US2695568A - Means for loading railroad cars - Google Patents

Description

G. F. KEITH MEANS FOR LOADING RAILROAD CARS Nov. 30, 1954 s snees-sheet 1 Filed Oct. 17. 1949 Ill T Il l! /fvve/vrofr i George Francis i Kei/h MQW A l for/ley Nov. 3o, 1954 G. F. KEITH 2,695,558

y MEANS FOR LOADING RAILROAD CARS Filed OG'C. 17, 1.949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR George Franc/'s Kei/h LEU lay/@MQW Arm/My 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 G. F. KEITH 91N VR Nov. 30, 1954 MEANS FoR LOADING RAILROAD CARS Filed ocr. 17. 1949 l\\\ Q //l\\ n 1w mwluwlwulm\m|ulnwuw||nm lnmmwmulmwmmwmmwwwnw.: mw Nm\ ov .mm u uw# r In E E MN A wlw. Q n P, a ,f1 u., .u Mimik 2569555681 lIVINSIHR LADSTGLRAI'LROAD CARS 'George Frenos Keith, Montretonehec, Canada Applitiomoewberav;@19am-swarm. 121,674 115, enfants.y ftcl. :rose-36s) The `:present `invention.relates ttor-means for loading "railroad cars.

`Itwis, accordingly, an object -ofthe1.presen`t `invention toa-provide novelfmeans whereby` self-propelled and like vehicles can `bequieklyand feconomically lloaded on `railroad. cars.

. Another object-of the- .invention is ato .provide means wherebyf'suchl vehicles.V can/be` loadedfand :discharged principally under their own power.

Another object ofwthe Yinventionniis"thestprovision of `means for aside loading of railroad Lcarswhereby the :cars can be Y loaded =or Aunloaded without detachicn'ent from `the tram.

`A `furtheriobje'ot'of tthe'tinv'ention'zi's to.1provide.appa ratus whereby 4automobiles and 'th'ewlilte lcan. Lbevl'oaded and discharged 4'quickly'. onimeans carried Ientirely by the Afreight` car Still another-object of thetinventioncis `Ito iprovide'zmeans for loading vehicles on railroad carswherein lthefloading 'and-discharge can-fb`e1f'made`ffrom1or'onto tany 'desirable ,fg'round llevel =location.

A still .further object of 'thewinventionllis 4to :provide means for loading vehicleslon Arailroad cars lwherein the occupantsof the` vehicle can be loaded and transported -With the vehicle.

Oth'er objects and advantages of the .invention will. become apparent as the description*progresses.`

fin the accompanying 4drawings which `illustrate examples 4of the varying forms =ofy lwhich the "invention 'fis susceptible:

Figure l is `a side :elevational View fof a Lpluraldeck railroad carl -fadapted for fthe loading fmeans 'of the invention; f

Figure 2 is arsimilar'yiew showingan a'rrangementfor the loadingoperatiom- ,t Figure Bis" afhorizontaltsection taken`online3-3of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse section taken on line 4 4 offFigurelS;

Figure 5 Ais,-aperspective Viewoffawraek upon which the loaded veiiicle's ar'etra'isf'erred iiitbthe car;

Fig-ure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a `y con- 'nctionbetween sections of .theloading apparatus;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the car with the loading apparatus arranged to discharge the vehicles loaded as shown Iin the figures indicated above, and

Figure 9 is a modification showing the novel loading means operatively associated with a single deck railroad car.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the views, indicates a double deck railroad car having walkways 16 and 17 along one side and at the ends with a door opening 18 at each end affording communication with adjacent cars of the train. One outer side wall 19 of car 1S is advantageously provided with a pair of spaced apart loading door openings 20 at the top and bottom decks 21 and 22.

Associated with side 19 of the car, as by connection through hinges 2S with the decks, are panels 26 adapted to function as closing and as loading members. When swung to its upward vertical position each panel 26 is designed to closely tit and close the loading doorway opening 26 at the bottom of which it is mounted, as shown in Figure 1. These panels are also operative to United States Patent Office 2,695,568 Patented Nov. 30, 1954 2.v be swung `outward to approximately horizontal positions so )as to provide :runwaysupports Afor `the load `units.

