Abstract:
A public transit vehicle has a vehicle body having a roof defining an interior ceiling surface, two side walls each extending longitudinally of the vehicle including an upper side wall portion connecting to the roof and a row of windows underneath the upper portion, a central aisle and two rows of seats each on a respective side of the aisle and along the side wall at the windows. The floor includes a bottom frame including two side rails. Each side wall includes a plurality of longitudinally space vertical posts attached at the bottom to the side rail. A metal shear plate with wave form stiffening is welded between each pair of posts and at its bottom edge to the side rail and extends upwardly to a top edge spaced downwardly from the windows and acts as an impact plate to prevent penetration. Exterior cladding for the side wall includes a continuous panel connected along the side under the window and a plurality of end to end sacrificial flexible impact panels connected to the continuous panel by a hinge joint at an upper edge of the impact panels so as to cover the impact plate.

Description:
This invention relates to side impact arrangement for a passenger area of a mass transit vehicle. 
     This application is related to a series of four further applications all filed simultaneously with this application and assigned to the same assignee as follows: 
     Application Ser. No. 09/496,686 filed Feb. 3, 2000 and entitled Interior Structure of a Mass Transit Vehicle; 
     Application Ser. No. 09/497,634 filed Feb. 3, 2000 and entitled Passenger Lighting System for Mass Transit Vehicle; 
     Application Ser. No. 09/496,684 filed Feb. 3, 2000 and entitled Body Structure of Mass Transit Vehicle; 
     Application Ser. No. 09/496,685 filed Feb. 3, 2000 and entitled Window Structure for Mass Transit Vehicle. 
     The disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventionally for many years buses are fabricated from a steel welded frame which is clad externally by sheets of aluminum or similar non-elastic cladding material bolted or riveted side by side over the steel frame. The interior surface is similarly clad by sheets of suitable material again attached to the steel frame. Insulation material is added as pieces inserted simply between the components of the frame and the interior and exterior cladding. 
     While a vehicle of this structure is relatively strong and resistant to impact damage, should a significant impact occur, there is a danger of penetration from the exterior through the interior cladding leaving a hole which can expose the passengers to danger. Any such perforated structure, even though it can in many cases still be driven cannot legally carry passengers and therefore must immediately be taken out of service. 
     In addition the repairs to the structure cannot be effected in the field and are relatively expensive since the individual panels must be replaced in a relatively time consuming operation at a service facility. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is one object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved public transit vehicle having improved impact and cladding arrangements. 
     According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a public transit vehicle comprising: 
     a vehicle body having: 
     a roof, 
     two side walls each extending longitudinally of the vehicle including an upper side wall portion connecting to the roof and a row of windows underneath the upper portion, 
     a vehicle floor connected to the side walls and spanning therebetween; 
     two rows of seats for seated passengers each along a respective one of the side walls at the windows and defining a central aisle therebetween for standing and moving passengers; 
     and a vehicle frame for supporting the vehicle body, the frame comprising: 
     a bottom frame portion having a plurality of longitudinal bottom rails underlying and supporting the floor including two bottom side rails each along a respective side of the floor at the respective side wall; 
     and two side frame portions; 
     each side frame portion having a plurality of side wall posts connected to a respective one of the bottom side rails and upstanding therefrom; 
     and each side frame portion including a shear plate member welded along its bottom edge to the bottom side rail and to the side wall posts so as to extend continuously therebetween and extending continuously upwardly from the bottom edge to a top edge spaced downwardly from a bottom edge of the window, the shear plate member being formed with a plurality of horizontal stiffening elements therein so as to be resistant to impact thereon in a collision; 
     each side wall including an exterior cladding structure including a resilient covering panel member covering at least a part of an outer surface of the shear plate member. 
     Preferably the stiffening elements in the shear plate member are defined by horizontally extending vertically spaced bends in the plate member. 
