US3687084A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Articulated car train
Assignee: ACF Industries Inc
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Filing: 1969-07-17
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Granted: 1972-08-29
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Expires: 1989-07-17
Abstract
Abstract A unit train having a plurality of articulated cars for transporting one commodity or lading in one direction of travel between two geographical areas, and a different lading in the return opposite direction of travel. Alternate freight cars of one type, such as hopper cars, are transported in an unloaded condition in one direction of travel and are transported in a loaded condition in the return opposite direction of travel. Intervening freight cars such as flat cars, are transported in a loaded condition when the alternate cars are in unloaded condition, and are transported in an unloaded condition when the alternate cars are in loaded condition. The articulated cars have common trucks between adjacent ends of all the cars in the unit train to support the ends thereon. The trucks have a load capacity adequate to support one of the supported cars in fully loaded condition but inadequate to support both of the supported cars in loaded condition.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter E O'leary
- 👤 Asa Franklin Charles
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 18:46
CPC Classifications
B; B61; B61D; B61D3/00; B61D3/10; B61F; B61F3/00; B61F3/12; B61F3/125
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A train comprising, a plurality of pairs of connected railway cars, a common truck between the cars of each of said pairs of cars for supporting the respective ends thereon, one car of each of said pairs of cars being a flat car and the other car in each of said pairs being a hopper car, said common truck being a fourwheeled truck having a center plate and center pin therein, the adjacent cars supported on said common truck being pivotally connected to the center pin and supported on the center plate, one of said adjacent cars having a yoke on its adjacent end and the other car having a tongue received within the yoke, said yoke and tongue forming a ball and socket joint to permit relative pivotal movement between the yoke and tongue in a generally vertical plane, and said center pin pivotally connecting the tongue and yoke to each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
A train comprising, a plurality of pairs of connected railway cars, a common truck between the cars of each of said pairs of cars for supporting the respective ends thereon, one car of each of said pairs of cars being a flat car and the other car in each of said pairs being a hopper car, said common truck being a fourwheeled truck having a center plate and center pin therein, the adjacent cars supported on said common truck being pivotally connected to the center pin and supported on the center plate, one of said adjacent cars having a yoke on its adjacent end and the other car having a tongue received within the yoke, said yoke and tongue forming a ball and socket joint to permit relative pivotal movement between the yoke and tongue in a generally vertical plane, and said center pin pivotally connecting the tongue and yoke to each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
121 words
An articulated railway car comprising a railway hopper car and a railway flat car, a common truck between the hopper car and flat car, said common truck being a four-wheeled truck having a center plate and center pin therein, the adjacent cars supported on said common truck being pivotally connected to the center pin and supported on said center plate, one of said adjacent cars having a yoke on its adjacent end and the other car having a tongue received within the yoke, said yoke and tongue forming a ball and socket joint to permit relative pivotal movement between the yoke and tongue in a generally vertical plane, and said center pin pivotally connecting the tongue and yoke to each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
121 words
An articulated railway car comprising a railway hopper car and a railway flat car, a common truck between the hopper car and flat car, said common truck being a four-wheeled truck having a center plate and center pin therein, the adjacent cars supported on said common truck being pivotally connected to the center pin and supported on said center plate, one of said adjacent cars having a yoke on its adjacent end and the other car having a tongue received within the yoke, said yoke and tongue forming a ball and socket joint to permit relative pivotal movement between the yoke and tongue in a generally vertical plane, and said center pin pivotally connecting the tongue and yoke to each other.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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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) | 1975-08-29 | 1976-02-28 | 1976-08-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-29 | 1980-02-28 | 1980-08-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-29 | 1984-02-28 | 1984-08-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |