WAGON FOR TRANSPORT OF AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES

Abstract: A wagon comprising a pair of end doors (38) movable between a first, closed position wherein the end doors enclose an end of the wagon, and a second open position (Fig. 7) wherein the end doors cooperate with end doors on an adjacent wagon to enclose, at least partially, a space between the wagons. In the second position, the end doors may be partially within the side walls (58) of the wagon. The end doors may also be movable to a third position for loading and unloading vehicles wherein the end doors are entirely outside of the wagon so that they do not reduce clearance for the motor vehicles. The wagon preferably includes a vertically adjustable roof structure (42). End portions of the sidewalls preferably are movable with the adjustable height roof structure, with the end doors being supported on the end portions of the sidewalls. End portions of the lower deck or bridge plates are movable to maintain them in close proximity to the end doors so that, when the end doors are moved to their upper or raised position, the end portion of the deck may also be moved to a raised position to avoid creation of a large gap at the bottom of the end doors. To facilitate transport of automotive vehicles over the buffers (54), the buffers (54) preferably are adjustable in height.

Description: WAGON FOR TRANSPORT OF AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Background of the Invention The invention relates generally to wagons for transportation of automotive vehicles by rail, and more particularly to end door structures and buffer structures- of such wagons . In the past, wagons for transportation of automotive vehicles by rail throughout Europe have generally been open, without solid side walls or roof structures. Some have adjustable upper deck heights so that the wagons can be used with decks in raised positions where exterior clearances permit, e.g., in Germany, thereby providing increased interior clearances for carrying large vehicles, and may be used in lowered positions where required by decreased exterior clearances, e.g., in Belgium. Recently, it has been proposed that such wagons be enclosed with side walls, roof structures, and end doors to exclude dirt, precipitation, other particulate matter as well as unauthorized persons. Provision of such enclosures on wagons of variable height is, of course, problematic. One of the problems with end doors on any wagon for transport of automobiles is that opening and closing end doors complicate and lengthen the process of loading and unloading the vehicles. Also, the doors must be capable of opening sufficiently to provide adequate clearance for vehicles being driven on and off while remaining within limited longitudinal clearances available between the ends of adjacent coupled wagons, and within limited lateral clearances to avoid interfering with wagons on adjacent tracks, or line-side structures . This type of wagon is often used in dedicated trains where several wagons remain coupled together for extended periods of time. There is no need for end doors between adjacent wagons while they remain coupled together. In fact, it is desirable that the ends of the adjacent wagons be open so that vehicles may be loaded with front wheels on one wagon and rear wheels on another. Accordingly, it has been proposed that the wagons be provided with removable end doors, so that end doors may be provided only at the ends of a sequence of wagons, with adjacent wagons having the space between them enclosed by removable flexible enclosure structures to permit automotive vehicles to move freely between the wagons, and to permit transport of automotive vehicles with front wheels on one wagon and rear wheels on another. However, it is desirable that the wagons be capable of being uncoupled and reconfigured in other sequences, and when this occurs, removal and replacement of doors and flexible enclosure structures would require significant time and effort. One aspect of the invention is to provide a wagon for transportation of automotive vehicles which addresses the above considerations with a new type of end closure structure. Another aspect of the invention relates to the buffers. The minimum height for the lower deck of the wagon is governed by wheel diameter and under body clearances. However, on entering and exiting the wagon, automotive vehicles must pass over the buffers. Buffers are generally located at a standard height which may be higher than the lower deck of the wagon. To accommodate this, wagons in the past have included a ramp section that slopes downward from an elevation over the buffers to a lower portion of the deck. In a sequence of wagons, the ramps form a hump over which the automotive vehicles must travel, and the presences of the hump reduces the loading speed for automotive vehicles. Also, the upper deck generally must include a hinged end portion that must be raised to provide clearance for automotive vehicles on the lower deck as they traverse the hump, thus adding to the cost and complexity of loading and unloading the wagon. Summary of the Invention The invention provides an end door structure comprising a pair of end doors movable between a first, closed position wherein the end doors enclose an end of the wagon, and a second open position wherein the end doors cooperate with end doors on an adjacent wagon to enclose, at least partially, a space between