Patent ID: 7963230

Claim:
A shield assembly protecting an exterior wall of a railroad tank car during a lifting operation where said exterior wall has a radius of curvature R, said shield assembly comprising: a first shield body, a second shield body and a tether connecting said first and second shield bodies together; said shield assembly having an operative position with: said first shield body having a first face engaging said exterior wall, said first face having a radius of curvature of substantially R, wherein said first face comprises an exterior surface of said first shield body; said second shield body having a second face engaging said exterior wall, said second face having a radius of curvature of substantially R wherein said second face comprises an exterior surface of said second shield body; said tether straddling a top of said tank car and said first and second shield bodies engaging said exterior wall at opposite sides where said first and second shield bodies are positioned between a lifting device and said external wall of said tank car; said shield assembly being further characterized by: a resilient liner attached to each of said first face and said second face, said resilient liner being positioned between said first face and said railroad tank car and said second face and said tank car so that said resilient liner directly contacts said railroad tank car.