COUPLING USED THEREIN

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1 . Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to railroad car modifications, and more particularly to a modification of aluminum body railcars and the modified railcars formed thereby.

[0003] 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0004] In the railroad art, rolling stock has become very specialized with cars specific for transporting automobiles (vehicle carriers), shipping containers (well cars), bulk commodities open top gondola for hauling coal, ballast, coke, wood chips, ore, sand, scrap metal and construction debris, and aggregate, bulk commodities closed top hoppers for hauling grain, sand, cement, potash, soda ash, DDG, and roofing granules, bulk commodities open top hoppers for products similar to open top gondola, tanker cars and more. Railcars typically have a very long useful life of 50+ years of potential service. However, due to changes in the marketplace there can be a large surplus of a given car type. Additionally, the efficiency of newer car types might make a prior car type obsolete before the end of the useful life of the railcar. [0005] In North America the annual coal consumption has dropped from 1 ,045,141 ,487 short tons in 2007 to 436,524,107 short tons in 2020, or roughly 40% of its peak. This reduction in use has a corresponding reduction in the need to transport coal and there is currently an abundant oversupply of certain railcar types in the industry, such as an aluminum body five hopper railcar and an aluminum body tub bottomed gondola railcar. An idle railcar not only fails to generate operating income for the owner, there are added costs associated with “parking” the excess railcars. [0006] It has been known to repurpose, also called a modification of, an older surplus or obsolete car type into a car type that has greater current utility. “Modification” is Association of American Railroads (AAR) defined term (see Office Manual of the AAR Interchange Rules, rule 88(d)(2)) defined as a change to a car that alters capacity of car, or size of car type, or type of lading being hauled. This application uses the terms modification and modify in connection with this rule, whereby within this application rail car modification programs reference procedures that will modify railcars within the meaning of this AAR rule. More specifically the repurposing or modification of the small cube covered hopper railcars in accordance with the invention will structurally alter the railcar in a manner that alters the capacity of the car, the size of the car, or operational characteristics of the car, or the general car type, or type of lading being hauled.

[0007] The applicant successfully developed another coal car related modification program that is described in WO 2019/191762, which is incorporated herein by reference. However, the present invention represents more efficient methodologies minimizing scrap and maximizing repurposed components as applied to specific end car types disclosed herein.

[0008] There is a need for effective and efficient modification methodologies for aluminum body railcars in particular and the present invention is primarily related to aluminum body railcars repurposing programs and the railcars formed thereby.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide an effective and efficient repurposing of aluminum body five hopper railcar and an aluminum body tub bottomed gondola railcar and the modified railcars formed thereby.

[0010] One aspect of the present invention is a top chord splice used in some of the modified railcars formed according to some of the methods of the present invention and this top chord splice can have separate application in the repair of aluminum top chords outside of modifications programs.

[0011] One aspect of the invention provides a method of modification of a railcar to form a modified railcar can be described as comprising the steps of i) Providing an existing aluminum body steel underframe donor railcar supported on a pair of trucks, such as shown in figures 1A and B and 2A and B; ii) Removing a donor car floor construction including either a) hopper discharge gates, and the outside hopper sheets, lower hopper floor and the partition floors forming the hopper chutes of the hopper style donor railcar, or b) the floor sheets and tubs of the gondola style donor cars; iii) Forming a floor construction of the modified railcar which includes one of a) triple hopper independent transverse door floor construction, b) quad hopper independent transverse door floor construction, c) dual hopper independent longitudinal door floor construction, or d) flat bottom gondola floor construction, and iv) attaching the floor construction to the car to form the modified railcar. These and other advantages of the present invention will be clarified in the brief description of the preferred embodiment taken together with the drawings in which like reference numerals represent like elements throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an aluminum body steel underframe five hopper railcar acting as one type of donor car in a method of repurposing aluminum body railcars according to the present invention.

[0013] Figure 2 is schematic perspective view of an aluminum body steel underframe tub bottom gondola railcar acting as one type of donor car in a method of repurposing aluminum body railcars according to the present invention.

[0014] Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of an existing prior art triple hopper independent transverse door floor construction intended to be mimicked by a floor construction in a method of repurposing aluminum body donor railcars according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 4A is a schematic side elevational view of a triple hopper independent transverse door modified railcar according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 4B is a side elevational view of a donor car of figure 1 with a central portion removed with an overlay of a floor construction to mimic an existing triple hopper independent transverse door railcar according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 4C is a side elevational view of a donor car also illustrating a central portion to be removed.

