GB1584829A - Railway rolling stock - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK (71) We, THE STANDARD RAILWAY WAGON COMPANY LIMITED, a British Company, of Roland Road, Reddish, Stockport, England, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - This invention concerns railway rolling stock and in particular rolling stock capable of being used for carrying coiled material such as coiled sheet metal.

An object of the present invention is to provide a railway goods wagon which, while particularly adapted to carry coiled sheet material, is capable of being converted simply and rapidly to carry flat sheet, bar or like material, or boxed, crated or other goods.

Thus according to the present invention a railway goods wagon is characterised in that there is provided a sectionalised goods carrying deck the sections of which are pivotally mounted such that in one position they present coiled material locating and carrying wells and in another position they present a planar load carrying deck, the said pivotal sections being longitudinally and transversely aligned such that cooperating pairs of longitudinally aligned sections can be oppositely angled to pro vide locating and carrying wells for coiled material.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to one practical form thereof and the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a railway wagon made in accordance with the invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view, on a smaller scale, of part of the wagon of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a part-sectional view of part of the wagon of FIGS. 1 and 2; FIG. 4 is a part-sectional view of parts of the wagon of FIG. 1 and indicating a coil of material in position thereon; and FIG. 5 is a view of part of the wagon of FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the following description only those parts of a railway goods wagon with which the invention is concerned will be described in detail.

To produce a railway goods wagon according to one form of this invention a standard chassis 10 having a pair of spaced-apart double axle bogies 11 is provided. Mounted on the chassis 10 of the wagon is a goods carrying deck 12 comprising side and end frame members 13 of channel section and a plurality of spacedapart transversely disposed cross-ties (not shown) which are also conveniently of' channel section. At each end of the deck there is provided a fabricated upstanding end frame 15 which conveniently is clad with sheet metal.

Within the frame of the goods carrying deck, and forming part of the deck, is a plurality of pivotally mounted deck sections. In the goods wagon being described there are thirty-six pivoted deck sections arranged in groups 16, there being six sections in a group, each group 16 being spaced longitudinally of the deck from an adjacent group or groups of sections. Each group of sections consists of four outer sections 17 and two centre sections 18.

Transversely of the deck and below the deck sections 17, 18 are pivot rods 19 mounted in brackets 20 which are themselves carried on cross members (not shown) of the wagon chassis 10. Each pivot rod 19 is common to three transversely disposed sections comprising two outer sections 17 and a centre section 18 of a group of sections 16. The centre sections 18 of the group are identical and consist of a flat rate of rectangular form having depending sides 18a along the two longitudinally disposed edges of the plate. The outer end of the plate is provided with a depending arcuate end members 18b which extends across the full width of the section and is secured to the sides 18a.

Extending between the sides at the outer edge region of the plate is a stiffener 18c which serves, as will be explained below, as a stop for a locking device yet to be described. The four outer sections 17 of the group are identical and each consists of a flat rectangular plate having dependent longitudinal sides 21 and a depending arcuate end member 22 secured to the sides and provided with a stiffener 23 like that provided in the centre sections 18. The outer plates are, however, in addition, provided with an independently pivotally mounted channel section retaining element 24 which is. carried on a pivot axle 25 which extends across the full width of the plate 17 and is located below the level of the plate and adjacent the junction of the plate and the arcuate end member 22.The deck plate is provided with a series of slots 26 which extend inwardly from the outer edge of the plate, these slots 26 being so spaced that the depending flanges of the channel section of the retaining element 24 can locate one in each of an adjacent pair of slots 26 in the plate. The length of the slots 26 decreases from the outer longitudinal edge of the plate 17 progressively to the inner longitudinal edge of the plate for a purpose referred to below. The pivot rods 19 of the sections 17, 18 are located approximately along the transverse centre line of the plates.

The cross-ties 14 of the deck are located in such positions that one cross-tie lies adjacent the transversely disposed edges of the pivotal sections 17, 18 and for each section of each group there is provided a locking means mounted in the channel section cross-ties 14 and consisting of a spring loaded plunger 27 which passes through an aperture in the web of the cross-tie 14. The plunger 27 is supported at its end remote from the web of the cross-tie by means of a bracket 28 depending from the upper flange of the cross-tie 14. Secured to the upper flanges of the cross-ties and forming part of the deck are face plates 29 each of which is provided with a rectangular cutout 30 aligned with the spring loaded plunger 27 and of such a size that a person's hand can pass through the cut-out 30.