the wagons. The end doors preferably are foldable and are extended in the first position and folded in the second position. In the second position, the end doors are partially disposed within the side walls of the wagon. The end doors are movable to a third position for loading and unloading vehicles wherein the end doors are extended in a position entirely outside of the wagon so that they do not reduce clearance for the motor vehicles. Each of the doors preferably comprises a first panel supported on a respective one of the side wall, a second panel supported on the first panel, and a flexible bellows panel supported on the second panel. The bellows panel is connectable to the bellows panel of an end door of an adjacent wagon in the second position. The bellows panel preferably is substantially self-supporting, but is sufficiently flexible in the second position to accommodate pivoting of the wagons relative to one another. The wagon comprises a sloped roof, and the second panel comprises a vertical lower portion and an upper portion sloped at about the same angle as the roof, so that the second panel fits closely adjacent to the sidewall and roof when the end door is in the second position. When the end door is in its first position, i.e., its closed position, the upper portion slopes into the interior of the wagon. The upper portion includes an overhang that is closely adjacent the lower portion when the doors are in their first or closed position, but is separated therefrom when the doors are folded into their second position. To enable adjustment of roof height without creating an unacceptable gap in the enclosure, the end doors are preferably supported on the roof structure so as to be movable upward and downward with the roof . To facilitate connection of the end doors with the roof structure, end portions of the sidewalls preferably are moveable with the adjustable height roof structure between raised and lowered positions, with the end doors being supported on the end portions of the sidewalls. The wagon preferably includes a lower deck and an upper deck. End portions of the lower deck or bridge plates are movable to maintain them in close proximity to the end doors so that, when the end doors are moved to their upper or raised position, the end portion of the deck may also be moved to a raised position to avoid creation of a large gap at the bottom of the end doors . The end portions of the lower deck or bridge plates may be pivotally connected to adjacent portions of the deck so that they can be simply pivoted to a generally vertical raised position when desired. To facilitate transport of automotive vehicles over the buffers, the buffers preferably are adjustable in height, so as to be movable between a raised position wherein the buffers are at standard height, and a lowered position wherein the buffers are below the deck height so that automobiles may be transported over the buffers without having to traverse a ramp to raise the automotive vehicles upward as they traverse the buffers. Providing a lower position for the bumpers enables the deck to be at a uniform lower height and eliminates the need to adjust the height of the end portion of the upper deck to provide clearance for vehicles as they are being loaded and unloaded on the lower deck. The lower deck may include an adjustable ramp portion that is movable with the buffer between a raised position and a lowered position so that, where automotive vehicles are to be transported to an adjacent wagon that does not include an adjustable buffer, the deck of the wagon of the invention can be positioned at a compatible elevation. The invention is further shown in the accompanying drawings and described below. Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a schematic end elevational view of a pair of end doors in closed position. Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional side elevational view of a wagon in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 3 is a schematic side elevational view showing an adjustable roof and end portions of sidewalls, and other components of a wagon in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 4 is a schematic side elevational view of an adjustable buffer and ramp in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, shown in upper position. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the adjustable buffer and ramp in a lowered position. Fig. 6 is a schematic view illustrating the end doors in their open, extended positions. Fig. 7 is a schematic sectional plan view of an end door in open, folded position. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiment The invention is preferably embodied in a wagon 52 for transport of automotive vehicles. The illustrated wagon, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is intended to be semipermanently connected at one end with a like wagon to form a two-unit articulated wagon. The wagon 52 is provided with a suitable connector 72 for this purpose at that end, along with a bellows-type enclosure 74 for the space between the wagons. The wagon shares a bogie with the adjacent wagon at this end as well. At its opposite end, the wagon is provided with another bogie, which is not shared. The illustrated wagon 52 further includes a fixed floor or lower deck 66 and an upper deck 68. The decks are connected to those of adjacent wagons by bridge plates 92. The upper deck may pivot downward from the horizontal position about a hinge 70, shown in Fig. 2, to a sloped position wherein one end 76 rests on the floor 66 to facilitate loading and unloading. The wagon further includes a vertically movable corrugated roof 42 in conjunction with fixed side walls (not shown) . The roof comprises sheets of corrugated steel or other suitable material, supported on a frame comprising beams . 