Autorack cars

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11878724-B2
Application number	US-202117387162-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2021
Priority date	Jul 29, 2020
Publication date	Jan 23, 2024
Grant date	Jan 23, 2024

Abstract

Autorack cars, may include a car body and a pair of wheeled trucks supporting the car body. The autorack cars may additionally include a stationary deck segment fixedly attached to the car body and at least one pivoting deck segment that is adjacent to the stationary deck segment and that is pivotably connected to the stationary deck segment such that the at least one pivoting deck segment is pivotable between a lowered position and a raised position relative to the stationary deck segment. The at least one pivoting deck segment may be adapted to support at least one vehicle in the lowered and raised positions. The autorack cars may further include at least one pivot assembly for moving the at least one pivoting deck segment between the lowered and raised positions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An autorack railcar, comprising:
(a) a car body having a pair of opposed sides and a pair of opposed ends;
(b) a pair of wheeled trucks supporting the car body, each of the trucks being located adjacent a respective one of the pair of opposed ends;
(c) a stationary deck segment fixedly attached to the car body;
(d) at least one pivoting deck segment that is adjacent to the stationary deck segment and that is pivotably connected to the stationary deck segment such that the at least one pivoting deck segment is pivotable between a lowered position and a raised position relative to the stationary deck segment, wherein the at least one pivoting deck segment is adapted to support at least one vehicle in the lowered and raised positions; and
(e) at least one pivot assembly for moving the at least one pivoting deck segment between the lowered and raised positions, wherein the at least one pivot assembly includes:
(i) a base fixedly attached to the car body,
(ii) a pivot arm having opposed first and second end portions, the first end portion being pivotably connected to the at least one pivoting deck segment, and
(iii) a handle having opposed third and fourth end portions, the third end portion being pivotably connected to the base and to the second end portion of the pivot arm, and the fourth end portion being sized to be grasped by a hand,
wherein the pivot arm is sized such that a longitudinal axis of the pivot arm is substantially vertical when the at least one pivoting deck segment is in the raised position, and
wherein the third end portion includes a first aperture that receives a first coupler to pivotably connect the third end portion to the base, and a second aperture that receives a second coupler to pivotably connect the third end portion to the second end portion of the pivot arm, the first and second apertures being positioned on the third end portion such that the first and second apertures are along a substantially vertical axis when the at least one pivoting deck segment is in the raised position.

2. The railcar of claim 1 , further comprising a support member fixedly attached to the car body, wherein the at least one pivoting deck segment includes a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the proximal end portion being pivotably connected to the stationary deck segment and the distal end portion being in contact with and supported by the support member when the at least one pivoting deck segment is in the lowered position.

3. The railcar of claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism that secures the at least one pivoting deck segment in the raised position.

4. The railcar of claim 3 , wherein the locking mechanism secures the at least one pivoting deck segment in the lowered position.

5. An autorack railcar, comprising:
(a) a car body having a pair of opposed sides and a pair of opposed ends;
(b) a pair of wheeled trucks supporting the car body, each of the trucks being located adjacent a respective one of the pair of opposed ends;
(c) a stationary deck segment fixedly attached to the car body;
(d) at least one pivoting deck segment that is adjacent to the stationary deck segment and that is pivotably connected to the stationary deck segment such that the at least one pivoting deck segment is pivotable between a lowered position and a raised position relative to the stationary deck segment, wherein the at least one pivoting deck segment is adapted to support at least one vehicle in the lowered and raised positions;
(e) at least one pivot assembly for moving the at least one pivoting deck segment between the lowered and raised positions, wherein the at least one pivot assembly includes:
(i) a base fixedly attached to the car body,
(ii) a pivot arm having opposed first and second end portions, the first end portion being pivotably connected to the at least one pivoting deck segment, and

(iii) a handle having opposed third and fourth end portions, the third end portion being pivotably connected to the base and to the second end portion of the pivot arm, and the fourth end portion being sized to be grasped by a hand; and
(f) a locking mechanism that includes:
(1) a locking plate fixedly attached to the third end portion of the handle, the locking plate including a first aperture, and
(2) a locking arm having fifth and sixth end portions, the fifth end portion being fixedly attached to the car body, and the sixth end portion having a pin sized to be received in the first aperture, wherein the first aperture receives the pin when the at least one pivoting deck segment is in the raised position such that the at least one pivoting deck segment is secured in the raised position.

6. The railcar of claim 5 , wherein the locking plate further includes a second aperture spaced from the first aperture, wherein the pin is sized to be received in the second aperture, and wherein the second aperture receives the pin when the at least one pivoting deck segment is in the lowered position such that the at least one pivoting deck segment is secured in the lowered position.

7. The railcar of claim 6 , wherein the sixth end portion of the locking arm is movable between a locking position in which the pin is received in the first or second aperture when the at least one pivoting deck segment is in the raised or lowered position, respectively, and an unlocking position in which the pin is spaced from the first or second aperture relative to the locking position when the at least one pivoting deck segment is in the raised or lowered position, respectively.

8. The railcar of claim 7 , wherein the sixth end portion is urged toward the locking position when moved to the unlocking position.

9. The railcar of claim 8 , wherein the locking arm is cantilevered such that the sixth end portion is urged toward the locking position when the sixth end portion is moved to the unlocking position.

10. The railcar of claim 6 , wherein the sixth end portion of the locking arm includes a hole spaced from the pin, and wherein the locking plate further includes a third aperture positioned such that the third aperture and the hole are co-axial when the at least one pivoting deck segment is in the raised position.

11. The railcar of claim 10 , wherein the locking plate further includes a fourth aperture positioned such that the fourth aperture and the hole are co-axial when the at least one pivoting deck segment is in the lowered positioned.

12. The railcar of claim 11 , wherein the locking mechanism further includes a locking rod sized to be inserted through the third aperture and the hole when the at least one pivoting deck segment is in the raised position and through the fourth aperture and the hole when the at least one pivoting deck segment is in the lowered position.

13. The railcar of claim 6 , wherein the second end portion of pivot arm includes a hole, and wherein the locking plate further includes a third aperture positioned such that the third aperture and the hole are co-axial when the at least one pivoting deck segment is in the raised position.

14. The railcar of claim 13 , wherein the locking plate further includes a fourth aperture positioned such that the fourth aperture and the hole are co-axial when the at least one pivoting deck segment is in the lowered positioned.

15. The railcar of claim 14 , wherein the locking mechanism further includes a locking rod sized to be inserted through the third aperture and the hole when the at least one pivoting deck segment is in the raised position and through the fourth aperture and the hole when the at least one pivoting deck segment is in the l

Assignees

• Gunderson Llc

Inventors

• Zaerr Jon B
• Buchanan Brant Alec

Classifications

• B61D3/187 Primary

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

• B61D3/02 Primary

  with multiple deck arrangements (for carrying vehicles B61D3/18) · CPC title

• B61D3/04

  with movable floors, e.g. rotatable or floors which can be raised or lowered · CPC title