Multi-level transportation vehicle

Claim 2

A multi-level transportation vehicle comprising: a vehicle having a floor and at least two spaced apart walls; a plurality of platens pivotally mounted on opposite ones of said walls; means mounted within said vehicle for holding a distal portion of said platens adjacent said walls in a storing position; said platens being movable inwardly from said walls from said storing position to an extended position to at least partially define a supplementary floor; said platens having interlocking means thereon for interlocking said platens at a point removed from said spaced apart walls; said platens having means thereon for supporting an adjacent platen in extended position after it is moved from the storing to the extended position; said spaced apart walls providing substantially the sole support for said panels in the extended position; said interlocking means and platens having sufficient strength to transmit lading shear and bending moment between the platens and provide the sole support for lading placed thereon while the supplementary floor is in use.

Claim 3

A transportation vehicle according to claim 1 wherein at least two supplementary floors are provided.

Claim 4

A transportation vehicle according to claim 1 wherein means are provided on said interlocking means for disengaging the locking means before said platens are placed in storing position.

Claim 5

A transportation vehicle according to claim 3 wherein said interlocking means automatically engage when said platens are moved into storing position.

Claim 6

A transportation vehicle according to claim 4 wherein said automatically engaging interlocking means comprise a locking member and a resilient member biasing said locking member into the locked position.

Claim 7

A transportation vehicle according to claim 3 wherein means are provided on said interlocking means for engaging locking means after said platens are placed in extended position.

Claim 8

A transportation vehicle according to claim 6 wherein the interlocking means comprise a lock actuating member and a locking member and the actuating member in a locking position holds the locking member in engagement with the platens spanning the spaced apart walls.

Claim 9

A transportation vehicle according to claim 7 wherein said locking member is a wedge type member.

Claim 10

A transportation vehicle according to claim 7 wherein said locking member is a block type member.

Claim 11

A transportation vehicle according to claim 7 wherein said locking member is a pin type member.

Claim 12

A transportation vehicle according to claim 7 wherein each of said spanning panel members comprise a channel in cross section, the channel of one panel member being smaller than another spanning panel member, the panel member having the smaller cross section filling within the panel member having the larger channel section, and said locking means holding said channel sections in engagement in extended position.

Claim 13

A transportation vehicle according to claim 11 wherein means are provided on said vehicle to support the first panel placed in extended position.

Claim 14

A transportation vehicle according to claim 7 wherein means are provided on said vehicle to support the first panel placed in extended position.

Claim 15

A transportation vehicle according to claim 7 wherein the means for supporting an adjacent panel in extended position comprises means mounted along a side edge of said panel.

Claim 16

A transportation vehicle according to claim 14 wherein said means supporting an adjacent panel comprises at least one overlap block.

Claim 17

A transportation vehicle according to claim 14 wherein said panel also comprises means for supporting an oppositely mounted panel in the extended position prior to actuating of the interlock means.

Claim 18

A transportation vehicle according to claim 16 wherein the means which supports an adjacent panel also supports an oppositely mounted panel.

Claim 19

A transportation vehicle according to claim 17 wherein the means supporting an adjacent panel and an oppositely mounted panel is at least one overlap block.

Claim 20

A transportation vehicle according to claim 16 wherein the means supporting an oppositely mounted panel is at least one overlap block.

Claim 21

A transportation vehicle according to claim 7 wherein the means supporting said platens adjacent said walls in stored position comprises a spring loaded latch means.

Claim 22

A transportation vehicle according to claim 1 wherein said vehicle has separate means affixed to the walls to prevent said platens from disengaging from the stored position.

Claim 23

A transporation vehicle according to claim 21 wherein automatic release means are provided whereby one platen in engaged position releases a subsequent panel for movement to operative position.

Claim 24

A transportation vehicle according to claim 22 wherein in addition to said automatic release means manual release means are also provided.

Claim 25

A transportation vehicle according to claim 22 wherein the automatic release means comprise an arm pivotally mounted upon the vehicle side wall adapted to be engaged by the platen and a latch which holds platens in stored position.

Claim 26

A transportation vehicle according to claim 24 wherein said arm pivots vertically.

Claim 27

A transportation vehicle according to claim 24 wherein said arm pivots horizontally.

Claim 28

A transportation vehicle according to claim 24 wherein said arm moves vertically.

Claim 29

A transportation vehicle according to claim 24 wherein means are provided which automatically restore the arm to its original position.

Claim 30

Apparatus according to claim 28 wherein means are provided on said latch for allowing automatic engagement of said platens when they are again placed in stored position.

Claim 31

A transportation vehicle according to claim 21 wherein safety means are provided mounted on one panel for preventing a subsequent panel to be lowered until actuated manually by the operator.

Claim 32

A transportation vehicle according to claim 30 wherein said safety means are associated with latch means holding the platens in stored position.

Claim 33

A transportation vehicle according to claim 21 wherein said vehicle is a railroad car.

Claim 34

A transportation vehicle according to claim 1 wherein a torsion bar is provided in said hinge means to assist in moving the panels into position.

