US2047133A - Refrigerator car - Google Patents

Description

July 7, 1935- A. cHRls'nANsoN ET Al. 2,047,133

REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed Dec. lO, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet l l ooonuoololvmaoooloa uooumnlouooono A. CHRISTIANSON ET AL REFRIGERATOR CAR July 7, 1936.

Filed Dec. lO, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 7, 1936- A. cHRlsTlANsoN ET A1. 2,047,133

REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed Dec. l0, 1932. 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 @www A( gNC- VENT, ORS 4 @M Sbmsfmxm jid/i, ATTORNEYS July 7, 1936 A. cHRls'rlANsoN ET A1.'

REFRIGERATOR CAR 6 Sheets-Shc-zerI 4 ZZZZZZZ Filed DeC. 10, 1932 INVENTORS Patented July 7, 1936 PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATQ u.CAR

Andrew Christiansen and -llarry T. Anderson, Butler, Pa., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Pullman- Standard Car Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Delaware Application December 10, 1932, Serial No. 646.693

14 Claims. This invention relates to railroad cars and more particularly to refrigerator cars, such as are employed in the transportation of different grades of perishable commodities.

An object of this invention is the provision of a car that, may, as nearly as possible, be kept in a sanitary condition which is necessary in the transportation of perishable commodities.

Where sh, oysters in bulk, and other perishable commodities, that have a tendency to im-4 pregnate the atmosphere about them with characteristic odors, are transported in refrigerator cars, it is necessary to thoroughly cleanse the interior of the cars after delivery at destination, in order to thoroughly deodorize the cars before loading them with other absorbing perishable commodities, butter and milk for example.

It is the customary practice to employ live steam for deodorizing and cleansing cars of the type referred to above, but, in many cases, it is found that seepageenters the joints in the floors,

between the walls and the floors, in the walls and ceilings which are, for all practical purposes, impossible to deodorize and thoroughly cleanse. Therefore, the seepage remains and accumulates from time to time so that cars become unsanitary and saturated with undesirable odors which are easily taken up or absorbed by numerous kinds of perishable foods as is well known to those skilled in this art.

An object of this invention is therefore to provide an interior lining for refrigerator cars that shall be free of seepage collecting joints, so that when the interior of a car so lined, is cleansed with live steam or other equivalent agencies, all foreign substances and odors may be completely and thoroughly removed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a refrigerator car having an all metal interior lining in which all joints in the floors, walls and ceilings shall be hermeticaliy sealed.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of improved sanitary ice receptacles or bunkers for refrigerator cars.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved method of constructing refrigerator cars and applying the insulation therefor, whereby efficient, serviceable, rugged cars may be obtained which may be kept in a sanitary condition with a minimum of expense.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be apparent and will, in part, be obvious from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which; g

Figure 1 is an end view of a refrigerator car (Cl. 10S-409) arranged and constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Flg. 2 is a partial view in section taken on line II-II of Fig. 1, showing the lcorner construction of the refrigerator car;

Fig; 3 is a view in vertical section showing the wall construction of the car above the side door thereof;

Fig. 3a is a fragmentary view in transverse section of the door sill and adjacent portions of 10 the floor;

Fig. 3b is a fragmentary view in horizontal section showing the construction employed in the sides of the doorway of the car;

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section showing the 15 construction of the side wall of the car;

Fig. 5 is a view in section taken along line V-V of Fig. 3, showing the top door framing and the adjacent car wall construction;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical 20 central sectional view of the car roof;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in horizontal seci tion of the side car walls taken on plane VII-VII of Fig. 4; l

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken 25 on line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7, showing the method of attaching the plates forming the car interior lining and the car lining horizontal stiffening members and insulation holding means;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view in transverse sec- 30 tion of the car showing the construction of the underframe, side walls and floor;

Fig. 10 is a view of the door, in section, taken on line X-X of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view in vertical trans- 35 verse section of a car wall, roof and hatch associated with one of the ice compartments of the car;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly in sectiomof a corner of the car (the roof being 40 removed) showing the construction and arrangement of parts;

Fig. 13 is a partial View in section of an ice bunker, one side wall and a part of the car end wall being shown in section;

Fig. 14 is a partial view in section of the car end wall and ice bunker showing details of construction ofthe ice rack;

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic view, in horizontal section, of the interior car lining taken on line -like reference characters indicate like parts.l

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, a refrigerator car I is shown having side doors 2 (see Fig. 15) and a pair of hatchways 3, in the car roof at each end thereof (only one being shown), through which ice is delivered, in the usual manner, to ice bunkers or compartments 4 (see Fig. 15) disposed at each end of the interior of the car.

