Improvements in and Relating to Metallic Cars for Railways.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1897-Accepted, 17th July, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Relating to Metallic Cars for Railways.
I, CHARLES THOMAS SCHOEN, a citizen of the United States of America, of 707
Betz Building, in the City and County of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania,
United States of America, manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement: --
This invention relates, stated generally, to the construction of a railway car,
and stated specifically, to the construction of a pressed-steel hopper-bottom car.
The invention comprises a number of details of construction, such as the under-
frame and its sills, the draft-gear, the body-bolster, the bottom, the doors for the
bottom, the supports for the bottom, the sides and ends, the stakes and corner
posts and other parts and combinations of parts, as hereinafter more particularly
set forth and claimed.
In order to avoid repetition of the fact, it may be stated now, once for all, that
in the preferred construction, the parts of my invention may be constructed of
mild steel plate, pressed to shape.
F
I state now that my invention, which has to do with the under-frame and the
body of the car, may be used in connection with any suitable trucks. And I also
state that parts of my invention are applicable to wooden cars.
I desire it to be noted, also, that in accompanying illustrations of my invention,
I have endeavoured to illustrate the parts in the proportions and arrangements,
as well as in the construction and conformation which I propose to employ in the
manufacture of the invention, but it is clearly within my invention, to make altera-
tions in these several particulars, so long as the prnciple of the invention is
retained.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, in the several figures
of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the
right hand half of the car. Figure 2 is a vertical section of the left hand kalf
of the car. Figure 3 is a top plan view of the left-hand half of the car. Figure 4
is a bottom plan view of the right-hand half of the car. Figure 5 is an end cleva-
tion. Figure 6 is a cross-section, showing more than half of the car from one side,
and taken in the plane of line 6-6, Figure 2, and Figure 7 is a cross-section
extending more than half-way,across the car from the other side, and taken in the
plane of line 7-7, Figure 2. Figure 8 is a cross-section of portion, taken imme-
diately in the rear of the holster. Figure 9 is a cross-section of the bolster, taken
in the plane of line 9-9, Figure 8. Figure 10 is a perspective view of the bolster.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of one of the floor girders. Figure 12 is a perspec-
tive view of another of the floor-girders. Figure 13 is a perspective view of one
of the chute floor-girders. Figure 14 is a perspective view of a part of the draft-
gear. Figure 15 is a perspective view of one of the corner-braces used in connec-
tion with the sills. Figure 16 is a top plan view and a cross-section of the roping-
staple. Figure 17 is a top plan view of one of the floor girder braces, with the
cross-section developed therein; and Figure 18 is a side elevation of said girder-

page_text: brace. Figure 19 is a perspective view, and Figure 20 a top plan view of one of
the side stakes or stanchions. Figure 21 is a perspective view of the corner.-post.
Figures 22 and 23 are cross-sections at different points, of the corner-post of
Figure 21. Figure 24 is an end elevation of the lower end of the corner-post.
Figure 25 is a cross-section of an end-brace taken at line 25, Figure 2.
The under-frame or the body of the car, comprises the two side-sills, a a¹, the
two center-sills a a³, the general shape of which is shown in Figures 1, 2, 4, 6,
7 and 8, and the two end-sills, a a, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The side-sills and
the center-sills are made as channel-beams, deepest at their centre, with their.
bottom lines tapering thence toward the ends, where the upper and lower lines
are parallel, as clearly indicated in Figure 1. That is to say, the top lines of the
sills are horizontal, while the lower lines are bellied. By this construction I avoid
the necessity of truss rods, and obtain in the longitudinal sills themselves as much
strength as would be imparted by the use of truss-rods, and not only so, but I
greatly simplify the construction and reduce the cost. The end-sills are of the 1
outline shown in cross-section in Figure 2, and completely box in the ends
of the under-frame. The end-sills are boxed in at the ends so as to over-lap the
sides of the side-sills, to which they are riveted, see a6, Figures 1 and 4; and
they are also made with the vertical flanges a8, see Figures 2 and 5, which extend
the whole length of the sills, that is to say, the width of the car.
The center-sills are braced midway of the car by braces a7, Figures 3 and 4.
