US2256182A - Refrigerator car construction - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 16, 1941.

R. B. WINSHIP REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed June 50, 1938 2 Shets-Sheeb l Sept. 16, 1941. R. B. wlNsHlP REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Original Filed June 50, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 16, 1941 REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Ralph B. Winship, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assig'nor, by mesne assignments, to Standard Railway Devices Company, a corporation of Dela- Ware Original application June 30, 1938, Serial No.

1939, Serial No. 270,572

(Cl. 10S-409) 7 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerator cars used to transport perishable commodities at a predetermined temperature. A refrigerator car comprises a body having insulated floor, walls and roof and means for cooling in summer and heating in winter.

This invention applies particularly to cars having the cooling means suspended immediately below the ceiling of the car, said means comprising containers having a refrigerant therein, the refrigerant being pure water ice, ice mixed with salt, a brine solution or frozen brine, known as eutectic ice. It is preferable to provide a flue .leading from the space surrounding the container to below the load supporting foraminous floor. The flue, which is preferably adjacent the side wall of the car, provides a path for the circulation of cooled air and also serves to drain off liquid from condensation on the tanks or from melting of the refrigerant.

It is an object of this invention to build a car having bunkers suspended below the ceiling and to provide a drip pan and side flue for circulation of air and draining of liquid.

It is another object of the invention to utilize the space between the vertical side framing members or posts to accommodate the flue, thus decreasing the overall thickness of the wall. The outside width of railway cars is limited to a maximum determined by the tunnel clearances on the railroads on which they operate. The inside width is limited to a minimum determined by the sizes of boxes and crates which are shipped, therefore, with the inside and outside widths severely restricted the thickness of the wall is definitely limited. It is a great advantage, then, to place the side wall flues between the vertical posts so as not to increase the Wall thickness.

Another object of the invention is to eliminate the usual side wall diagonal bracing and substitute horizontal belt rails which may be embedded in the insulation, thereby allowing the space between vertical posts free for the flue.

It is a further object of the invention to use a water proof paper or fabric as the sides of the flue. This decreases both the weight and thickness of the car wall and also facilitates construction since the paper or fabric may be secured to the wall insulation during the manufacture thereof.

Another object of the invention is to construct the refrigerant containers and associated supporting members so that they form a truss eX- tending between the side Walls of the car.

The

Divided and this application April 28,

tanks are, therefore, not only partially self-supporting but also help tol support the roof ofthe car.

Another object is to tie the outerroof and ceiling together with metal hatch frames, thus providing a truss-like structure having greater strength and less weight. i

It is another object to construct and suspend the refrigerant containers and their supporting members so that one container may be removed for repairs without disturbing either the other containers or the roof of the car.

A further object of the invention is to use thel upper parts of the refrigerant containers as the ceiling of the car to support the insulation. This arrangementl eliminates both the Weight and space which would be required in the use of a separate ceiling.

Another object of the invention is to provide sheets of moisture-proof paper or fabric in the wall to prevent entrance of water vapor into the insulation, thus impairing the efficiency thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial transverse section of the refrigerator car on line I--I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section on line liof Fig. 2. f A

Fig. 5 shows a modified construction.

The underframe of the car comprises a center sill 2; cross members (bolsters, cross-bearers and cross-ties) 3 and steel side sill angle 4. A subfloor 5 and wooden side sill i5 are supported by the underframe of the car; the wooden sill 6 being secured to the steel sill 4 by the bolts I. Several layers of pliable insulation 8 rest upon the sub-floor 5 and the main load supporting floor 9 is supported by the wooden side sill 6 and ,the Stringer Ill which also serves as a cleat to hold the insulation 8 in place.

The side wall I5 of the car derives its principal support from the Z-b'ar posts I6 which are riveted to the metallic sub-sill I'I. The sub-sill II is supported upon and insulated from the underframe of the car by the Wooden sill 6. The posts I6 are secured at their upper ends to the inner metallic side plate I8 and braced at intervals along their length by the channel shaped belt rails I9 which are riveted to the posts I6. The side insulation 2l! comprises several layers of pliable insulation 2l with a layer of vwaterproof material 22 secured to one` face thereof.

l the ,hatch Y l ends of the container.

rainer 45 directly be1ow the haben 5|. l necting piece 66, preferably angle shaped, con- This is shown in Fig. 1.

