Railroad car support and securement structure including a collapsible support pedestal

Claim 2

Railroad car support and securement structure for carrying containers above a car bed comprising: a pair of spaced anchor tracks secured to opposite sides of said bed and each of which tracks comprises channels having webs and flanges in spaced and opposed relationship to one another; and a plurality of pedestals mounted for movement along said pair of tracks to support corners of said containers, each of said pedestals including a base received between the channels of one track and retained therebetween for movement longitudinally thereof by said spaced and opposed flanges, and a standard connected to the base for swinging movement relative to the base and channels from and to a position in which the standard extends upwardly from said base to a height above said bed and defines a corner seat for a box container, said standard also being swingable relative to said base and channels to a retracted stowage position between the ends of the track and in which the standard extends along the track channels and is supported relative thereto with a major portion thereof between the channel webs of said channels.

Claim 3

Railroad car support and securement structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein upper opposed retention flanges of said tracks have notches therein at spaced positions, and said pedestals have interlock means thereon for engagement in said notches for said retention of said pedestals at desired positions dependent upon the lengths of said containers to be supported thereby, and the lower opposed flanges of said channels along which said base is movable are continuous.

Claim 4

Railroad car support and securement structure in accordance with claim 2, wherein said flanges of the track channels have cutout portions in opposed relationship for reception of said standards in said retracted stowage dispositions.

Claim 5

Railroad car support and securement structure in accordance with claim 3, wherein said cutout portions are between the webs of said channels.

Claim 6

Railroad car support and securement structure in accordance with claim 3, wherein said cutout portions are spaced inwardly of the ends of said tracks.

Claim 7

Railroad car support and securement stRucture in accordance with claim 3, wherein inner surfaces of the lower opposed pair of the flanges of said channels of each track provide support surfaces along which said base is movable, and said base having shoulders extending outwardly at opposite sides thereof and bearing on said support surfaces.

Claim 8

Railroad car support and securement structure in accordance with claim 6, wherein said channels of each track are bulb angle sections with the bulb portions lowermost and providing said support surfaces and which support surfaces slope inwardly and downwardly in opposed and spaced relationship to one another, said shoulders having slopes corresponding and complementary to said support surfaces for the equalization of downwardly directed force components on said channels of the track.

Claim 9

A collapsible support pedestal for securement at various positions along an anchor track which includes a pair of channels having webs and having upper and lower flanges extending toward one another in spaced and opposed relationship; a base member for retention within said track intermediate said webs and supported on said lower flanges below the upper flanges; a separate standard member for extension upwardly from said base between the upper flanges of said track for support from and by the base member, said standard member including a support seat; means joining said base member and standard member for relative swinging movement of the standard member longitudinally of the track relative to said base member between alternate dispositions of said standard member, either erect from the base member over said track or retracted to a generally flat relationship against the upper flanges and between the webs of the track, respectively; and interlock means on said standard member for engagement with said track to secure said pedestal at a particular one of said various positions along the track when the standard member is erect relative to the base member and track.

Claim 10

A collapsible support pedestal for securement at various positions along an anchor track which includes a pair of channels having webs and having upper and lower flanges extending toward one another in spaced and opposed relationship; a base member for retention within said track intermediate said webs and supported on said lower flanges below the upper flanges; a separate standard member for extension upwardly from said base between the upper flanges of said track for support from and by the base member, said standard member including a support seat; means joining said base member and standard member for relative swinging movement of the standard member longitudinally of the track relative to said base member between alternate dispositions of said standard member, either erect from the base member over said track or retracted to a generally flat relationship against the upper flanges and between the webs of the track, respectively; and interlock means on said standard member for engagement with said track to secure said pedestal at a particular one of said various positions along the track when the standard member is erect relative to the base member and track.

Claim 11

A pedestal in accordance with claim 8, wherein said base member has shoulders on opposite sides thereof which bear on inner portions of the lower flanges of said channels that extend beneath said base member.

Claim 12

A pedestal in accordance with claim 9, wherein the channels of said track comprise opposed bulb angle sections the upper surfaces of the lower flanges of which are opposed and inwardly slanted, said shoulders of said base being outwardly sloped to complementarily correspond with said slanted upper surfaces of the lower flanges against which they bear for equalization of downwardly directed load components on the channels of said track.

Claim 13

A collapsible support pedestal for securement at various positions along an anchor track which includes a pair of channels having webs and having upper and lower flanges extending toward one another in spaced and opposed relationship; a base member for retention within said track intermediate said webs and supported on said lower flanges below the upper flanges; a separate standard member for extension upwardly from said base between the upper flanges of said track for support from and by the base member, said standard member including a support seat, means joining said base member and standard member for relative swinging movement of the standard member longitudinally of the track relative to said base member between alternate dispositions of said standard member, either erect from the base member over said track or retracted to a generally flat relationship against the upper flanges and between the webs of the track, respectively; and interlock means on said standard member for engagement with said track to secure said pedestal at a particular one of said various positions along the track when the standard member is erect relative to the base member and track, said means joining said base member and standard member including projecting bosses on one end of the base member in spaced and opposed relationship to one another laterally of the base member, a brace element at the laTeral midregion of the standard member below the support seat and movable between said bosses and said upper flanges of the track and having a slot therein, said bosses and brace element being connected together for relative movements by a pin extending between said bosses and through said slot.

Claim 14

A collapsible support pedestal for securement at various positions along an anchor track which includes a pair of channels having webs and having upper and lower flanges extending toward one another in spaced and opposed relationship; a base member for retention within said track intermediate said webs and supported on said lower flanges below the upper flanges; a separate standard member for extension upwardly from said base between the upper flanges of said track for support from and by the base member, said standard member including a support seat, means joining said base member and standard member for relative swinging movement of the standard member longitudinally of the track relative to said base member between alternate dispositions of said standard member, either erect from the base member over said track or retracted to a generally flat relationship against the upper flanges and between the webs of the track, respectively; and interlock means on said standard member for engagement with said track to secure said pedestal at a particular one of said various positions along the track when the standard member is erect relative to the base member and track, said means joining said base member and standard member including projecting bosses on one end of the base member in spaced and opposed relationship to one another laterally of the base member, a brace element at the laTeral midregion of the standard member below the support seat and movable between said bosses and said upper flanges of the track and having a slot therein, said bosses and brace element being connected together for relative movements by a pin extending between said bosses and through said slot.

Claim 15

A pedestal in accordance with claim 11 wherein said base member has a support portion spaced from the end thereof from which the bosses project, and said standard member includes a lateral support wall which has load supporting seating engagement with said support portion when said standard member is in said erect disposition.

Claim 16

A pedestal in accordance with claim 12, wherein said support portion includes a vertical face and a horizontal ledge for reception of lower end portions of said support wall.

Claim 17

A collapsible support pedestal for securement at various positions along an anchor track, said pedestal comprising: a base member for retention within said track; a separate standard member for extension upwardly from said base member between retaining flanges of said track, said standard member including a support seat; means joining said base member and standard member for relative swinging movement between alternate dispositions of said standard member, either erected over said track or retracted flat against said flanges thereof, respectively; and interlock means on said standard member for engagement with said track to secure said pedestal at a particular one of said various positions, said means joining said base member and standard member including projecting bosses on the base member in spaced and opposed relationship to one another, a brace element on the standard member movable between said bosses and having a slot therein, said bosses and brace element being joined by a pin extending between said bosses and through said slot, said bosses projecting from one end of said base member, said base member having a support portion spaced from the end thereof from which the bosses project, and said standard member also including a lateral support wall which has seating engagement with said support portion when said standard member is in said erect disposition, said slot being curved to provide for movement of said pin therealong during movement of said support wall from said support portion and the dropping of said standard member downwardly into said retracted disposition with said lateral support wall adjacent said flanges, said brace element of the standard member including a tongue portion which projects beneath said lateral support wall in spaced relationship thereto, and said base having a throat for the reception of said tongue for locking said standard member in erect disposition relative to said base.

Claim 18

A collapsible support pedestal for securement at various positions along an anchor track, said pedestal comprising: a base member for retention within said track; a separate standard member for extension upwardly from said base member between retaining flanges of said track, said standard member including a support seat; means joining said base member and standard member for relative swinging movement between alternate dispositions of said standard member, either erected over said track or retracted flat against said flanges thereof, respectively; and interlock means on said standard member for engagement with said track to secure said pedestal at a particular one of said various positions, said means joining said base member and standard member including projecting bosses on the base member in spaced and opposed relationship to one another, a brace element on the standard member movable between said bosses and having a slot therein, said bosses and brace element being joined by a pin extending between said bosses and through said slot, said bosses projecting from one end of said base member, said base member having a support portion spaced from the end thereof from which the bosses project, and said standard member also including a lateral support wall which has seating engagement with said support portion when said standard member is in said erect disposition, said slot being curved to provide for movement of said pin therealong during movement of said support wall from said support portion and the dropping of said standard member downwardly into said retracted disposition with said lateral support wall adjacent said flanges, said brace element of the standard member including a tongue portion which projects beneath said lateral support wall in spaced relationship thereto, and said base having a throat for the reception of said tongue for locking said standard member in erect disposition relative to said base.

Claim 19

A pedestal in accordance with claim 14, wherein said slot consists of a short, inclined initial segment and an elongated horizontal segment joined by a curved segment, said brace element being correspondingly shaped, said base having a curved surface for the support of said brace element, and said throat being defined by an inclined downward opening section through said base, said swinging movement of the standard relative to the base enabling said standard member to be unlocked from said erect disposition by sliding said tongue outwardly from said throat while said pin travels along said initial straight segment of said slot until said tongue is free, said pin continuing along said curved segment and downward along said elongated straight segment of the slot during movement of the standard to said retracted disposition.

Claim 20

A pedestal in accordance with claim 15, wherein said lateral support wall has segments for engagement in notches in said retaining flanges of said track for holding the pedestal at predetermined positions along the track.

Claim 21

A pedestal in accordance with claim 16, wherein said support seat extends perpendicularly from said support wall and across said brace element.

Claim 22

A pedestal in accordance with claim 17, wherein said standard member includes a vertical wall perpendicular to said support seat and said support wall to form a corner pocket therewith, and said vertical wall having retention means thereon for the retention of a container corner on said support seat.

Claim 23

A pedestal in accordance with claim 18, wherein said support wall is transversely notched for engagement against said retaining flanges, and said support portion of said base includes a vertical face and a horizontal ledge for reception of a lower corner of said support wall when in said erect disposition, said transversely notched portion together with said support portion encompassing said retaining flanges at three surfaces for effective securement at said desired disposition.