IMPROVEMENT IN METALLIC FRAMES FOR RAILWAY CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES OR STRUCTURES, AND THE METALLIC COVERINGS FOR THE SAME.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bernard Joachim La Mothe, of the City and
State of New York, United States of America, for the Invention
of an
"IMPROVEMENT IN METALLIC FRAMES FOR RAILWAY CARS AND OTHER
VEHICLES OR STRUCTURES, AND THE METALLIC COVERINGS FOR THE SAME.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bernard Joachim
La Mothe at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 6th December 1875.
I, BERNARD JOACHIM LA MOTHE, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENT IN METALLIC FRAMES FOR RAILWAY CARS AND
OTHER VEHICLES OR STRUCTURES, AND THE METALLIC COVERINGS FOR THE SAME,"
to be as follows:—
This improvement relates to the frames of platform or flat freight
cars and the platforms and upper works of freight or passenger cars, and
portions of the improvements in the constructions of these frames and

page_text: their carriages are available in making carriage bodies and the frames
and coverings for buildings or other structures.
Metallic tubes or rods are passed horizontally between other tubes or
rods that are at right angles to the tubes or rods first named, and there
are wrought-iron bands or flattened rings secured upon the ranges of
pipes or rods near the intersections to hold the parts firmly, and prevent
one slipping upon the other. At the end of the structure, such as a car
platform, the tubes that run longitudinally pass through an end plate,
and said tubes are spread to hold this plate firmly in place. The draught
bar also passes through this plate, and its extent of movement is limited
by collars, and the spring that connects with the inner end of such
draught bar is a circular coil of wire, or rods, or flat bands, that is
adapted to tension or compression. The transom beam of the platform
is hollow and made of metal, and it is generally preferable that such
transom beam be of metallic plates in the form of a trunk or hollow
prism, with the metal tubes running transversely through it.
In the upper works of the car or other structure the rods or tubes are
passed through connecting blocks, and these are shorter at the upper
part of the car than they are near the base, and the holes through these
bars are parallel, hence the bars will be held parallel or nearly so at
the blocks, but diverge and converge slightly at each side of each block,
therefore the blocks will be prevented from slipping.
The flooring is laid upon sheets of metal that are folded up to form
ribs between the planks or boards.
The enclosure of the structure consists of sheets of metal with flanges
or lips folded upon their edges, so as to be interlocked with each other,
and the covering plates enter grooves in strips or tubes over or around
the vertical rods or tubes.

page_text: one slipping upon the other.
At the end of the structure, such as a car
platform, the tubes that run longitudinally pass through an end plate,
and said tubes are spread to hold this plate firmly in place. The draft
bar also passes through this plate, and its extent of movement is limited
by collars, and the spring that connects with the inner end of such t
draught bar is a circular coil of wire, or rods, or flat bands, that is adapted
to tension or compression. The transom beam of the platform is hollow
and made of metal, and it is generally preferable that such transom
beam be of metallic plates in the form of a trunk or hollow prism, with
the metal tubes running transversely through it.
In the upper works of the car or other structure the rods or tubes are
passed through connecting blocks, and these are shorter at the upper
part of the car than they are near the base, and the holes through these
bars are parallel, hence the bars will be held parallel, or nearly so, at
the blocks, but diverge and converge slightly at each side of each block, 1
therefore the blocks will be prevented from slipping.
The flooring is laid upon sheets of metal, that are folded up to form
ribs between the planks or boards.
The inclosure of the structure consists of sheets of metal with flanges
or lips folded upon their edges, so as to be interlocked with each other,
and the covering plates enter grooves in strips or tubes over or around
the vertical rods or tubes.
In the Drawing,-
Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section of the car frame.
]
"
2 is a plan below the line x, x, and
"
3 is a section through the transom beam.
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4 is a section of the attaching strap, and
"
5 is an elevation of the same.
"
"
6 is a section of one end of the platform, showing the longi-
tudinal braces.
7 is a modification in the transom beam or cross bearer, shown
by a cross section, and
Figs. 8 & 9 are sections representing the manner in which the sheets
of metal forming the car covering are joined together.
2

page_text: The tubes a, a, pass longitudinally of the platform, and the tubes or
bars b, b, run transversely. The tubes c, c, form the transom beam,
between which tubes is the block d that receives the king bolt of the
truck, said block d is retained by metallic bands wrapped around it and
the adjacent tubes c, c.
The longitudinal and transverse tubes intersect each other, and they
are tied together by means of metal straps e, e, that are of flat strips of
sheet metal wound into a coil of the proper size and the ends secured by
passing them through the flat band or ring e¹ and turning the ends over.
These straps e are driven upon the groups of tubes contiguous to the
intersections so as to bind them tightly together, and the tubes may be
slightly flattened at such intersections to cause them to set together
more firmly.
Fig. 12 shows a bearing block b³ to be inserted between the tubes of
the platform where they cross each other, the semicircular grooves for
the tubes being upon opposite faces of the block and at right angles to
each other; these blocks prevent the tubes bending by resting against
each other where they cross. At the end of the car the tubes pass
through the plate g and are expanded so as to retain the plate firmly in
position. The draft bar h passes through this plate g; it is provided
with any suitable head or coupling between the buffer blocks h', and the
movement of the draft bar is limited by the collars 2 and 3 so that
the spring k is not unduly strained in either direction. This spring k is
a coil of steel wire of suitable size, and it is connected by a strap with
the inner end of the draft bar or by passing through a hole in the
draft bar and by a strap or rod 5 with the king bolt block d or the
tubes c of the transom beam, such straps receiving all the convolutions
of the circular coil, and the coil acts as a spring in consequence of the
strain drawing or forcing the coil into an elliptical form.
In order to strengthen the platform and prevent deflection under
weight there are two or more longitudinal braces a¹, see Fig. 6, that
pass above the transom beam d from below the end plate g, thence
down beneath the cross bearer ♬ along horizontal beneath a similar cross
bearer, thence above the transom beam near the other end of the car
and down beneath the end plate. The cross bearer is made of metal
plates or bars perforated or notched so as to pass between the
tubes. I however prefer to use a wooden bearer enclosed in sheet