The side-sills and the end-sills are united by means of angle-braces or brackets b,
and the center-sills and end-sills are also united by similar brackets b, and these
several brackets or braces are riveted to the sills. As shown in Figure 15, these
angle-braces or brackets are of the general outline of a right-angle triangle, and
each is composed of the web b¹ having the flange 63 on the hypothenuse and the
flanges 63, 64 on the side and base respectively. The flanges receive the rivets.
This angle-brace or bracket may be conveniently struck up, and two of them may
be made from a rectangular piece of metal by slitting it diagonally.
At points opposite the truck-centers, are arranged plates c, which, as shown in
Figure 4, are of the general outline of an elongated octagon, and these plates are
riveted to the upper flanges of the center-sills, as shown in Figure 8, and as indi-
cated in Figure 4, and are braced to said sills by means of angle-braces c¹, which
are riveted to the webs and flanges of the said center-sills and project out laterally
therefrom and riveted to the plate c. The plates c may be cut out at c² to save
metal and weight. is the centre-plate, which may be riveted to the center-
sills and to an internal brace 4, Figure 8, which is riveted to the center-sill's
webs. The function of the octagonal plates is to tie or brace the center-sills
and also the bolster, hereinafter described.
The body-bolster d, see Figures 2, 8, 9 and 10, contrary to usual practice, is
arranged above the sills, and within the body of the car. This bolster has a sub-
stantially horizontal bottom, provided with the lateral flanges & diverging from
the center toward both ends, and the bellied body d2; and at the ends of the said
body, vertical flanges are formed. The bolster may be struck up of one piece
of metal in this construction. The bolster is arranged over the plate c, and is
riveted thereto and to the flanges of the several sills, a, a', a², a³. Angle-
brackets are secured to the side-sills, and their upper flanges are riveted to the
side flanges of the bolster; and the rivets uniting the brackets c¹ and plate c also
pass through the flanges of the bolster. The end flanges d³ of the bolster are
riveted to the sides of the car. Thus a very rigid construction is provided.
In, Figure 8, e may represent the top of the truck-bolster or transom; e¹ the
center-plate, and e³ ³ the side-bearings, all of which may be of usual or approved
construction.
The end-sills are provided with openings f between the center-sills for the
passage of the draw-bar, and these openings are flanged inwardly, as indicated in
Figures 4, 5 and 7. 9 is a carrier-strap, bolted across the bottom of each opening,
and removable for the purpose of, withdrawing the draw-bar when necessary.
A

page_text: brace h, Figures 2 and 14, abuts against the end-sills just over the opening for
the draw-bar, and extends back slightly at an angle to make a clearance for the
draw-bar. This brace h has the side flanges by means of which it is riveted
or bolted to the center-sills, and has the up-turned flange which abuts against
the end-still. In the clearance-angle of brace h an embossment h is made for
the purpose of reinforcing the brace. The function of this brace h is to resist the
strains incident to the butting of the draw-head against the end-sill.
An under-frame constructed in accordance with the foregoing is admirably
adapted to receive a body of a hopper bottom car, whether such body be made of
metal or of other material. It is an economical structure, and a very-rigid and
strong one.
The sides of the body are composed of a series of plates i, provided with longi-
tudinal corrugations for increase of strength, and lap-jointed at their meeting
edges. The lower edges of adjacent plates have their edges bent or flanged to
overlap the adjacent flat edge of the next plate, and thereby the interior surface is
left flush. The lowermost plates are provided with inturned flanges ³, Figures 6
and 7, which rest upon the side-sills; and the uppermost plates are provided with
flanges which extend outwardly, and which are provided at intervals with
embossments 5 (see Figure 1) to prevent the breaking down of the flanges and to
reinforce the plates along their upper and exposed edges. j are the stakes or
stanchions arranged along the sides of the car, and riveted thereto and to the side-
sills. These stakes, as shown more especially in Figures 1, 4, 19 and 20, are com-
posed of right-angle pieces, and boxed in at the ends, and crimped at and
pocketed at 2, respectively to conform to the corrugations and lap-joints of the
sides. The upper ends of these stakes are fitted beneath the upper flanges of the
sides and may be riveted thereto or not, as desired.
