US2256377A - Refrigerator car - Google Patents

Description

Sept 16, 1941- c. D. BoNsALL l 2,256,377

REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed Dec. 1l, 1959 3 Sheets--Sheetv l Sept. 16, 1941. c. D. BoNsALL REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed Dc.

- 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 L Il Sept. 16, 1941.

c. D. BoNsALL REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed Dec. 1l 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 f/mrmjmb [nue/Livr.- v 7a/flaw. 13o/mil' Patented Sept. 16, 1941 misas?? REFRIGERATOR CAR Charles D. Bonsall, Chicago, Ill., assigner, by

mesne assignments, to Standard Railway Devices Company, a corporation of Delaware Application December 11, 1939, Serial No. 308,535

23 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerator cars used to transport perishable commodities at a predetermined temperature. The essential features of a refrigerator car are an insulated body to prevent or retard ingress of heat during warm weather and egress of heat during cold weather and a cooling means and a heating means to-be used during warm and cold Weather respectively.

This invention applies particularly to cars in which the cooling means, preferably' containers for water ice, eutectic ice, brine or dry ice, are disposed immediately below the roof of the car. The lading is supported in spaced relation to the floor by a foraminous rack. Flues, preferably associated with the side walls of the car, communicate between the cooling means and the space under the iioor rack to provide a path for the circulation of air. The path is from the cooling means downwardly through the aforementioned ues, through the space under the floor rack, upwardly through the lading compartment thereby cooling the lading, and finally to the cooling means from where the cycle is repeated.

An object of the invention is to provide a car which is very efficiently insulated. The insulation used in refrigerator cars is commonly of a pliable type provided in blanket form and is secured to the far framework by cleats which compress the insulation considerably, thereby reduc-v I provide a coning the insulating value thereof. struction in which the insulation is compressed but a small amount and the insulating efficiency is reduced a correspondingly small amount.

Another object is to use horizontal outer sheathing boards so that the nailing strips therefor may be vertical and aligned with the load supporting frame members of the car. By this arrangement it is possible to balance the wall in an insulating sense by providing substantially equal heat conduction through each portion of the wall.

Another object is to compensate for the decrease in insulation due to the compression of the insulation blanket by wrapping the non-compressed portion of the insulating blanket around the sleats, thereby filling up the voids caused by compression of said blanket.

Another object is to provide a solidly supported gutter to receive liquid flowing from the side Wall flues and to make provision for taking care of the natural variations which occur during the assembly of the gutter and the floor in the car.

A further object is to provide a truss-like Wall structure in which the diagonal braces of the truss are disposed within the wall in such a way that they do not interfere with the air circulation is concerned.

Another object is to provide baiiies within the refrigerant container for the reinforcement thereof and to retard surging of the refrigerant therein due to service movements of the car. A further object is to flare the sides of the hatch frame outwardly and downwardly so as to permit easy loading of the refrigerant over the tops of the baiiies and into the remote ends of the container.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description by referring to the accompanying drawlngs.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a transverse section car embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 with certain parts of the roof supporting carlines being omitted in Fig. 2, for clarification.

Fig. Bris a longitudinal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 to show the position of the diagonal of a refrigerator side wall braces.

Fig. 4 is a section of the floor taken on line 1 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 isa section through the roof and refrigerant container as indicated by the line 5--5 in Fig. 1. Y

Fig. 6 is a. section through the side wall on line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view similar to a portion of Fig. 1 and showing a modified form of gutter.

The general parts ofthe refrigerator car shown are insulated roof 2, side wall 3, floor 4, hatch 5, refrigerant container 6, side wall fiue 1, foraminous floor rack 8 and space 9 between rack 8 and iioor 4. A refrigerant container 6 is positioned directly below the roof 2 andadjacent the side wall 3. A drip pan I2 is provided below the container 6 and a partition I4 is secured in an upstanding position at the edge of the drip pan I2. The drip pan I2 and partition I4 cooperate with the roof 2 and side wall 3 to form an enclosing Vstructure II around the container 6, an air inlet opening I5 being provided by spacing the partition I4 from the roof 2. An air discharge opening I 'I which leads to the flue 'I is formed by spacing the drip pan I2' from the wall 3.

Air cirulation is as follows: Air in the lading compartment I8 is warmed by contact with the lading and rises to enter the enclosing structure through the air inlet opening I5. The air is cooled by contact with the refrigerant container 6 and falls by reason of its greater density through the discharge opening II and flue to the space 9 whence it rises through the rack 8 to the lading compartment I8. Cars of this type usually have a row of refrigerant containers near each wall and directly below the roof so that air flowing from the lading compartment flows between the containers disposed on opposite sides of the car.