     Preferably the shear plate member between each pair of posts comprises a single plate welded at its bottom edge to the bottom side rail and standing generally upwardly therefrom to form a generally vertical plate surface, at least one recessed band in the plate surface defined by four parallel horizontal bends and a top recessed channel portion defined by four parallel horizontal bends. 
     Preferably said at least one band is shallower in horizontal depth than the channel. 
     Preferably the exterior cladding structure includes a plurality of resilient covering panel members arranged side by side along the length of the side wall. 
     Preferably each of the resilient covering panel members is mounted at its upper edge by a hinge coupling defined by a part cylindrical insert received within a part cylindrical recess allowing the resilient covering panel member to be pivoted from a vertical covering position to a raised removal position at which it can be removed from the cladding structure and wherein the part cylindrical insert of each of the resilient covering panel members overlaps with that of the next and is reduced in thickness at the overlap. 
     Preferably the resilient covering panel members each include along each side edge thereof an edge sealing member for engaging and effecting sealing engagement with an underlying sealing strip, the side edge of each panel member being adjacent to and spaced from that of the next panel to allow removal of each panel member without affecting the next panel members. 
     Preferably the edge sealing member of each resilient covering panel members comprises a rearwardly turned flange having a rearmost edge surface for engaging the sealing strip and a resilient sealing bead on a rear surface of the panel member adjacent the flange. 
     Preferably the exterior cladding structure includes a cladding panel above the top edge of the resilient covering panel and below the bottom edge of the windows. 
     Preferably the cladding panel is substantially continuous along the vehicle. 
     Preferably the resilient covering panel member is mounted at its upper edge by a hinge coupling defined by a part cylindrical insert received within a part cylindrical recess allowing the resilient covering panel member to be pivoted from a vertical covering position to a raised removal position at which it can be removed from the cladding structure. 
     Preferably the part cylindrical recess is provided on the cladding panel. 
     Preferably the part cylindrical recess is tapered toward a bottom end to compress the part cylindrical insert in the vertical covering position. 
     Preferably the part cylindrical recess is defined on its concave side by a generally cylindrical bead member. 
     Preferably the part cylindrical recess and the part cylindrical inset are arranged such that rotation to the raised removal position tends to cause the insert to be levered out of the recess. 
     Preferably there is provided a layer of foam insulation carried between the shear plate and the resilient covering panel member. 
     Preferably the resilient covering panel member is connected by a plurality of spaced fasteners to the bottom side rail. 
     Preferably the bottom side rail includes a recessed surface below the bottom of the shear plate member and wherein the resilient covering panel member includes an in-turned bottom portion for fastening to the recessed surface. 
     According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a public transit vehicle comprising: 
     a vehicle body having: 
     a roof, 
     two side walls each extending longitudinally of the vehicle including an upper side wall portion connecting to the roof and a row of windows underneath the upper portion, 
     a vehicle floor connected to the side walls and spanning therebetween; 
     two rows of seats for seated passengers each along a respective one of the side walls at the windows and defining a central aisle therebetween for standing and moving passengers; 
     each side wall including an exterior cladding structure including a resilient covering panel member covering at least a part of an outer surface of the side wall; 
     wherein the resilient covering panel member is mounted at its upper edge by a hinge coupling defined by a part cylindrical insert received within a part cylindrical recess allowing the resilient covering panel member to be pivoted from a vertical covering position to a raised removal position at which it can be removed from the cladding structure. 
     According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a public transit vehicle comprising: 
     a vehicle body having: 
     a roof, 
     two side walls each extending longitudinally of the vehicle including an upper side wall portion connecting to the roof and a row of windows underneath the upper portion, 
     a vehicle floor connected to the side walls and spanning therebetween; 
     two rows of seats for seated passengers each along a respective one of the side walls at the windows and defining a central aisle therebetween for standing and moving passengers; 
     each side wall including an exterior cladding structure including: 
     a plurality of resilient covering panel members arranged side by side along the length of the side wall covering a part of an outer surface of the side wall; 
     and a cladding panel which is substantially continuous along the vehicle above the top edge of the resilient covering panels and below the bottom edge of the windows. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a public transit vehicle according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the lines  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the lines  3 — 3  of FIG. 2 at a joint between two of the impact panels on an enlarged scale. 