Generally stated, the car includes the usual underframing on which the floor and car body are built, the underframing including side and end sills. After the floor has been formed, the car body is constructed which includes side and end walls made up from steel plates fabricated and riveted together and to the side and end sills, thereby forming a complete outside Wall unit, similar to the usual steel box car. The outer wall unit having been assembled, the insulation is applied to the interior of the outside wall unit, there being means provided to secure the insulation in place and to provide means of support for the inside wall unit and for the interior metal car lining.

After the insulation has been applied to the interior of the outer wall unit, the roof and ceils ing, which are preferably fabricated and assembled as a separate unit, areA mounted on the car and secured to side and end plates attached to the top of the outside wall unit. 'I'he car lining is preferably fabricated and assembled from steel plates. All joints between the lining plates, floor plates and ceiling plates are hermeticallly sealed either by welding, soldering, brazing or other methods, welding being preferred. All joints being Welded to provide smooth tight joints, seepage and foreign particles cannot lodge therein.

-The interior of the car being lined with metal plates welded together so that all joints are hermetically sealed, the interior of the car may be easily and conveniently cleansed, either by steam, hot water or other suitable agencies, of undesirable odors and all foreign particles that may remain after a car has been unloaded.

In order to simplify the description of the car embodying the invention, the construction of each of the various units of the car such as the floors, walls, roof and ice compartments will be taken up individually, although not necessarily in the order in which these units would be built in practice, as the most eillcient order of fabrication is largely one of judgment and practice rather than of invention.

To build a car such as illustrated, the car underframe is assembled. The underframe, illustrated more clearly in Fig. 9, comprises side sills 6, that run longitudinally of the car, and center sills 1, the usual cross bracing having been omitted in order to simplify the description and the drawings. A plate 8 mounted on the center sills, carries Z-bars 9 at its opposite longitudinal edges, that serve to support a floor base I0. The floor base, as shown, extends across the tops of the side sills, and is rigidly secured thereto and to the Z-bars by means of rivets or equivalent means.

The floor base may be made up from steel or metal plates corrugated as shown in Fig. 10, the corrugations being preferably of U-shape and running transversely of the car from one side sill to the other. The end sills I2 of the car, as shown in Fig. 1, comprise heavy angle bars mounted on and secured to the side sills 6 and the center plate 8.

The outer wall unit comprises a series of vertically disposed steel plates I 3, or plates of suitable metal, which form the exterior side Walls, and a plurality of horizontal plates I4, Aforming the end walls, riveted at their lower ends to the side sills and end sills, respectively.

As shown in Fig. 7, the opposite longitudinal edges of every other plate are overlapped by the adjacent plates, thus forming lap' joints at the 5 edges of the several plates. In order to rigidify and strengthen the outside walls of the car, vertical stakes IB are disposed over the inside faces of the lap joints and riveted thereto, thus tying the stakes and the plates together. l0

The vertical stakes, as shown, are of substantially channel shape in section, the sides of the channels being flanged as at I8. One flange of each stake is placed on its accompanying lap joint so that a single row of rivets will complete i5 the lap lioint and secure the stake to the outer wall. The opposite flange of each stake is also riveted to its accompanying wall plate so that at each lap joint two rows of rivets I1 and I8 are visible from the exterior of the car as shown in 20 Figs. 1 and 7. v

In order to rigidify and strengthen the end walls of the car, vertical wall stakes 20, similar to stakes I5 in shape, are riveted to the end wall plates I4. 25

Each of the stakes I5 and 20 is provided with a series of nuts 2i welded to the web thereof to provide means for anchoring the structural elements, to be hereinafter described in detail, employed for holding the insulation in place be- 30 tween the interior and exterior walls of the car.

As shown in Fig. 1, the end walls are constructed of two plates I4 disposed one above the other with adjacent edges overlapping and riveted together along the line of rivets 20. The 35 lower edges of plates I4 areriveted to the end sills I2. The top edge of upper plate I4 is cut on a bias or slope from the sides to the center thereof, the bias being equal to the slope or pitch of the roof. 40

In order to form the corners of the outside wall unit, the ends of the plates I4 forming the end walls of the car are flanged, as shown in Fig. 2, to overlap the adjacent edges of the end plates on the side walls of the car. The corners of the 45 car may be rigidified and strengthened by means of vertically disposed corner stakes 22. The corner stakes may be made from Z-bars so placed that one flange thereof is disposed over the corner lap-joint 23 as shown in Fig. 2. The flange of 50 each Z-bar overlying each corner lap-joint and the overlapping edges of the plates I3 and I4 may be secured together by rivets thus completing the corners of the outside walls. 'Ihe other flange of the Z-bar corner stake 22 is provided 55 with a series of nuts 24 welded thereto for accommodating means to be hereinafter described in detail, whereby the insulation and the inside lining plates are secured in operative position.