The upper and lower chords of the side wall 3 are the wooden side plate and side sill 2|, respectively. Metallic angle members 22-23 are secured, preferably by means of bolts 25, to the plate 20 and sill 2| and metallic side posts 25 extend between and are secured-to the angle members 22-23. Wooden fillers 28 are preferably secured to the metallic posts 26. Metallic'flue sheets 29 extend between and are secured to the inner faces of the posts 26, which sheets 29 extend between the side plate 20 and side sill 2|.

A lining 3|, preferably of wood, is disposed in iiatwise relation to the metallic sheets; said sheets 29 have formed therein voutwardly projecting panels 32 extending between plate 29 and sill 2|, thereby forming the side wall flues 'I between the panels 32 and lining 3|.

Spacing members 35-36 are secured by suitable means to both the side plate 29 and side sill 2| exterior thereof. Substantially Vertical nailing stripsvS'I extend between the spacing members 35--36 in spaced relation to the side posts 26, the spacing members 35-36 preferably being gained out to accommodate the upper and lower ends of the nailing strips 31. Blocks 39 are preferably provided between the nailing strips 37 and the posts 25 midway between the side plate 2S and side sill 2|. sheathing 40, which may be plywood panels or horizontally extending boards, is secured to the nailing strips 31 and extends from end to end of the car. The space between the sheathing 40 and the panel iiue sheets 29 is lled with a blanket type insulation 42. As shown in Fig. 2, the nailing strips 3l are aligned with the side posts 26 and the insulation 42 is compressed (4i) but little therebetween. It is intended that the various parts of the wall be proportioned so that heat flow from the sheathing 40 through the nailing strips 3l, compressed insulation 44 and posts 26 be substantially equivalent to the heat flow from the sheathing All through the insulation 42 to the flue 'I. The insulation 42 is severely compressed (45) only adjacent the blocks 39.

The floor 4 of the car is supported by the spaced apart side sills 2| and by the longitudinally extending floor stringere 5I). A sub-floor 5I is supported by the stringers and sills 2| and several layers of blanket insulation 53 rest upon the subfloor 5| and are held in place by cleats 54. A member 55 for supporting the gutter 55 is secured to a side sill 2|, preferably in a gain 5'! in the sill 2 I. A groove 58 in the upper surface of the member 55 accommodates a metallic gutter 56. Metallic floor sheets rest upon the cleats 54, which sheets 60 preferably extend across the car between the gutters 55, The joints in the upper metallic floor 6|) may be made as shown in Fig. 4, wherein a transversely extending channel member 6I is supported by and secured to cleats 54 and the floor sheets @il have depending flanges S2 which nest in the channel 6|. The sheets 6B are preferably welded together and to the channel 6|, thereby securing the floor sheets 60 to the car.

The edge 6l of the gutter 55 adjacent the center of the car has formed thereon an outwardly projecting horizontal flange 68 which overlaps the steel floor sheet 6l) and is preferably welded thereto. Small variations in the width of the car during construction thereof, may be compensated for by sliding the flange 63 of the gutter 5E over the floor sheet 60 until it is in the proper position and then Welding. The side 'I0 of the gutter 56 adjacent the side wall 3 of the car has an upwardly and outwardly inclined portion Il which underlies the sloping wall 'I2 of the flue sheet 29 and is spaced therefrom to form the pocket 'I3 so that any liquid which seeps through the joint between the liuc sheet 29 and the portion 'II of the gutter is trapped in the pocket 'I3 and flows back into the gutter 55. A lip l5 is provided on the portion Il of the gutter to prevent the liquid in the pocket 'I3 splashing into the insulation. With such an arrangement, Huck rivets, selftapping screws or other such means, may be used to secure the gutter 55 to the flue sheet 29.

The roof 2 is supported by carlines 80 extending across the car and secured to the side plates 23 by the clips 8|. The ceiling 82 and the hatch frames 83 are supported by the carlines 80, whereas the outside metallic roof 85 is substantially self-supporting and comprises a plurality of panel sheets 86 extending between the side plates 20 and having their adjacent edges flanged upwardly and projecting into inverted channelshaped caps 88. The hatch frames 83 have outer lips 89 flared downwardly and outwardly so that the upwardly projecting hatch flanges 90 of the roof sheets may be inserted thereover and forced downwardly to provide a tight fit prior to welding.

