Tank car

Claim 2

In a railroad tank car having a longitudinally extending tank shell supported upon a pair of stub center sills, one at each end; an improved end reinforcing structure to transmit horizontal and vertical loads from the center sill to the tank shell, comprising: a. a pair of longitudinally extending stiffener assemblies attached to said tank shell, one on each side of said center sill; b. a first transversely extending structural member attached to said shell adjacent the end portion thereof and a second transversely extending structural member attached to said tank shell positioned inboard of said first structural member; c. a pair of outboard load carrying members, having opposite slopes extending upward and outward from said tank shell portion adjacent said center sill to a pair of opposing points on said tank shell, such that a substantially vertical plane passes through said outboard members and said first structural member; and d. a pair of inboard load carrying members extending upward and outward from said tank shell portion adjacent said center sill and said second structural member to said pair of opposing points on said tank shell; e. said first and second structural members and the tank shell portion therebetween forming a curved shear girder to receive a horizontal load and distribute it to said tank shell via said longitudinally extending stiffener assemblies; f. said outboard load carrying members and said inboard load carrying members acting as a torsion box so as to transmit bending moments to said tank shell.

Claim 3

In a railroad tank car having a longitudinally extending tank shell supported upon a pair of stub center sills, one at each end; an improved end reinforcing structure to transmit horizontal and vertical loads from the center sill to the tank shell, comprising: a. a pair of longitudinally extending stiffener assemblies attached to said tank shell, one on each side of said center sill; b. a first transversely extending structural member attached to said shell adjacent the end portion thereof and a second transversely extending structural member attached to said tank shell positioned inboard of said first structural member; c. a pair of outboard load carrying members, having opposite slopes extending upward and outward from said tank shell portion adjacent said center sill to a pair of opposing points on said tank shell, such that a substantially vertical plane passes through said outboard members and said first structural member; and d. a pair of inboard load carrying members extending upward and outward from said tank shell portion adjacent said center sill and said second structural member to said pair of opposing points on said tank shell; e. said first and second structural members and the tank shell portion therebetween forming a curved shear girder to receive a horizontal load and distribute it to said tank shell via said longitudinally extending stiffener assemblies; f. said outboard load carrying members and said inboard load carrying members acting as a torsion box so as to transmit bending moments to said tank shell.

Claim 4

In a railroad tank car having a longitudinally extending tank shell supported upon a pair of stub center sills, one at each end; an improved end reinforcing structure to transmit horizontal and vertical loads from the center sill to the tank shell, comprising: a. a pair of longitudinally extending stiffener assemblies attached to said tank shell, one on each side of said center sill; b. a first transversely extending structural member attached to said shell adjacent the end portion thereof and a second transversely extending structural member attached to said tank shell positioned inboard of said first structural member; c. a pair of outboard load carrying members, having opposite slopes extending upward and outward from said tank shell portion adjacent said center sill to a pair of opposing points on said tank shell, such that a substantially vertical plane passes through said outboard members and said first structural member; and d. a pair of inboard load carrying members extending upward and outward from said tank shell portion adjacent said center sill and said second structural member to said pair of opposing points on said tank shell; e. said first and second structural members and the tank shell portion therebetween forming a curved shear girder to receive a horizontal load and distribute it to said tank shell via said longitudinally extending stiffener assemblies; f. said outboard load carrying members and said inboard load carrying members acting as a torsion box so as to transmit bending moments to said tank shell.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 1 further including a transverse structural member attached at its ends to said opposing points of said tank shell.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 1 wherein said outboard load carrying members and said inboard load carrying members each have connector plates associated with their respective ends, said connector plates associated with the bottom ends of said outboard load carrying members pass through said second structural member and are secured to said tank shell immediately above said center sill, and said connector plates associated with the bottom ends of said inboard load carrying members pass through said first structural member and are secured to said tank shell immediately above said center sill.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 3 wherein said connector plates associated with the tops ends of said outboard load carrying members and said inboard load carrying members are secured to said tank shell at said opposing points.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 4 wherein a wear plate is secured to said tank shell at said opposing points to receive said connector plates secured to said tank shell at said opposing points.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 1 wherein each of said stiffener assemblies includes an internal angle stiffener member secured to the internal surface of said shell and external angle stiffener member secured to the external surface of said shell, said internal stiffener member and said external stiffener member sandwich a portion of said shell therebetween.

