Bridge plate assembly

Claim 1

IN A RAILWAY CAR PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR PIGGYBACK LADING OPERATIONS, SAID CAR HAVING COUPLING MEANS PROJECTING FROM ONE END THEREOF TO CO-OPERATE WITH THE NEXT ADJACENT CAR, THE PROVISION OF PIVOTING BRIDGE PLATE MEANS CARRIED AT DIAGONALLY DISPOSED ENDS OF SAID CAR FOR PROJECING OVER TO THE NEXT ADJACENT CAR, SAID BRIDGE PLATE MEANS OF SUFFICIENT TRANSVERSE WIDTH TO PERMIT WHEELED LADING TO BE DRIVEN THEREOVER WHEN SPANNING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN ADJACENT CARS, SAID BRIDGE PLATE MEANS HAVING HINGE MEANS AT ONE END THEREOF FOR PIVOTABLY MOUNTING SAID BRIDGE PLATE MEANS ON SAID CAR FOR ANGULAR MOVEMENT ABOUT A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS, A LOCKING PIN MEMBER CARRIED BY ONE OF SAID BRIDGE PLATE MEANS AND SAID CAR, A PIN RECEIVING POCKET MEMBER ON THE OTHER OF SAID BRIDGE PLATE MEANS AND SAID CAR, AND ELASTOMERIC MEANS RESILIENTLY MOUNTING ONE OF SAID MEMBERS TO TORSIONALLY CONTROL AND DAMPEN THE ANGULAR TRAVEL OF SAID BRIDDGE PLATE MEANS UNDER SHOCK LOADING WHEN SAID BRIDGE PLATE IS LOCKED IN A TRANSIT POSITION.