80 extending longitudinally along its opposite sides, and vertically movable posts 82 supporting the beams. Transverse members 84 connect the beams to add strength and rigidity to the frame. A mechanism 86 for raising and lowering the roof is provided near the center of the wagon 88 and is connected to the roof by cables 88 or the like, guided by suitable pulleys or sheaves 90. The wagon preferably includes an end closure comprising a pair of end doors 38 that are movable between a closed position, (shown in Fig. 1 and at the left end of the wagon in Fig. 2) enclosing the end of the wagon, and open, folded positions, in which the end doors cooperate with the end doors of an adjacent wagon to enclose the space between the adjacent wagons. The doors are shown in the open, folded position in Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is not drawn to scale. The wagon is actually wider than shown in Fig. 7. The doors also have an open, extended position, shown in Fig. 6, which provides maximum interior clearance. This position may be useful for loading and unloading at the end of the train. However, in this position, the doors extend beyond the midpoint between two wagons coupled end-to-end in a train. In the folded, open position, the doors conform to all required clearances while allowing automotive vehicles to travel freely therebetween. The wagons may also permit vehicles to be carried with portions of the vehicles occupying the space between wagons. Each end door 38 is supported on the end of the side wall 58 of the wagon 52 by hinges 64. The door folds along a hinged joint 30, and comprises a first panel 32 supported on an end portion 50 of the sidewall, and a second panel 34 supported on the first panel 32. The end door 38 further comprises a bellows segment 36 supported on the second panel . The end doors 38, when in the open, folded position, enclose the sides and top of the space between adjacent wagons. In this position, in the illustrated embodiment, the end doors are disposed partially within the sidewalls 58 of the wagon. In other embodiments, the doors may be positioned outside of the sidewalls in the open folded position. The roof 42 has sloped side portions 60 and a generally horizontal top portion 62. To permit the door to fit closely adjacent the roof and sidewall structure when in open folded position as shown in Fig. la, the second panel 34 preferably includes a vertical lower portion 20 and an inclined upper portion 22, and the bellows portion has a vertical lower portion 24, an inclined intermediate portion 26, and a horizontal top portion 28. When in open folded position as shown in Fig. 7 segment 32 lays flat against the interior of the wagon side, and the lower portion 20 of segment 34 lays flat against segment 32. The bellows 36 protrudes longitudinally outward from the interior of the wagon to connect with the corresponding bellows 36 of an adjacent wagon . As shown in Fig. 2, when the end door 38 is in its closed position, the inclined portion 22 and 26 are pitched inward at a predetermined angle 40 to the vertical, and the top 28 of the bellows section extends substantially horizontally under the roof 42. The sloped sides of the roof are pitched at approximately the same angle to the vertical . The inward slope of the inclined portions 22 and 26 does not unduly restrict clearance for automotive vehicles on the upper deck, because such vehicles typically will have a trunk or hood adjacent the end door. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to accommodate variations in roof height without leaving unacceptable gaps in the enclosure, the roof preferably extends down to the bottom of the sidewalls of the wagon adjacent its ends, and the end doors are attached by hinges to the end portions of the roof. The end portions of the roof thus form movable end portions of the sidewalls of the wagon. The portions of the sidewalls that are not covered by the roof extensions are not shown, but may be fixed, as is conventional. Some overlap may be provided between the movable end portions of the sidewalls and the fixed portions of the sidewalls, and seals may be provided therebetween to limit ingress of precipitation, dust, etc . When the roof is in its raised position, a gap is created under the end doors, and the gap is preferably filled by "flip down" bridge plates used to allow automotive vehicles to drive from one wagon to another. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the buffers are preferably adjustable between a raised position, shown in Fig. 4, and a lowered position, shown in Fig. 5. The buffers are connected to the main portion of the deck by a ramp 44 that is pivoted about a hinge at 46. When a series of wagons in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention are linked together in a train, all intermediate buffers can be left in the down position, along with their connected ramp portions, leaving the deck essentially flat, except at the ends of the sequence of wagons, wherein the buffers can be positioned in the raised position, so that the buffers are at standard height.

Claims: What is claimed: 1. A wagon comprising at least one deck capable of carrying automotive vehicles and a pair of side walls, characterized by an end door structure movable between a first position wherein the end door structure encloses an end of the wagon, and a second position wherein the end door structure cooperates with a like structure on an adjacent wagon to enclose, at least partially, a space between the wagons . 2. The wagon of claim 1 further characterized in that said end door structure comprises a pair of foldable end doors that are extended in said first position and folded in said second position. 3. The wagon of claim 2 further characterized in that, in said second position, said end doors are disposed partially within the side walls of the wagon. 4. The wagon of claim 3 further characterized in that said end door structure is movable to a third position for loading ana unloading vehicles wherein the end doors are extended and are not disposed partially within the side walls of the wagon. 5. The wagon of claim 4 further characterized in that each of said doors comprises a first panel pivotally supported on a respective one of said side walls, a second panel pivotally supported on said first panel, and a flexible bellows panel supported on said second panel, said bellows panel being connectable to the bellows panel of an end door of an adjacent wagon in said second position. 6. The wagon of claim 5 further characterized in that said bellows panel is substantially self-supporting, but is sufficiently flexible in said second position to accommodate pivoting of said wagons relative to one another. 7. The wagon of claim 6 further characterized in that said wagon further comprises a sloped roof and said second panel comprises a vertical lower portion and an upper portion sloped at about the same angle as said roof so that said second panel fits closely adjacent to said side wall and roof when said end door structure is in said second position, said upper portion sloping into the interior of the wagon when said end door structure is in said first position. 8. The wagon of claim 7 wherein said upper panel includes an overhang that is closely adjacent said lower portion when said doors are extended, but separated therefrom when said doors are folded. 9. A wagon comprising at least one deck capable of carrying automotive vehicles, a pair of side walls, an adjustable-height roof structure and a pair of end doors, characterized in that the end doors are supported on the adjustable height roof structure so as to be movable upward and downward therewith between a raised position and a lowered position. 10. A wagon in accordance with claim 9 further characterized in that end portions of said side walls are movable between raised and lowered positions, and said end doors are supported thereon. 11. A wagon in accordance with claim 10 further characterized by end portions of said deck being movable to maintain them in close proximity to said end doors, said end portions of said deck being movable between a raised position corresponding to the upper position of said end doors and a lowered position corresponding to the lowered position thereof. 12. A wagon comprising at least one deck capable of carrying automotive vehicles and a pair of buffers, said deck being at least partially below standard buffer height, characterized by said buffers being movable between an upper position corresponding to standard buffer height and a lower position to facilitate transport of automotive vehicles over said buffers during loading and unloading. 13. A wagon in accordance with claim 12 further characterized in that said wagon further comprises an adjustable deck portion movable with said buffers between an upper position and a lower position to facilitate transport of automotive vehicles over said buffers in either said upper or lower position.

Inventors: CHUDZIK LEONARD A, DE HAAN JAN, KLAG JAMES P, RICHMOND SHAUN H, SCHORR RALPH H, CHUDZIK, LEONARD, A., DE HAAN, JAN, KLAG, JAMES, P., RICHMOND, SHAUN, H., SCHORR, RALPH, H.
Applicants: CHUDZIK LEONARD A, HAAN JAN DE, KLAG JAMES P, RICHMOND SHAUN H, SCHORR RALPH H, THRALL CAR MFG COMPANY, CHUDZIK, LEONARD, A., DE HAAN, JAN, KLAG, JAMES, P., RICHMOND, SHAUN, H., SCHORR, RALPH, H., THRALL CAR MANUFACTURING COMPANY
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B61D3
IPC codes: B61D3, B61D47