Claim 10

In a hopper-type railroad tank car including a longitudinally extending tank shell supported upon a pair of stub center sills, one at each end; a plurality of hopper comparTments spaced at intervals along the length of said tank shell, each communicating with a bottom hopper outlet cut-out of said tank shell, the inboard edges of said center sills being positioned outboard of the respective endmost hopper outlets to permit said hopper outlets to be positioned all at substantially the same level; and end reinforcing structure means associated with each end of said tank shell to transmit horizontal and vertical loads from said center sill to said tank shell; said end reinforcing structure comprising: a. a pair of longitudinally extending stiffener assemblies attached to said tank shell; one on each side of said center sill; b. a first transversely extending box-section attached to said tank shell adjacent the end portion thereof and a second transversely extending box-section attached to said tank shell positioned inboard of said first box-section and outboard of said end hopper outlet; c. a pair of outboard load carrying members, having opposite slopes, extending upward and outward from said tank shell portion adjacent said center sill to a pair of opposing points on said tank shell, such that a substantially vertical plane passes through said outboard members and said first box-section; and d. a pair of inboard load carrying members extending upward and outward from said tank shell portion adjacent said center sill and said second box-section to said pair of opposing points on said tank shell; e. said first and second box-sections and the tank shell therebetween forming a curved shear girder to receive a horizontal load and distribute it to said tank shell via said longitudinally extending stiffener assemblies; f. said outboard load carrying members and said inboard load carrying members acting as a torsion box so as to transmit bending moments to said tank shell.

Claim 11

In a hopper-type railroad tank car including a longitudinally extending tank shell supported upon a pair of stub center sills, one at each end; a plurality of hopper comparTments spaced at intervals along the length of said tank shell, each communicating with a bottom hopper outlet cut-out of said tank shell, the inboard edges of said center sills being positioned outboard of the respective endmost hopper outlets to permit said hopper outlets to be positioned all at substantially the same level; and end reinforcing structure means associated with each end of said tank shell to transmit horizontal and vertical loads from said center sill to said tank shell; said end reinforcing structure comprising: a. a pair of longitudinally extending stiffener assemblies attached to said tank shell; one on each side of said center sill; b. a first transversely extending box-section attached to said tank shell adjacent the end portion thereof and a second transversely extending box-section attached to said tank shell positioned inboard of said first box-section and outboard of said end hopper outlet; c. a pair of outboard load carrying members, having opposite slopes, extending upward and outward from said tank shell portion adjacent said center sill to a pair of opposing points on said tank shell, such that a substantially vertical plane passes through said outboard members and said first box-section; and d. a pair of inboard load carrying members extending upward and outward from said tank shell portion adjacent said center sill and said second box-section to said pair of opposing points on said tank shell; e. said first and second box-sections and the tank shell therebetween forming a curved shear girder to receive a horizontal load and distribute it to said tank shell via said longitudinally extending stiffener assemblies; f. said outboard load carrying members and said inboard load carrying members acting as a torsion box so as to transmit bending moments to said tank shell.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 7 further including a transverse structural member attached at its ends to said opposing points of said tank shell.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 7 wherein said outboard load carrying members and said inboard load carrying members each have connector plates associated with their respective ends, said connector plates associated with the bottom ends of said outboard load carrying members pass through said second box-section and are secured to said tank shell immediately above said center sill, and said connector plates associated with the bottom ends of said inboard load carrying members pass through said first box-section and are secured to said tank shell immediately above said center sill.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 9 wherein said connector plates associated with the tops ends of said outboard load carrying members and said inboard load carrying members are secured to said tank shell at said opposing points.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 10 wherein a wear plate is secured to said tank shell at said opposing points to receive said connector plates secured to said tank shell at said opposing points.