Carlines 92 for supporting the refrigerant containersG comprise channels with the webs 93 vertical. Ihe containers 6 and brackets S4 for supporting the containers 6 are substantially as disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 286,138, filed July 24, 1939.

Upstanding baflles |00 are preferably provided within vthe container 6 extending both lengthwise (ll) and crosswise (|02) to retard surging of the refrigerant within the container. Such baffles are shown in co-pending application by Vinton E.

Sisson, Serial No. 244,535, led December 8, 1938. I provide a hatch frame 83 preferably with the crosswise sides |63 thereof flared downwardly and outwardly away from the crosswise baffles |62 to provide a large clearance between the baffles |62 and the hatch frame sides |63 so that refrigerant may be loaded through said clearance to the ends |64 of the container l6.

The side wall 3 of the car functions asa truss in which the upper and lower chords are the side plate 22 and side sill angles 23 respectively. The diagonal braces II are secured to the angles 22--25, as shown in Fig. 3, in such a way that the braces ||IV are in tension and consequently may be relatively thin straps. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the diagonal braces IID are substantially in the plane of the outer legs III of the Vertical posts 25, which plane is substantially flush with the outer surface 2 ofthe panel 32 of the flue sheet 29. Inthis position the braces I||l do not restrict the now of air through the flues 'I and do not materially increase the thickness f the wall 3. Y

Fig. 7 shows a modied form of gutter IIS intended to compensate for variations in the widthv of the steel floor 6U due to temperature changes within the car. The outer edge I I'I of the gutter I I6 is dared upwardly and outwardly, as isv theleg I I8 of the clip I I9 which supports the gutter I I6. With this arrangement the iloor sheets 60 may expand and contract a considerable amount transversely of the car without causing any buckling in the iloor sheets of the car, the relative movement being taken up by deflection of the edge III of the gutter II6 and leg IIS of the clip IIS.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 7, the cleat IZ which is secured either to the side sill 2I or the spacing member 36, or both, compresses (IZB) the insulation 42 between the cleat |25 and the sill 2l or member SG. This compressed insulation IZS has very little insulating value and in conventional designs of refrigerator car is a source of considerable heat leakage into or out of the car. In

my design, I leave the end |28 of the insulation blanket d2 free and uncompressed and wrap it entirely around the cleat I in such a way that every part of the wall is protected by uncompressed insulation.

'I'he method of supporting the refrigerant containers is also disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 286,138, filed July 24, 1939.

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 modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car having side sill and side plate, vertical posts extending between and secured to said sill and plate, vertical nailing strips spaced outwardly from said posts in substantially the same transverse Avertical plane therewith, means to secure the upper and lower ends of said nailing strips to said plate and sill, respectively, sheathing secured to said nailing strips, lining secured to the inner sides of said posts, means forming a flue adjacent said lining and extending substantially between said posts, and insulation between said sheathing and said flue and between said nailing strips and said posts.

2. In a refrigerator car having wooden side sill and side plate, metallic members secured to the upper and lower parts thereof, respectively, vertical posts extending between and secured to said metallic members, said posts comprising metallic members and wooden strips, vertical nailing strips spaced outwardly from said posts in substantially the same transverse vertical plane therewith, means to secure the upper and lower ends of said nailing strips to said plate and sill, respectively, sheathing secured to said nailing strips, lining secured to the inner sides of said posts, means forming a ue adjacent said lining and extending substantially between said posts, and insulation between said sheathing and said ilue and between said nailing strips and said posts.

3. In a refrigerator car having side sill and side plate, vertical posts extending between and secured to said sill and plate, spacing pieces secured to said sill and plate, vertical nailing strips extending between and secured to said spacing pieces in substantially the same transverseY plane with said posts and in spaced relation thereto, sheathing secured to said nailing strips, lining secured to the inner sides of said posts, means forming a iiue adjacent said lining and extending substantially between said posts, and insulation between said sheathing and said llue and between said nailing strips and said posts.

4. In a refrigerator car having side sill and side plate, vertical posts extending between and secured to said sill and plate, Vertical nailing strips spaced outwardly from said posts in substantially the same transverse Vertical plane therewith, means to secure the upper and lower ends of said nailing strips to said plate and sill, respectively, sheathing comprising plywood panels secured to said nailing strips, lining secured to the inner sides of said posts, means forming a flue adjacent said lining and extending substantially between said posts, and insulation between said sheathing and said flue and between saidnailing strips and said posts.

