Auto-rack railroad car bridge plate and bridge plate locking assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10442446-B2
Application number	US-201715462119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2017
Priority date	May 20, 2016
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an auto-rack bridge plate locking assembly including a support bracket, a support block, a guide tube, a slidable locking pin partially positioned in the guide tube, a handle removably attachable to the locking pin by a removable roll pin, a fixed pivot pin partially positioned in the guide tube, and a spring positioned in the guide tube between the pivot pin and the locking pin. The present disclosure also provides an auto-rack railroad car bridge plate including a plate configured to extend from one auto-rack railroad car to an adjacent auto-rack railroad car, and such locking assembly connected to the plate and configured to pivotally attach the plate to one of the auto-rack rail road cars.

First claim

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. An auto-rack railroad car bridge plate locking assembly comprising:
(a) a support bracket defining a pin removal opening;
(b) a guide tube connected to the support bracket, the guide tube defining a first roll pin opening and a second roll pin opening;
(c) a slidable locking pin partially positioned in the guide tube, the slidable locking pin defining aligned openings and a handle receiving opening;
(d) a handle removably attached to the locking pin by a removable roll pin, the handle defining a roll pin opening;
(e) a pivot pin partially positioned in and connected to the guide tube; and
(f) a spring positioned in the guide tube between the pivot pin and the locking pin, said spring configured to apply a biasing force against the locking pin to push the locking pin in an outward direction from the guide tube.

2. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate locking assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
(i) the support bracket includes a first section, a second section, a third section, a fourth section, and a fifth section, the second section defining the pin removal opening that enables the roll pin to be removed from the locking pin and the handle;
(ii) the guide tube defines a central cylindrical lumen, cylindrical openings at opposite ends, the first roll pin opening being cylindrical, the second roll pin opening being cylindrical, and an elongated handle opening;
(iii) the slidable locking pin defines the aligned roll pin openings being cylindrical and the handle receiving opening being cylindrical;
(iv) the handle includes an attachment section and a gripping section, the attachment section defining the roll pin opening being cylindrical; and
(v) the pivot pin includes a body having a first cylindrical section, an intermediate cylindrical section, and a second cylindrical section.

3. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate locking assembly of claim 2 , wherein the guide tube is cylindrical, the slidable locking pin is cylindrical, the pivot pin is cylindrical, and the spring is cylindrical.

4. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate locking assembly of claim 2 , which includes a support block positioned between the support bracket and the guide tube.

5. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate locking assembly of claim 4 , wherein said support block is connected to the support bracket and to the guide tube.

6. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate locking assembly of claim 5 , wherein the support block is welded to the support bracket and to the guide tube.

7. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate locking assembly of claim 4 , wherein the support block is positioned between the third section of the support bracket and the guide tube.

8. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate locking assembly of claim 1 , which includes a support block positioned between the support bracket and the guide tube.

9. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate locking assembly of claim 8 , wherein the support block is connected to the support bracket and to the guide tube.

10. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate locking assembly of claim 9 , wherein the support block is welded to the support bracket and to the guide tube.

11. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate locking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support bracket includes a first section, a second section, a third section, a fourth section, and a fifth section, the second section defining the pin removal opening that enables the roll pin to be removed from the locking pin and the handle.

12. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate locking assembly of claim 1 , wherein: (a) the guide tube defines a central cylindrical lumen, cylindrical openings at opposite ends, the first roll pin opening being cylindrical, the second roll pin opening being cylindrical, and an elongated handle opening; and (b) the slidable locking pin defines the aligned roll pin openings being cylindrical and the handle receiving opening being cylindrical.

13. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate locking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the handle includes an attachment section and a gripping section, and wherein the attachment section defines the roll pin opening being cylindrical.

14. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate locking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pivot pin includes a body having a first cylindrical section, an intermediate cylindrical section, and a second cylindrical section.

15. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate locking assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support bracket, the guide tube, the locking pin, the handle, the roll pin, the pivot pin, and the spring are all made of steel.

16. An auto-rack railroad car bridge plate comprising:
a plate configured to extend from one auto-rack railroad car to an adjacent auto-rack railroad car; and
a locking assembly connected to the plate and configured to pivotally attach the plate to one of the auto-rack rail road cars, said locking assembly including:
(a) a support bracket defining a pin removal opening;
(b) a guide tube connected to the support bracket, the guide tube defining a first roll pin opening and a second roll pin opening;
(c) a slidable locking pin partially positioned in the guide tube, the slidable locking pin defining aligned openings and a handle receiving opening;
(d) a handle removably attached to the locking pin by a removable roll pin, the handle defining a roll pin opening;
(e) a pivot pin partially positioned in and connected to the guide tube; and
(f) a spring positioned in the guide tube between the pivot pin and the locking pin, said spring configured to apply a biasing force against the locking pin to push the locking pin in an outward direction from the guide tube.

17. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate of claim 16 , wherein:
(i) the support bracket includes a first section, a second section, a third section, a fourth section, and a fifth section, the second section defining the pin removal opening that enables the roll pin to be removed from the locking pin and the handle;
(ii) the guide tube defines a central cylindrical lumen, cylindrical openings at opposite ends, the first roll pin opening being cylindrical, the second roll pin opening being cylindrical, and an elongated handle opening;
(iii) the slidable locking pin defining the aligned roll pin openings being cylindrical and the handle receiving opening being cylindrical;
(iv) the handle includes an attachment section and a gripping section, the attachment section defining the roll pin opening being cylindrical; and
(v) the pivot pin includes a body having a first cylindrical section, an intermediate cylindrical section, and a second cylindrical section.

18. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate of claim 17 , wherein the guide tube is cylindrical, the slidable locking pin is cylindrical, the pivot pin is cylindrical, and the spring is cylindrical.

19. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate of claim 17 , which includes a support block positioned between the support bracket and the guide tube.

20. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate of claim 19 , wherein said support block is connected to the support bracket and to the guide tube.

21. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate of claim 20 , wherein the support block is welded to the support bracket and to the guide tube.

22. The auto-rack railroad car bridge plate of claim 19 , wherein the support block is positioned between the third section of the support bracket and the guide tube.

Assignees

• Standard Car Truck Co
• Standart Car Truck Company

Inventors

• Anderson John D
• Peach Walter J
• Vechiola Edward L

Classifications

• B61D3/187 Primary

  Details, e.g. bridges for floor connections · CPC title