Patent Publication Number: US-7594474-B2

Title: Open-top rail car covers and open-top rail cars employing the same

Description:
FIELD OF USE 
   This disclosure relates to open-top rail cars and, more particularly, to open-top rail car covers and open-top rail cars employing the same. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Open-top rail cars, such as gondola cars, hoppers and grain cars are employed to transport waste, coal, grain and similar materials that may tend to blow out of the car. A cover is commonly mounted on the open top to contain the car&#39;s contents. These open-top covers are constructed to permit various lifting devices to either remove or mount the cover on a stationary car. Such open-top covers are also equipped with a latch mechanism such as the one shown in  FIG. 1 . Once mounted, the latch mechanism is engaged by lowering the clamp and securing it underneath the top edge of the railway car as shown in  FIG. 2 . Although such latch mechanisms secure the open-top cover in place, the latches are not flexible and do not permit the cover to move while the rail car is in transit. The cover meanwhile experiences stress and strain at the point of contact between the latch and the rail car during transit. More often than not, the cover breaks in response to such stress and strain as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
   Consequently, there exists a need for an open-top rail cover designed to accommodate stress and strain experienced during transit. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, an open-top rail car cover broadly comprises a frame having dimensions sufficient to fit a Class G, Class H or Class L freight car in accordance with the Association of American Railroads; a first material disposed in contact with the frame to form a roof; a second material disposed in contact with the frame to form a pair of end walls disposed opposite each other and attached to the roof; and a latch disposed about a side of the frame comprising a first flange and a second flange that combine to define a means for receiving an engagement member of a rail car, wherein the first flange includes at least one first apertures designed to receive a means for securing, the second flange includes at least one second aperture designed to receive the means for securing, the engagement member includes at least one third aperture designed to receive the means for securing, wherein the at least one first aperture, the at least one second aperture and the at least one third aperture are substantially aligned with each other. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, an open-top rail car with cover broadly comprises an open-top freight car designed in accordance with the Association of American Railroads; wherein the open-top freight car further comprises an engagement member having at least one third aperture designed to receive a means for securing, the engagement member is capable of engaging a car cover disposed about a top portion of said car, wherein the car cover comprises: a frame; a first material disposed in contact with the frame to form a roof; a second material disposed in contact with the frame to form a pair of end walls disposed opposite each other and attached to the roof; and a latch disposed about a side of said frame comprising a first flange and a second flange that combine to define a means for receiving the engagement member, wherein the first flange includes at least one first aperture designed to receive a means for securing, the second flange includes at least one second aperture designed to receive the means for securing, wherein the at least one first aperture, the at least one second aperture and the at least one third aperture are substantially aligned with each other. 
   The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a representation of an open-top rail car cover of the prior art; 
       FIG. 2  is a representation of the prior art open-top rail car cover of  FIG. 1  mounted to an open-top rail car; 
       FIG. 3  is a representation illustrating the damage experienced by the prior art open-top rail car cover of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a representation of an open-top rail car; 
       FIG. 5  is a representation of an open-top rail car cover of the present disclosure; 
       FIG. 6  is a representation of an underside view of the cover of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a representation of another open-top rail car cover of the present disclosure; 
       FIG. 8  is a representation of a latch of the open-top rail car covers of the present disclosure; 
       FIG. 9 . is a representation of an engagement member of the present disclosure for an open-top rail car; 
       FIG. 10  is a representation of the latch of  FIG. 8  secured to the engagement member of  FIG. 9 ; and 
       FIG. 11  is a representation of the latch of  FIG. 8  secured to another engagement member for an open-top rail car. 
   

   Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The open-top rail car cover and open-top rail car with said cover described herein have a tongue and groove latch mechanism which permits the open-top cover to move an amount sufficient to compensate for the forces acting upon the cover as the rail car moves. During transit, the cover is less likely to buckle under and break in response to such forces. As a result, the open-top cover described herein possesses a longer useful service life which translates into reduced transportation costs over a long term period. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an open-top rail car  10  for use with an open-top rail cover  20  described herein is shown. Open-top rail car  10  may be any open-top rail car or freight car known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such rail and freight cars are modified and equipped with the aforementioned latch mechanism of the present disclosure. More specifically, the open-top rail car  10  is a freight car that complies with the open-top freight car classifications of the Association of American Railroads (hereinafter “AAR”). The open-top freight car classifications may include, but are not limited to, Class G, Class H, Class L and the like, in accordance with the AAR. The open-top rail car  10  may be modified and equipped with an engagement member  60  which will be described in greater detail. The open-top rail car  10 , and engagement member  60  as well, may comprise any material suitable for use in constructing rail cars. 
   Referring generally now to  FIGS. 5-11 , the open-top rail car cover  20  and latch mechanism are shown. The cover  20  generally comprises a frame  22  having dimensions sufficient to fit any open-top rail car or freight car known to one of ordinary skill in the art. More specifically, the frame  22  has dimensions sufficient to fit a freight car that complies with the open-top freight car classifications of the AAR and, preferably, the Class G, Class H and Class L open-top freight car classifications. A first material disposed in contact with the frame  22  forms a roof  24 . A second material disposed in contact with the frame  22  and roof  24  forms a pair of end walls  30  disposed opposite each other. As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the roof  24  may have one or more surface features such as ribs  26 , corrugations  28 , and the like, which provide structural strength. In the alternative, an open-top cover  40  may have a roof  42  free of any surface features disposed in contact with a frame  44  and pair of end walls  46  as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
   The first and second materials may be substantially the same and may include, but are not limited to, urethanes, polystyrenes, polyesters, epoxies and the like, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials, as well as at least one reinforcing agent such as, but not limited to, ceramic fibers, fibrous glass, glass cloth, glass fabric, glass fiber, calcium silicate, diatomaceous earth, expanded vermiculite, cellulose fibers, woven fabric, non-woven fabric, compacted powder, compacted fiber, mineral fiber, mineral wool, perlite, refractory materials, wood fibers, poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide fibers and the like, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing reinforcing agents, as well as one or more additives such as, but not limited to, abrasion resistant materials, sweat resistant materials, chemical resistant materials, blackbody materials, fire resistant materials, fire retardant materials, intumescent materials, water vapor retardant materials, mold resistant materials, mildew resistant materials, solvent resistant materials, caustic resistant materials, freeze-thaw resistant materials, water resistant materials and the like, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing additives. In addition, the resulting cover may include a coating having an aesthetic, utilitarian or other purpose that may be applied to at least a portion of, if not the entirety of, the cover  20 . The coating may include, but is not limited to, anti-abrasive, appearance coverings, blackbody coatings, breather coatings, mastic coatings, moisture barrier coatings, weather barrier coatings, combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing coatings, and the like. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 8-11 , a latch mechanism  50  for use with the open-top covers and rail cars described herein are shown. Latch mechanism  50  of cover  20  may be disposed along one or more sides  12  of the rail car  10 . Referring now to  FIG. 8 , latch mechanism  50  may comprise a first flange  52  and a second flange  54  that combine to define a means for receiving  56  an engagement member  60  of the rail car  10 . Each flange  52 ,  54  include a plurality of apertures  57 ,  58 , respectively, capable of receiving a means for securing  70 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , the plurality of first apertures  57  and plurality of second apertures  58  may be substantially aligned. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 9 , the engagement member  60  of the rail car  10  may be disposed along an edge of one or more sides  12 . Generally, the engagement member may comprise an L-shaped flange  62  having a plurality of third apertures  64 ; each aperture  64  capable of receiving a means for securing  70 . In the alternative, engagement member  60  may further comprise a support member  66  as shown in  FIG. 11 . The support member  66  may be a separate piece of hardware mounted to engagement member  60  using any number of methods known to one of ordinary skill in the art, or may be integrally formed with engagement member  60  as illustrated. Whether being integrally formed or a separate piece, support member  66  may include a plurality of third apertures (not shown) substantially the same as the third apertures  64  of the engagement member  60 . Support member  66  serves to buttress the L-shaped engagement member  60 , provide an additional anchor to the engagement member  60  for the means for securing  70 , and strengthen the attachment of the cover  20  to the rail car  10 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , engagement member  60  may insert within the means for receiving  56  of the latch mechanism  50 . When inserted, the plurality of third apertures  64  of the engagement member  50  may substantially align with both the plurality of first apertures  57  and plurality of second apertures  58  of the latch mechanism  50  as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . One or more means for securing may then be inserted in the direction indicated by an arrow  72  through the plurality of first apertures, second apertures and third apertures  57 ,  58 ,  64  of the latch mechanism  50 , engagement member  60  and support member  66 , if included. The means for securing  70  may be any object that can be punched, welded, screwed, inserted, bolted, injected, hammered, combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing methods, and the like, that are known to one of ordinary skill in the art. 
   Each first and second aperture  57 ,  58  have dimensions sufficient to permit movement of the first and second flanges  52 ,  54 , and latch mechanism  20 , about each means for securing  70 . In contrast, each third aperture  64  have dimensions sufficient to ensure a close fit with each means for securing  70 . This movement about the means for securing  70  permits the cover  20  to move an amount sufficient to compensate for the forces acting upon the cover  20  as the rail car  10  moves. During transit, the cover  20  is less likely to buckle under and break in response to such forces. As a result, the open-top cover described herein possesses a longer useful service life which translates into reduced transportation costs over a long term period. 
   It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the illustrations described and shown herein, which are deemed to be merely illustrative of the best modes of carrying out the invention, and which are susceptible to modification of form, size, arrangement of parts, and details of operation. The invention rather is intended to encompass all such modifications which are within its spirit and scope as defined by the claims.