Abstract:
An arrangement of endcaps particularly formed and arranged for use in connection with composite deck beams particularly adapted to use on rail car running boards but is also suitable to other beam type decks such as those used on semi-trailers, in marine applications or as industrial catwalks. The endcaps close the ends of fiberglass reinforced plastic running boards, complementing the strength, economy and durability of such materials.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application claims priority based on provisional application Ser. No. 60/086,956 filed May 26, 1998. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1.Field of the Invention 
     The invention is an integrally formed endcap for use in connection with composite deck beams, such as fiberglass beams. Such beams are typically arranged in parallel fashion to form a platform deck or running board of a vehicle, railcar, semi-trailer, marine vessel, or the like. These running boards typically provide a platform for an individual to stand upon while boarding or exiting such a vehicle, or during operation of the vehicle. Running boards of this type are commonly used in the railcar industry. The beams can also provide a platform for use as an industrial catwalk or any other platform application. The endcaps provide a closure for the edges of the running board formed by the terminal ends of the beams, thereby protecting the beam ends from damage and covering the exposed beam ends of the edge of the running board. In the railroad industry, the closed edge reduces risks of clothing or limbs of a railroad worker catching exposed beam ends. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Metal running boards and platform decks are well known in the art. Typically, endcaps for metal running boards are fastened in a variety of ways, such as by welding, bolting or riveting. Metal running boards are used primarily for their strong resistance to adverse effects caused by harsh environmental conditions. Fiberglass running boards are also known in the art as an alternative to metal running boards. Fiberglass is a relatively strong material and provides an alternative to metal. Fiberglass running boards take advantage of the properties of fiber reinforced plastic, such as the strength, economy and durability of such materials. The use of fiberglass also facilitates the use of adhesive bonding construction in lieu of weld bonding or the use of mechanical fasteners. Because fiberglass is a composite material, exposed ends of fiberglass beams have fiber ends embedded in the plastic matrix. While exterior fiberglass surfaces, when adequately coated by a gelcoat or paint, resist UV deterioration, the cured resin that bonds the glass fibers together is very prone to rapid deterioration if unprotected from UV exposure. The cured resin of fiberglass beams may be exposed at deck beam ends, especially when the deck beams have been cut. Ends of beams constructed from fiberglass rails can also form undesirable splinters and cracks when exposed to various environmental conditions or physical forces. These properties for fiberglass running boards are particularly evident in the method of manufacture known as pultrusion, whereby continuous lengths are formed through a die and cut to length. Therefore, the use of fiberglass running boards is limited by their propensity for such damage. Close tolerance adhesively bonded endcaps for fiberglass beams of a running board are not known in the prior art. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an integral endcap unit that connects to a plurality of beam ends of a running board. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide a running board endcap unit that can be used with fiberglass running boards to prevent splintering or cracking of the fiberglass beams of the running board. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide a running board endcap unit having a close tolerance fit to the beams of a running board to allow the endcap unit to be bonded to the ends of the running board beams instead of welded, riveted, or bolted to the beams. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide an integral endcap unit having recesses at its ends to compliment adjacently connected endcap units connected to a running board having a width larger than the length of one endcap unit. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide an endcap unit that can be used in conjunction with one or more endcap units, thereby facilitating replacement of damaged portions of an endcap in the field. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent after reading the specification in conjunction with the drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The present invention is an endcap particularly adapted for use on a plurality of beams that form a rail car running board. These beams are typically beams having an I-shaped cross section formed by a vertical web portion and two transversely oriented flanges centered along the top and bottom edges of the vertical web portion. The beams are arranged and connected in parallel fashion to form the running board. Beams of this type can also be used to form a platform deck or running board of a vehicle, semi-trailer, marine vessel, or the like. The beams can also provide a platform for use as an industrial catwalk or any other platform application. The endcaps are advantageous in closing the ends of running boards constructed from fiberglass reinforced plastic beams, thereby complementing the strength, economy and durability of such materials. The endcaps provide a closure for the edges of the running board formed by the terminal ends of the beams, thereby protecting the beam ends from damage and providing safety to persons from the exposed beam ends of the edge of the running board. 
     Each endcap comprises a generally rectangular elongated base web portion having a plurality of paired transversely projecting flange fingers of a generally rectangular planar configuration. The paired flange fingers are vertically arranged along the length of the base web portion. The paired flange fingers are parallel to each other and form a gap therebetween. Each pair of flange fingers are spaced apart from other pairs to allow corresponding engagement with each end of spaced apart beams of a running board edge. When the endcap is installed, the flange fingers are positioned such that the gaps between each flange finger pair are aligned with the vertical web portion of each I-shaped beam. Each vertical web portion of each beam slides into the gap between each flange finger pair such that each flange finger of each pair is positioned on the outside surface of the vertical web portion of each beam. Each flange finger is thereby also vertically captured between the transverse flanges of the I-shaped beam. The bottom inside edges of the flange finger pairs are beveled. This creates a gap between the beveled surface and the surface formed by the intersection of the vertical web portion and the transverse flange of the I-shaped beams when the endcap is assembled to the beams. The gap creates space and provides a surface for adhesive to effectively bond the endcap to the beams. The endcap is formed of a resilient and durable material that enables bonding with a high performance, gap filling adhesive such as an epoxy. 