The car herein illustrated may be provided with two similarly constructed side doors, but in order to simplify the description and drawings the framing of one only of these doors will be illustrated and described in detail. In Fig. 15. the door openings on each side of the interior car lining are indicated.

In framing the side door openings of the car.

a relatively short narrow plate 25 is secured at its opposite ends to the wall plates disposed on each side of the door opening (see Fig. 3) the 70 upper edge thereof being in line with the uppermost ends of the side wall plates. The lower edge of plate 25 has a channel member 26 secured thereto that runs across the top of the door opening. A door jamb 2'I is bolted to the inner 76 Y 8,047,188 upwardly extending nange of the channel memare shaped as shown in Flg'J 1 and follow the ber 26. The door :lamb has a depending portion 26 which is raced with a casing member 26 o! metal, of substantially Lshape in transverse'section,.the casing member being secured to the wood member with nails 36 or other suitable means. The depending portion 26 of the door jamb is offset with respect to the upwardly extending flange of the channel member 26, thus forming a shoulder 3| which is faced with a metal 4casing member 32 of substantially L-shape in section, which may be nailedin place as shown. The adjacent ilanges of casing members 23 and 32 are received in a groove 32 formed in the lamb member 21.

The bottom of the door opening may be framed as shown in Fig. 3a. As illustrated. a threshold member 34 of wood is bolted to the floorbase III and side sill 6, the heads of the bolts being countersunk as shown. The inner edge of the threshold member has an upwardly extending shoulder 35, the face of which is slightly below theV floor level ot the car. The threshold member 34 may be cased in a preformed plate 36, a portion 31 of which forms the outer wall of the car immediately below the door opening. The inner edge of the plate may be ilanged upwardly, as shown at 38, against the shoulder portion 35 of the threshold member 34.

A square stick 39 of wood is mounted on the plate 36 adjacent to the upwardly extending shoulder 35 of the threshold member so as to hold the flanged portion 36 ot plate 36 therebetween. The outer lower corner of the square stick 39 may be cased in an angle member 46 preferably of non-corrosive material such as zinc. As will be described hereinafter, a iloor plate of the car covers the square stick 36 so that all of the wooden members are totally enclosed in metal.

The framing of the door opening at the vertical sides thereof is depicted in Fig. 3b, and comprises a vertical door post 4I (one on each side of the door) of substantially L-shape in section, secured to a wall plate I3 by means of rivets. A door jamb member 42 of wood is secured to the inner flange 43 of the door post by means of bolts, the ends of which are countersunk as at 44. The door jamb member 42 has an offset portion 45 that extends inwardlytowards the center of the door opening to provide a seat for the cardoor 2 when in closed position. The offset portion 45 is enclosed in a casing 46 of substantially L-shape which may be secured thereto with nails 41. The portion of the door jamb'member between the casing member 46 and the door post 4| may be enclosed in a strip 48, of substantially channel shape in section preferably of non-corrosive material, such as zinc, which is nailed thereto as shown. The opposite side of the door is framed in the same manner, therefore the description of one vertical side of the door opening serves for the other also.

When the side and end walls of the car have been erected as described above, roof supporting plates 49 may be secured to the top of the wall plates, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 11. The roof plates may comprise angle members or bars of somewhat L-shape having their depending ilanges riveted to the upper edges of Vthe car sidewall plates, as indicated in the above mentioned gures. The outwardly extending ilanges 50 of the plates may be.` disposed at an angle equal to the pitch of the roof.

vThe roof angle plates 5I at the ends of the car slope o f the upper edges oi' plates I4.

The side and end walls having been assembled to complete the outside wall unit, the insulation may now be applied. The form of insulation 5 shown comprises two thicknesses or layers 52 and 63 of insulating material. The type of insulation employed may consist of suitable insulating material sewed between strips of suitable paper. Such insulation may be supplied by the 10 lmanufacturer in rolls so that strips may be cut therefrom and iltted as required. As stated previously herein, a double thickness of such insulation is placed on the inside surface of the side walls and secured in place by means of vertical 15 wood stakes or cleats 54 which are bolted to the outside wall stakes I5. The bolts in the wood stakes are threaded into the nuts 2I which are welded to the webs of the outside wall stakes I5. The ends of these bolts may be countersunk as 20 indicated at 55 in Fig. 7. When the wood stakes are drawn up tightly it will be observed, that the insulation is tightly compressed between the wood stakes and the outside wall stakes (see Figs. A 7 and 11). The insulation ilares outwardly at 25 each side of the stakes as shown to form the desired thickness of insulation in the space between them. As wiil be observed from Fig. 2, the insulation is carried around the corners and over the corner stakes 22, and is held in place 30 at the corners by means of vertical wood stakes or cleats 56 bolted to the corner stakes as shown. The bolts are threaded into nuts 24 welded to the corner stake anges.

The ends of the strips of insulation disposed 3" along the tops of the side walls may be held in piace by means of horizontally positioned cleats 51 that lie over the tops of the vertical cleats or stakes 54. Cleats 51 may be bolted to the upper ends of the outside wall stakes I5 and the corner stakes 22 in the same way that the vertical cleats 54 and 56 are bolted thereto. In the same manner, the top edges of the insulation strips disposed on the outside end walls may be `clamped in position by cleats similar to cleats 51 which are bolted to the webs of the end wall stakes 22. Since there are no vertical outside wall stakes over the side door-opening U-shaped clips are riveted to the outside wall plate 25. The clips may be provided with nuts into which the cleat holding bolts are threaded.

In Fig. k3, the method of applying the insulation to the plate 25 disposed above the door opening, is shown. The two thicknesses of insulation are mounted in place and held in posi- 55 tion by means of a horizontally extending wood cleat 6I which is bolted to a U-shaped clip 62. Cleat 6I runs along the upper edge of the insulation, slightly below the roof line of the side wall. The lower edge of the insulation, that is, the 60 ends of the strips of insulation disposed immediately above the upper door jamb 21 is held in place by a member 63 preferably of wood which is nailed to the door jamb as shown.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the iloor comprises 65 a `plurality of thicknesses or layers 65 of insulating material, preferably cork, disposed between stringers 66 and 66' of wood, that run longitudinallyof the car floor. The stringers 66 running along the side walls of the car are provided 70 with vertical plates 61 which are bolted thereto as shown. The stringers 66 and the plates 61 attached thereto, are utilized also for holding the lower ends of the strips of insulation in place. Plates 61 also form a base to which the interior 75 lining plates may be welded. The wood stringers may be bolted to the oor base, as shown, the ends of the bolts being countersunk as at I3. The strlngers 66. as shown, are disposed between the z-bars 9 and the outer stringers 30 and are bolted to the iloor base as indicated.

Stringers 88' each have an angle bar l0 secured thereto, by means of bolts 10, with one flange of each bar lying over the top face of each stringer to provide a welding base for the car floor plates. The insulation and the stringers referred to above having been mounted in place, the iloor plates of the car may be assembled.

The floor of the car comprises a plurality of longitudinal plates 1|', 12, and 13, and a transverse plate P (see Figs. 15 and 16). The outer plates 1| and 13 may be flanged upwardly along the car side walls and welded at predetermined points to plates 81.

The inner edges of iioor plates 1| and 13 are ilanged downwardly as at 15. These ilanges, as shown, rest on the angle bars 89 and form shoulders on which the opposite edges of the center floor plate 12 rest. As shown the iianges 15 are so proportioned that when the center plate occupies the position shown, the top surfaces of iloor plates lie in substantially the same plane and provide a lap joint. The adjacent ends of plates 1I, 12, and 13 are ilanged downwardly also to accommodate the edges of transverse plate P.

The overlapped edges of plates (12, 1|), (12, 13), and (1|, 12, 13, and P) are welded together to form a sealed joint therebetween.

In order that plates P, 1|, 12, and 13 may be anchored to the angle bars 09, holes are drilled through the lap joints thereof so that metal may be welded into the same and thereby fuse the lates to the angle bars as indicated at 10 (see Fig. 9). Thus by welding the overlapped edges of the floor plates together, and to the angle bars 69, a strong rigid smooth oor is obtained.

As shown in Fig. 3a, the transverse floor plate P is ilanged downwardly at the car door so as to enclose the square stick 30 and also to form a seat for a sliding door (not shown). The door may be of the type disclosed in United States Batent No. 1,959,705, dated May 22, 1934.

In Fig. 14, the method of forming the iloor at the ends of the car where the ice bunkers are disposed, is illustrated. The iloor space occupied by each bunker is covered with a plate 11 that runs transversely of the car, the ends and sides thereof being ilanged` upwardly as at 18 and 19.

The ends of floor plates 1|, 12, and 13, as shown in Figs. 1'5 and 16, are flanged upwardly into abutting relation with ilanges 18 at the front wall of the ice bunker compartments and welded thereto to form a sealed joint.