Mounted adjacent the edge of the cut out, parallel with and nearest to the pivotal deck sections, is a bracket 31 on which is mounted an operating handle 32 for the spring loaded plunger 27. The handle 32 lies normally below the level of the face plate 29 to which it is connected via the bracket 31. The spring loading of the plunger 27 is such that normally it will extend through the web of the cross-tie towards the arcuate end member 19 of its associated pivoted section 17 or 18. The operating handle 32 is connected to the spring loaded plunger by means of a connecting pin 33 so that movement of the handle 32 in an upward direction will cause retraction of the plunger through the web of the cross-tie 14.

Each of the arcuate end members 19, 22 attached to the pivoted sections 17, 18 of the deck is provided, in addition to the stiffener 18c, 23 referred to above, with an aperture (not shown) just below the underside of the deck plate 17, 18 and positioned to allow the plunger 27 to pass therethrough when the pivotal deck plate lies flush with the face plate 29 secured to the upper flange of the cross-ties 14 and the longitudinal and the transverse frame members of the deck.

To form coil wells the pivotally mounted deck sections 17, 18 are, after the retaining plunger 27 has been retracted, pivoted about their pivot rods 19 so that the inner transverse edges rest upon cross-ties 13a of the chassis 10 of the wagon in which position the pivoted deck sections 17, 18 are upwardly inclined and the stiffener 18c, 23 below the depending sides 18a, 20 and extending across the width of the plates is located just above the level of the spring loaded plunger 27. The plunger 27 is now released to extend beyond the web of the cross-tie 14 of the deck upon which it is mounted and thus prevent the pivotal deck sections 17, 18 from pivoting about their pivot rods 19 to lie flush with the facing 29 of the cross-ties 14 and frame members of the deck.

In the arrangement being described when all of the deck sections are pivoted and secured as described, six wells are provided and into each of these wells can be placed a coil 34 of material such as sheet metal. Sheet metal coils are usually made of approximately standard weight and thus the diameter of a wide sheet coil is less than that of a narrower sheet coil. Assuming a relatively narrow coil is placed in a well, which serves to locate it longitudinally of the wagon, the independently pivotally mounted retaining elements 24 of the four outer sections 17 of the well in which the coil 34 is located are pivoted upwardly out of the plane of the deck section 17.

The retaining elements 24 can now be moved along their pivot rods 25 until they become located in abutment with, or close to, the edges of the coil 34 at which position the retaining elements 24 are allowed to pivot downwardly to locate their flanges one in each of a pair of adjacent slots 26 in the deck section 17. The length of the slots 26 is such that, regardless of the diameter of the coil 34 located in the well, the retaining elements 24 can be positioned so as to lie approximately radially of the coil 34, thus for the relatively narrow large diameter coil 34 referred to above the re taining elements 24 will be moved by a substantial amount inwardly relative to the plate 17 with which they are associated and thus the flanges of the retaining element 24 will locate in short slots 26 in the deck plate 17.Conversely if a wide, smaller diameter coil 34 is located in the coil well the retaining elements 24 will be located nearer to the outer edges of their associated pivotally mounted deck plates 17 and under these circumstances the flanges of the element will locate in longer slots 26 in the deck plate 17 and thus the angularity of the retaining element 24 relative to the horizontal will be smaller than is the case when the elements are located adjacent the sides of a narrow coil 34.

If it is desired to use the wagon for carrying flat sheet metal the pivotally mounted deck plates 17, 18 are returned to their original positions so that they lie in the plane of the facing 29 of the cross-ties 14 and frame members of the deck and thus present a planar surface onto which sheets of material to be carried can be loaded.

The retaining element 24 can be used to prevent lateral shifting of the load by pivoting them out of the plane of the deck plates 17 and moving them into position adjacent the edges of the sheets constituting the load, whereupon when they are allowed to pivot downwardly their flanges will locate in the requisite slots 26 in the deck plates 17 leaving the retaining elements angularly inclined upwardly out of the plane of the deck.

Conveniently the wagon is provided with a cover (not shown) and for this purpose pre-fabricated sheet metal elements are provided. For the wagon being described there would preferably be three pre-fabricated cover forming sections each of which is provided along its lower edge with rollers adapted to locate on, or in, tracks formed along the longitudinal side frame members of the deck. The dimensions of the three sections is such that they can be telescoped one into another for the purpose of exposing up to two-thirds of the area of the deck for loading purposes. When the exposed area of deck is loaded the telescoped sections can be moved to expose the remaining one-third of the deck in order to enable it to be loaded.

Whilst reference has been made above to the carrying of sheet material on the deck, when the latter is in its flat form it is, of course, possible to load the wagon with any other goods which require a flat loading surface.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - 1. A railway wagon characterised in that there is provided a sectionalised goods carrying deck the sections of which are pivotally mounted such that in one position they present coiled material locating and carrying wells and in another position they present a planar load carrying deck, the said pivotal sections being longitudinally and transversely aligned such that cooperating pairs of longitudinally aligned sections can be oppositely angled to provide locating and carrying wells for coiled material.