     In an alternate embodiment, the paired flange fingers are horizontally arranged along the length of the base web portion. The paired flange fingers are parallel to each other and form a gap therebetween. A second gap is created between each pair by the equally spaced arrangement along the length of the base web portion. In this configuration, this second gap aligns with and captures the vertical web portion of the beam. 
     The endcaps are designed for interlocking fit with each other. Each end of the endcap has a lip of reduced material thickness along its edge, thereby creating a bearing surface offset from the surface of the base web portion. The bearing surfaces of the lips on each end of the endcap are disposed on opposites sides of the base web portion. This allows the ends of two endcaps to correspondingly mate with each other. Each endcap is positioned such that the bearing surface of the lip on each endcap faces the other, thereby positioning the base web portions of each endcap such that they are flush. Therefore, more than one endcap may be installed on running boards having a larger dimension. This facilitates replacement of damaged portions of endcaps installed along the edge of a running board. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a running board having an endcap installed along an edge formed by terminating ends of parallel I-shaped beams. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the running board endcap. 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the running board endcap. 
     FIG. 4A is a front elevational view of the running board endcap. 
     FIG. 4B is a side elevational view of the running board endcap. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the running board endcap on a beam. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the running board endcap. 
     FIG. 7 is a top plan view of an alternate embodiment of the running board endcap. 
     FIG. 8A is a front elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the running board endcap. 
     FIG. 8B is a side elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the running board endcap. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A typical running board  10  is shown in FIG.  1 . The running board  10  is constructed from a plurality of deck beams  12 . The beams  12  are arranged and connected in parallel fashion to form the running board  10 . The beams  12  are typically made of steel and have an I-shaped cross section formed by a vertical web portion  14 , a transversely oriented top flange  16  centered along the top edge of the vertical web portion  14 , and a transversely oriented bottom flange  18  centered along the bottom edge of the vertical web portion  14 , as shown in FIG.  1 . Typically, the running board  10  is used on railcars (not shown) in the railroad industry, but may also be used on other vehicles such as semi-trailers, ships, drilling platforms or may be in industrial applications such as catwalks in manufacturing or like applications. The I-beam configuration of the beams  12  has the load bearing and weight reducing advantages well known of I-beams, with the additional advantage of providing spacing between the beams  12  of the running board  10  to enable further weight reduction, minimize buildup of environmental precipitation, to enable washing, and the like. 
     The present invention is an endcap  22 , shown in FIG.  2 . The endcap  22  provides a closure for an edge  23  of the running board  10  formed by terminal ends  24  of the beams  12 , as shown in FIG. 1, thereby protecting the beam ends  24  from damage and providing safety to persons from the exposed beam ends  24  of the edge of the running board  10 . Beam ends  24  are typically cut perpendicular to the length of the beams  12 . Providing a closure to the edge  23  of the running board  10  is prudent in railroad service to minimize the chance of workers catching clothing on beam ends  24  and to minimize any injuries which could be sustained from contact with beam ends  24 . There are also improved aerodynamics and a reduction in aerodynamic turbulence from a smooth surface. In a preferred embodiment, the endcap  22  is injection molded from outdoor grade PVC. However, other methods of manufacture and materials are also contemplated. For example, the endcap  22  may also be made of a cast metal material or molded from a reinforced nylon. The endcap  22  is designed to have a close tolerance fit with the beam ends  24 . Therefore, methods of manufacture and materials that provide high tolerance stability are preferred. 
     The endcap  22  essentially comprises a generally rectangular base web portion  26  having a plurality of paired transversely projecting flange fingers  28  and  30 , as shown in FIG.  2 . The flange fingers  28  and  30  are of a generally rectangular planar configuration, as shown in FIG.  4 B. The paired flange fingers  28  and  30  are parallel to each other and form a gap  33  therebetween, as shown in FIG.  3 . Each pair of flange fingers  28  and  30  are disposed vertically along the length of the endcap  22  and are spaced apart from other pairs to allow corresponding engagement with each beam end  24  of spaced apart beams  12  forming the edge  23  of running board  10 . FIGS. 3 and 4A show the spaced apart arrangement. When the endcap  22  is installed, the flange fingers  28  and  30  are positioned such that the gaps  33  between each flange finger pair  28  and  30  are aligned with the vertical web portion  14  of each I-shaped beam  12 . Each vertical web portion  14  of each beam  12  slides into the gap  33  between each flange finger pair  28  and  30  such that each flange finger  28  and  30  is positioned on the side of the vertical web portion  14  of each beam  12  and substantially parallel to the vertical web portion  14 , as shown in FIG.  5 . Each flange finger  28  and  30  is thereby also vertically captured between the top transverse flange  16  and the bottom transverse flange  18  of the I-shaped beam  12 . 
