US2265623A - Railway car - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 9, 1941.`

c. D. BQNsALl.

RAILWAY CAR Filed April 2, 1939 2 Sheets-Shea?l vl .gv um, mm

NW/ N Dec. 9, 1941.A

C. D. BONSALL RAILWAY CAR Filed April 20, 1939 2 SheetS-Sheekl 2 l? tival lill/llt Patented Dec. 9, 1941 RAILWAY OAR Charles D. Bonsall, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Standard Railway Equipment Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Dela- Ware Application April 20, 1939, lSerial No. 269,004

Claims.

The invention relates to ventilated house cars and particularly to the conversion of refrigerator cars to cars adapted to be operated under ventilation.

A common type of refrigerator car which has been in general use for `ra period of many years has ice bunkers disposed adjacent opposite end walls of the car with hatches thereabove in the roof for loading refrigerant. The central portion of the car is the lading compartment; bulkheads are provided adjacent each ice bunker to define the ends of the lading compartment. The bulkheads have considerable strength to resist the thrusts of the lading caused by service movements of the car. ported within the lading compartment by floor racks which provide a space between the lading and the floor of the car. The bulkheads are spaced from the floor and from the roof so that air, upon being cooled by the refrigerant in the bunker circulates under the bulkheads to the space below the lading. The air then circulates upwardly through the floor rack, whichis foraminous for the purpose, through the lading compartment and over the bulkheads to the ice bunkers.

In recent years, more modern types of refrigerator cars have seen considerable service. There are mechanical refrigerator cars, dry ice cars, side bunker cars and particularly, overhead bunker cars. The last mentioned is becoming increasingly popular becaues it is more efdcient due to the height of the refrigerant above the lading, making possible the maintaining of lower and more uniform temperatures. space is available for the lading on account of the absence of ice bunkers at the ends of the cars.

The advent of the new types of refrigerator cars has presented the problem of disposing of the old cars. It is not economically sound to operate an old type of car when a new and more efficient type is available. Neither is it sound to scrap cars which are in good mechanical condition and have years of service remaining. It is an object of this invention to convert refrigerator cars to ventilated cars. Many fresh fruits and vegetables give off heat during storage or transportation. This heat results from chemical changes occurring within the fruit or vegetable, such as ripening. While many such products may be safely transported at any temperature within a relatively wide range it is important that fresh air be supplied continuously to carry away the heat which is constantly emitted. To allow The lading is commonly sup- In addition, more t ment is to increase the temperature excessively with a consequent acceleration of ripening and possible spoilage.

It is an object of this invention to convert a refrigerator car to a ventilated car by providing means for the air to enter through the hatches at one end of the car, permeate through the lading within the car and flow out of the car through hatches positioned at the opposite end of the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide means to prevent water from entering the hatches and reaching the lading. Many types of lading are damaged by moisture and since cars must be Ventilated during rainy weather, means must be provided to trap the moisture which accompanies the Ventilating air.

A further object is to adapt the car so that air may enter at either end and flow out at the opposite end, thereby permitting the car to be operated in either direction.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description taken in reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a car embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan section on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the car as indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section to a reduced scale of an end bunker refrigerator car from which the car shown in Figs. 1 to 3 has been converted.

Fig. 4 shows a standard type of end bunker refrigerator car including the following parts: roof 2, end walls 3, floor 4, ice bunkers 5, bulkheads 6, hatches l, lading compartment 8, floor rack 9 and space l0 between the floor rack and floor. The foregoing `numerals refer to similar parts in Figs. 1 to 3.

The conversion of the refrigerator car of Fig. 4 to a Ventilating car comprises removal of the bunkers 5 yand bulkheads 6 and the addition of parts which will be hereinafter described. Insulating hatch covers 20 are commonly provided to prevent ingress of warm air to refrigerator cars. The covers ordinarily have no fixed relation to the hatch frames 2l but are attached thereto by means of a chain to prevent loss; in more modern cars, the covers are often hinged as shown in Fig. 1. The conversion of some types of cars requires no changes in hatch cover arrangement to conform to that shown in Fig. 1;

the heat to remain within the lading compartin other types of cars, the hinges 24 and supporttherefrom, which flanges extend substantiallyto the roof of the car so that Ythe only openingseinV the chambers encompassed by the pans 35 are the hatches 1 and the openings-39 "which: lead to the i ilue 35. The flue 36 is preferably-fofflessWidth thanl the car and comprisesaibottom Wal'l 'dil and upstanding anges 42 which engage the roof 2. Throat sections 44 preferablyconnect theflue 33 to the pans 35. Y