     FIG. 4A is a cross sectional view taken on the lines  4 — 4  of FIG. 3 on a further enlarged scale showing one alternative arrangement for sealing between two adjacent panel edges. 
     FIG. 4B is a cross sectional view taken on the lines  4 — 4  of FIG. 3 on a further enlarged scale showing a second alternative arrangement for sealing between two adjacent panel edges. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken similar to that of FIG. 2 on a further enlarged scale showing a detail of the hinge coupling between an impact panel and the cladding panel in a raised position of the impact panel for removal. 
     FIG. 6 is a transverse cross section of the vehicle of FIG. 1 showing the general construction. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     One side wall and an adjacent portion of the floor are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of a vehicle for transporting passengers the general construction of which is shown in FIG.  6 . 
     The vehicle  10  comprises a floor  11 , side walls  12  and  13  and a roof structure  14 . The vehicle includes a central aisle  15  between two rows  16  and  17  of passenger seats. Each side wall includes a row of windows  18  commencing at a top rail  19  and extending downwardly to an intermediate rail  20 . Beneath the windows the side wall is closed to define a closed cladded section  21 . 
     The side wall structure further includes side frame  22 A defined by the rails  19 ,  20  and a plurality of vertical posts  22  at positions longitudinally of the side wall and extending from the floor structure  11  to the rail structure  19 . The window openings are thus defined between the rail structure  19  and the rail  20  and in between the posts  22  and a window frame arrangement is inserted into the window opening so defined as indicated generally at  23 . The window frame structure from the subject matter of one of the co-pending applications identified above and therefore its structure will not be described herein in detail. The disclosure of the above mentioned application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     The floor structure  11  as best shown in FIG. 2 includes a bottom frame  11 A which comprises a plurality of transverse beams  24  and a plurality of longitudinal rails  25  and  26 . The rails  26  are arranged at the side so as to be at the respective side wall and the posts  22  are welded to the side rail  26  so as to stand substantially vertically upwardly therefrom. Each side rail  26  comprises an angle defined by a horizontal flange  27  and a vertical flange  28  with the vertical flange spaced inwardly from an outermost edge  29  of the flange  27 . The width of the flange  27  is substantially equal to that of the post or slightly larger than that of the post to allow effective welding to the post. 
     A floor sheet  30  is applied over the rails  25  and  26  and the beams  24 . The floor construction is described in another of the above mentioned co-pending applications and is therefore not described herein in detail. 
     Each side wall further includes as a structural element thereof a plurality of shear plate members extending from each post to the next adjacent post and extending from the side rail  26  to a position spaced upwardly from the side rail  26  and spaced downwardly from the rail  20  of the side wall. The shear plate members  32  are formed from a continuous sheet of metal so as to extend continuously from one post to the next and so as to extend continuously from the side rail  26  to a top edge  33  of the sheer plate. The sheer plate is formed with a series of horizontally extending, vertically spaced bends to provide stiffening strength to the sheer plate. The shear plate members are seal welded along each side edge to the respective post and along the bottom edge to the flangle  27  of the rail  26 . 
     At the top edge  33 , the shear plate member is bent back and forth by a series of bends  34 ,  35 ,  36 ,  37  and  38  so as to define an S-shape defining two channel portions  38 A,  38 B with two vertical portions  39  and  40  spaced by the width of the post and welded to the post so as to form in effect a rail section at the top of the shear plate. From the bend  38 , the shear plate extends downwardly along the outside surface of the post to the bottom edge  41  which is welded to the flange  27 . At two or more positions along the height of the plate portion thus formed between the bend  38  and the flange  27  is provided stiffening members defined by recessed sections bands  43  and  43 A. Each recessed band is defined by four bends  44 ,  45 ,  46  and  47  so as to define a vertical plate section  48  parallel to the main plate section but recessed therefrom. The depth of the recess to the vertical plate section  48  is less than the width of the rail section defined at the top of the plate that is less than the width of the post. 