2. A railway wagon as claimed in Claim 1 in which each deck section is provided with locking means for holding it in angular relationship to the general plane of the deck or in the general plane of the deck.

3. A railway wagon as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which, to form a coil carrying well six deck sections are pivoted to an angular position relative to the general plane of the deck, there being outer sections each having an adjustable pivotal retaining element mounted thereon to prevent, when in an operative position, transverse movement of the coil.

4. A railway wagon as claimed in Claim 3 in which, when the deck sections are positioned in the general plane of the deck the retaining elements are pivotal out of the plane of the deck to locate a load against transverse movement.

5. A railway wagon as claimed in Claim 2 in which each locking means for the deck sections includes a resiliently loaded plunger mounted below a deck face plate, there being an operating handle for each plunger, the face plate being apertured in. the region of each operating handle to provide access thereto.

6. A railway wagon as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which outer deck sections of each group of sections adapted to form a coil well are slotted to receive depending flanges of retaining elements pivotally mounted thereon.

7. A railway wagon as claimed in Claim 6 in which the slots are of reducing length from the outer edge of a deck section to- wards its inner edge.

8. A railway wagon substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (8)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. taining elements 24 will be moved by a substantial amount inwardly relative to the plate 17 with which they are associated and thus the flanges of the retaining element 24 will locate in short slots 26 in the deck plate 17. Conversely if a wide, smaller diameter coil 34 is located in the coil well the retaining elements 24 will be located nearer to the outer edges of their associated pivotally mounted deck plates 17 and under these circumstances the flanges of the element will locate in longer slots 26 in the deck plate 17 and thus the angularity of the retaining element 24 relative to the horizontal will be smaller than is the case when the elements are located adjacent the sides of a narrow coil 34. If it is desired to use the wagon for carrying flat sheet metal the pivotally mounted deck plates 17, 18 are returned to their original positions so that they lie in the plane of the facing 29 of the cross-ties 14 and frame members of the deck and thus present a planar surface onto which sheets of material to be carried can be loaded. The retaining element 24 can be used to prevent lateral shifting of the load by pivoting them out of the plane of the deck plates 17 and moving them into position adjacent the edges of the sheets constituting the load, whereupon when they are allowed to pivot downwardly their flanges will locate in the requisite slots 26 in the deck plates 17 leaving the retaining elements angularly inclined upwardly out of the plane of the deck. Conveniently the wagon is provided with a cover (not shown) and for this purpose pre-fabricated sheet metal elements are provided. For the wagon being described there would preferably be three pre-fabricated cover forming sections each of which is provided along its lower edge with rollers adapted to locate on, or in, tracks formed along the longitudinal side frame members of the deck. The dimensions of the three sections is such that they can be telescoped one into another for the purpose of exposing up to two-thirds of the area of the deck for loading purposes. When the exposed area of deck is loaded the telescoped sections can be moved to expose the remaining one-third of the deck in order to enable it to be loaded. Whilst reference has been made above to the carrying of sheet material on the deck, when the latter is in its flat form it is, of course, possible to load the wagon with any other goods which require a flat loading surface. WHAT WE CLAIM IS: -

1. A railway wagon characterised in that there is provided a sectionalised goods carrying deck the sections of which are pivotally mounted such that in one position they present coiled material locating and carrying wells and in another position they present a planar load carrying deck, the said pivotal sections being longitudinally and transversely aligned such that cooperating pairs of longitudinally aligned sections can be oppositely angled to provide locating and carrying wells for coiled material.

2. A railway wagon as claimed in Claim 1 in which each deck section is provided with locking means for holding it in angular relationship to the general plane of the deck or in the general plane of the deck.

3. A railway wagon as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 in which, to form a coil carrying well six deck sections are pivoted to an angular position relative to the general plane of the deck, there being outer sections each having an adjustable pivotal retaining element mounted thereon to prevent, when in an operative position, transverse movement of the coil.

4. A railway wagon as claimed in Claim 3 in which, when the deck sections are positioned in the general plane of the deck the retaining elements are pivotal out of the plane of the deck to locate a load against transverse movement.

5. A railway wagon as claimed in Claim 2 in which each locking means for the deck sections includes a resiliently loaded plunger mounted below a deck face plate, there being an operating handle for each plunger, the face plate being apertured in. the region of each operating handle to provide access thereto.

6. A railway wagon as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which outer deck sections of each group of sections adapted to form a coil well are slotted to receive depending flanges of retaining elements pivotally mounted thereon.

7. A railway wagon as claimed in Claim 6 in which the slots are of reducing length from the outer edge of a deck section to- wards its inner edge.

8. A railway wagon substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.