Fig. 14 also shows the end sill I2 and a transverse wood member which is bolted to the side sill and plate 8 mounted on the center sills. 'I'he Z-bars 9 and the iloor base I0 are also shown. Member 80 is of somewhat L-shape in section whereas the stringers 68 running longitudinally of the car are somewhat square. A backing plate 8| is bolted to the wood member 80 and serves as a base on which to weld the ice bunker iloor plate and the end wall lining plates.

The car iloor plates and the wall insulation having been applied as described above, the side and end wall lining plates may be assembled. Figs. 15 and 16 show the general arrangement of the interior wall and ceiling lining of the car. These figures also show the general location of adjacent edges.

the lee bunkers or compartments and the arrangement of the interior lining therefor.

The interior side walls of the ice bunkers, that is, the lining walls, are formed from metal plates 82, 83, and Il, the ends of which may be flanged 5 inwardly as at and curved as at 88 to form the corners of compartments l. 'I'hese plates are disposed on the side walls one above the other with the lower edge of each plate flanged outwardly and overlapping the top edge of an adjacent plate as shown. 'I'he lowermost plates 82 overlap the upwardly extending ilanges 18 of the ice bunker iloor plates.

The lining at the ends of the ice compartments or bunkers may be formed from plates 08, 89, l5 and 80 that run transversely of the car as shown. The ends of plates 88, 88, and 90 are overlapped by the curved ends 86 of the side Wall plates. The adjacent horizontal edges of the end wall lining plates are overlapped and welded together 20 as at 9| so' that the inside surface is, for all practical purposes, smooth and unbroken. The overlapped edges of the wall plates and the floor plates are also welded together to form hermetically sealed joints 82.

The lining covering the sidewalls between the ice bunkers 4 and on each side of doorways 2 is formed from plates 92, 93, and 94 disposed one above the other in overlapping relation at the The plates run longitudinally 30 of the car as shown in Figs. 15 and 16. The ends of these plates may be flanged inwardly as at 95 to abut the inwardly extending flanges 85 of the plates forming the side wall lining of the ice bunkers.' 'Ihese abutting ilanges are welded 35 to form hermetically sealed joints therebetween.

The casing members 46 as shown overlap the ends of the plates terminating at the doorways and are welded thereto to provide sealed joints 99.

The overlapping edges of the lining plates may 40 be welded together also in the manner indicated in Fig. 4.

The lining for the ceiling thereof may be fabricated from a series of metal plates |00 that run transversely of the car, the adjacent edges being 45 overlapped and oiIset as shown at |0| in Fig. 16 and welded together. The ceiling linings for the ice bunker compartments may be similarly fashioned from plates |02. The ends and sides of plates |02 may be flanged downwardly so as to 50 be overlapped by the top edges of the upper side wall lining plates. The side wall plates and the ceiling plates are welded together at their overlapped edges so as to provide sealed joints therebetween. The adjacent edges of the plates |00 55 and |02 meeting at |04, that is. at the front walls of the ice bunker compartments may be flanged downwardly and welded together, thereby providing a continuous flange at the front wall of the ice bunker compartments to which the framework '60 for the front walls of the ice bunker compartments may be anchored.

In order that the inside lining wall plates may be held rigidly and ilrmly in place, the vertical wood stakes or cleats 5I may each be provided 65 with an angle bar |05 having one flange thereof bolted along the vertical side of said stakes, as shown in Fig. 7. One leg of each angle runs parallel to the interior lining plates and forms a base to which the lining plates may be welded. As 70 shown in Fig. 7, the plates are drilled at predetermined points |08 along the ilange |01 of each angle bar, and into these openings welding material is deposited to weld the plates to the angles.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 8 for example, horizon- 75 asbestos, may be glued or otherwise attached t0 the inside face of the lining plates and to the horizontal stiffening members |08.

As is apparent from Fig. 7, the horizontal stiffe'ning members are disposed between the vertical wood stakes or cleats 54 and the vertical side wall stakes I5. Being so positioned the insulation is -forced against the outer wall as shown. The insulation being held in place both in a vertical and horizontal direction, shifting thereof is prevented, so that even after the car has been in service for a considerable period of time the car will be uniformly insulated at all points.

After the interiorl wall lining plates and floor plates have been installed, the roof and ceiling may be fabricated and assembled to be placed on the car as a unit.

To construct the roof, the framework is fabricated and assembled so that the roof plates. insulation and ceiling may be built thereon. The framework comprises side plates ||2 and rafters ||3, the ends of which are riveted to the roof side plates as shown in Fig. 11. The shape of the roof side plates, in section, is similar to a Z-bar section, and includes a ange I4 adapted to seat on the flanges 50 of roof plates 49, carried by the side wall and an inwardly extending downwardly sloping flange I5 to which the rafters I I3 are secured.

