Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
An articulated bridge component for use in cooperation with another similar bridge component to span the space between two interconnected railway cars, comprising: two laterally-spaced-apart side rails extending from one end of a railway car in the longitudinal direction of the car, a floor plate including a frame having two side walls, and a plurality of bridge elements extending between the frame side walls and transverse to the longitudinal direction of said car; means associated with the end of the floor plate remote from said car for interconnecting the floor plate with a similar floor plate extending from a second car coupled to said car, a carriage slidable along the side rails in a direction toward and away from said car, and means for interconnecting the carriage with the end of the floor plate nearest said car, so that the carriage and floor plate are movable together toward and away from said car in order to compensate for relative motion between two coupled cars in the longitudinal direction of the cars.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
171 words
An articulated bridge component for use in cooperation with another similar bridge component to span the space between two interconnected railway cars, comprising: two laterally-spaced-apart side rails extending from one end of a railway car in the longitudinal direction of the car, a floor plate including a frame having two side walls, and a plurality of bridge elements extending between the frame side walls and transverse to the longitudinal direction of said car; means associated with the end of the floor plate remote from said car for interconnecting the floor plate with a similar floor plate extending from a second car coupled to said car, a carriage slidable along the side rails in a direction toward and away from said car, and means for interconnecting the carriage with the end of the floor plate nearest said car, so that the carriage and floor plate are movable together toward and away from said car in order to compensate for relative motion between two coupled cars in the longitudinal direction of the cars.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
An articulated bridge component as defined in claim 1 including resilient means constantly urging the carriage and floor plate in the longitudinal direction of, and away from, said car.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
An articulated bridge component as defined in claim 2 including means carried by the side rails for limiting the movement of the floor plate in a direction away from said car.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
An articulated bridge component as defined in claim 2 including a back wall extending between the side rails, and wherein the resilient means is a leaf spring secured at its center to the back wall, the ends of the spring engaging the carriage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
An articulated bridge component as defined in claim 1 wherein the carriage and floor plate are pivotally interconnected about a horizontal axis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
An articulated bridge component as defined in claim 1 wherein the carriage slides upon a surface of each side rail, and including a friction-reducing material covering said surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
An articulated bridge component as defined in claim 1 including rollers depending from the carriage and rotatable about vertical axes, the rollers engaging and movable along the lengths of the side rails to limit movement of the carriage in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the railway car.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
97 words
An articulated bridge component as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for interconnecting the floor pate with a similar floor plate of a second car, includes a holding fixture projecting from the end of the floor plate remote from said car, and an interlock mounted on the end of the floor plate remote from said car, the interlock being slidable in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of said car, and the interlock having a head adapted to enter the holding fixture projecting from the floor plate of a second car coupled to said car.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
An articulated bridge component as defined in claim 8 including resilient means constantly urging the interlock in a direction in which it engages the holding fixture.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
62 words
An articulated bridge component as defined in claim 8 including a tube mounted on the end of the floor plate remote from said car, the interlock being slidable within the tube, and manually operable means extending through an opening in the side wall of the tube for sliding the interlock so that the latter can engage, or disengage from, the holding fixture.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
An articulated bridge component as defined in claim 10 wherein the tube is located below the plate of the upper surface of the floor plate, and the manually operable means includes a portion engageable from above that plane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
An articulated bridge component as defined in claim 11 wherein the manually operable means includes a lever extending through the opening in the tube, and a journal rotatable about the pivot axis of the lever, the journal being exposed for manipulation from above the plane of the upper surface of the floor plate.