5. In a refrigerator car having side sill and side plate, vertical posts extending between and secured to said sill and plate, vertical nailing strips spaced outwardly from said posts in substantially the same transverse vertical plane therewith, means to secure the upper and lower ends of said nailing strips to said plate and sill, respectively, sheathing comprising horizontally extending boards secured to said nailing strips, lining secured to the inner sides of said posts, means forming a ilue adjacent said lining and extending substantially between said posts, and insulation between said sheathing and said ilue and between said nailing strips and said posts. v

6. In a refrigerator car having side sill and side plate, vertical posts extending between and secured to said sill and plate, vertical nailing strips spaced outwardly from said posts in substantially the same transverse vertical plane therewith, means to secure the upper and lower ends of said nailing strips to said plate and sill, respectively, sheathing secured to said nailing strips, lining secured to the inner sides of said posts, means forming a flue adjacent said lining and extending substantially between said posts, said last mentioned means comprising a metallic sheet disposed between said lining and said posts and having panels projecting away from said lining, and insulation between said sheathing and said ilue and between said nailing strips and said posts.

7. In a refrigerator car wall, upper and lower chords, spaced apart vertical posts extending between and secured thereto, a lining secured to the inner sides of said posts, sheathing exterior of said posts in spaced relation to said lining, a ilue between said posts having its inner face in latwise relation to said lining, insulation between said sheathing and said flue, and a diagonal brace extending between and secured to said chords substantially in flatwise relation with the outer wall of said nue.

8. In a refrigerator car wall, upper and lower chords, spaced apart vertical posts extending between and secured thereto, a lining secured to the inner sides of said posts, sheathing exterior of said posts in spaced relation to said lining, a ilue between said posts having its inner face in flatwise relation to said lining, said chords having vertical legs substantially in the plane of the Vouter face of said flue, insulation between said sheathing and said flue, and a diagonal brace extending between and secured to said legs.

9. In a refrigerator car wall, upper and lower chords, spaced apart vertical posts extending between and secured thereto, a lining secured to the inner sides of said posts, sheathing exterior of said posts in spaced relation to said lining, a flue between said posts having its inner face in fiatwise relation to said lining, insulation between said sheathing and said flue, and a diagonal brace comprising a flat strap extending between and secured to said chords substantially in flatwise relation with the outer wall of said flue, the elements of said wall being arranged so that said brace has induced therein a tensile stress.

10. In a refrigerator car, a sill, vertical frame members secured to said sill, a flue sheet secured to said frame members, a supporting member secured to said sill, a groove in the upper surface of said supporting member, a metallic floor sheet having one edge resting on said supporting member adjacent said groove, a metallic gutter nesting in said groove having one edge lapping said edge of the floor sheet and the opposite edge secured to said flue sheet.

11. In a refrigerator car, a sill, vertical frame members secured to said sill, a flue sheet secured to said frame members, a supporting member secured to said sill, a groove in the upper surface of said supporting member, a metallic oor sheet having one edge resting on said supporting member adjacent said groove, a metallic gutter nesting in said groove having one edge secured to said edge of the floor sheet and the opposite edge secured intermittently in overlapping relation to said flue sheet, the portion of said opposite edge above the overlapping portion being spaced from said flue sheet for the purpose specified.

12. In a refrigerator car, a sill, vertical frame members secured to said sill, a ilue sheet secured to said frame members, a supporting member secured to said sill, a groove in the upper surface of said supporting member, a metallic floor sheet having one edge resting on said supporting member adjacent said groove,A a metallic gutter nesting in said groove having one edge secured to said edge of the floor sheet and the opposite edge secured to said flue sheet, said opposite edge being ilared upwardly and outwardly to provide flexibility for expansion of said floor sheets.

13. In a refrigerator car, a sill, vertical frame members secured to said sill, a flue sheet secured to said frame members, a metallic gutter supported by said sill, a metallic floor sheet having an edge secured to an edge of said gutter, the opposite edge of said gutter being secured to said ilue sheet, said opposite edge being flared upwardly and outwardly to provide flexibility for expansion of said floor sheets.

14. In a refrigerator car, a frame member, a layer of pliable insulation adjacent said frame member in flatwise relation thereto, a cleat secured to said frame member thereby compressing a portion of insulation therebetween with an uncompressed edge portion extending therebeyond, said edge portion being wrapped around said cleat to substantially meet said insulation thereby providing substantially uncompressed insulation adjacent'said cleat.