[0018] Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of an independent door system for a triple hopper independent transverse door modified railcar according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figures 6A and B are schematic side elevational views of a triple hopper independent transverse door modified railcar and a side elevational view of a donor car of figure 1 with an overlay of a quad hopper independent door floor construction, respectively, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figures 7A, 7B and 7C are schematic perspective view, section view and top plan view, respectively of an existing prior art dual hopper independent longitudinal door floor construction intended to be mimicked by a floor construction in a method of repurposing Aluminum body railcars according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 8A is a schematic side elevational view of a dual hopper independent longitudinal door modified railcar according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 8B, a side elevational view of a donor car of figure 1 with a central portion removed with an overlay of a floor construction to mimic the existing dual hopper independent longitudinal door railcar according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIGURE 8C is a side elevational view of a donor car also illustrating a central portion to be removed.

[0024] Figures 9A-C is a schematic side elevational of a modified flat bottom gondola railcar, a side elevational view a floor construction to mimic the existing prior art flat bottom gondola railcar, and a side view of a donor car with an overlay of the floor construction to mimic the prior art flat bottom gondola railcar, respectively, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 10 is a schematic perspective section view of s flat bottom gondola modified railcar according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 11 is a perspective view of a top chord splice casting for use with splicing the top chord in certain methods of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 12 is a cross-section elevation view of the top chord splice casting of figure 11.

[0028] Figures 13A and B are top and side sectional views of the top chord splice casting of figure 11 .

[0029] Figures 14 A and B are schematic perspective views of the insertion of the top chord splice casting of figure 11 into a top chord to be spliced.

[0030] Figures 15 A and 15B are side elevation and section views of a side sill splicing according to one embodiment of the present invention

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFFERED EMBODIMENTS [0031] The present invention provides a repurposing aluminum body steel underframe railcars 10 and the modified railcars 100 formed thereby. Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an aluminum body steel underframe five hopper railcar 10 acting as one type of donor car 10 in a method of repurposing aluminum body railcars according to the present invention. This type of donor car 10 has been sold under the AUTOFLOOD™ brand by Freightcar America. Within the meaning of this application the terms “railcar”, “car” and “rail car” are used interchangeably representing rolling rail stock.

[0032] Figure 2 show an aluminum body steel underframe tub bottom gondola railcar 10 acting as one type of donor car 10 in a method of repurposing aluminum body railcars 10 according to the present invention. This very successful car type 10 was developed in the mid-1970s by Bethlehem Steel Corporation, as generally shown in U.S. Patent 4,361 ,097 which is incorporated herein by reference, and sold under the BETHGON® (I and II) brands. The modifications set forth herein will allow these cars 10 to have a longer extended productive life.

[0033] The donor cars 10of figures 1 and 2 can be categorized as 4000+ cubic foot capacity, Primarily Aluminum body with steel underframe design with an open top in a hopper or gondola style car type.

[0034] In summary the method of modification of a railcar 10 to form a modified railcar 100 can be described as comprising the steps of i) Providing an existing aluminum body steel underframe donor railcar 10 supported on a pair of trucks 12, such as shown in figures 1 and 2; ii) Removing a donor car floor construction including either a) hopper discharge gates, and the outside hopper sheets, lower hopper floor and the partition floors forming the hopper chutes of the hopper style donor railcar, or b) the floor sheets and tubs of the gondola style donor cars; iii) Forming a floor construction of the modified railcar 100 which includes one of a) triple hopper independent transverse door floor construction 110, b) quad hopper independent transverse door floor construction 120, c) dual hopper independent longitudinal door floor construction 130, or d) flat bottom gondola floor construction 140, and iv) attaching the floor construction to the car to form the modified railcar 100. Where the modified railcar 100 is a covered hopper car the method further includes the steps of forming roof and coaming construction of the modified railcar.

[0035] REMOVING A DONOR CAR 10 FLOOR AND OPTIONALLY A CENTER COMPONENT 14

[0036] The removing of the donor car 10 floor construction depends upon the donor car 10 type. For the hopper donor car 10 type of figure 1 this includes removing the hopper discharge gates, and the outside hopper sheets, lower hopper floor and the partition floors forming the hopper chutes. Alternatively this step entails the floor sheets and tubs of the gondola style donor cars 10 of figure 2.

[0037] Additionally, in several of the modification programs of the present invention a central portion 14 of the car 10 body is removed and the top chord 18 side walls and side sill 20 are spliced back together as discussed in detail below. The removed material is scrapped.

[0038] TRIPLE HOPPER INDEPENDENT TRANSVERSE DOOR FLOOR CONSTRUCTION 110

[0039] The first modified railcar 100 of the present invention is a modified triple hopper independent transverse door railcar 100 with floor construction 110. Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of an existing prior art triple hopper independent transverse door floor construction 110’ intended to be mimicked with the floor construction 110 in a method of repurposing aluminum body donor railcars 10 to form the modified triple hopper independent transverse door railcar 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The method includes forming a triple hopper independent transverse door floor construction 110 that mimics the arrangement or structure 110’ in figure 3 and is shown in Figures 4A and 4B. Figures 4A and 4B are a schematic side elevational view of the triple hopper independent transverse door modified railcar, and a side elevational view of a donor car of figure 1 with a central portion removed with an overlay of a floor construction 110 to mimic the existing triple hopper independent transverse door railcar according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] The modified railcar 100 will have a 31-11 ½” truck center to truck center distance and the existing prior art triple hopper independent transverse door floor construction intended to be mimicked in this method has a 31-11 ½” truck center to truck center distance. This matching is achieved through a removals of an 8’-61/2” center section 14 as shown in figure 4C from the 40’-6” truck to truck length of the donor car 10.

[0041] The triple hoppers of the modified car 100 are independently operated to give greater flexibility to the discharge capabilities and the laden than may be carried. The individual door systems 112 may be, for representative example, those disclosed in U.S. Patent 7,832,340 which is incorporated herein by reference. The controls for the triple hopper doors may be push button actuation to operate the doors individually or all simultaneously. Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of an independent door system 112 for the triple hopper independent transverse door modified railcar according to this embodiment of the present invention. Each door segment includes a pair of doors on opposed sides of the center sill which are connected through a door spreader. The door operating system 112 is connected to the door spreader through an adjustable spreader fulcrum in which the sliding adjustment may add in a proper connection force or tension between the door operating system and the individual doors.

[0042] The main body of the individual pneumatic door operating system 112 can be completely preassembled. The completed assembly 112 is mounted under the bottom surface of the railcar center sill and connected to the spreader fulcrum through a linkage arm. The main body essentially consists of mounting side frame angles, one double acting pneumatic cylinder rotationally mounted in the side frame angles with a slotted cylinder nose clevis applied to the end of the cylinder shaft, one cylinder lever rotationally attached to the side frame angles and to the slotted nose clevis, at least one door spreader lever extending between the cylinder lever and the spreader fulcrum, a secondary lock mounted on the side frame angles at a position that can engage with the door structure when the doors are in a closed position, an indicator on the side frame angles that indicates the status of the secondary door lock, a cylinder fulcrum pin for rotationally mounting the cylinder to the side frame angles, a cylinder lever fulcrum pin for rotationally mounting the door spreader lever to the cylinder lever, and a door fulcrum pin for rotationally mounting the door lever to the spreader fulcrum. [0043] When air is channeled into the rear of the cylinder, the cylinder piston is extended, rotating the cylinder lever. As the cylinder lever rotates, the door lever rotates about the door spreader fulcrum and extends through the arc of the cylinder lever. The hopper doors pivot about a conventional door pivot (not shown in detail) via the motion of the cylinder lever and the door lever when the cylinder is fully extended, unloading the commodity within the pair of hopper pockets. When the air is directed into the forward end of the cylinder, exhausting the air in the rear end of the cylinder, the cylinder shaft retracts rotating the cylinder lever and pulling the doors closed. When the cylinder lever is fully retracted, the secondary lock is engaged. When the secondary lock is fully engaged, the secondary lock indicator is retracted indicating its engagement. [0044] The individual automatic door operating system 112 of the present invention can be activated by several different methods, examples of these are, air activated push buttons, electrically charged hot shoe or pads, mechanical linkages, and all known methods of activating the cars auxiliary air or way side air supply. The particular activation and control system is up to the individual user. It is anticipated that multiple door operating cylinders of the modified railcar may be selected to be operated together by the control. The linking of two or more door operating systems of the present invention do not make them less independent in that they can easily be designed for individual operation.