` videsV effectively a continuous beam extending be'- p tween the side posts I6 of the car.

i -61'68 are welded tothe sides 41-48 of the container to stiffen the sides against the outward l thrust of the refrigerant and to help support the sides.

rVIhe wooden pieces 23 function to Afurther brace l the side wall I5V and to hold the insulation 28 in place. The metallic strips 24 and the belt i rails I9 also function as cleats to prevent the insulation from slipping. A wooden stringer 25 l reinforced 'by an angle 25 and secured to the metallic sill 4 serves as the lower supportfor the wood 'sheathing 21.

'f sheathing 21 is secured to the wooden piece 28 which is tied to the inner metallic side lplate I8 f by the brackets 25 spaced at intervals longitu- 'Ihe upper end of the dinally of the car. The outer metallic side plate 38 ris secured to the wooden piece 28. Y

Flues for circulation of air are formed adterial 36.V

In addition to is riveted to the carline 18 and web plates 12 are welded to the sides 48 of the containers to stiffen the sides and to provide a means to support the containers. The web plates 12 are riveted to the supporting member 1|. Y

Fig. 4 shows the construction near the ends of the containers where'the carline 15 vand theY transverse bars 16 lie in substantially the same serves asY a barrier'to prevent infiltration of Water vapor into the insulation.

The refrigerant containers 45 are solid tanks provided in the top sheet to communicate with Welded to the sides 41, 48 and bottom 46 of the container and extend longitudinally of the container from end to end. The stiffeners 52 function as beams to strengthen the container and as skids upon which the` ice may be pushed to the Apertures 53 are provided i near the tops ofthe walls 41-48 for the passage of air when itis desired to ventilate the car. verted louvers 54'ten'd to prevent the splashing of liquid from thetank through the apertures 53. A plurality of spaced apart channel shaped the inner metallic side plates I8. There are preferably four carlines 68 for each container 45, one

positioned on each side of the hatch 5| vand one near each end of the container.

A plurality of transverse bars 6| are secured to the bottom of each container 45. The bars 6| extend a short distance beyond each side of a container and are preferably positioned with one directly below the hatch 57| and one near each end of a container. Each bar 6| is secured preferably by rivets 62 and a gusset plate 63 to a post I6. The bars 6| are` preferably channel spaced and have one l flange thereof flattened into the plane of the web at each Vend of the bar to provide adequate space for rivets.

The transverse bar 65 is at the center of a con- A con- A plurality of stiifeners 52 are l designed for the retentionof the melted refriger- 1 ant and are formed from steel plate by Welding. The bottom 46 and sides 1T- 48 of each tank are formed from asinglesheet of steel. The ends 49 and top 58 are separate pieces secured prefer- Y ably by spot welding; the seams being waterproofedv by solder or car cement.V An opening is carlines 68 extend between and are secured to nects the bars of directly opposite containers.

This construction pro- Web plates V'Fig. `v3 shows the construction at the carline V18 vertical plane. The plate 11 functions both to connect the bars v18 of directly opposite containers and to connect said bars to the carline 15. Web plates 18 welded to the sides 48 of the containers function not only to stiffen said walls but to secure the walls' 46 to the bars 16 and the plate 11. K

The outer `roof 38 of the car extends between j and is supportedby the outer metallic side plates 88.

The roof comprises sheets 8| extending transversely of the car and having the transverse edges thereof upturned to form upwardly projectingV flanges 82. Inverted channel shaped seam caps, or carlines 83, extending between the:

outer metallic side plates y38 to cover the flanges 82 and are'riveted thereto to provide watertight joints. Hatches 5| are provided for the deposit of refrigerant in the containers and are sur-Y ceiling of the car to support the pliable insula- Y tion 89. Small sheets 58 support the insulation 89 between containers 45. A layer of'waterproof material could be placed above vthe containers to reduce condensation in the insulation. v

A partition or drip pan |85 is provided -below each container with an Vupright' wall |86 at the inner edge thereof to provide a central duct |81,

The drip pan |85 is connected to the bottom edges ofthe transverse bars 6| which space they drip pan |85 from the container bottom 45 to provide a passage |88 ywhich communicates with the side wall fiues 35. The lading is supported by a foraminous floor comprising spaced apart slats |89 spaced from and supported on the main floor 9 by stringers H8. The air circulates from the lading compartment upwardly through the duct |81, through the passage |88 where it is cooled by contact with the container bottom 46, downwardly through the flue 35, through the space 2 under theforaminous floorand upwardly between the slats |89 to the lading `com'- partment Ijwhere it is warmed by contact with the lading.