A partition 50 is positioned Within the "Hue 33, .preferably midway between the :hatches l; todivide --theflue 36 into 1a `:pairpf ducts 51, ,52, each communicating with a hatch 1. .apertures l53h-re provided, preferably inthe bottom. Wall-.MF to .provide communication between the ducts -5.=| -52 .and the lading compartment 8; Aperturesmay also be provided Ain the ilangesfdi.` in addition :to vor in placent the apertures-inthe bottom w21-1l 4l. Thearrows .-i-n .-Fig. l lshowthexpath .of the ventilating .air when `thecar 'is moving invaidirection such that the aval-1551s at .the head or .leaf-1 .ing end. The hatch .cover 5.5 trapsthe .ain-adia- .cent Athe roof .2, .the .air being-forced through the hatch Elf-to the duct5.i.v The a-ir then flows through the :apertures-53 `to the` ladingcompartf ment Where it circulaires` .in contact with t `the lading',y The pressure :exerted .bythe .continuous flow `of :ai-rithrough the hatch-51 Vin .addition vto .the .aspirator effect .of 'the` hatch .60 `causes .the air to flow upwardly through lthe apertures53-in the ue 52 Vand -thenceoutwardly through the .hatch I(it). l Y

- Means tare A.provided yto prevent moisture enter- Y ing the lading compartment 8. Bailieplatesl Yare inserted in the path of the-.inovring ai-r. to

deflect vmoisture carried ftherewithinto thefpans 35. In addition, upstanding peripheral lil-anges 61 yareassociated with. the apertures 53 lso .that water-in the ducts-54, 52 -.cannot.alowfy through the apertures 53 tto thefladi'ng compartment. Drain pipes -are .provided -to Idrain liquid .from lthe @pans 35 to ,the Yexterior of the-.car preferably fthrough'the Water sealed drains-10. It is to be understood that the ventilatingsys- .tem herein describedffunctions in asimilar manscribed, as it is obvious that various modifica,- tions thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car having a hatch in the roof disposed adjacent each end of the car, the combination of a pair of non-communicating ducts adiacentthe roof *ofthe` car, each communicating WithV one ofsaid "hatches, 'communicating means between the lading compartment -of the car and both of said ducts, and a drip pan disposed below each of said hatches in substantial alignment with the bottom wall of said duct `s'liglfiitly below the'level thereof.

:ner When-the ycarfmoves -in the foppositerdirection because `:both -ends -of the car .are-substantially identical. Y

The-accompanying drawings Jillustratethe pre-.- ferred -form of .theinventiom thoughfi-tisftofbe understood that the invention is not;limi.ted to thefexact details of construction shown and VVde- 2;!1 In a refrigerator car having a hatch in the roofdisposedadlacent each end of the car, the combination of i a pair of non-communicating -ductsvtadiacentrzthe roof of the car, each communcating with one of said hatches, communi- Acatiirrg means between the lading compartment of the car and bothof said ducts compris-ing aplura-lity of :distributed apertures in said duct.; anda drip pan disposed Vbelow feachfof :said hatches .in substantial alignment with the bottom.-w;all.iof ,sa-idduct.

.3. In areirigerator carina-vingfafmtchnzthe roof disposediadjacent tea-.ch y:end -ofthe car, .the combination of-:a pai-r of Ynouw-.comn'runicating .ducts adjacent the troef-.of the-car, yeachrgcom-` municating .with '.oneeoffsaid hatches,conrxrmrnie `veating means V'bett/'een the lad-ing compartment of the car and both of .said .ducts ,comprisingza plurality of distributed-faperturesin therbottom Wall of Asaid .duc-t, said- ;apertures having opstandingfper-ipheral flanges,.and .ga drip pan disposed below .-.each .of said Vhatches -in :substantial alignment with fthe-.bottom `wall of said: duct slightly .below the -leuel thereon Y 4. In a vrefrigerator carhaving a hatch '.inxthe roof :disposed adiacent-.each end 'fof the :can the combination of. a pair` :of monezcommunicating ducts-adja-Oentthe roof of ythe fcaryfea'ch communicating with one of said hatches, .commitm-V .cating means Abetween the ilading .compartment .of 'the :car and both Y of said. .ducts lcomp-rising a plurality of distributed apertures in said duct., and a substantial-ly horizontal drip pan `.disposed .below each .of :said-,hatches vand slightly .below thelevel of the bottom Wall I:of :said: duct.

5. In .a refrigerator carhavinga hatch in the roof 'disposed'.adjacent :eachnend of thecan :.the combination 1of a vpai-r fof .non-communicating ducts ,'adacentwthe moo-f of. the car, each-.corn Inu-nicating iwith one :of said ,hatch'es,:comm-unicating -meansbetween the lading compartment of the, ycar and bothl of said f ducts .comprising ;a plurality of .distributed :apertures .in'fsatid iduct,.::a drip pan disposed. .below i .each of said-.hatches in Vsubstantial .alignment with the bottom: .wall .of said duct slightly below. the leyel thereof; and means to drain liquid from-said'plrip pans..

3D.; BONSAIL'..

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