US1598471A - Sightob oe one-hale to david hunter - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 31 Q1926. 1,598,471

T. A. WILLIAMS CAR TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 21, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 XNVENTOR ATTORNEY Aug. 31 1926. 1,598,471

T. A. WILLIAMS CAR TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 21. 1925 i I "if:

7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Aug. 31, 1926. 1,598,471

T. A. WILLIAMS CAR TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 21, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Mffl'iiz'azw INVEN OR ATTORNEY Aug. 31 1926.

T. A. WMLLIIAMS GAR TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 21, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 JIJ I I I 1 1,1111 1 ATTORN EY Aug. 31,1926. 1,598,471

- T. A. WILLIAMS CAR TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 21, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTUR 1,598,471 T. A. WILLIAMS CAR TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 21, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 A'ITORN EY T. A. WILLIAMS GAR TOP CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 21. 192 '7 Sheets-Sheet llillllllllll|I|lilllflfllllll'lllllllit-IIll llilllllllilllllliall wwnx ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

Lauren srnrss rarest err memes ANDREVJ WILLIAMS, or wnitrn' sunrnnn srnIiqe-s, weer vinernrri, As-

sIGNoR 0F ONE-HALF T0 DAVID rrnju'rnn, or 'WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, wnsr VIRGINIA.

GAR-TOP CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed December 21, 192-5.

along the sides of the car, and which, when in normal POSllJlOliWlll effectively protect the contents oil the car from weather conditions or from thefts.

still further object is the provision of a root for open-top cars that is made up of metal slats which are hin cdly connected together in a novel manner and which conipi es two sections, each movable into a pocket at the sides of the car when not in use or when in inoperative position, each of 5. id sections having their outer or end slats providrd with arace hoard having edges which, intercngage when brought together, suitable guide means being provided for the root sections and sii'uple hut efiiective means being also provided for raising the roof sections to operative positions or for permitting the said sections to gravitate into their pockets ween not required for use.

it still tl'urther ohject is the provision of a rooii tor open-top cars oi a construction which foray he readily applied to any ordinary type of cars and which, when in operativc position, will shed water from the cars, protect the same from flying cinders, prevent the spilling oi the contents of the car in. case oi 'YVl'OCrI-S and likewise insure the cmrtcnts oi the car from theft.

'lo the attainment of the foregoing objects and others which will appear as the nature ot the invention is better understood, the 1iurproveu'u-nt further resides in certain novel 'lmttlllU-ES of construction, coinl'iination and o uurativc association of. parts, satisfactory embodiments of which being set forth in the 'lollowing description, illustrated by the accompanying drawings and pointed out with particularity in the appended claims.

in the drawings I. ure 1 is a side elevation of a gondola hasi u a top thereon in accordance with this invention. i i I Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof, with the sections of the top in inoperative position.

lligure 3 is a transverse sectional view approximately on the line 33 oil Figure 1.

sides 12.

Serial No. 76,865.

Figure 4: is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view approximately on the line irl oi Figure 1.

.iiigure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure l.

l igure G is a bottom plan view oi three 01 the connected slats.

Figure 7 is a detail transverse sectional view through one 01" the tracks to illustrate the manner in which a slat of a roof section is guided thereover and held from longitudinal n'iovelnent thereon.

li igure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation of a gondola car provided with a root made up 0" sections of a less length than that disclosed in Figures 1 and 2.

lligure 9 a top plan view of an open our having sectional. tracks for the slidabie root,

Figure 10 is a sectional view on the line lOlO of Figure 9 with the root in raised or operative position.

Figure 11. is a sectional view on the line l1l1 of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a view lookin g toward one end Oil the car.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3 oi the drawings, the numeral 1 designates an ordinary open-top car of the gondola type which is usually employed for hauling coal or the like.

In carrying out my invention I ii); on the inner face, adjacent to the sides of the car 1, longitudinally extending partitions 2. Preterably, the partitions are made up of inc/rail plates that have their lower ends flanged, as at and the said flanges are formed with downturucd extensions 4L that are riveted or otherwise secured to the sides of the car. The partitions 2 provide pockets 5 at the sides oi the car. The inner walls or plati 2 or? the partitions terminate in a line with the open top oi the car.

