End door for enclosed rail cars

Claim 2

An end closure for a rail car having upper and lower decks, comprising a foldable door, said door having a series of upright panels, means pivotally mounting the first end panel of the series at one side of the rail car adjacent one end thereof, means hinging all of said panels together so as to fold in overlying relation to one another and to unfold into substantially coplanar relation, said door being adapted to be disposed in closed position across the end of the rail car in the unfolded condition of said panels, means for securing said door in said closed position, said door being adapted to be disposed in open position in the folded condition of said panels with said panels swung inward about the axis of said pivotal mounting means along one side of the rail car, said upper deck having a recessed portion to clear said folded panels when they are swung inward to said open position as aforesaid, and means for substantially closing said recessed portion in the open position of said door.

Claim 3

The end closure defined in claim 1, wherein said means for closing said recessed portion comprises a member mounted on the upper deck for movement between an operative position substantially closing said recessed portion and a position withdrawn therefrom, and means for moving said member from one such position to the other.

Claim 4

The end closure defined in claim 2, wherein said member when in its operative position serves to hold said door in its open position.

Claim 5

The end closure defined in claim 1, wherein said means for closing said recessed portion comprises a member pivotally mounted on the upper deck for movement between an operative position substantially closing said recessed portion and a position withdrawn therefrom, and a control rod hinged to said member for moving the same from one such position to the other, said member in its operative position serving to hold said door in its open position.

Claim 6

The end closure defined in claim 1, wherein said means for closing said recessed portion comprises a member affixed to said door in a position to substantially close said recessed portion when said door is in its open position.

Claim 7

The end closure defined in claim 5, wherein said member is affixed to the last panel of the series.

Claim 8

The end closure defined in claim 6, including means carried by said member cooperable with a part on said rail car to secure said door in open position.

Claim 9

The end closure defined in claim 7, wherein said last-mentioned means comprises a spring-pressed pin normally extended to a position engageable with said part, and means for retracting said pin.

Claim 10

The end closure defined in claim 8, wherein said member is affixed to the inner side of said last end panel, and the end of said upper deck is formed to clear said member in the closed position of said door.

Claim 11

An end closure for a rail car comprising a foldable door, said door having a series of upright panels, means pivotally mounting the first end panel of the series at one side of the rail car adjacent one end thereof, means hinging all of said panels together so as to fold in overlying relation to one another and to unfold into substantially coplanar relation, said door including in addition to said first end panel a last end panel at the opposite end of the series of panels and two panels intermediate said end panels, first means for securing said door in closed position across the end of the rail car in the unfolded condition of said panels, and second means for securing said door in open position in the folded condition of said panels with said folded panels swung inward about the axis of said pivotal mounting means along said one side of the rail car, said first securing means including an abutment fixed with respect to the rail car and engageable with said first end panel to prevent outward swinging thereof beyond the transverse closed position of said door, said first securing means also including releasably engageable members one of which is fixed with respect to the rail car and the other of which is carried by an intermediate panel, said members being engageable with one another in the closed position of said door, and said first securing means also including a retainer fixed with respect to the rail car having a slot opening transversely of the rail car in a direction toward said pivotal mounting means adapted to receive the last end panel of the series in the closed position of the door, whereby when said releasably engageable members are released, said intermediate panels can be partially folded to withdraw said last end panel from said retainer slot, said intermediate and last end panels can be folded upon said first end panel, and all of said folded panels can be swung inwardly to said open position.

Claim 12

An end closure for a rail car comprising a foldable door, said door having a series of upright panels, means pivotally mounting the first end panel of the series at one side of the rail car adjacent one end thereof, means hinging all of said panels together so as to fold in overlying relation to one another and to unfold into substantially coplanar relation, said door including in addition to said first end panel a last end panel at the opposite end of the series of panels and two panels intermediate said end panels, first means for securing said door in closed position across the end of the rail car in the unfolded condition of said panels, and second means for securing said door in open position in the folded condition of said panels with said folded panels swung inward about the axis of said pivotal mounting means along said one side of the rail car, said first securing means including an abutment fixed with respect to the rail car and engageable with said first end panel to prevent outward swinging thereof beyond the transverse closed position of said door, said first securing means also including releasably engageable members one of which is fixed with respect to the rail car and the other of which is carried by an intermediate panel, said members being engageable with one another in the closed position of said door, and said first securing means also including a retainer fixed with respect to the rail car having a slot opening transversely of the rail car in a direction toward said pivotal mounting means adapted to receive the last end panel of the series in the closed position of the door, whereby when said releasably engageable members are released, said intermediate panels can be partially folded to withdraw said last end panel from said retainer slot, said intermediate and last end panels can be folded upon said first end panel, and all of said folded panels can be swung inwardly to said open position.