The refrigerant containers, supporting members therefor and portions of the roof structure all cooperate to forml a supporting structure for the containers. Near the end of each container, the transverse bars 16 and the plate 11 are'connected together to form, in effect, a lower carline member disposed below the containers 45. Said lower carline member and the upper carline 'I5 are tied together by the plate 11 and the containers 45, particularly the ends 49 and sides 41-48 thereof, thereby forming a container supporting structure between the sidewalls I5 of the car. Y

Near the center of the containers 45, upper carlines are disposed on each side of the hatch 5|. The transverse bars 65 are connected together at the center of the car by the connecting piece 66 to form, in effect, a lower carline member disposed below the containers 45 and in a vertical plane disposed between the vertical planes through the upper carlines 10. The container walls 41-48 are secured to the lower carline member by the Web plates 61-68, respectively, and the walls 48 are connected to the upper carlines 'I0 by the web plates 12. The containers 45, the walls 48 in particular and the walls 41, to a limited extent, thereby form a tie between the upper and lower carlines and provide cooperation therebetween to support the containers.

The refrigerant containers are constructed and supported so that any container may be removed without disturbing other containers or the roof structure. After the drip pan has been removed all rivets are readily accessible.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

This is a division of my application, Serial No. 216,732 led June 30, 1938.

I claim:

l. A wall structure for a refrigerator car comprising a metallic sill forming part of the underframe of the car, a wooden sill mounted upon and secured to said metallic sill, a metallic sub-sill mounted upon and secured to said wooden sill, an inner metallic plate, a plurality of spaced apart vertical posts extending between and secured to said metallic sub-sill and inner metallic plate, insulating material outside of the posts and supported thereby, an outer metallic plate, a

wooden piece secured to the inside of the outer metallic plate, a plurality of spaced apart brackets connecting said inner metallic plate and said wooden piece, a wooden Stringer mounted on the outside of said metallic sill, and an outer sheath- -v ing extending between and secured to said wooden piece and Stringer.

2. A wall structure for a refrigerator car cornprising a metallic sill forming part of the underframe of the car, a wooden sill mounted upon and secured to said metallic sill, a metallic subsill mounted upon and secured to said wooden sill, an inner metallic plate, a plurality of spaced apart vertical posts extending between and secured to said metallic sub-sill and inner metallic plate, insulating material outside of the posts and supported thereby, an outer metallic plate, means to connect said inner and outer plates, an outer sheathing, and means to secure said sheathing to said outer plate and said metallic sill.

3. A refrigerator car having spaced apart walls as defined in claim 2 in combination with inside carlines extending Ibetween and supported by said inner metallic plates, inside roof sheets spanning the spaces between the inside carlines, outside carlines extending between and supported by said outer metallic plates, outside roof sheets spanning the spaces between the outside carlines, and insulating material between the insidev and outside roof sheets and extending continuously between said walls.

4. A refrigerator car having spaced apart walls as dei-ined in claim 2 in combination with inside carlines extending between and supported by said inner metallic plates, inside roof sheets spanning the spaces between the inside carlines, outside carlines extending between and supported by said outer metallic plates, outside roof sheets spanning the spaces between the outside carlines, hatch frames connecting the inside and outside roof sheets, and insulating material between the inside and outside roof sheets and extending continuously between the hatch frames and between said walls.

5. A refrigerator car structure comprising spaced apart inner side plates, inside carlines extending between and secured to said inner side plates, refrigerant containers partially supported by the inside carlines wherein the tops of said containers constitute inside roof sheets, spaced apart outer side plates, outside carlines extending between and secured to said outer side plates, outside roof sheets extending between the outside carlines, insulation between the inside and outside roof sheets and supported by said inside roof sheets, hatch frames secured to the tops of said containers and to the outside roof sheets whereby the outside roof structure also partially supports the refrigerant containers.

G. A wall structure for a refrigerator car comprising a metallic sill supported by the underframe of the car, a wooden sill mounted upon said metallic sill, a metallic sub-sill mounted upon said Wooden sill, an inner metallic plate, a plurality of spaced apart substantially vertical posts extending between and secured to said metallic sub-sill and inner metallic plate, insulating material outside of said posts, an outer metallic plate, an outer sheathing, and means to secure said sheathing to said outer plate and said rnetallic sill.

7. A wall structure for a refrigerator car comprising a metallic sill supported by the underframe of the car, a metallic sub-sill, insulating means arranged to secure said sub-sill to said metallic sill, an inner metallic plate, a plurality of spaced apart substantially vertical posts eX- tending between and secured to said metallic subsill and inner metallic plate, insulating material outside of said posts, an outer metallic plate, means to connect said inner and outer plates, an outer sheathing, and means to secure said sheathing to said outer plate and said metallic sill.

RALPH B. WINSHIP.

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