The ends of the body may each comprise one or more plates k, corrugated or not
as desired, and having an inturned bottom flange k¹ to form the upper support for
the floor; and also provided with the outwardly projecting edge-flange which is
constructed with the embossments to strengthen said flange, as in the case of
the side-flange.
The sides and ends are jointed together by the corner-posts 1, Figures 1 and 5
and 21-24. These corner-posts are also provided with crimps and pockets
respectively to correspond with the corrugations and joints of. the side-plates ;*
and may be further strengthened by the embossments 13, which extend around the
angle, see Figure 23, and by the embossments 14 which extend along one side only,
see Figure 22.
The corner-posts also extend down to and are riveted to the side and end-plates
and to the side-sills.
The sides may be tied together by the transverse tie-rods m, any number of
which may be employed.
Without thereby limiting my invention to a double hopper-bottom car, I will
describe that construction. The floors slope from each end toward the center of
the car.
These floors are composed of over-lapped plates n, as shown in Figures 2.
to 7, the plates being riveted together at their joints. The side-plates of the floor
are provided with vertical flanges n', which are riveted to the sides of the body.
The upper ends of the plates n rest upon and are riveted to the inturned flanges k¹.
of the ends; and for the purpose of strength, the several floor plates may be pro-
vided with end flanges n², Figure 2, which are also riveted to the ends. The floors
extend below the sills and between the side-sills and the center-sills.
The floor-plates being flanged at the sides so as to admit of their being riveted
to the sides of the car, and also being flanged at the ends, so as to permit of their
being riveted to the end-plate of the car, simplifies the construction very consider-
ably over the old practice where angle-strips have been required, such angle-
strips being necessarily riveted both to the floor and to the sides. By my con-
struction, it is obvious that I save one-half in the number of rivets employed, and
also save a corresponding amount of work.
1

page_text: The interior of the body is divided transversely by a conical deflector o which is
composed of a foundation piece o¹, which may be a single piece, having
end flanges 02 by which it is riveted to opposite sides of the body.
Upon this foundation piece are riveted the overlapping plates 08
Figures 2, 3 and 6, the end plates being provided with flanges of which
also are riveted to the sides. The plates 03 of the deflector extend down
into the spaces between the center-sill a² and the side-sill a and between the
center-still a3 and the side-sill a¹. This deflector, as its name indicates, serves to
divide the stream of coal, and in addition, it acts as a cross-girder, supporting the
center-sills and holding them up, being riveted also to such sills. The car is
further divided, longitudinally, by means of deflectors whose tops are conical or
domed, and which are arranged above and riveted to the center-sills and extend
from the central transverse deflector to the floor, and have flanged ends which are
riveted to the central deflector, and if need be, may also have flanged ends which
are riveted to the floors. The sides of the longitudinal deflectors p are pocketed
at p¹ for the passage of the rivets. By means of these longitudinal deflectors,
each end of the car is divided longitudinally, so as to form two discharge chutes.
Plates constitute the inner sides of these chutes below the top levels of the sills,
and these plates 9 are riveted to the center-sills, and said plates and the floors are
connected by angle-pieces, q', to which both are riveted. Angle-pieces q² are
deflected (see Figures 4 and 7) inwardly and downwardly beneath the side-sills
and the floors, to support the chutes at the outside, and the outer sides are inclosed
by the plates q³ which are riveted to the flanges n¹ of the floor-plates. The exten-
sion-sides q, as shown in Figure 7, may be projected from inside of the center-sills
and riveted to the said sills as well as to the angle-pieces q' of the floors.
The floors are supported by transverse girders r, 1, 2 and 3, details of which are
shown respectively in Figures 2-5 and 11-13. These girders are in the form of
channel-beams, with their upper surfaces provided with alternating depressions and
elevations to receive the over-lapped floor-plates; and, as shown in Figures 3, 4,
5 and 11, the sides of the girders r and are deflected toward one another for the
purpose of increasing their rigidity. The floor-plates are riveted to these girders.
The girder r is supported from the sills by. means of braces (Figures 2, 4, 5, 17
and 18). These braces have angular or channel bodies, (see the section developed
in Figure 17, for example), and terminate in flanges 56, which are respectively
riveted to the side sills and to the girder r, being arranged obliquely, as shown,
more particularly in Figures 4 and 5. The girder r is supported by braces
which rise from the center-sills. The girder 2 has base flanges (see Figures 2
and 12) which are riveted to the several longitudinal sills. The girders are
riveted to the floor plates between and to the angle-pieces which support the chute
portions of the bottoms.