The shape of rafters I3 is apparent by inspection of Fig. 6, each rafter being substantially of U-shape in transverse section with the sides thereof flanged outwardly as at I1 and I8. The roof plates |00 and |02 (see Fig. 16) are riveted to the webs of the rafters. As illustrated in Fig. 6, the flanges IIB of the rafters are provided with a series of nuts |20 welded thereto for the reception of bolts |2|, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter.

When the rafters and side plates have been assembled, the exterior roof plates |22 may be assembled and riveted to the rafters. The edges of the roof plates overlap at the center lines of each rafter as shown in Fig. 6, and are held in place by a row of rivets |23 that pass through the overlapping plate edges and the webs of the rafters. At each end of the roof, and on each sidethereof, the openings for hatchways 3 are cut in the end roof plates (see Fig. 11). Hatchway framing is built around these openings to take the covers |24 and the hatchway plugs |25. As shown in Fig. 11, the openings in the roof plates are framed in wood members |26, the inner and outer edges of which are cut on a bias as shown. A second hatchway frame of wood is disposed above the lower frame and comprises wood members |21. Wood frame members |21 are carried by an upwardly and outwardly diverging metal casing |28, being secured thereto with screws |29. The lower end of the casing is attached to thelower frame members with screws |30.

The upper frame is provided-with a plurality of bolts I3 the nuts |32 of which are flush with the upper face ofthe frame as shown. An exterior housing |33 of sheet metal is formed around' the upper and lower frames and riveted to the roof at |34 and welded thereto at |35. The upper end of casing |33 is flanged over the upper faces of upper frame members |21, and welded to the nuts 5 |32 of bolts |3I, so as to hold the frame and the casing rigidly together. The opening in the upper frame leading into the ice compartments or bunkers is framed or housed in a casing |31 which has an outwardly extending peripheral flange |38 l0 welded to the upper end of casing |33.

The opening through the roof proper is formed with a sleeve |39 of metal, the upper edge of which is anged outwardly at |40 and welded to the casing |28. The lower marginal edge of the sleeve is flanged outwardly at |4| to form a base on which the ceiling lining plates may be welded.

By constructing the hatchways as described above, the hatchway framework is totally enclosed in metal having weather proof joints, and, further, the exterior housings therefor are rigidly secured to the roof, thereby providing a rigid hatchway assembly requiring little or no attention, once it has been installed.

In order to tightly seal the hatchway after the ice bunkers have been charged with ice, the stopper |25 is provided. The stopper, as shown, comprises a frame |42 of wood having insulation |43 therein and an exterior peripheral rim |44 of yieldable material. The yieldable material may be disposed in a sleeve |45 of pliable material such as heavy duck or canvas. The bottom of the stopper is covered with a metal plate |46 secured to the wood framework. By inserting the stopper into the hatchway as shown in Fig. 11, the yieldable rim will seat tightly on the walls of the outwardly converging frame |28 and form an eilcient seal to prevent the influx of warm air to the ice bunkers from the atmosphere. The top of the hatchway may be closed with the removable cover |24 thatmay comprise a body portion of wood, covered over its top surface with a metal plate having its sides flanged so asto overlap the top of the hatchway.

When the roof plates |0| and 02 have been 45 mounted in place and the hatchway framework built as described above, the insulation may be applied. The insulation consists of two or more layers of material such as employed for insulating the side and end walls. The insulation is hdldeinf place by means of cleats or stringers '|49 that extend transversely of the rafters H3, as shown in Fig. 11, for example, and which are held in position by bolts |50 threaded into nuts |20 55 welded to the flanges of the rafters n In order to provide a means for holding the ceiling plates |0| and |02 in place, cleats |49 may be provided with angle bars |5| which are bolted thereto. The angle bars run transversely of the rafters and form a base on which the ceiling plates nay be welded. In order to weld the plates to the angle bars, the plates are drilled at predetermined points and welding material placed therein to fill the holes and, at the same time, weld the plates to the angle bars. In order to prevent the insulation from being heated to injurious temperatures in the process of welding the plates to the angle bars, strips |52 of heat insulating material, such as asbestos, may be glued thereto, thereby protecting the insulation from the heat developed during the welding operation.

As shown in Fig. 11, the ends of the ceiling plates are curved downwardly so as to overlap the top edges oi the wall lining plates, the overlapped joints being welded throughout their entire lengths so as to heremetically seal the same. As shown in Fig. 16, the tops of the end wall plates are overlapped by the edges of the ceiling plates as at |54, the overlapped joints being welded throughout their entire length to provide hermetically sealed joints therebetween.