Claim 13

The end closure defined in claim 10, wherein said first end panel is hinged to one intermediate panel for inward folding only, said last end panel is hinged to the other intermediate panel for inward folding only, and said intermediate panels are hinged together for outward folding only.

Claim 14

An end closure for a rail car comprising a foldable door, said door having a series of upright panels, means pivotally mounting the first end panel of the series at one side of the rail car adjacent one end thereof, means hinging all of said panels together so as to fold in overlying relation to one another and to unfold into substantially coplanar relation, first means for securing said door in closed position across the end of the rail car in the unfolded condition of said panels, second means for securing said door in open position in the folded condition of said panels with said folded panels swung inward about the axis of said pivotal mounting means along said one side of the rail car, and safety means for restricting swinging of said door when unsecured.

Claim 15

An end closure for a rail car comprising a foldable door, said door having a series of upright panels, means pivotally mounting the first end panel of the series at one side of the rail car adjacent one end thereof, means hinging all of said panels together so as to fold in overlying relation to one another and to unfold into substantially coplanar relation, first means for securing said door in closed position across the end of the rail car in the unfolded condition of said panels, second means for securing said door in open position in the folded condition of said panels with said folded panels swung inward about the axis of said pivotal mounting means along said one side of the rail car, and safety means for restricting swinging of said door when unsecured.

Claim 16

The end closure defined in claim 12, wherein said safety means includes a flexible linear member fixed at one end with respect to said rail car and at the other end to one of the door panels.

Claim 17

The end closure defined in claim 13, wherein said safety means includes abutment means preventing outward swinging of said first end panel beyond the position it assumes in the open position of said door.

Claim 18

An end closure for a rail car comprising a foldable door, said door having a series of upright panels, means pivotally mounting the first end panel of the series at one side of the rail car adjacent one end thereof, means hinging all of said panels together so as to fold in overlying relation to one another and to unfold into substantially coplanar relation, said door including in addition to said first end panel a last end panel at the opposite end of the series of panels and two intermediate panels, first means for securing said door in closed position across the end of the rail car in the unfolded condition of said panels, second means for securing said door in open position in the folded condition of said panels with said folded panels swung inward about the axis of said pivotal mounting means along said one side of the rail car, said first securing means including an abutment fixed with respect to the rail car and engageable with said first end panel to prevent outward swinging thereof beyond the transverse closed position of the door, and safety means for restricting swinging of said door outwardly beyond the end of the rail car and preventing swinging of said door laterally outwardly beyond the side of the rail car, said safety means including said abutment and also including a flexible linear member fixed at one end with respect to said rail car and at the other end to said last end panel.

Claim 19

An end closure for a rail car comprising a foldable door, said door having a series of upright panels, means pivotally mounting the first end panel of the series at one side of the rail car adjacent one end thereof, means hinging all of said panels together so as to fold in overlying relation to one another and to unfold into substantially coplanar relation, said door including in addition to said first end panel a last end panel at the opposite end of the series of panels and two intermediate panels, first means for securing said door in closed position across the end of the rail car in the unfolded condition of said panels, second means for securing said door in open position in the folded condition of said panels with said folded panels swung inward about the axis of said pivotal mounting means along said one side of the rail car, said first securing means including an abutment fixed with respect to the rail car and engageable with said first end panel to prevent outward swinging thereof beyond the transverse closed position of the door, and safety means for restricting swinging of said door outwardly beyond the end of the rail car and preventing swinging of said door laterally outwardly beyond the side of the rail car, said safety means including said abutment and also including a flexible linear member fixed at one end with respect to said rail car and at the other end to said last end panel.

Claim 20

The end closure defined in claim 15, wherein said first end panel is hinged to one intermediate panel for inward folding, said last end panel is hinged to the other intermediate panel for inward folding, and said intermediate panels are hinged together for outward folding.