Structural hopper car

Claim 2

A lightweight open top hopper car comprising: opposed, thin, load bearing, curved sides welded to lightweight side sills and top chords; a through center sill passing through a plurality of hoppers in said car; an end sill welded to said center sill at opposite ends of the car, bolster cover plates inwardly from said end sills integrally connecting said center sill to said side sills, said side sills having extensions at opposite ends of the car; said end sills integrally connected to said side sill extensions, reinforcing members extending respectively between said end sills and bolster cover plates, and vertically extending corner posts integrally affixed to said end sills supporting said end hoppers constituting the sole vertical supporting end structure, said center sill, bolster cover plates, side sills, end sills, curved sides and top chords constituting a structural unit, the longitudinal loads being distributed throughout said structural unit, such that a substantial portion of the longitudinal loads will be taken through said center sill and a minor percent will be taken into said side sills and into said load bearing curved sides.

Claim 3

A lightweight railway hopper car comprising: opposed, thin, load bearing, curved sides welded to lightweight side sills and top chords; a curved roof integrally connected between said top chords; a through center sill passing through a plurality of hoppers in said car including end hoppers at opposite ends of the car, end sills welded to said center sill at opposite ends of the car, bolster cover plates welded to said center sill inwardly from said end sills and welded to said side sills at opposite sides of the car; said side sills having extensions at each end of the car; said end sills welded respectively to said side sill extensions at each end of the car; reinforcing members extending respectively between said end sills and said bolster cover plates for reinforcing said end sills; and vertically extending corner posts at each end of the car integrally affixed to said end sills supporting said end hoppers constituting the sole vertical end supporting end structure, said center sill, bolster cover plate, side sills, end sills, curved sides and top chords constituting a structural unit, the longitudinal loads being distributed throughout said structural unit, such that a substantial portion of the longitudinal loads will be taken through said center sill and a minor percent will be taken through said bolster cover plate and into said side sills and load bearing curved sides.

Claim 4

A lightweight railway hopper car comprising: opposed, thin, load bearing, curved sides welded to lightweight side sills and top chords; a curved roof integrally connected between said top chords; a through center sill passing through a plurality of hoppers in said car including end hoppers at opposite ends of the car, end sills welded to said center sill at opposite ends of the car, bolster cover plates welded to said center sill inwardly from said end sills and welded to said side sills at opposite sides of the car; said side sills having extensions at each end of the car; said end sills welded respectively to said side sill extensions at each end of the car; reinforcing members extending respectively between said end sills and said bolster cover plates for reinforcing said end sills; and vertically extending corner posts at each end of the car integrally affixed to said end sills supporting said end hoppers constituting the sole vertical end supporting end structure, said center sill, bolster cover plate, side sills, end sills, curved sides and top chords constituting a structural unit, the longitudinal loads being distributed throughout said structural unit, such that a substantial portion of the longitudinal loads will be taken through said center sill and a minor percent will be taken through said bolster cover plate and into said side sills and load bearing curved sides.

Claim 5

A lightweight railway hopper Car comprising: opposed, thin, load bearing curved sides welded to lightweight side sills and top chords; a curved roof integrally connected between said top chords; a through center sill passing through a plurality of hoppers including end hoppers at opposite ends of said car; said center sill having a hood thereabove in the regions wherein said center sill passes through said hoppers, said center sill further having center sill reinforcing means within the center sill in said regions; end sills welded to said center sill at opposite ends of the car; upper bolster cover plates respectively welded to said center sill and welded to said side sills inwardly from said end sills at opposite sides of the car; lower bolster cover plates below said upper bolster cover plates welded to said center sill; side bearing supports welded respectively to said upper cover plates and said lower cover plates, and vertical bolster webs welded respectively to said upper cover plates and lower cover plates; said side sills having side sill extensions on opposite sides thereof; gussets welded respectively between said end wills and said side sill extensions; reinforcing members extending respectively between said gussets and said upper bolster cover plates for reinforcing said end sills; and vertically extending corner posts integrally affixed to said end sills supporting said end hoppers constituting the sole vertical end supporting structure; said center sill, bolster plates, side sills, end sills, curved sides and top chords constituting a structural unit, the longitudinal loads being distributed throughout said structural unit, such that a substantial portion of the longitudinal loads will be taken through said center sill and a minor percent will be taken through said bolster cover plates and into said side sills and into said load bearing curved sides.