On the ends of the car l arrange arched housings 6. Each of the housings includes angle side portions and a straigl'it top portion 8. The outer faces of the housings are closed, the said faces being in the nature of plates 9 but the inner faces of the housings are open. On the open inner face of each housing there'is secured a guide rail 10. The guide rail. is shaped compleniental to the outer surface of the housing. that is, each guide rail includes a straight top portion ll. and downwardly inclined. The portions 11 and 12 oi the rails at the juncture thereof, are rounded, which is true with respect to the inwardly directed flange or top of the housings 6. Each rail has an inner outwardly extending flange 13, and its flat surface beyond said flange is formed with pockets in each of which there is journaled an anti frictional roller 14. Outward of the pockets each rail is depressed, the inner wall provided by the said depression forming a shoulder which is indicated by the numeral 15.

The roof for the car is made up of two oppositely disposed sections. Each of these sections is similarly constructed. Each section is made up of metal slats, and each slat includes a curved body 16 that has its ends rounded in opposite directions, as at 17 and 18, respectirely. The rounded or lipped portions 17 of one slat is designed to be received in the rounded or lipped portion 18 of the adjacent cooperating slat. Each slat on its inner face, adjacent to its outer lip 17 is formed with an inwardly extending lug l9, and through each of these lugs there is passed a bolt member 20 that is received through an elongate slot 21 in the lip 17 of the cooperating slat and is secured by means 22 to the inner face of the said lip. Each bolt 20 may be headed or may be engaged by a nut 23. In a manner as above described, it will be apparent that the slats constituting the roof sections are flexibly connected and also incident to the inclined surfaces 12 on the rails 10 over which the roof sections are arranged, the said roof sections will gravitate into the pockets 5.

The slats have their inner faces, opposite their lips 17, formed with lugs 24, and these lugs are designed for contacting engagement with the shoulders 15 on the rails 10 when the door sections are moved over said rollers.

The outer or end slat of each of the door sections has secured to the outer and straight portion of the lip 17 thereon a board 25. The securing means between the boards and slats are preferably in the nature of nuts 26 which are engaged by bolts 27 and the confronting edges'of the boards are formed with ton ues and grooves which are designed for co-engagement when the boards are brought against each other when the roof is in'raised position. The boards '25 provide the race boards at the peak of an ordinary closed car and the width thereof is sufficient to allow the brakeinan or a car attendant traveling safely thereover. Also the straight portion of the top, to the opposite sides of the race board, serves as a guard for preventing any accident to the brakeman. This may therefore be considered an important feature of the invention.

Intermediate of the rails provided on the housings 6 there are removably fixed on the top of the partitions 2, other and similar tracks 28. These track's carry anti-frictional rollers 29 that are provided with depressions affording shoulders 30 for lugs 31 similar to the lugs 24 and formed upon the inner faces of the slats that constitute the body of the roof.

The outer slats of the respective roof sections are secured thereon by eyes 32, and to these eyes there are secured chains 33 and 34, respectively. The chains are oppositely directed and are guided over suitable grooved pulleys at the top of the housings (3, and are likewise guided over other pulleys 36 at the lower sides of the housings. The chains 33 and 34 are fixedly secured on shafts 37 and 38, respectively which are arranged longitudinally along the sides of the car and are journaled in suitable bearings 39. The shafts also find hearings in one end of the car and project through bearings in the second end of the car. On the last mentioned ends of the shafts 37 and 38 there are fixed ratchet wheels 40, and outward of the said wheels hand wheels 41. The ratchets 40 are engaged by dogs 42 which are pivotally supported on the end of the car. By this arrangement it will be noted that theroof sections may be easily moved out of the pockets to operative or car covering position. By swinging the dogs 42 out of engagement with the toothed or ratchet wheels 40, the weight of the door sections will, as previously inferred, permit of the said sections gravitating into the pockets lVhen received in the pockets the slats constituting the door sections will fold one over the other, 'as illustrated on the left hand side of Figure 3 of the drawings. Of course, suitable means may be employed for locking the dogs in engagement with the ratchet wheels, and additional means may be provided for sealing the top when in car covering position. I