[0045] The independent door system 112 for the triple hopper independent transverse door modified railcar according to this embodiment of the present invention provides an effective efficient door operating system that can control the unloading by an individual hopper pocket (pair of doors), or all hoppers at once. The present system eliminates injury associated with manual individual door actuators. A double hopper door locking system is proposed, with the first being the cylinder and door lever’s over center position, and the second being the secondary locking.

[0046] The triple hopper independent transverse door floor construction 110 includes the three independent doors with two intervening partition floors. The partition floors include apex brace elements extending to the donor car sidewall structure and two supporting gussets. The triple hopper independent transverse door floor construction also includes lower hopper floor that is coupled to the end floor of the donor car.

[0047] The triple hopper independent transverse door floor construction 110 increases the slope of the hoppers to about 55-65 degrees (+/- 3 degrees). The floor construction is preferably a stainless steel or a copper containing or copper bearing steel construction to inhibit corrosion. Copper containing or copper bearing steel references a copper content of the steel of at least 0.2% within the meaning of this application. In addition to using a corrosion inhibiting steel for the triple hopper independent transverse door floor construction, the present invention contemplates supplying a coating to the remaining interior of the donor car with a corrosion inhibiting coating (also called a lining). This modified car may be an open hopper or a closed hopper with a roof.

[0048] QUAD HOPPER INDEPENDENT TRANSVERSE DOOR FLOOR CONSTRUCTION 120 [0049] The second modified railcar 100 family of the present invention is a modified quad hopper independent transverse door railcar 100. This design is similar to the original modification except that no splicing is required. Another hopper and independent door is added to the design. Figures 6A and 6B are a schematic side elevational view of the triple hopper independent transverse door railcar 100 (for comparison), and a side elevational view of a donor car 10 of figure 1 with an overlay of the quad hopper independent door floor construction 120. In this embodiment the doors and individual hoppers operate analogous to the triple hopper railcar, except the length is significantly longer as the length of the modified railcar 100 remains the same as the donor car 10 as there is no removed section. This modified railcar 100 may be an open hopper design or a closed hopper design with a roof and an interior coating or liner may be added to the remaining donor car interior space forming parts.

[0050] DUAL HOPPER INDEPENDENT LONGITUDINAL DOOR FLOOR CONSTRUCTION 130

[0051] The third family of modified railcar 100 of the present invention is a modified dual hopper independent longitudinal door railcar 100. Figures 7A, 7B and 7C are schematic perspective view, section view and top plan view, respectively, of an existing prior art dual hopper independent longitudinal door floor construction 130’ intended to be mimicked by floor construction 130 in a method of repurposing aluminum body railcars 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention using a dual hopper independent longitudinal door floor construction 130.

[0052] Figures 8A is a schematic side elevational view of the dual hopper independent longitudinal door modified railcar 100. Figure 8B is a side elevational view of a donor car 10 of figure 1 with a central portion 14 removed and with an overlay of a floor construction 130 to mimic the existing dual hopper independent longitudinal door railcar according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8C is a side elevational view of a donor car 10 illustrating the central portion 14 to be removed when forming the railcar 100 using the floor construction 130. The modified railcar 100 will have a 31-11 ½” truck center to truck center distance and the existing prior art triple hopper independent transverse door floor construction intended to be mimicked in this method has a 31-11 ½” truck center to truck center distance. This matching is achieved through a removals of an 8’-61/2” center section 14 from the 40’-6” truck to truck length of the donor car 10. [0053] The longitudinal doors of the floor construction 130 are analogous to the transverse doors above other than longitudinal orientation and individual door length. They offer independent operation as in the front two and back two doors can be independently operated. Independent operation is critical where a dump site can only take one hopper at a time such as due to size restrictions. The dual hopper independent longitudinal door floor construction will form hopper chutes that are steeper than the donor cars as shown and may include use of corrosion inhibiting components. The dual hopper independent longitudinal door floor construction 130 will couple to the sidewalls and end sheets of the donor car 10 to form the modified dual hopper independent longitudinal door railcar 100. Additionally the dual hopper independent longitudinal door floor construction 130 may include a partition along the splice section of the modified car 100. This modified railcar 100 may be an open hopper design or a closed hopper design with a roof. An interior coating or liner may be added to the remaining donor car interior space forming parts.