Claim 35

A multi-level transportation vehicle comprising: a vehicle having a floor and at least two spaced apart walls; a plurality of platens pivotally and supportably mounted on at least one of said walls; means mounted within said vehicle for holding a distal portion of said platens adjacent said one wall in a storing position; said plurality of platens being movable inwardly from said wall from said storing position to an extended position to at least partially define a floor, said platens having interlocking means hinging said platens at a point inward from said spaced apart walls; said interlocking means having a sufficient strength to transmit lading shear and bending moment between said platens; said platens having a first transverse edge portion which when said platens are extended is generally parallel to said floor; said first edge portion having means for guiding at least a part of a second transverse edge portion of adjacent platens when the same are moved from the storing position to the extended position; and platen support means mounted on said walls providing substantially the sole support for said platens in their extended position so as to at least partially define a supplementary floor to support lading.

Claim 36

A multi-level transportation vehicle comprising: a vehicle having a floor and at least two spaced apart walls; a plurality of platens pivotally and supportably mounted on at least one of said walls; means mounted within said vehicle for holding a distal portion of said platens adjacent said one wall in a storing position; said plurality of platens being movable inwardly from said wall from said storing position to an extended position to at least partially define a floor, said platens having interlocking means hinging said platens at a point inward from said spaced apart walls; said interlocking means having a sufficient strength to transmit lading shear and bending moment between said platens; said platens having a first transverse edge portion which when said platens are extended is generally parallel to said floor; said first edge portion having means for guiding at least a part of a second transverse edge portion of adjacent platens when the same are moved from the storing position to the extended position; and platen support means mounted on said walls providing substantially the sole support for said platens in their extended position so as to at least partially define a supplementary floor to support lading.

Claim 37

A vehicle according to claim 34 wherein follower means are provided on said second edge portion to follow said guiding means on said first edge portion.

Claim 38

A vehicle according to claim 35 wherein the guiding means on said first edge portion is a channel.

Claim 39

A vehicle according to claim 36 in which said follower means is pivotably mounted within one of said panels spanning said spaced apart walls.

Claim 40

A vehicle according to claim 37 wherein means are provided on said platens associated with said follower means for applying vertical loads to said platen support means in their extended position.

Claim 41

A vehicle according to claim 38 wherein said means for applying vertical loads resiliently urge said follower means into engagement with a lower track of said channel.

Claim 42

A vehicle according to claim 39 wherein said means for applying vertical loads comprises resilient means mounted on said follower means between the pivot of said follower means and said channel.

Claim 43

A vehicle according to claim 39 wherein said interlocking means hinging said platens allow bending up to about 180.degree..

Claim 44

A vehicle according to claim 34 wherein said platens define more than one level above said floor.

Claim 45

A multi-level railway freight car comprising: a railway car having a floor and at least two spaced apart walls; a plurality of platens pivotally and supportably mounted on at least one of said walls; means mounted within said car for holding a distal portion of said platens adjacent said one wall in a storing position; said plurality of platens being movable inwardly from said wall from said storing position to an extended position to at least partially define a floor, said platens having interlocking means hinging said platens at a point spaced from said walls; said interlocking means having sufficient strength to transmit lading shear and bending moment between said platens; said platens having a first transverse edge portion which when said platens are extended is generally parallel to said floor, said first edge portion having channel means for guiding at least a part of an adjacent panel member when the same is moved from the storing position to the extending position; said adjacent panel member having follower means pivotably mounted within said panel for following during extension of the guiding means in said first edge portion; platen support means mounted on said walls providing substantially the sole support for said panel members in their extended position so as to at least partially define an additional level or floor to support lading; and resilient means associated with said follower means for transferring a substantial portion of vertical lading loads to said platen support means.

Claim 46

A multi-level railway freight car comprising: a railway car having a floor and at least two spaced apart walls; a plurality of platens pivotally and supportably mounted on at least one of said walls; means mounted within said car for holding a distal portion of said platens adjacent said one wall in a storing position; said plurality of platens being movable inwardly from said wall from said storing position to an extended position to at least partially define a floor, said platens having interlocking means hinging said platens at a point spaced from said walls; said interlocking means having sufficient strength to transmit lading shear and bending moment between said platens; said platens having a first transverse edge portion which when said platens are extended is generally parallel to said floor, said first edge portion having channel means for guiding at least a part of an adjacent panel member when the same is moved from the storing position to the extending position; said adjacent panel member having follower means pivotably mounted within said panel for following during extension of the guiding means in said first edge portion; platen support means mounted on said walls providing substantially the sole support for said panel members in their extended position so as to at least partially define an additional level or floor to support lading; and resilient means associated with said follower means for transferring a substantial portion of vertical lading loads to said platen support means.

Claim 47

A railway freight car according to claim 43 wherein said platens are pivotally mounted on each of said spaced apart walls.

Claim 48

A railway freight car according to claim 44 wherein said platens are mounted on each of said spaced apart walls in a staggered fashion.

Claim 49

A railway freight car according to claim 43 wherein all of said platens are mounted on one of said spaced apart walls.

Claim 50

A multi-level freight car according to claim 43 wherein said follower means comprises a roller which rides in said channel.

Claim 51

A multi-level freight car according to claim 47 wherein said car comprises means for supporting at least the first platens moved from storing to extended positions.

Claim 52

A multi-level freight car according to claim 47 wherein said car comprises means for supporting at least the first platens which span said spaced apart walls.

Claim 53

A multi-level freight car accoding to claim 43 wherein said follower means comprises a sliding member which moves within said channel.