The girder is also flanged at its ends, as at 7, Figure 11, in order to permit
of the girder being riveted to the sides, such riveting serving to make the girder
also a tie for the sides. The girder r¹ may be similarly flanged for a like purpose.
In order to resist the load and to strengthen the ends of the car, such ends are
provided with the braces s, Figure 5, which rise from the centre-sills, and are
made with the flat ends s¹ which are riveted to the end-sill flanges a8, and diverge
upwardly, and are provided with the flat ends s2, which are riveted to the ends k.
These braces have their centres bent into U-shape, at 3, for reinforcement, see
Figure 25.
Thus the car is braced in every direction, and the construction hereinbefore
described provides for meeting strains in all directions, not only vertically from
the load, but also from the side and end pressures, and the thrust incident to the
fore-and-aft motion of moving cars.
The doors for the chutes of which there are four for a double hopper-bottom
car-are arranged in pairs, and each door t, consists of a plate of metal, having a 5
central inwardly projecting embossment t¹ for increasing its strength, and flanged

page_text: at its sides, and hinged at its upper end, as at , the hinges being riveted to cross-
pieces, Figure 2. Each pair of doors is connected by a channel-
beam, see Figures 2, 5 and 6, which extends across the car from outside
to outside of the doors, and each pair of doors is further braced by the
angle-piece 5, Figure 6 which is riveted thereto. The doors close against angle-
pieces, which are riveted to the side extensions y and 93, see Figure 2. The
means shown for opening and closing the doors are those in common use at this
time and need no description here.
I prefer to reinforce the sides of the car at the points where the bolsters are
arranged, and for this purpose 1 rivet plates u to the outside, see Figure 1, the
end flanges of the bolsters being riveted through the sides and these plates..
The roping-staple, shown in Figures 1 and 16, and lettered v, is struck up or
pressed out of plate steel, with its loop made U-shape in cross-section, and its ends
flat whereby it may be riveted to the sides and to the side-sills.
Where the car-body sets low with respect to the trucks, it may be necessary to
provide in the extended bottoms, the pockets for the wheels of the trucks.
These pockets may be formed by embossing or crowning up the floor plates, see
Figure 2.
The lateral flanges of the sides and ends are united at the corners of the car by
means of flat corner-plates wo¹, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7.
It will be understood of course that the longitudinal and transverse deflectors are
made in cone shape to avoid the coal or similar freight stagnating at these points.
The doors may be flanged around the four sides, for strength; and the central
embossment serves to resist the pressure of the load.
I have purposely omitted from the drawings such details as are not directly
involved in my invention, and as to these details I propose to supply them at
discretion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The pressed steel door for hoppers of hopper-bottom cars, having a central,
inwardly projecting embossment, and edge flanges, substantially as set forth.
2. An end-sill for cars, constructed as a channel-beam having boxed-in ends,
and a vertical flange a extending the whole length of the sill and integral there-
with, substantially as described.
3. An end-sill for cars, composed of a channeled piece of metal to inclose the
ends of the longitudinal sills, and having an integral vertical flange rising at the
end of the car, substantially as described.
4. An under-frame for cars, composed of side-sills each made of a single piece,
deeper at the center than at the ends, and having continuous top and bottom
flanges, a pair of center sills extending continuously from end to end of the frame,
end sills each composed of a channel piece of metal to inclose the ends of the longi-
tudinal sills and having an integral vertical flange rising at the end of the car,
and corner brackets for uniting the several longitudinal sills and the end sills,
substantially as described.
5. The combination with the under-frame and a body erected thereupon, of
body-bolsters secured to and above the under-frame and also secured to the sides
of the body, substantially as described.
6. An under-frame for cars, comprising longitudinal sills, a body-bolster
erected upon and above the said sills, and laterally extended brackets secured to
tie said sills and to the bolster, substantially as described.
7. In an under-frame for cars, the center-sills, a superposed body-bolster, an
octagonal tie plate connecting the sills and bolster, and laterally projecting brac-
kets applied to the center-sills and the tie-plate in the direction of the length of
the bolster, substantially as described.