     Beveled surfaces  32  and  34  are disposed along the bottom of the flange fingers  28  and  30 , respectively, as shown in FIG.  2 . This creates a gap  37  between the beveled surfaces  32  and  34  and the fillet surface  19  formed by the intersection of the vertical web portion  14  and the bottom transverse flange  18  of the beams  12  when the endcap  22  is assembled to the beams  14 , as shown in FIG.  5 . The gap  37  creates space and provides a surface for adhesive to effectively bond the endcap  22  to the beams  14 . The endcap  22  is formed of a resilient and durable material that enables bonding with a high performance, gap filling adhesive such as an epoxy. Weather, UV and chemically resistant material such as an outdoor Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with pigments and UV stabilizer for this service is preferred. However, other thermoplastic materials, thermoset materials, and metallic materials are also usable. 
     The endcap  22  can be produced economically in typical plastic injection molded tooling. The endcap  22  is designed with the appropriate draft angles which, while facilitating removal of the molded plastic parts from the mold cavity, have additional benefits in placement in service. The tolerances of the mold design are held as close as possible to the nominal dimensions of the endcap  22  and specific tolerance stability properties of the PVC material are taken into account in order to insure that the dimensions of the endcap  22  are as stable as possible. Thus, the dimensions of the flange fingers  28  and  30  of the endcap  22  have very close tolerances to ensure proper fit and engagement with the beam ends  24  of the running board  10 . Close tolerances also facilitate the use of a gap-filling resin, such as a thermosetting resin or epoxy, as an adhesive. Epoxy provides gap-filling as well as strong bonding. The slight draft angles of the flange fingers  28  and  30  will maximize bonding by preventing an excessively narrow gap which could result in an adhesively starved joint or an excessively wide gap which would insufficiently bond. In an alternate embodiment, the endcap  22  is designed to enable a compression fit with the beam ends  14  utilizing the dimensional and resilient properties of the PVC (or other similar material) from which the endcaps  22  are formed. Thus, a compression fit could be provided in the above described mounting. However, adhesive bonding is the preferred method of mounting. 
     The endcap  22  is of a modular design allowing for an interlocking fit with other endcaps of the same design. Each endcap  22  has a lip  40  and  42  of reduced material thickness along its shorter edges, thereby creating bearing surfaces  44  and  46  offset from the surface of the base web portion  26 , as shown in FIG.  2 . The bearing surfaces  44  and  46  of the lips  40  and  42  on each end of the endcap  22  are disposed on opposites sides of the base web portion  26 , thereby providing complementary recesses for adjacent endcaps  22 . This allows the ends of two endcaps  22  to correspondingly overlap and mate with each other. Each endcap  22  is positioned such that the bearing surfaces  46  of the lip  42  on each endcap  22  faces the bearing surface  44  of the lip  40  of the other endcap  22 , thereby positioning the base web portions  26  of each endcap  22  such that they are co-planar and flush with each other. Therefore, more than one endcap  22  may be installed along the edge  23  of running boards  10  having extra length. This modular design facilitates easy replacement of damaged portions of endcaps  22  installed along the edge  23  of the running board  10 . The modular design also enables greater economy in inventory and flexibility in field application. 
     An alternate configuration of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 6-8B. An endcap  122  is formed of a web portion  126  having transversely projecting paired flange fingers  128  and  130 , as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. The flange fingers  128  and  130  are of a generally rectangular planar configuration. In this configuration, the flange fingers  128  and  130  are disposed horizontally along the length of the endcap  122 . Gaps  132 ,  134  are provided between each horizontal pair of flange fingers  128  and  130 . When the endcap  122  is installed, the gaps  132  between each pair of flange fingers  128  and  130  are aligned with the vertical web portion  14  of each I-shaped beam  12 . Each vertical web portion  14  of each beam  12  slides into the gap  132  between each pair of flange fingers  128  and  130  such that each flange finger  128  and  130  is positioned on the side of the vertical web portion  14  of each beam  12  and transverse to the vertical web portion  14 . In this configuration, the outside surfaces  129  and  131  of the flange fingers  128  and  130  are captured between the top transverse flange  16  and the bottom transverse flange  18  of the I-shaped beam  12 . The gaps  132  may be molded into the flange fingers  128  and  130  of the endcap  122 , or they may be cut or machined. A major advantage to this alternate configuration is that it can be extruded rather than molded. The economy of continuous extruding can offset the cost of the machining operation in forming the gaps  132 . However, the endcap  122  could also be formed by pultrusion, similar to the formation of the beams  12 . The endcap  122  is formed of a resilient and durable material that enables bonding with a high performance, gap filling adhesive such as an epoxy. Weather, UV and chemically resistant material such as an outdoor Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is preferred. However, other thermoplastic materials, thermoset materials, and metallic materials are also anticipated. 
     While specific embodiments of the present invention have been shown here for the purposes of explaining preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the appended claims have a wide range of equivalents and a broader scope than the embodiments disclosed.