Patent ID: 7866267

Claim:
A container support cross member for a rail road well car, the well car having a pair of lengthwise spaced apart first and second end structures supported by rail car trucks for rolling motion in a longitudinal direction and a pair of cross-wise spaced apart first and second side beams extending lengthwise between the end structures, the well car having a well defined between the side beams, the well car having structure for supporting a shipping container in the well, that structure for supporting a shipping container in the well including at least said container support cross member; when mounted in the well the container support cross member having a first end mounted to the first side beam of the rail road well car, and a second end mounted to the second side beam of the rail road well car, said container support cross member then being mounted between the side beams in a position to support one end of a shipping container carried within the well, wherein said container support cross member comprises: a first member and a second member; the first member being a monolithic beam member having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a medial portion between said first and second end portions; said first end portion of said monolithic beam member being connected by mechanical fasteners to said first side beam at a first moment connection operable to resist sideways deflection of a top chord of a first of the side beams; said second end portion of said monolithic beam member being connected by mechanical fasteners to said second side beam at a second moment connection operable to resist sideways deflection of a top chord of a second of the side beams; said second member overlying said first end portion of said first member and defining a first seat upon which to seat a corner of an end of a shipping container, said second end portion of said cross member having a second seat upon which to seat another corner of a shipping container; a first toe formed at the first end portion of the first member, said first toe having a first upwardly extending flange; said first upwardly extending flange having bores defined therein to permit the first toe to be attached by a mechanical fastener to the first side beam; a second toe formed at the second end portion of the first member, said second toe having a second upwardly extending flange; said second upwardly extending flange having bores defined therein to permit said second toe to be attached by a mechanical fastener to the second side beam; said first toe having a horizontal portion adjoining said medial portion of said first member, said first flange extending upwardly from said horizontal portion; and said bores in said first flange at least a first bore offset upwardly from said horizontal portion by a first distance, and at least a second bore offset upwardly from said horizontal portion by a second distance, said second distance being greater than said first distance.