page_text: 8. In an under-frame, the combination of the center-sills, a center-plate, and à
brace interposed between the center-sills and the center-plate, and riveted to both,
substantially as described.
9. A triangular corner-bracket, for uniting the side and end-sills of a car, com-
posed of a web and flanges depending from three sides thereof, the right-angled
Hanges forming the medium by which the bracket and sills are riveted together,
substantially as described.
10. An octagonal brace-plate, adapted to be applied to the center-sills and the
body-bolster, and tie them together, substantially as described.
11. A body-bolster, having its body bellied, its longitudinal edges flanged, and
its ends provided with vertical flanges which are adapted to be secured to the sides
of the car, the edge and end flanges being integral parts of the bolster,
substantially as described.
12. A flanged, channel-shaped brace h, adapted to be secured to and between the
center-sills and abutted against the end-sill adjacent to the draw-bar pocket,
substantially as described.
13. A car-body, having its sides composed of plates of metal, having their edges
overlapped and riveted together, the upper plates being flanged outwardly at
their upper edges, and embossed vertically, substantially as described.
14. A car-body, having an end-plate provided with an inturned bottom flange,
which is adapted to receive and support the floor-plates, substantially as described.
15. A car-body, having ends, combined with braces having flat ends and a
channel body, and secured to the under-frame adjacent to the center-sills and
diverging upwardly therefrom, and rigidly secured to the said ends, substantially
as. described.
16. A side-stake, made as a rectangle, having boxed-in ends, and with one side
riveted to the sides and sills of the car, and crimped and pocketed to conform to
the surface of the sides, and the other projecting laterally from the car,
substantially as described.
17. Corner-posts, made substantially as rectangles and extending from top to
bottom of the car-body, and riveted to the sides and ends and to the sills; and pro-
vided with embossments, substantially as described.
18. A hopper-bottom car, having its floor composed of overlapped plates of
metal, flanged at their ends, and riveted to the ends of the car, transverse girders
to which the said floor plates are secured, and supports extending from said
girders to the under-frame, substantially as described.
19. A metallic floor for cars, composed of overlapped plates, flanged at the ends,
combined with the end plates having supporting flanges, the floor plates next to
the car sides also being flanged and such flanges riveted to the sides, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
20. In a car, floor-girders, made as metallic channel beams, constructed with
alternating depressions and elevations to receive the floor plates, and adapted to
be secured to the sides, and to be supported from the under-frame, substantially
as described.
21. A cross-girder constructed as a channel-beam, and having alternating
depressions and elevations for supporting the floor plates of a car, and having
flanged ends, whereby it is adapted to be riveted to the sides of the car,
substantially as described.
22. A floor-girder, ², having a channel-like body, shaped to receive the floor-
plates, and provided with flanged edges whereby it is adapted to be riveted to the
under-frame, substantially as described.
23. In a car, a floor-girder, made of a metallic channel-beam, having its bearing
surface to which the floor plates are secured, constructed with depressions and
elevations to adapt it to overlapped floor-plates, substantially as described.
24. In a car, a floor-girder, made of a metallic channel-beam having its bearing
surface shaped to receive overlapped floor-plates, and having flanged sides pressed

page_text: inwardly at intervals to increase the rigidity of such girder, substantially as
described.
25. In a double hopper-bottom car, the combination with the under-frame and
the body, of a substantially central transverse cone, having end flanges riveted to
the sides, and edge-flanges riveted to the sills, substantially as described.
26. In a hooper-bottom car, a transverse central deflector, composed of a founda-
tion piece having flanged ends which are riveted to the sides of the body, and an
exposed surface composed of overlapped-plates, the plates at the ends of the
deflector being provided with end flanges which are riveted to the sides of the
car, substantially as described.
27. In a hopper-bottom car, a central transverse deflector, provided with end
flanges riveted to the sides of the car, and edge flanges, combined with the under-
frame to which such edge flanges are riveted, substantially as described.
28. In a hopper-bottom car, the floor and a floor-girder, combined with an
under-frame, and girder supports rising obliquely from the sides of the under-
frame and converging towards the middle of the girder, substantially as described.
Dated this 15th day of June. 1897
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.