[0054] FLAT BOTTOM GONDOLA FLOOR CONSTRUCTION 140 [0055] The forth family of modified railcar 100 of the present invention is a modified flat bottom gondola railcar 100. Figures 9A-C includes a schematic side elevational of a flat bottom gondola modified railcar 100, a side elevational view a floor construction 140 to mimic the existing prior art flat bottom gondola railcar and schematic side view of the donor car 10 with an overlay of the floor construction 140 to mimic the prior art flat bottom gondola railcar according to one embodiment of the present invention. The flat bottom gondola modified railcar 100 is useful where the car 100 is to be unloaded in an as needed basis by a backhoe or the like, such as when the railcar 100 is being used to sequentially fill a series of dump trucks to carry the laden to a use site.

[0056] Figure 10 is a schematic perspective section view of the flat bottom gondola modified railcar 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The flat bottom gondola floor construction 140 will couple to the sidewalls and to the bolster web of the donor car 10 to form the modified flat bottom gondola railcar 100 as outlined in figure 10. In this modification the bolster web becomes part of the elements defining the interior laden carrying space in the modified railcar 100. This modified railcar 100 will generally be an open hopper design as shown. It is possible, such as for light weight laden that is unloaded via a suction tube, that a roof design could be added. [0057] TOP CHORD SPLICE CASTING 200

[0058] Figures 11-13 illustrate a six fastener aluminum top chord splice casting 200 for use with splicing the top chord 18 in certain methods of the present invention, specifically those associated with the triple hopper transverse door and the dual hopper longitudinal door methodologies discussed above. The six fastener aluminum top chord splice casting 200 will also have other application such as in repairs of damaged top chords 18.

[0059] The aluminum casting 200 is formed as a closed section with a reinforcing rib and boss members at bolt receiving holes. The casting 200 is sized to fit within the top chord 18 in a close fitting relationship and has six reinforced fastener holes for bolts or the like. In operation, shown in figures 14A and B, the casting 200 is inserted in to one spliced top chord section 18 and bolted into place. Appropriate bolt holes must be formed in the top chord section 18, generally by using the splice casting 200 as a guide. The second top chord 18 is placed over the casting 200 and it too is bolted into place. The splice can be completed with a weld. The top chord splice casting 200 creates a reinforced splice joint that is generally stronger than the original top chord.

[0060] As an alternative to splicing the top chord 18, the top chord 18 can be removed and shortened and replaced or removed and replaced. In another alternative the top chord 18 is removed from only one half of the donor car 10 and the removed center section 14 and remains on a portion of the donor car 10 throughout the procedure and it is shortened to length and reattached to the modified car 100. The splicing casting 200 discussed above is generally deemed more efficient than these alternatives.

[0061] SIDE SILL SPLICE

[0062] Figures 15A and 15B illustrates the side sill 20 and sidewall splicing according to one embodiment of the present invention, specifically those associated with the dual hopper or tripple hopper modified railcars.

[0063] The key to the side sill 20 splice is the inclusion of a side sill reinforcing splice angle extending across the splice joint beneath the side sill and bolted to each side sill portion. Angled patch plates 212 are bolted on either side of the splice joint as shown and coupled to the side sill 20. Further a side stake 210 is placed over the sidewall splice connection and coupled to the patch plates 212. The abutting side sills 20 and side walls will be welded together prior to placement of the overlapping side stake 210.

[0064] THE DONOR CARS OF FIGURES 2

[0065] The specifics of the above modification as are shown in connection with the donor car 10 of figures 1. Using the Donor car 10 of figure 2, the method of the invention will follow a similar or analogous procedure. The floor of the Donor car 10 of figure 2 is generally easier to remove. One difference is that the conversion from the donor car 10 of figure 2 to the flat bottom gondola modified car 100 could be through either removing and replacing the tubs with flat floor sheets, or alternatively merely adding floor sheets to cover the tubs, such that the floor construction 140 is significantly altered. This conversion would be due to a use in which the unloading mechanism (e.g., backhoe bucket) for this use could not easily access the tubs.

[0066] Although the present invention has been described with particularity herein, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment disclosed. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The scope of the present invention should be defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereto.