Railway tank car bolster

Claim 2

In a railway tank car having a truck assembly supporting the car tank through a tank bolster construction and sill, the improvement in tank bolster construction, comprising: a. outer bolster structure means extending transversely of said tank in underlying relationship at a tank truck centerline, and b. other bolster structure means extending annularly around the entire tank, c. said other bolster structure means being unitary in construction and secured to said tank in longitudinal alignment with said outer bolster structure means, d. said outer and other bolster structure means cooperating to dissipate stresses effected at the truck centerline by static and dynamic tank loads.

Claim 3

The improvement in tank bolster construction of claim 1 further characterized in that: a. said other bolster means includes annular ring means extending around the inside of said tank, b. said ring means including first annular member means disposed generally in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the tank and second annular member means disposed generally normal to said first annular member means.

Claim 4

The improvement in tank bolster construction of claim 2 further characterized by and including: a. a plurality of stiffening means spaced around the circumference of said tank and stiffening said annular ring means longitudinally of said tank as well as providing a relatively broad base for said ring means on the tank wall.

Claim 5

The improvement in tank bolster construction of claim 2 further characterized in that: a. said annular inner ring means includes an upper section and a lower section, b. said lower section extending generally coextensive with said outer bolster structure means and comprising relatively heavy members, c. said upper section extending around the remainder of said tank and comprising relatively light members.

Claim 6

The improvement in tank bolster construction of claim 4 further Characterized in that: a. said lower ring section comprises a pair of spaced flange members, b. said flange members being interconnected by annularly spaced series of tie plates.

Claim 7

The improvement in tank bolster construction of claim 1 further characterized in that: a. said other bolster means includes annular ring means extending around the outside of said tank, b. said annular ring means including first annular member means disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said tank and second annular member means disposed normal to said first annular member means.

Claim 8

The improvement in tank bolster construction of claim 6 further characterized in that: a. said annular ring means comprises a channel member having its free edges welded to the outer surface of said tank.

Claim 9

In a railway tank car having a truck assembly supporting the car tank through a tank bolster construction and a stub sill, the improvement in tank bolster construction, comprising: a. outer bolster structure means extending transversely of said tank in underlying relationship at a tank truck centerline, b. other bolster structure means extending annularly around the entire tank, c. said other bolster structure means being unitary in construction and secured to said tank in longitudinal alignment with said outer bolster structure means, d. said outer and other bolster structure means cooperating to dissipate stresses effected at the truck centerline by static and dynamic tank loads, and e. means disposed at at least the innermost end of said stub sill for dissipating stresses induced by eccentric loading of the tank car through said stub sill, f. said stress dissipating means comprising a partial ring structure mounted on said tank and extending a portion of the way up each side of the tank.

Claim 10

In a railway tank car having a truck assembly supporting the car tank through a tank bolster construction and a stub sill, the improvement in tank bolster construction, comprising: a. outer bolster structure means extending transversely of said tank in underlying relationship at a tank truck centerline, b. other bolster structure means extending annularly around the entire tank, c. said other bolster structure means being unitary in construction and secured to said tank in longitudinal alignment with said outer bolster structure means, d. said outer and other bolster structure means cooperating to dissipate stresses effected at the truck centerline by static and dynamic tank loads, and e. means disposed at at least the innermost end of said stub sill for dissipating stresses induced by eccentric loading of the tank car through said stub sill, f. said stress dissipating means comprising a partial ring structure mounted on said tank and extending a portion of the way up each side of the tank.

Claim 11

The improvement in tank bolster construction of claim 8 further characterized by and including: a. stress dissipating means disposed at both the innermost and outermost end of said stub sill.

Claim 12

The improvement in tank bolster construction of claim 8 further characterized in that: a. said partial ring structure includes a generally arcuate saddle plate means welded at its opposite ends to the sides of said tank, b. and web means disposed between said saddle plate means and the wall of said tank.

Claim 13

The improvement in tank bolster construction of claim 8 further characterized in that: a. the tank of said railway tank car includes an end cap which acts as a structural support member for the tank itself, b. said outer and other bolster structure means being spaced a predetermined distance from said end cap equal to or less than the distance between said outer and other bolster structure means and said means disposed at the innermost end of said stub sill for dissipating stresses induced by eccentric loading of the tank car through said stub sill.