Railroad freight car access fittings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12054182-B2
Application number	US-202016878076-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2020
Priority date	May 11, 2017
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

A railroad freight car may have external fittings, such as trackside-accessible ladder fittings that permit personnel to climb onto the decks and walkways of the car. Several embodiments of movable ladder assemblies are described that provide an extended or deployed or raised position of a handhold, and a retracted or lowered, or stored position. In other embodiments, the assembly is provided with a compliant member that allows the handhold resiliently to flex when encountered by solid objects such as shipping containers.

First claim

We claim:

1. A trackside access assembly for a railroad freight car, said access assembly comprising:
a fixed portion mounted to body structure of said railroad freight car;
a movable portion mounted to said fixed portion;
said movable portion including left hand and right hand handholds;
said movable portion being resiliently displaceable relative to said fixed portion; and
said left hand handhold is mounted to a first spring and said right hand handhold is mounted to a second spring.

2. The trackside access assembly of claim 1 wherein said movable portion includes at least one spring, said spring being connected to one of (a) said fixed portion; and (b) said body portion.

3. The trackside access assembly of claim 2 wherein said spring has slope continuity of connection with both said fixed portion and said movable portion.

4. The trackside access assembly of claim 2 wherein said spring defines a mechanical fuse between said fixed portion and said movable portion.

5. The trackside access assembly of claim 2 wherein said spring is a coil spring; one end of said coil spring defines a socket for an upper part of said fixed portion; and an opposite end of said spring defines a socket for a lower part of said movable portion, said coil spring defining a flexible coupling between said fixed portion and said movable portion.

6. The trackside access assembly of claim 2 wherein said spring has a first end mounted inside said fixed portion and a second end mounted inside said movable portion.

7. The trackside access assembly of claim 2 wherein said spring has a first portion that is cylindrical, and a second portion that is tapered, said fixed portion and said movable portion has a ball and socket engagement within said spring.

8. A trackside access assembly for a railroad freight car, said access assembly comprising:
a fixed portion mounted to body structure of said railroad freight car;
a movable portion mounted to said fixed portion;
said movable portion being resiliently displaceable relative to said fixed portion;
said movable portion includes left hand and right hand handholds; and
said left hand handhold is mounted to a first spring and said right hand handhold is mounted to a second spring, said first and second springs being mounted to said fixed portion.

9. The trackside access assembly of claim 8 wherein said first spring has slope continuity of connection with both said fixed portion and said movable portion.

10. The trackside access assembly of claim 8 wherein said first spring defines a mechanical fuse between said fixed portion and said movable portion.

11. A trackside access assembly for a railroad freight car, said access assembly comprising:
a fixed portion mounted to body structure of said railroad freight car;
a movable portion mounted to said fixed portion;
said movable portion being resiliently displaceable relative to said fixed portion;
said movable portion includes at least one spring, said spring being connected to one of (a) said fixed portion; and (b) said body portion; and
said spring has a first end rigidly welded to said fixed portion and a second end rigidly welded to said movable portion.

12. The trackside access assembly of claim 11 wherein said spring has slope continuity of connection with both said fixed portion and said movable portion.

13. The trackside access assembly of claim 11 wherein said spring defines a mechanical fuse between said fixed portion and said movable portion.

14. The trackside access assembly of claim 11 wherein said spring is a coil spring; one end of said coil spring defines a socket for an upper part of said fixed portion; and an opposite end of said spring defines a socket for a lower part of said movable portion, said coil spring defining a flexible coupling between said fixed portion and said movable portion.

15. The trackside access assembly of claim 11 wherein said spring has a first end mounted inside said fixed portion and a second end mounted inside said movable portion.

16. The trackside access assembly of claim 11 wherein said spring has a first portion that is cylindrical, and a second portion that is tapered; and said fixed portion and said movable portion have a ball and socket engagement within said spring.

17. A trackside access assembly for a railroad freight car, said access assembly comprising:
a fixed portion mounted to body structure of said railroad freight car;
a movable portion mounted to said fixed portion; and
said movable portion being resiliently displaceable relative to said fixed portion; said movable portion includes at least one spring, said spring being connected to one of (a) said fixed portion; and (b) said body portion;
said spring is a coil spring;
one end of said coil spring defines a socket for an upper part of said fixed portion; and
an opposite end of said spring defines a socket for a lower part of said movable portion, said coil spring defining a flexible coupling between said fixed portion and said movable portion.

18. The trackside access assembly of claim 17 wherein said spring has slope continuity of connection with both said fixed portion and said movable portion.

19. The trackside access assembly of claim 17 wherein said spring defines a mechanical fuse between said fixed portion and said movable portion.

20. A trackside access assembly for a railroad freight car, said access assembly comprising:
a fixed portion mounted to body structure of said railroad freight car;
a movable portion mounted to said fixed portion; and
said movable portion being resiliently displaceable relative to said fixed portion;
said movable portion includes at least one spring, said spring being connected to one of (a) said fixed portion; and (b) said body portion;
said spring has a first portion that is cylindrical, and a second portion that is tapered, said fixed portion and said movable portion had a ball and socket engagement within said spring.

21. The trackside access assembly of claim 20 wherein said spring has slope continuity of connection with both said fixed portion and said movable portion.

22. The trackside access assembly of claim 20 wherein said spring defines a mechanical fuse between said fixed portion and said movable portion.

Assignees

• Nat Steel Car Ltd

Inventors

• Nasrabad Maryam Mansouri
• Al-Kaabi Mohamed
• Vanderby Max
• Black Kenneth Wayne
• Bis Tomasz

Classifications

• E06C7/182

  situated at the top of the ladder · CPC title

• E06C7/04

  Hand-operated extending means carried by the ladder · CPC title

• E06C5/22

  by, or with the assistance of, springs (E06C5/06, E06C5/16 take precedence) · CPC title

• B61D3/20

  for forwarding containers · CPC title

• E06C5/02

  with rigid longitudinal members · CPC title