page_text: 1
iron and perforated for the middle row of tubes a to pass through and
notched at top and bottom for the upper and lower rows of tubes a, as
seen in the section Fig. 7.
In Figs. 10 and 11 a transom beam is represented as made of two
flattened tubular iron cases d through which the tubes a pass, one of
these is filled with wood, the other is represented with metal thimbles a
through which the tubes a pass. At the places where the king bolt d³
comes there is a block between the beams d into which the hole for
the king bolt is introduced.
A platform constructed as aforesaid can be used for a flat or platform:
car, or it can be provided with the upper portions next described to
form a box or passenger car. The vertical rods or tubes are connected
with the transverse tubes of the platform, and they are bent to give
them the vertical position shown, and they pass through the intersection
blocks m, and these blocks m vary in length, as shown, so that the rods
converge or diverge at the respective sides of such blocks and hence
bind in the parallel holes of the intersection blocks and lessen the risk
of such blocks slipping or becoming displaced upon the said rods or
tubes 7.
Instead of the horizontal tubes or rods n alternating with the tubes or
rods I place both the rods n between the rods / (or vice versa), and the
intersection blocks are made accordingly so that the same number of
transverse and longitudinal tubes or rods can be employed at each inter-
section to obtain uniformity of strength and to facilitate the introduction
of the sheet metal covering or filling sheets or woodwork that incloses
the sides of the car.
The metallic sheets forming the covering for the car are to be of the
proper size and joined together. I have shown in sections, Figs. 8
and 9, two very reliable laps or joints for such sheets. The sheets o¹ are
each folded to form a beaded edge, and this is slipped endwise into the
vertical junction strip o' that is bent into the sectional shape shown to
receive and hold the edge beads securely, and the back edges of the
junction strip are held together by the folded strip or returned tie
plates o' that are slipped endwise into place.
I make use of a compound flooring to the car, whereby the floor is
rendered strong and the connection of the planks to the metallic frame
of the platform is facilitated.

page_text: The sheets of metal o are folded to form the vertical ribs 8, 8, that
are double, and at a distance apart corresponding to the width of the
floor planks; these sheets are attached to the tubes of the platform by
bands and rivets 10, see Fig. 1, and then the floor planks t are forced
into the spaces between the ribs 8, 8, and secured by wood screws or
bolts inserted from below through the said sheet metal floor. This con-
struction renders the floor very durable and strong, and prevents the
flooring being broken up in cases of collision; and in case of injury to
the wood of the floor the metal bottom will prevent the leakage of
grain or other material which may be in the car.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and shewn by
Drawings how the same may be carried into practice, I would have it
understood that I do not limit myself to the exact limits, details, or
configuration of the parts I have explained and shown, as the same may
be varied or modified without in any way departing from the essential
features of my Invention; but what I do claim as my Invention and
desire to secure by Letters Patent is,―
First. The metallic car platform made of longitudinal and transverse
tubes or rods secured together at the intersections by wrought-iron bands
in the manner specified.
Second. The band e for securing the tubes or rods a and b made of a
flat strip of sheet metal wound up and retained at its ends by the
band e¹, as and for the purposes set forth.
Third. The plate g at the end of the car platform retained upon the
longitudinal tubes a, by such tubes being passed through the said plate
and spread in combination with the transverse tubes 6 of the platform
as set forth.
Fourth. The draft bar h passing through the plate g, and provided
with the stops or collars 2 and 3, in combination with the circular coil
of wire & forming a double-acting spring that is connected with the said
draught bar and the block d, as set forth.
Fifth. The bars or tubes in combination with the intersection
blocks m of varying length placed together, so that the said bars / or
tubes n converge or diverge, as and for the purposes set forth.
Sixth. The two bars or tubes n passing through between the two
bars or tubes in combination with the intersection blocks m that are

page_text: made to receive and sustain such bars or tubes, in the manner and for
the purposes set forth.
Seventh. The transom beams and transverse bearers for the metallic
platform made of flattened tubular metal cases, with or without a filling
of wood, through which the longitudinal rods or tubes pass as set 5
forth.
Eighth. The metallic sheets forming the covering of the car with a
bead bent at the edges, and combined with junction strips of sheet
metal bent to receive such beads, as set forth.
Ninth. The metallic plates o folded to form double longitudinal 1
ribs 8, 8, in combination with the flooring planks t inserted between
said ribs, and secured as set forth.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal
this Twelfth day of May, A.D. 1876.
B. J. LA MOTHE. (L.S.)
Witnesses,
CHAS. H. SMITH, 76, Chambers St., N.Y.
GEO. T. PINCKNEY,
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