When in open position each-offthepanels26 is adapted tofserve as a run-way support for the Vvehicles and it is desirable that the load tbe laterally transferrable lfrom tthe Ipanel `onto the :deck -withi-whichv the :panel is fconneoted.

While'such transfer maytbeietfectedtinffvariousways and any known means may be4 employed without departing from Vthe lbroad aspects-ofthe invention, the illustrated example embodies the. provision 4of four lchannelslor grooves 27 arranged transverselyin :the upperfand inner face of theapanel and Adisposed'totalign withcorresponding channels 28 inthe :deck within t each loading -door opening, .the'outer Vendsof the .channels onthe panel and the'sinnerwends of vthose :on `the fdeck being. closed to :limit movement thereon. Guided by the channels .and -movable vthereon by friction Areducing means is a carriage member or rack 29lcon1pris'ingtalpairlof trackways .3.0 advantageously .troughf'shaped :to `guidinglgy .receive the wheels ofi a vehicle. To each` pair `of trackways are fastened a .plurality-of cross ibars disposedto assume positions V'over the'respect'ive .channels 27` and 28. In the underside Lof veachfoross bar `31 are formed arplurality `of concavities 32, each of which provides -a seat for .the upper part of a ball 33. The balls 33 are ttedto roll in Ychannelsf27 :and 28.

Asshownin :Figures 2 and .3,.an arrangement 'for loading vehicles. such ras Jselfepropelled'passenger automobiles,

`embodies disposing thel'closing.` panels 4of .the leftA end `lower deck loadingidoorway tand the :panels ofthe right and upper doorway in open outwardly projecting `positions. A panel 40 providestconnection:betweenthedoor Apanels 26. This connecting sectionzembodiesa :pair of trackways 41 heldin transversely spaced relation Aby a plurality of 4transverse bars 42'.` To 'one Aend sof each trackway `4-1? :is attachech. ashy welding, .an angularly bent fastening .'hookAS-:having `its 1outer .end .formed'to engage atsoeket `44 fin thedoortpanelvwhile supporting trackway 41` 'in runningrelation' with 'trackway 30. At the oppositeiendoffeachttrackway 41ris arho'ok545fenga`geable withra` socket -44 inxtheilower endloading .panel to align the lower :ends `of ythe nconnectingtrackways `with rack on the bottom deck panel. The veliicteis'rolled Onto the bottom deckfpanel ortpreferably onto thetfrack thereon through the medium of "arlead panel'46` essentially .corresponding to panel 40 with the fliooks 43 .at `one endto engage kthe vlower panel`t26 andz'the other ends .of the trackwayscurved'to facilitate the-run up fromranapproximately track level station.

The lower deck swingpanels canberreadilyfsupported inllaterally projectingloadingpositions byfprops-50^which mayfadvantageouslyfbe adjustable jacks; The upperlevel `horizontal'panelslare'supported by chains 151 and, `where circumstancesrequirerbyjacks or likeprops.

Thust a. plurality `of wheeled vehicles, such as the `automobiles shown, .can' .be rapidly and conveniently .loaded fon a itwo -dec'k `railroadzcar fhy r disposing `a lower :panelf261at one end'andranzupperpanelatthe opposite end in horizontal loading positions and arranging the lead and connecting panels as illustrated at Figures 2 and 3. The first load vehicle is driven up the ramp forming lead section 46, over the rack 26 on the bottom deck open panel, up the inclined connecting panel 40 and onto the .rack of upper open panel 26. The latter rack with the vehicle placed thereon is moved inward onto the deck and the vehicle is driven or moved manually in reverse off the carrier over the intermediate part of the deck to a position at the opposite end. Additional vehicles can then similarly be driven to occupy intermediate and for: ward end positions to fully load the upper deck. Further vehicles from the same or other loading stations or positions are loaded on the Vlower deck by moving them successively from the lower open panel and driving the foremost forwardly in the car. The ramp sections 40 and 46 can'be readily placed in the car and hung on the walls thereof or pivotally attached to the panels 26 and swung against the panels when the latter are closed.

The unloading of the vehicles, as shown at Figure 8, can be effected in such manner that they can be driven forward over the side runway sections by arranging the door panels reversed from that shown at Figure 2, that is, by disposing the upper left and lower right panels 26 in runway positions to discharge first the vehicles at the position opposite the upper left panel and the others on this deck by successive movement to this position. The vehicles of the lower deck are forwardly discharged from the lower right end open panel.