     The plate is thus fully closed and from the fully closed section or skirt extending upwardly from the side rail  26  to the top edge  33  which is located in the potential impact zone. The structure therefore defined by the side rails, the posts and the shear plate members ensures that the frame structure of the side wall cannot be penetrated by an impact of the type which can normally be expected with transit buses of this type. While the side frame structure may be deformed if the impact is sufficiently forceful, penetration is extremely unlikely unless the welding of the shear plate members to the frame elements is torn or the plate itself is penetrated. The height of the shear plate member is therefore arranged so as to ensure that it covers the zone which is most likely to receive the impact, that is it is equal to the mean height from the ground of bumpers which are commonly used on sport utility vehicles or light trucks. The shear plate member is formed from  7  gauge steel which again is sufficiently strong to accommodate normally expected impacts. 
     This structure thus formed by the side wall is covered by the cladding  21 . The cladding section comprises an upper cladding panel  51  and a plurality of lower resilient covering panels  52 . The cladding panel  51  is continuous along the length of the side wall and extends from a top edge  53  at the window opening to hinge  54 A at a bottom edge  54  at a position just below the top edge  33  of the sheer plate  32 . The top edge  53  is located underneath an edge of the window frame structure and this aspect is described in detail in one of the above co-pending applications, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     The cladding panel  51  is formed by pultrusion from a fibre reinforced resin material and thus defines a relatively thin sheet  55 . On an inside surface of the sheet is carried a layer  56  of an insulation material and this insulation material is bonded by an elastomeric adhesive to the inside surface so as to be carried thereby. An elastomeric adhesive takes up any relative movement due to differences in coefficient of thermal expansion between the pultrusion and the insulation material. 
     At the lower end, the panel  51  includes a mounting flange  57 . The mounting flange has a first part cylindrical portion  58  commencing at the bottom of the insulation  56  and extending therefrom toward the shear plate  32 . The portion  58  then curves around so as to lie generally parallel to the shear plate  32  thus defining a lip  59  and an attachment flange  60 . The attachment flange  60  has an end lip  61  engaging the outer face of the post  22  and defining a recess underneath the flange  60  for receiving an elastomeric adhesive holding the panel  51  in place. 
     A further layer of insulation  62  is attached onto the shear plate  32  between the flange  60  and extending therefrom to the bottom of the shear plate  32 . Thus the insulation layer  62  tapers so that it reduces in thickness down to the bottom edge  41  of the sheer plate  32 . The panels  52  are thus free from insulation material carried thereby. 
     The panels  52  are attached to the continuous panel  51  at the part cylindrical portion  58  and extend therefrom downwardly to an apex  64  at which the panels are bent to define an inwardly and downwardly inclined portion  65  and a bottom lip  66  which engages under the bottom edge of the flange  28  of the rail  26 . 
     In spaced positions along the length of the inclined portion  65 , the panel is deformed inwardly to form a pocket  67  with an upper wall portion  68  which extends inwardly at a shaper angle than the inclined portion  65  and a vertical section  69  which lies flat against the flange  28 . A fastener  70  extends through the vertical portion  69  and the flange  28  to hold the bottom edge of the panel  52  removably fastened to the rail  26 . 
     The panels  52  are molded from a flexible plastics material so that they form a side impact panel which is readily removable and replaceable in the event of minor damage. Removal is effected simply by removing the fastener  70  and by pivoting the panel upwardly so that it is released from the hinge  54 A as described hereinafter. The panel  52  does not carry the insulation layer  62  which is instead bonded to and sealed against the shear plate so as to prevent cold air from getting behind the insulation layer. As best shown in FIG. 5, the part cylindrical section defined by the flange portion  58  extending from the lip  59  through to a junction  71  with the panel  55  defines a concave surface  72  which co-operates with the outside surface of a cylindrical bead  73  to define a part cylindrical channel  74 . The bead  73  is formed as a hollow tube defining a hollow interior  75 . The outside surface of the bead  73  is substantially cylindrical extending from a base  76  of the channel  74  through to a junction  77  with the panel  55 . A flat section  78  is formed at the junction  77 . 