Claim 6

A lightweight railway hopper Car comprising: opposed, thin, load bearing curved sides welded to lightweight side sills and top chords; a curved roof integrally connected between said top chords; a through center sill passing through a plurality of hoppers including end hoppers at opposite ends of said car; said center sill having a hood thereabove in the regions wherein said center sill passes through said hoppers, said center sill further having center sill reinforcing means within the center sill in said regions; end sills welded to said center sill at opposite ends of the car; upper bolster cover plates respectively welded to said center sill and welded to said side sills inwardly from said end sills at opposite sides of the car; lower bolster cover plates below said upper bolster cover plates welded to said center sill; side bearing supports welded respectively to said upper cover plates and said lower cover plates, and vertical bolster webs welded respectively to said upper cover plates and lower cover plates; said side sills having side sill extensions on opposite sides thereof; gussets welded respectively between said end wills and said side sill extensions; reinforcing members extending respectively between said gussets and said upper bolster cover plates for reinforcing said end sills; and vertically extending corner posts integrally affixed to said end sills supporting said end hoppers constituting the sole vertical end supporting structure; said center sill, bolster plates, side sills, end sills, curved sides and top chords constituting a structural unit, the longitudinal loads being distributed throughout said structural unit, such that a substantial portion of the longitudinal loads will be taken through said center sill and a minor percent will be taken through said bolster cover plates and into said side sills and into said load bearing curved sides.

Claim 7

A railway car according to claim 3 wherein the center sill reinforcing means within the center sill comprises a flange.

Claim 8

A railway car according to claim 3 wherein the center sill reinforcing means within said center sill comprises an angle.

Claim 9

A railway hopper car according to claim 3 wherein said center sill is in the form of a channel-section.

Claim 10

A railway car according to claim 6 wherein the reinforcing means within the center sill comprises a flange.

Claim 11

A railway car according to claim 6 wherein the reinforcing means within said center sill comprises an angle.

Claim 12

A lightweight open top railway hopper car comprising: opposed, thin, load bearing curved sides welded to lightweight side sills and top chords; a through center sill passing through a plurality of hoppers in said car; said center sill having a hood thereabove in the regions wherein said center sill passes through said hopper, said center sill further having center sill reinforcing means within the center sill in said hopper regions; end sills welded to said center sill at opposite ends of the car; upper bolster cover plates welded in said center sill inwardly from said end sills, and welded to said side sills at opposite sides of the car; lower bolster cover plates below said upper bolster cover plates welded to said center sill, side bearing supports respectively welded to said upper cover plates and said lower cover plates; vertical bolster webs respectively welded to said upper cover plates and lower cover plates; said side sills having side sill extensions respectively welded to said end sills; gussets respectively welded between said end sills and said side sill extensions; reinforcing members respectively extending between said gussets and said upper bolster cover plates for reinforcing said end sills; and vertically extending corner posts integrally affixed to said end sills supporting said end hoppers constituting the sole vertical end support structure; said center sill, bolster cover plate, side sills, end sills, curved sides and top chords constituting a structural unit, the longitudinal loads being distributed throughout said structural unIt, such that a substantial portion of the longitudinal loads will be taken through said center sill and a minor percent will be taken through said bolster cover plates and into said side sills and into said load bearing curved sides.

Claim 13

A lightweight open top railway hopper car comprising: opposed, thin, load bearing curved sides welded to lightweight side sills and top chords; a through center sill passing through a plurality of hoppers in said car; said center sill having a hood thereabove in the regions wherein said center sill passes through said hopper, said center sill further having center sill reinforcing means within the center sill in said hopper regions; end sills welded to said center sill at opposite ends of the car; upper bolster cover plates welded in said center sill inwardly from said end sills, and welded to said side sills at opposite sides of the car; lower bolster cover plates below said upper bolster cover plates welded to said center sill, side bearing supports respectively welded to said upper cover plates and said lower cover plates; vertical bolster webs respectively welded to said upper cover plates and lower cover plates; said side sills having side sill extensions respectively welded to said end sills; gussets respectively welded between said end sills and said side sill extensions; reinforcing members respectively extending between said gussets and said upper bolster cover plates for reinforcing said end sills; and vertically extending corner posts integrally affixed to said end sills supporting said end hoppers constituting the sole vertical end support structure; said center sill, bolster cover plate, side sills, end sills, curved sides and top chords constituting a structural unit, the longitudinal loads being distributed throughout said structural unIt, such that a substantial portion of the longitudinal loads will be taken through said center sill and a minor percent will be taken through said bolster cover plates and into said side sills and into said load bearing curved sides.

Claim 14

A railway hopper car according to claim 9 wherein said center sill is in the form of a channel-section.

Claim 15

A railway car according to claim 10 wherein the center sill reinforcing means within the center sill comprises a flange.

Claim 16

A railway car according to claim 10 wherein the center sill reinforcing means within said center sill comprises an angle.