US3675592A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Truss-type cargo carrying vehicle
Assignee: Pullman Standard Inc
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Filing: 1970-08-20
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Granted: 1972-07-11
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Expires: 1990-08-20
Abstract
Abstract A truss structure includes upper and lower beams with vertical interconnecting beams on which cargo of any type may be suspended. The truss structure is adapted to be supported on horizontally spaced wheel suspensions, such as is common in overthe-highway vehicles, or it may be disposed in and be connected to structural components in aircraft wherein the truss structure supports the cargo and provides a primary structural component of both modes of transportation. In a railway car a relatively narrow upright truss structure is supported at its opposite ends on trucks. The truss structure is provided at opposite ends with short sill sections which contain coupler housings supporting conventional couplers. At opposite ends of the truss structure horizontal stabilizing members extend laterally outwardly of the truss structure and are adapted to be connected to conventional single or double axle trucks in conventional fashion. The narrow truss structure is the sole structural support of the car and provides on opposite sides thereof, between the trucks, a free and unencumbered space to which ready access may be had by suitable powered handling devices which may lift cargo into position to be connected and suspended on opposite sides from said truss structure. A modified embodiment comprises a railway car which includes a pair of truss sections which have outer ends supported on single axle trucks, and adjacent inner ends supported on double axle trucks by means of an articulated connector assembly.
Inventors
- 👤 Norman E Bateson
- 👤 William L Pringle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 20:01
CPC Classifications
B; B61; B61D; B61D3/00; B61D3/10; B61D3/14; B60; B60P; B60P3/00; B60P3/06; B60P3/08; B61D3/02; B61D3/16; B61D3/18; B62; B62D; B62D33/00; B62D33/04; B62D53/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
176 words
A railroad car comprising: a vertically extending truss structure of relatively narrow width and constituting the primary structural unit having means thereon adapted to have cargo suspendingly connected to the vertical side thereof, said truss structure having substantially upper and lower vertically spaced longitudinally and horizontally extending beams and fore and aft longitudinally spaced vertically extending beams including end beams interconnecting with the longitudinal beams, an end of car construction mounted at the lower end of said truss structure adjacent said lower beam and an end beam and including a center sill means and an elongated laterally extending narrow height stabilizing member on the underside of said center sill means and supporting said center sill means, said truss structure being in vertical alignment with said center sill means, a coupling housing at the outer end of said center sill means and receiving a coupler, and wheeled truck means supporting said stabilizing member and coupling means on the underside of said staBilizing member and atop of said truck means coupling the stabilizing member to said truck means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
176 words
A railroad car comprising: a vertically extending truss structure of relatively narrow width and constituting the primary structural unit having means thereon adapted to have cargo suspendingly connected to the vertical side thereof, said truss structure having substantially upper and lower vertically spaced longitudinally and horizontally extending beams and fore and aft longitudinally spaced vertically extending beams including end beams interconnecting with the longitudinal beams, an end of car construction mounted at the lower end of said truss structure adjacent said lower beam and an end beam and including a center sill means and an elongated laterally extending narrow height stabilizing member on the underside of said center sill means and supporting said center sill means, said truss structure being in vertical alignment with said center sill means, a coupling housing at the outer end of said center sill means and receiving a coupler, and wheeled truck means supporting said stabilizing member and coupling means on the underside of said staBilizing member and atop of said truck means coupling the stabilizing member to said truck means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention according to claim 1, and said center sill means being mounted underneath said lower beam and having a recess in its underside receiving said stabilizing member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention according to claim 1, and said stabilizing member being connected to said end beam and to said lower beam and said center sill means being mounted on said stabilizing member and extending outwardly of said end beam.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The invention according to claim 1, and a reinforcing structure depending from said lower beam and including a third horizontal beam depending below said lower beam and a plurality of vertical lower end portions extending down from said vertical beams and said lower beam and connecting with said third beam.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The invention according to claim 4, and said reinforcing structure including an end diagonal beam portion connecting said lower beam with said third beam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The invention according to claim 1, and said truss structure including diagonal truss members extending between said vertical and horizontal beams.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention according to claim 1, and a reinforcing structure depending from said lower beam between and in horizontal alignment with the truck means at each end of the car.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention according to claim 1, and said lower beam extending for most of its length being below the stabilizing member and having a diagonal portion connecting with the stabilizing member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