     The panel  52  at its upper end includes a part cylindrical insert  80  which commences at a first portion  81  at right angles to the panel and extends therefrom rearwardly and then upwardly to define the part cylindrical insert terminating at an end  82 . The part cylindrical insert  80  thus follows the path of the channel  74 . The channel  74  is slightly tapered so that it becomes narrower toward the end  76  so that when the insert  80  is fully inserted into the channel  74  it is pinched and tight particularly adjacent the ends  76  and  82 . 
     In a position shown in FIG. 2, therefore, the panel  52  is pivoted into its downward attached position where the insert  80  is fully extended into the channel  74 . In its position the fastening at the bottom previously described can be effected to hold the panel in place. 
     When it is required to remove one of the panels  52  the fastenings at the bottom edge of the panel can be released and the panel pivoted upwardly to a position shown in FIG.  5 . In this position the apex  81 A of the junction  81  impacts upon the junction  77  and further rotational movement in the clockwise direction initiates rotation at the apex  81 A thus releasing the end  82  from beneath the lowermost part of the cylindrical bead  73 . Thus the insert  82  is popped out of the channel  74  and the panel can be simply removed by pulling away from the bottom edge of the panel  51 . 
     Turning now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, there is shown in cross section two alternative arrangements for the junction between two of the panels  52  and it will be appreciated that each of the panels is identical so that the junction is identical between each panel and the next. 
     Thus each panel  52  has at its left hand end an inwardly turned right angle flange  84  which extends from the panel towards the side wall. The opposite end of the panel which is the right hand end as shown in FIG. 4A includes a similar in-turned right angle flange  86 . Each of the flanges  84  and  86  has an edge surface butting in sealing engagement with a resilient sealing strip  87  provided at the base of a channel  88  in a strip  89  of insulation material mounted by adhesive  89 A on the outside surface of the post  22 . Each panel edge has a further sealing strip  90  located between the inside surface of the panel adjacent the flange and the outside surface of the strip  89 . The flanges  84  and  86  are arranged such that they act to compress the strips  87  and  90  in a sealing effect. Thus the dual sealing arrangement prevents the penetration of moisture. In FIG. 4B is shown a modified arrangement in which the strips  87  and  90  are carried on a relatively stiff extruded channel member  91  mounted in a recess  91 A in the insulation material. The channel member defines a central channel and two side flanges for carrying the strips  87  and  90  respectively. 
     At the ends of the panel as shown in FIG. 3, the insert  80  is arranged so that it overlaps without an increase in a thickness of the insert  80  at the overlap. Thus the insert  80  includes a portion  80 A at the right hand end of the panel which is of half thickness and defines the outer surface  80 B of the insert. Similarly a portion  80 C at the left hand of the panel is of half thickness and defines the inside surface  80 D of the insert. The portions  80 A and  80 C are of sufficient length so that there is room to accommodate expansion leaving overlapping portions which are of the reduced thickness. Thus when overlapped the insert portions  80 A and  80 C can be received within the recess  74  in the same pinching action as previously described. The length of the overlap and the flexibility of the panels is such that the panels can be moved apart to a position where the overlap is removed and each panel can then be individually pivoted to its removal position and removed without affecting the other remaining panels. 
     The cladding arrangement therefore provides a readily removable and replaceable impact panel which can be easily attached to and removed from the lower area of the side walls to provide an attractive appearance in a material that reduces the possibility of corrosion. However the simple flexible impact panel covers a sealed pan or sheer plate arrangement so that any damage which goes beyond minor contact with the impact panel is unlikely to cause penetration of the sealed sheer plate allowing the vehicle to remain in service since the passengers are fully protected by the sheer plate. 
     Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.