When the roof has been completed, it is assembled as a unit on the car, the roof plates and thetop wall plates being riveted together as at |34 (see Fig. 1l). When the roof is in place as shown, the roof insulation and the wall insulation,` at the juncture between the ceiling plates and the wall plates, are compacted together to thereby fully insulate the car at the roof line.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 12, the ends of roof plates 49 and 5| are riveted to a corner bracket |51. The roof plates |22 are also riveted to plates 49, 5| and bracket |51, thereby tying the end and side walls and the roof rigidly and firmly together at the corners.

After the roof has been mounted in place and all joints between the ceiling plates and the wall plates welded together, the ice bunkers or compartments may be framed and built into the car. The construction of the ice bunkers or compartments is illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14.- As shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the ice bunkers or compartments are provided with a plurality of vertical stakes |58 of substantially U-shape in section having outwardly extending anges |59 which are welded to the lining plates of the compartments. These stakes extend from the floor to the ceiling thereof and carry horizontal bars |60 welded thereto. The bars and the stakes act as spacers for the ice cubes or blocks which are placed in the compartments, and prevent the same from coming into direct contact with the lining walls thereof.

The front walls of the ice compartments each comprise a frame of angle iron members |62, the flanges of which are welded to the ceiling and wall plates and to the flanges formed by the juncture of the ceiling plates and wall plates, as shown in Fig. 15 for example. The front wall framework includes also a plurality of vertically disposed I-beams |63 to which the front wall panels |64 and the doors |65 are secured. The main front wall panels should terminate short of the top and bottom of the ice compartments so as to provide an opening |66 at the bottom and a similar opening at the top (not shown) that extend across the ice compartment from side wall to side wall to provide for circulation of air through the bunkers. 'Ihese openings may be closed with screens |68 mounted on the framework as illustrated in the drawings.

Two doors |65 are provided for each ice compartment, only one being shown. The bottom edge of the door extends horizontally while the upper edge of the door slopes upwardly in accordance with the slope of the roof. By providing doors, as shown, access may be had to the interior of the ice compartments so that they may be thoroughly cleansed and deodorized with live steam, for example, or equivalent agencies.

'I'he top and bottom of the ice compartment front walls being open as shown, free circulation of air may be had. The warm air enters the ice compartment through the upper screen and the cold air flows outwardly therefrom through the bottom screen into the refrigerator load storage compartment.

nel bars adjacent to the end walls of the car are provided with hinges |13 mounted on rods |14 secured to the stakes |58. The front ends of the racks are supported on brackets |15 which are secured to the vertical I-beams |63. When the racks are in the horizontal position shown in Fig. 14, a substantial space is provided between the bottom of the rack and the oor of the ice compartm'ent, thereby permitting free circulation of air therethrough and also providing drip pans P therebelow.

As shown in Fig. 14, the front wall panels of the ice compartments are provided with horizontal spacer bars |11 welded to the I-beams so as to prevent direct contact between the ice and the plates. Also, in order to protect the doors from the ice and at the same time making it possible to open the doors when the ice compartments are full, spacer bars |18 are provided which are removably mounted in clips |19 welded to the I- beams. These bars may be so spaced that the smaller pieces of ice will not pass between them.

Since all joints in the ice compartment are welded and since the ice racks are hinged, as shown, workmen may enter through the doors and thoroughly deodorize and cleanse the same of foreign particles that may accumulate. Since there are no open joints into which seepage may collect, the cleansing operations will not result in further accumulations.

Having shown and described a preferred form of refrigerator car, arranged and constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in this art that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from either lthe spirit or the scope of the invention. It is desired, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed on the invention as are'imposed by the prior art and the appended claims.

What We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A refrigerator car comprising an underframe having side and end walls carried thereby, vertical stakes secured to said walls on the inside surface thereof, insulation covering the interior surface of said walls, means coacting with said stakes to hold the insulation in place, metal plates covering said insulation and forming the interior walls of the car, said plates being welded at their adjacent edges to provide sealed joints therebetween, and means for anchoring said metal plates to the insulation holding means.

2. A refrigerator car comprising an underframe having side and end walls carried thereby, vertical stakes secured to said walls on the inside surface thereof, insulation covering the inside surface of said walls, vertical cleats disposed on the inside face of said insulation in line with said stakes. means securing said vertical cleats to said stakes, a welding base on each of said cleats, and an interior lining wall for said car comprising metal plates having welded overlapping edges, one of said plates being welded to said welding bases.