It may be found necessary to lock the doors when in collapsed positions in the pockets, and therefore I attach to the inner slat of each of the door sections a-fl'exible element, such as a chain 43 and pass the same through the flange or bottom 3 of each of the pockets 5. These chains are also let through suitable openings in'the ends of the car and have one of their'links attached to a suitable support, such as a hook or the like. For this same purpose I may attach, adjacent to the top of each of the partitions 2, hinged plates 44, which are swingable against the sides of the partitions or over the pockets or compartments 5. The plates 44 have their outer ends formed with knuckles that receive therebetween an eye or knuckle 45 on plates 46 that are fixed to the outer faces of the sides of the car and designed to pass through the openings in fill two parts.

the aligning knuckles there is a pin 47 secured by flexible means 4.8 to the said sides oi? the car. i

In Figure 8 of the drawings, the construction is substantially similar to that previously described, except that the car 49 is provided with a cent "al or intermediate housing 50. This housing has. its opposite ends open and has arranged in the said ends rails similar to those previously described. The car 4:9 is, in this instance, ot a mate- 'isliy greater length than that previously described and is therefore arranged for travel on the rails in the end housings 51 and in the intermediate housing 50 two pair of root sections 5:2 and 53, respectively. The root sections are constructed and operated in the same manner as previously set forth.

In the remainingfigures of the drawings, the housings at the ends of the car 54: are similar to those previously described, but the intermediate guiding supporting rails for. the sectional top are each made up of These rails 55 and 56 are sup ported on depending webs or plates 57, which is true with respect to the intermedi. ate rails previously described. The webs 57 and 58 have their ends contacting when the rails are in alignment, and the web 57 carries a pivoted latch 59 to be received in keepers 60 on the web or body 58 for holding the rails 55 and 56 in alignment. Each web 57 and 58 is pivotally secured, as at (ll, to the top of a bracket or traveler 62, The body portion of each traveler 62 is grooved, as at 63, and the said body portion of each traveler is received in a central channel G l on the outer face oi the plate members 65 which are suitably secured to but spaced from the partitions that provide the outer walls of the pockets. The side walls provided by the channel 6d form tongues 66 that are received in the grooves (33. The outer faces of the plates 65, to the opposite sides of the channel G l therein, are termed with rack teeth 67 and these teeth are engaged by toothed wheels 68 which are fixed on shafts 69. The shafts extend longitudinaly through the ends of the car and are supported in suitable bearings. On one end of each shaft there is an operating handle 70, and inward of the handle there is a ratchet wheel 71 which is engaged by adog 72 that is pivoted to the said end o1 the car. By this arrangement it will be noted that when the latch 59 is swung out of the keepers 60, after the top sections have been lowered into their respective pockets, the tracks 55 and 56 may be swung laterally with respect to the brackets or followers 62, and by operating the shaft the 'iollower member will be lowered into the car. The tracks will thus travel. against the outer faces of the plates 55. In this instance, it should be stated that the car 54 is of the ordinary flat bottom type and is employed for hauling lumber or like material. By providing the vertically movable tracks the necessity of entirely removing the tracks from the car will be obviated. This track construction, may, of course, be employed in connection with the devices previously described. The means ll for holding the doors in their pockets are especially desirable when my improved top is attached to cars which are tilted in the dumping thereof and it is believed that the foregoing description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings will :tully set forth the construction, operation and advantages of my improvement to those skilled in the art to which such inventions relate. Maniiestly the invention is not to be restricted to the precise structural details herein set forth and may vary therefrom in size, proportion and other details which fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

As disclosed in Figure 12 01' the'drawings, the end housings 51 may be provided, adjacent to their outer corners, with elongated openings 66, whereby an injured slat constituting one of the root sections may be removed and a new slat inserted through the said openings in place of the damaged slat. By this arrangement the root can be conveniently repaired and kept in proper condition. Also by reference to Figure 10 of the drawings, it will be noted that the inner members of the root housings on the sides of the car are closed, at their bottom pnrtions, by hinged doors 75. By opening these doors any accumulations in the housings may be removed therefrom.