15. In a refrigerator car wall comprising a sheathing, a frame'gneinberhaving a part spaced apart from said sheathing, a-layer of pliable in- Y sulation disposed adjacent -said'sheathing in flat- Wise relation thereto" an'dghavi'ng a portion disposed between said part and said sheathing, and a cleat secured through said portion of said insulation to said part of said frame member thereby compressing said insulation adjacent said cleat, another portion of said insulation being wrapped around said cleat and disposed between said cleat and said sheathing to provide substantially uncompressed insulation adjacent said cleat.

16. In a refrigerator car wall comprising a sheathing, a frame member having a part spaced apart from said sheathing and a portion adjacent thereto, a layer of pliable insulation disposed adjacent said sheathing in flatwise relation thereto and having a portion disposed between said part and said sheathing, and a cleat secured through said portion of said insulation to said -part and said portion of said frame member thereby compressing said insulation adjacent said cleat, another portion of said insulation being wrapped around said cleat and disposed between said cleat and said sheathing to provide substantially uncompressed insulation adjacent said cleat.

1T. Ina refrigerator car having side sill and side plate, vertical posts extending between and secured to said sill and plate, vertical nailing strips spaced outwardly from said posts in substantially the same transverse vertical plane therewith, means to secure the upper and lower ends of said nailing strips to said plate and sill, respectively, sheathing secured to said nailing strips, lining secured to the inner sides of said posts, means forming a flue adjacent said lining and extending substantially between said posts, insulation between said sheathing and said nue and between said nailing strips and said posts, and a cleat arranged to secure said insulation to said sill, a part of said insulation being compressed between said cleat and said sill and another part wrapped around said cleat and interposed between said sheathing and said cleat.

18. In a refrigerator car having a wall comprising upper and lower metallic chord memi bers, metallic posts extending therebetween and secured thereto, insulating elements secured to said upper and lower members respectively and extending outwardly therebeyond, sheathing extending between and secured to said elements in spaced relation to said posts, insulation between said sheathing and said posts, and means forming a vertically extending flue carried by said posts inwardly of said insulation.

19. In a refrigerator car having a wall cornprising upper and lower metallic chord members, metallic posts extending therebetween and secured thereto, wooden elements secured to said upper and lower members thereabove and therebelow respectively and extending outwardly therebeyond, sheath-ing extending between and secured to said elements in spaced relation to said posts, insulation between said sheathing and said posts, and means forming a vertically extending flue carried by said posts inwardly of said insulation.

20. In a refrigerator car having a wall comprising upper and lower metallic chord members, metallic posts extending therebetween and secured thereto, insulatingelements secured to said upper and lower members respectively and extending outwardly therebeyond, sheathing extending between and secured to said elements in spaced relation to said posts, insulation between said sheathing and said posts, means forming a vertically extending flue carried byy saidk posts inwardly of said insulation, spaced apart carlines supported at their ends by said posts, and a refrigerant container carried by said carlines.

21. In a refrigerator car having a wall comprsing upper and lower metallic chord members, metallic posts extending therebetween and secured thereto, insulating elements secured to said upper and lower members respectively and eX- tending outwardly therebeyond, sheathing eX- tending between and secured to said elements in spaced relation to said posts, insulation between said sheathing and said posts, spaced apart carlines supported at their ends by said posts, and a refrigerant container carried by saidcarlines.

22. In a railway refrigerator car, a longitudinally extending gutter associated with the floor of the car and a ue associated with a side wall of the car arranged to conduct liquid from the upper part of the car to said gutter, said flue being enclosed at least partially by a sheet having formed therein an outwardly projecting panel including a sloping wall disposed adjacent said gutter, said gutter formed at least in part by a sheet having a part extending upwardly in overlapping relation with a part of said iirst mentioned sheet and being intermittently secured thereto, the

c sheet which forms a part of said gutter having a portion above the overlapped parts disposed in spaced relation to said sloping wall to form a pocket, whereby said pocket traps liquid passing between said overlapped parts.

23. In a railway refrigerator car, a longitudinally extending gutter associated with the iioor of the car and a ue associated with a side wall of the car arranged to conduct liquid from the upper part of the car to said gutter, said flue being enclosed at least partially by a sheet, said gutter formed at least in part by a sheet having a part extending upwardly in overlapping relation with a partof said rst mentioned sheet and being intermittently secured thereto, the sheet which forms a part of said gutter having a portion above the overlapped parts disposed in spaced relation to a portion of said first mentioned sheet to form a pocket, whereby said pocket traps liquid Vpassing between said overlapped parts.

CHARLES D. BONSALL.

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