3. A corner structure for refrigerator cars comprising vertically disposed side wall plates, end

plates disposed one above the other transversely 75 of the car to form an outside end wall, said end plates having their ends flanged forwardly to form a corner, said flanged ends being shaped to overlap the adjacent end of a side wall plate to form a lap joint, a stake disposed on said lap joint on the inside face thereof, means securing said stake and overlapped plates together, said stake having a flange disposed inwardly of said end and side wall plates in spaced relation thereto, insulation covering the interior surface of said wall plates, and a cleat secured to said stake to clamp the insulation therebetween.

4. A refrigerator car comprising an underframe having side and end walls carried thereby, Vertical stakes secured to said walls on the inside surface thereof, insulation covering the inside surface of said walls, means coacting with said stakes to hold the insulation in place, metal plates covering said insulation and forming the inside walls of the car, said plates having their adjacent edges welded to provide sealed joints therebetween, means carried by said metal plates and extending between said stakes for holding the insulation therebetween in place, and means for securing the inside wall plates in fixed position with respect to the lining and the outside car walls.

5. A refrigerator car comprising an underfram'e having side and end walls carried thereby, vertical stakes secured to said walls on the inside surface thereof, insulation covering said stakes and the inside surface of said walls, means coacting with said stakes to hold the insulation in place on said walls, angle bars carried by said coasting means, metal plates covering said insulation and angle bars and forming the interior walls of the car, said plates being welded at their adjacent edges to provide sealed joints therebetween, means anchoring said, plates to the angle bars, and means carried by said metal plates and extending between said stakes for holding the insulation therebetween in place.

6. A refrigerator car comprising an underframe having side and end walls carried thereby, vertical stakes secured to said walls on the inside surface thereof, insulation covering the inside surface of said walls, vertical cleats disposed on the inside face of said insulation and superposed on said stakes, means securing said vertical cleats to said stakes, a welding base on some of said cleats, an inside lining wall for said car comprising metal plates having their adjacent edges overlapped and welded to each other, one of said plates being welded to said welding bases and to each other at the overlapped edges. and horizontal stiiiening members carried by said plates and arranged to extend between said stakes. said stiifening members having flanges disposed to clamp the insulation located between the stakes between said members and said outside wall plates. l

7. A refrigerator car having cular walls and a roof fabricated from metal plates-g an inner hermetically sealed lining offf metal covering the floor, walls and ceiling of the car, insulation between said walls and inner lining. and means mounted on said outer walls for securing said insulation and inner lining in place.

8. A refrigerator car comprising outer walls and a roof fabricated from metal plates, an inner hermetically sealed lining made up from metal plates covering the walls, roof and floor of the car, means for anchoring the lining plates to the walls, roof and floor, insulation between said walls, roof and inner lining, and means securing the insulation to said outer walls and roof.

9. A refrigerator car floor comprising a floor l0 tween the stringers, welding bases on said string- 20 ers, and metal plates covering said insulation and stringers, said plates being welded to each other at their adjacent edges and to said welding bases.

11. A refrigerator car floor comprising a floor base, heat insulating spacers mounted on said 25 base, welding bases on said spacers, insulating material on the floor base between the spacers, metal floor plates covering said insulation and spacers, said iioor plates being welded to said welding bases. y 30 l2. A refrigerator car having underframing including side sills and center sills, outside walls secured to said side sills, insulation attached to said walls on the inside surface thereof, a oor base mounted on said sills, cleats carried by said ,35

base along said walls to hold-the insulation at the bottom of the walls in place, metal plates secured to said cleats, insulating material covering said floor base, and metal floor plates covering said insulation and cleats, the edges of said plates 40 being flanged upwardly into contact with said metal plates and welded thereto.

13. A refrigerator car having an interior lining .composed of metal plates extending longitudinally of the car, said plates being disposed 4.5

one above the other and having their adjoining edges welded together to form sealed joints therebetween, said plates on opposite sides 'of the car at predetermined distances from the ends thereof being flanged outwardly from the roof to the 5 floor, framework securedto said flanges, walls constructed on said framework to provide ice bunkers at each end of the car, and doors in said walls to provide access to the interior of said bunkers. 55

i4. A refrigerator car having exterior walls made up from metal plates, roof supporting plates of angle-shape in section, secured to the tops of said walls. and a roof unit mounted on said supporting plates. said unit comprising nde c plates extending longitudinally of said car. rafters secured to said side plates, insulation carried by said rafters, and ceiling plates supported from said rafters, said side plates'being disposed to seat on the roof supporting plates, and means to secure the side plates to the roof supporting plates. v

ANDREW CHRISTIANSON.

HARRY T. ANDERSQN.

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