Claim 16

The invention of claim 7 wherein each of said stiffener assemblies includes an internal angle stiffener member secured to the internal surface of said shell and an external angle stiffener member secured to the external surface of said shell, said internal stiffener member and said external stiffener member sandwich a portion of said shell therebetween.

Claim 17

In a hopper-type railroad tank car having a longitudinally extending tank shell supported upon a pair of stub center sills, one at each end, and a plurality of hopper compartments spaced at intervals along the length of said tank shell each communicating with a bottom hopper outlet cut-out of said tank shell, the inboard edges of said center sills being positioned outboard of the respective end-most hopper outlets; an improved and reinforcing structure, to transmit horizontal and vertical loads from the center sill to the tank shell, comprising: a. a pair of longitudinally extending stiffener assemblies attached to said tank shell, one on each side of said centEr sill; b. a first transversely extending structural member attached to said tank shell adjacent the end portion thereof and a second transversely extending structural member attached to said tank shell positioned inboard of said first structural member and outboard of said end hopper outlet; c. a pair of outboard load carrying members, having opposite slopes extending upward and outward from said tank shell portion adjacent said center sill to a pair of opposing points on said tank shell, such that a substantially vertical plane passes through said outboard members and said first structural member; and d. a pair of inboard load carrying members extending upward and outward from said tank shell portion adjacent said center sill and said second structural member to said pair of opposing points on said tank shell; e. said first and second structural members and the tank shell portion therebetween forming a curved shear girder to receive a horizontal load and distribute it to said tank shell via said longitudinally extending stiffener assemblies; f. said outboard load carrying members and said inboard load carrying members acting as a torsion box so as to transmit bending moments to said tank shell.

Claim 18

In a hopper-type railroad tank car having a longitudinally extending tank shell supported upon a pair of stub center sills, one at each end, and a plurality of hopper compartments spaced at intervals along the length of said tank shell each communicating with a bottom hopper outlet cut-out of said tank shell, the inboard edges of said center sills being positioned outboard of the respective end-most hopper outlets; an improved and reinforcing structure, to transmit horizontal and vertical loads from the center sill to the tank shell, comprising: a. a pair of longitudinally extending stiffener assemblies attached to said tank shell, one on each side of said centEr sill; b. a first transversely extending structural member attached to said tank shell adjacent the end portion thereof and a second transversely extending structural member attached to said tank shell positioned inboard of said first structural member and outboard of said end hopper outlet; c. a pair of outboard load carrying members, having opposite slopes extending upward and outward from said tank shell portion adjacent said center sill to a pair of opposing points on said tank shell, such that a substantially vertical plane passes through said outboard members and said first structural member; and d. a pair of inboard load carrying members extending upward and outward from said tank shell portion adjacent said center sill and said second structural member to said pair of opposing points on said tank shell; e. said first and second structural members and the tank shell portion therebetween forming a curved shear girder to receive a horizontal load and distribute it to said tank shell via said longitudinally extending stiffener assemblies; f. said outboard load carrying members and said inboard load carrying members acting as a torsion box so as to transmit bending moments to said tank shell.

Claim 19

The invention of claim 13 further including a transverse structural member attached at its ends to said opposing points of said tank shell.

Claim 20

The invention of claim 13 wherein said outboard load carrying members and said inboard load carrying members each have connector plates associated with their respective ends, said connector plates associated with the bottom ends of said outboard load carrying members pass through said second structural member and are secured to said tank shell immediately above said center sill, and said connector plates associated with the bottom ends of said inboard load carrying members pass through said first structural member and are secured to said tank shell immediately above said center sill.

Claim 21

The invention of claim 15 wherein said connector plates associated with the tops ends of said outboard load carrying members and said inboard load carrying members are secured to said tank shell at said opposing points.

Claim 22

The invention of claim 16 wherein a wear plate is secured to said tank shell at said opposing points to receive said connector plates secured to said tank shell at said opposing points.