A freight vehicle according to claim 4, in which said control means comprises a rotatable threaded spindle journalled on said one end wall and extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, a spindle nut threadedly engaging said spindle, link means pivotally connected to said nut, a two-arm lever pivoted on said one end wall and having one arm linked to said link means, cable means connecting the other arm of said two-arm lever with each of said bearing means, and an idler roller above each bearing means over which the pertaining cable means passes so movement of the lever will cause vertical movement of the bearing means.

6. A freight vehicle according to claim 1, in which the driving means includes rotatable shaft means extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, carriage means arranged between said shaft means and the respective adjacent bearing means and guided on the respective end wall for lateral movement, guiding means on the respective end walls associated with each of said bearing means for guiding said bearing means in vertical movement on their respective end walls, rotatable pinion means connected to that one of said bearing means which is adjacent said carriage means, said carriage means being provided with rack means meshing with said pinion means and having a central depression for receiving said pinion means when said depression is below said pinion means, said carriage means being operable in response to a rotation of said shaft means to move in a transverse direction with regard to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle to thereby lift said pinion means out of said depression and thereby also to lift said one bearing means having said pinion means connected thereto, cable means connecting said one bearing means to the other bearing means on the other end wall of said vehicle and responsive to vertical movement of said one bearing means to cause corresponding vertical movement of said other bearing means, and means for connecting the respective adjacent support means to said pinion means for tilting the support means as the pinion means is rotated by said carriage means.

7. An arrangement according to claim 6, in which one of said side walls has its upper marginal portion provided with longitudinally extending box-like guiding means, and in which said cable means operatively interconnecting said bearing means passes through said last-mentioned guiding means.

8. A freight vehicle according to claim 1, which includes pulley means fixedly connected to that roof supporting means which is adjacent said driving means and coaxial with the respective bearing means, and in which said driving means includes threaded spindle means extending transversely on said one end wall and a spindle nut threadedly engaging said spindle means, a stationary roller spaced laterally from said nut on each side thereof, and flexible inextensible means connected to said spindle nut and extending in opposite direction therefrom and passing over said rollers and then back to said pulley means and wrapped about said pulley means in respectively opposite directions and connected to said pulley means.

9. A freight vehicle according to claim 1, in which said roof comprises a central section and two wing sections respectively hinged to opposite sides of said central section, and in which said supporting means includes connecting means fixedly connected to said central section and rotatably supported by said bearing means and also includes movable means movable relative to said central section and operatively connected to said wing sections tilting the same upwardly about the pivotal connection thereof with said central section for lifting the wing sections oil the side walls of the vehicle in response to a movement of said movable means in one direction and to permit movement of said wing sections into engagement with said vehicle side walls in response to the movement of said movable means in the opposite direction, and means operatively connected to said moveable means for actuating the latter.

10. A freight vehicle according to claim 1, in which each of said supporting means includes a link chain arranged along an arc concentric with the axis of the pertaining bearing means, and sprocket wheel means respectively arranged on the opposite end portions of said rotatable shaft means and meshing with the respective adjacent link chain means.

11. A freight vehicle according to claim 1, in which said power storage means includes two spaced two-arm lever means pivotally supported by that end wall of said vehicle which has the driving means adjacent thereto, spring means interposed between and having the ends thereof connected to a corresponding arm of each of said two lever means to bias the lever means in one direction, and said flexible power conveying means being connected to the other arm of each said lever means and also to the adjacent supporting means.

12. A freight vehicle according to claim 1, in which said flexible power conveying means is inextensible and said rotatable shaft includes a member on each end over which the adjacent power conveying means passes, and each said member having a driving connection with the pertaining power conveying member so that movement of the power conveying members during tilting of said roof is synchronized.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,747,423 2/1950 Campbell 377 2,899,912 8/1959 Janeczko 105377 3,019,743 2/1962 Stiefel et al. 105377 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

DRAYTON E. HOFFMAN, Examiner.

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