As shown in Figure 9, a single deck railroad car, indicated at 60, can be advantageously loaded by employing the runway apparatus in connection with a center door loading structure, the unloading if desired being made forwardly from the opposite end of panel 26.

It is to be noted that the system can be installed upon railroad cars of conventional and varying construction without great expense and that the transverse conveyance through the loading doorway may be effected manually or by other suitable means. In addition to the shipment of new automobiles, trucks and tractors the loading means of the invention is conducive to the transportation of vehicles and their occupants on extended trips wherein railroad transport is desirable because of poor or congested roads, fatigue of the driver, et cetera.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited to that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated 'in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In means for loading cars having loading openings in a side thereof, a plurality of sections connected with and extending outwardly of the loading side of the car so that wheeled vehicles can be moved on said sections in a direction parallel with the loading side of the car to varying levels.

2. Means as described in claim 1 wherein certain of said sections are operative to close the loading openings of car. Y

3. In means for loading self-propelled vehicles on railroad cars having multiple decks and openings in a wall thereof for loading onto the decks, a plurality of panels supported to project from said side wall so that vehicles can be driven thereon parallel with the side wall to positions for transfer onto the decks through said open-ings.

4. Means as defined in claim 3 wherein said panels are constructed for arrangement so that the vehicles can be moved forward for loading and for unloading.

5. Means as defined in claim 3 wherein certain of said Y panels can be arranged to close the loading openings when not used for loading.

6. Means as defined in claim 3, wherein certain of said panels are detachable when not used for loading or unloading.

7. In loading means of the character described, a body having openings, panels for closing said openings and operative to positions providing runways, and panels extending parallel with a side of the body for providing inclined runways connecting with said closing panels.

8. In means for loading self-propelled vehicles on railroad cars having loading openings in a side wall thereof, a plurality of panels operative to close said openings and to provide runways laterally of said openings, means upon which the vehicles can be moved sidewise on said panels and into the railroad car, and panels extending parallel with a side of the body operative to assume inclined positions in continuity with said horizontally projecting closing panels whereby vehiclesV can be driven on said panels to positions for movement into the railroad car.

9. Means for loading self-propelled vehicles on multiple deck railroad cars, said car having two loading openings in a wall thereof for each deck, a panel operative to close each of said loading openings and to assume a vehicle runway position projecting horizontally of the bottom of the opening, a panel extending parallel with a side of the body operative for connection with said closing panels to provide 4a vehicle runway between said closing panels, and means on said closing panels and car for moving a vehicle sidewise of said closing panels and the decks of the car.

l0. In loading means for a plural deck car having side openings for sidewise loading and discharge of `automobiles, panels connected with the car operative to close said openings and to assume a horizontally projecting runway position, a section removably engageable with two of said laterally projecting panels extending parallel with a side of the body to provide an automobile runway between the same, and means including a carriage for shifting an automobile from the laterally extending panels into the car.

l1. Loading means as defined in claim 10 wherein said lateral shifting means comprises a carriage mounted on friction reducing means for moving an automobile into and out of the car.

l2. Loading means as defined in claim 10 wherein said first panels are hingedly connected to the car.

13. Loading means as definedin claim l0 wherein said removable section is detachably connected withv said panels so that the automobiles can be driven onto the carriage of the panels.

14. In means for loading vehicles on a railroad car, longitudinally spaced means mounted to extend outwardly from a side of the car at different levels, and means connected to said spaced means to form horizontal and inclined runways associated with the car at a vehicle receiving level for the movement thereon of vehicles in a dir ection longitudinally of the car for loading and unloading spaced levels on the car.

l5. In means for loading vehicles on a carrying car, a plurality of spaced horizontal members connected with a side of said car to assume positions extending from vehicle receiving levels, an inclined section connecting said spaced horizontal members, and an inclined section connecting ground level with one of said horizontal meni- `bers so as to provide runways for the movement of vehicles in a direction parallel with the direction of movement of the car for loading from ground level to one or more vertically spaced levels of the car.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,190,708 Fowler Feb. 20, 1940 2,432,228 De Lano Dec. 9, 1947

Images