Having described the invention, 1 claim 1-- l. The combination of an open top car having a pocket arranged along and extending the length of a side oi the car and a top member normally housed in the pocket and movable over the car to provide a cover for said car, and said top member being constructed of metal slats having oppositely disposed beaded edges designed tor interengagement, and adjustable means :ior holding the beaded edges of the slats in interengagement. 8

2. A car root made up of metal slats hav ing their edges rounded to provide oppositely directed beads and the beads of the slats designed for interengagement, the inner beads oi the slats being slotted, bolt members fitted to the outer beads of the slats, extending through the said slots, lugs on the slats through which the bolts pass and nuts screwed on said bolts and contacting with the lugs.

3. The combination, an open top car having pockets arranged along and extending the length of the sides of the car, substantially arched housings on the ends of the car,

a substantially arched rail carried by each ot the housings and projecting inwardly vith respect thereto, anti-frictional ele} ments on said rails, flexibly connected top members designed to gravitate into the pockets and the sections thereof to fold against each other when in the pockets and means operable to draw the top sections out of the pockets onto the rails to cover the car and locking means for said operating means.

i. The combination, an open'top car having pockets arranged along and extending the length of the sides of the car, a housing having an inner open face on the ends of the car, each of said housings including a straight top and downwardly inclined sides, inwardly arranged rails on the housings shaped compiemental to the outer perimeter of the housings, each of said rails having a shouldered portion, anti-frictional rollers on each rail, top members normally disposed in each of the tracks, each of said top members comprising hingedly associated metal slats having inwardly directed lugs thereon and boards fixed to the outer slats, said boards having their outer edges formed with tongues and grooves, means operable to raise the door sections out of the pockets onto the rails for covering the car, the lugs on said slats designed to contact with the shoulders of the rails for holding the door sections from longitudinal movement and the tongues and grooves of the boards designed for interengagement when the top members are in car covering position.

The combination, an open top car having pockets at and extending the length of the sides thereof, housings having inner open faces arranged on the ends of the car and each of said housings having a straight top portion and angle sides, a rail in each housing shaped complemental to the outer perimeter of said housing, othensimilarly formed removable rails disposed throughout the length of the car, top members comr in h s d y. o nected at erm lly housed in the respective tracks, a race board on the outer slat of each door member, fleximeans connected to said outer slats, gutdemeans therefor, shafts on which the en s of the flexible elements are secured, said shafts being operable to wind the fiexible elements thereon to draw the top members out of the pockets to arrange the same over the top ofthe car to cover said car, means for locking the shafts from turning, and flexible elements associated with the inner slots of the top sections designed to be attached to a support for holding the said top sections in taut condition.

6. The combination, an open top car having pockets along and extending the length of'tlie sides thereof, inwardly flanged housings on the ends of the car, each including a straight top and downwardly inclined sides, arail on the inner face of each housing, shaped complemental to the outer perimeter thereof, other similarly constructed rails disposed transversely of the car at spaced intervals throughout the length thereof, said last nention'edrails being constructed in cooperating sections, means for holding the sections in alignment, means pivotally supporting the sections, to perin'it of said sections being swung laterally when the holding means therefor is released, means for vertically adjusting the rail sections when in last mentioned position, top members each comprising hingedly connected metal slats normally collapsed and housed in the pocket, a race board on the outer slat of each top member, means for drawing the top members out of the pockets over the tracks and to bring the race boards into contacting engagement, interengaging means betweenthe race boards when so engaged and means holding the top members when arranged in the pockets and'when in car covering position.

' In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

Tl-IOMAS ANDREW WILLIAMS.

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