The invention according to claim 1, and a reinforcing structure depending from said lower beam between and in horizontal alignment with the truck means at each end of the car, and said center sill means being mounted on the underneath side of the lower beam and said stabilizing member being attached to the underside of said center sill means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The invention according to claim 1, and said center sill means being mounted on the underneath side of the lower beam and said stabilizing member being attached to the underside of said center sill means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The invention according to claim 1, and said center sill means being a stub center sill.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
72 words
The invention according to claim 1, and a second truss structure for carrying cargo, a second transverse stabilizing member, articulated connecting means connecting one truss structure with the other and including yoke means for each truss structure pivotally interconnecting same, said yoke means including a truss structure connecting pin mounted on said second stabilizing member extending under said yoke means, and further truck means being underneath and carrying said second stabilizing member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
The invention according to claim 1, and a second truss structure for carrying cargo, a second transversely and horizontally extending stabilizing member, articulated connecting means connecting one truss structure with the other and including a yoke for each truss structure pivotally interconnected with the other, said second stabilizing member supporting said yokes and truck means supporting said second stabilizing member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention according to claim 1, and first bearing means on the lateral ends of the stabilizing member and second bearing means on the lateral ends of the truck means for engagement with the first bearing means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention according to claim 1, and said coupling means including a first center plate on the underside of the stabilizing member and a second center plate on the truck means supportingly engaging the first center plate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
The invention according to claim 1, and said coupling means including pedestal means depending from each lateral end of the stabilizing member and connecting with the truck means, spring means for each pedestal means between the stabilizing member and truck means for resilient support of the truss structure.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The invention according to claIm 1, and said coupling means having means for releasably connecting said stabilizing member with said truck means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
67 words
The invention according to claim 1, and said truss structure having a second end construction including a second stabilizing member and second truck means supporting said second end construction, further coupling means on the underside of said second stabilizing member and atop said truck means, said first mentioned coupling means and said further coupling means releasably supporting said truss structure on said first and second truck means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
63 words
The invention according to claim 1, and a second truss structure having first and second end construction, said first mentioned truss structure having another end of car construction, said truss structures having articulated means intercoupling said another end of car construction and said first end construction, and second truck means supporting said articulated means and third truck means supporting said second end construction.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
111 words
The invention according to claim 1, and a second end of car construction mounted at the other lower end of said truss structure adjacent said lower beam and the other end beam and including a second elongated laterally extending narrow stabilizing member on the underside of said center sill means and supporting said center sill means and a second coupling housing at the other outer end of the center sill means and receiving a coupler, and wheeled truck means supporting said second stabilizing member and coupling means on the underside of said second stabilizing member and atop said second truck means coupling the second stabilizing member to said second truck means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
63 words
The invention according to claim 20, and said center sill means including a pair of stub center sills, one for each stabilizing member, each stabilizing member being attached to the underside of a respective center sill which is attached to a respective underside end of the lower beam, each stabilizing member being under the inward end portion of its respective stub center sill.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
86 words
The invention according to claim 1, and said stabilizing member connecting with said end beam and said lower beam and said center sill means being mounted on said stabilizing member, and a second truss structure having first and second end constructions, said first mentioned truss structure having another end of car construction, said truss structures having articulated means intercoupling said another end of car construction and said first end construction, second truck means supporting said articulated means and third truck means supporting said second end construction.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention according to claim 22, and said lower beam extending for most of its length below the stabilizing member and having a diagonal portion connecting with the stabilizing member.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
The invention according to claim 1, and said primary structural unit having means thereon adapted to have cargo suspendingly connected to the vertical opposite sides of said unit and said truss structure in transverse section being of generally inverted T-shaped construction.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-11 | 1976-01-10 | 1976-07-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-11 | 1980-01-10 | 1980-07-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-11 | 1984-01-10 | 1984-07-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |