US2468101A - Apparatus for loading freight or the like - Google Patents

Description

April 26, 1949. M, NAMPA- 2,468,101

APPARATUS FOR LOADING FREIGHT OR THE LIKE Filed May 19, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 1- INVENTOR 5a!) 2% Waxy '4 i Ev-@7433.

ATTORNEYU.

April 26, 1949. s. M. NAMPA APPARATUS FOR LOADING FREIGHT OR THE LIKE Filed May 19, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 5ZZa )7: i

ATTORNEE:

-April 26, 1949. s. M. NAMPA APPARATUS FOR LOAQING FREIGHT OR THE LIKE Filed May 19, 1-943 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 L V/ A VV/w/ /p7/ w /////q w/ p 6 4 a i M. 4 5

Patented Apr. 26, 1949 APPARATUS FOR LOADING FREIGHT on THE LIKE Sulo M. Nampa, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Evans Products Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application May 19, 1943, Serial No. 487,594

The present invention relates to improved loading apparatus for holding freight articles of different types in vehicles or storage spaces and, more particularly, to improved equipment of this nature having certain parts which are built into or combined with a vehicle, such as a railway freight car, or other storage space, and having certain other parts which are adjustably and variously cooperable with the built-in parts, the several parts of the equipment cooperating to hold (that is, for example, to brace, support or carry, space, wedge, or provide shelves, partitions, or bins for) a wide variety of freight articles. The present invention is a modification of the loading arrangement described and claimed in applicants now abandoned copending application, Serial No. 434,357, filed March 12, 1942, a continuation thereof, Serial No. 740,330, having been filed April 9, 1947.

Applicant's above-identified application discloses and claims certain features of a loading organization which, as specifically disclosed, comprises two series of upright supporting members arranged at the respectively opposite sides of, and permanently secured to, a freight car; wall members which are adjustably and removably supported by the uprights; and cross members which are disposed to be supported atthelr ends by wall members at the opposite sides of the car, so that the cross members extend across the car.

8 Claims. (Cl. 105--369) The cross members may be used to form or to support bulkheads, to form or support decking arrangements, to support cooperating upright and horizontal members utilized to subdivide the storage space longitudinally, as well as for a variety of other purposes, all as set forth with greater particularity in the parent application.

In its preferred and herein disclosed form, the present arrangement also employs two series of upright, bay defining members, arranged at respectively opposite sides of the car, and further employs adjustable bay members which are supported by the uprights, and adjustable cross members which are supported by the bay members. In the practice of the present invention, however, as distinguished from the copending arrangement, the side bay members, although adjustable lengthwise of the cooperating uprights, are not removable therefrom; and the cross members, though adjustable lengthwise of the associated bay members, are not removable therefrom. The arrangement issuch that when the bay members and cross members are not in use, they may be conveniently arranged in stacked relation in an out of the way position adjacent side elevation, the end portion of the roof of the associated car or other storage space. When so stacked, the bay members are supported by the uprights, and the cross members are supported by the bay members. It will be appreciated that the feature of permanently applying the cross members to the bay members and, in turn, permanently applying the bay members to the uprights, obviates any possibility of loss of these members.

With the foregoing as well as other considerations in view, the principal objects of the present invention are to provide improved freight loading arrangements, which are simple in construction, sturdy, low in cost and in weight, and reliable and. efficient in operation; to provide improved loading elements for use in such arrangements; to provide such arrangements embodying bay defining upright members which may be and preferably are permanently secured to the car or other storage structure in spaced relation, and which uprights adjustably but nonremovably support bay members, the bay members being adjustable lengthwise of the uprights, and each bay member having its respective ends supported by adjacent uprights; to provide such arrangements comprising cross members which may, for example, span the car or other storage space, and which have their ends adjustably but non-removably supported by corresponding bay members arranged at the respectively opposite sides of the car or other storage space; and to generally improve and simplify the construction and arrangement of freight loading apparatus.

Other and more detailed objects of the invention appear in the following description and in the appended claims.

In the drawings, which show a preferred but illustrative embodiment of the invention, and throughout the several views of which corresponding reference characters are used to designate corresponding parts Figure l is a general view in perspective of a freight holding arrangement embodying the invention and which is built into one end of an otherwise conventional freight car structure;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken along the line 2-2 of Fig.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 ofFiezZ;

Fig. 4 is a detail view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and showing, in plan, end portions of a pair of successive bay members;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view, showing, in one of the bay members of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in vertical section, taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an end view of one of the channel- 'shaped bay members, shown separated from its cooperating upright members;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in vertical section, taken along the line 8-3 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 isa fragmentary view, taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 6.

It will be appreciated from-a complete understanding of the present invention,'that the improvements thereof may, in a generic sense, be embodied in or used with a wide variety of freight holding systems, and' may also partake of various different constructions. The disclosure herein of a particular embodiment of the invention, applied to a railway freight car, is, consequently, to be regarded in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrative freight car is shown as comprising a usual floor structure 20, double side wall panels 22 and a roof structure 24. In accordance with the present invention, the interior of the car is provided, at the respectively opposite sides thereof, with two similar aligned series of upright members 26. These'members may be and preferably are rolled steel sections, of sufficiently heavy gauge to not only adequately support the hereinafter described cooperating loading elements, butto also reinforce the car structure as a whole, and provide a wall structure for the car of suiiicient strength to sustain the weight of freight articles disposed in decked relation in the car. As will be understood, these upright members may be directly secured-to the usual side wall posts of the car, or, if the spacing between such posts is not suitable, the uprights 26 may be directly secured to the floor and roof structures, or to such other parts of the structure as will afford an adequate anchorage therefor. In certain of the claims, the uprights are referred to as .forming part of the wall structure, which phrase is employed to generically refer to various relationships in which, for example, such uprights constitute the car primary wall frame members or in which such uprights are associated with other wall members in a reinforcing manner.

As shown, the uprights are of I-section, with the webs 26a thereof extending normal to the freely be moved from one end of the bay member to the other. The respective ends of each bay member 28 are slotted to receive the U-shaped inserts 33, the legs whereof embrace the corresponding upright flanges 26b, as is most clearly shown in Fig. 4. The lengths of the inserts 33 are shown as being slightly in'excess of the spacing between the flanges of the bay members 28 and these inserts may conveniently be secured in place by-welding them at, for example, the points 33a. The inserts 33 and the webs of the bay members 28 are provided with aligned openings 36 ofv approximately the same size as the openings 39 and, as shown, the connection between the bay members and the upright members is effected by means of removable pins 33, which may be projected through the openings 36 and 30. If desired, positive holding means may be provided to hold the pins 38 in place. As shown, the bay members 28 are provided with detents 40, which yieldably cooperate with the pins 38 to hold them in place. As is also shown, each pin 38 is secured to its associated bay member 28 by means of a flexible connection, such as a chain 42, so as to prevent loss of the pins.

It will be noticed that the relatively long inserts 33 afford bearing surfaces, for engagement with the respectively opposite faces of the associated uprights 26, which are vertically spaced from each other sumciently to minimize any tendency of the bay members to cant (about a longitudinal axis) durin adjustment from one position to another. Moreover, since the members 33 continuously embrace the members 26, the operator is required only to apply the force needed to effect the vertical movement of the bay member, and is not required to exercise care in seeing to it that the ends of the bay member do not move out of alignment with the corresponding members 26. 7

As will be understood, the cross members 34 may be variously used as bulkheads, to form or support decking, or forother purposes and, in

planes of the car walls, and with the flanges f parallel to the car walls. In order to adapt the uprights 26 to adjustably support the hereinafter described bay members 28, the outer flanges 26b of the uprights 26 are provided, preferably throughout their entire length, with a series of closely-spaced holding members, constituted by openings 30.

It will be noted that adjacent pairs of uprights 26, at one side of the car, define a series of bays at such side, and that corresponding pairs of uprights at the opposite side of the car define a similar and aligned series of bays.

Each bay at each side of the car is provided with a series of bay members 28, which, as hereinafter described, are freely adjustable vertically of the corresponding bay. Generically, the members 28 may be removable or separable from the uprights, but, preferably, and as shown, they are not removable therefrom. The individual bay members 28 may be and preferably are formed of a single length of channeled stock, having the inwardlyturned auxiliary flanges 28a, which define between them a space through which the neck 32 of an associated cross member 34 may iii the broader aspects of the invention, the load engaging portions of these cross members may be variously constructed. In the present illustrative instance, each cross member 34 comprises a main body portion formed of planking and a pair of end heads 44, which cooperate with the bay members 28 atthe respectively opposite sides of the car.

Each head 44 comprises a box-like end portion 45 and a generally tubular portion 46, which portions are joined together by the previouslymentioned reduced neck 32. The end portion 45 fits over the end of the cross member 34 and is secured in place by a stud 48. If desired, as will be understood, the cross members may embody the extensible I feature described and claimed in applicants copending application, Serial No. 469,719, filed Dec-ember 21, 1942.

It will be noticed that the circumferentially distributed openings 59 enable the cross members 34 to .be secured in place relative to the bay members in any of a plurality of rotative positions, as more particularly shown in Fig. 2. If a further relative adjustment Of the body of the cross member, after the just-mentioned securement, is needed, the rocking feature of said application Serial No. 469,719 may be used.-

As in the case of the bay members and uprights, the cross members may, generically, be removable or separable from the bay members. Preferably and as shown, however, they are not so removable and it will be understood that in therebetween,

erecting the present freight loading arrangements, each pair of bay members, arranged at opposite sides of the car, may be provided with one or more cross members, which cross mem bers are applied thereto by passing the end portions 46 in through the ends of the channeled baymembers 28 prior to the application of the final inserts 34 to such bay members. Further, a. plurality of subassemblies, each comprising a pair of bay members associated with the opposite sides of the car and one or more spanning lines in Fig. 3. Preparatory to this stacking operation, it is preferred to arrange the cross members 34 with their widest dimension disposed horizontally, thus minimizing the required stacking space.

It will be noticed that the cross members may be slid along the bay members in eiiecting-the adjustments thereof, and that alternatively, by virtue of the cylindrical form of the head portions 46, such adjustment may be effected by rolling the cross members alon the bay members. In each case, a final take-up or wedging movement can be effected by the use of a wedging tool, in the manner described in the copending application Serial No. 434,357; and follow ing the wedging movement, the cross member may be locked in place by the pins 52. 'As'in the copending arrangement, the cross members are continuously supported, during adjustment, by the bay members, thus relieving the operator of the weight thereof.

Itis believed that various methods of utilizing the present'loading elements will be apparent. By way of example, however, it is noted that in Fig. 1, two tiers of freight articles a and b are shown as occupying the bay at the extreme end of the car. The articles 12 are disposed directly on the floor of the car and are Se, cured in place by a cross 'member 34, which is arranged with its wider dimension vertical, This cross member thus functions as a. bulkhead to retain the articles b in place. As further shown, the upper tier of articles a is supported on a deck constituted by a pair of cross members 34, only one of which appears in the figure. In this instance, the cross members 34 are arranged withtheir wider dimensions horizontal, so as to aifor-d an ample decking area; In turn, the articles a are secured in place by a series of three cross members 34,which function as bulkheads.

It will be noted that bay members 28 associated with successive bays may be arranged at the same elevation, so that cross members arranged as decking members, afiord a substantially continuous deck, extending throughout as many successive bays as is desired.

It is further to be noted that the relatively closelyv arranged openings-30 enable a relatively fine adjustment of the vertical positioning of the bay members, and that the "closely arranged openings 54 afford a corresponding fine adjustment of the positions of the crossmem-bers along the corresponding bay members.

Although only a single specific embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it will be appreciated that various further modifications in the form, number and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

- What is claimed is: r

1. In a freight loading system for a" freight car or other chamber, the combinatiohflof a pairof uprights arranged along one wall of the chamber in spaced relation toeachother, a second" pair of uprights similarly spaced from each other and arranged along an opposite wall of the chamber in aligned relation to the first pair, a loading member extending between and individual to I each pair of, uprights, retaining means including means on the uprights and on the members for interengageme'nt with each other so as to support the members in any of a plurality of adjusted positions spaced lengthwise of the corresponding uprights, said retaining'mans constituting the sole vertical supporting connection between said uprights and said members and being in part movable relative to-said uprights and said members to retracted positions in which said retaining means is inefi'ective to give said vertical support, restraining means for enabling movement of the members between such positions when said part of said retaining means is retracted but preventing separation of the members from the corresponding uprights, and a holding member supported by and adjustable along, but not removable from, said loading members.

2. In a freight loading system for a freight car or other chamber, the combination of a pair of uprights arranged along one wall of the chamber in spaced relation to each other, a loading member extending between said uprights, retaining means including means on the uprights and on the member for interengagement with each other so as to support the member in any of a plurality of positions spaced lengthwise of the uprights,

said retaining means constituting the sole vertical supporting connection between said uprights and said members and being in part movable relative to said uprights and said members to retracted positions in which saidretaining. means is inefiective to give said vertical support, restraining means for enabling movement of the member between such positions when said part of said retaining means is retracted but preventa ing separation of the member from the uprights,

said member comprising an outwardly presenting channel portion which forms a guideway to support freight holding means with which the member is associated.

3. In a freight loading system for a ireight car or other chamber, the combination of a pair of uprights arranged along one Wall of the chamber in spaced relation to each other, a loading meme ber extending between said uprights, retaining,

means including means on the uprights and on the member for interengagement with each other so as to support the member in any of a plurality of positions spaced lengthwise of the uprights,

said retaining means constituting the sole vertical supporting connecting between said uprights and said members and being in part movable relative to said uprights and said members to re tracted positions in which said retaining means is ineffective to give said vertical support, re-

straining means for enabling movement of, the

part of said retaining means is retracted but preventing separation of the member from the uprights,

said member comprising an outwardly presenting channel portion which forms a guideway to support freight holding means with which the member is associated. and said member having holding elements distributed along its length to secure said freight holding means in a desired position therealong.

4. in a freight loading system for a freight car or other chamber, the combination of a pair of uprights arranged along one wall of the chamber in spaced relation to each other, a second pair of uprights similarly spaced from each other and arranged along an opposite wall of the chamber in aligned relation to the first pair, a loading member extending between and individual to each pair of uprights, means including means on the uprights and on the members for interengagement with each other so as to support the members in any of a plurality of adjusted positions spaced lengthwise of the corresponding members, restraining means for enabling movement of the members between such positions but preventing separation of the members from the corresponding uprights, said loading members each including an outwardly presenting channel portion which forms a guideway, and a holding member having heads adjacent its ends wholly received in said channel portions, said heads being adjustable along said channel portions but not being removable therefrom.

5. In a freight loading system for a freight car or other chamber, the combination of a pair of uprights arranged along one wall of the chamber in spaced relation to each other, said uprights having opposed flanges lying in a plane parallel to the plane of the wall, a loading member extending between and supported by said uprights, retaining means including means on the uprights and on the member for interengagement with each other so as to support the member in any of a plurality of adjusted positions spaced lengthwise of the uprights, said retaining means constituting the sole vertical supporting connection between said uprights and said member and being in part movable relative to said uprights and said member to retracted positions in which said retaining means is ineffective to give said vertical support; said loading member having complemental recesses in its end portions which embrace the said flanges, said embracing relation preventing removal of the loading member from the uprights, while permitting vertical adjusting movements of the member along the uprights and means including means on said uprights and on said member for securing the member to the uprights in desired positions of adjustment therealong.

6. In a freight loading system for a freight car or other chamber, the combination of supporting members adjustably arranged adjacent respectively opposite walls of the chamber for adjustsupporting members, said holding member havin extending along the lengths thereof, respectively,

a load bearing loading member extending between and supported by said supporting members, said loading member having parts by which it is supported by said supporting members, said parts being formed to have rolling contact with said holding portions, and means acting between said parts and said portions for securing said parts against rotation relative to said portions so as to secure said loading member in a desired position of adjustment along said supporting members.

8. In a freight loading system for a freight car or other chamber, the combination of a pair of supporting members spaced apart transversely to the lengths thereof and having holding portions extending along the lengths thereof, respectively, a load bearing loading member extending between and supported by said supporting members, said ment along at least one line falling in a plane I parallel to the plane of the corresponding car wall, each said supporting member comprising an outwardly presenting channel portion, a holding member extending between and supported by the Number Name Date 1,049,655 Boiler et al. Jan. 7, 1913 1,247,230 Daly Nov. 20, 1917 1,597,091 McMahan Aug. 24, 1926 2,007,514 Wilson et al July 9, 1935 2,091,869 McCurdy Aug. 31, 1937 2,137,979 Cooper Nov. 22, 1938 2,137,981 Nightingale Nov. 22, 1938 2,155,872 Reifer et a1 Apr. 25, 1939 2,165,376 Helmer July 11, 1939 2,165,652 Reifer et a1. July 11, 1939 2,336,440 Kass Dec. '7, 1943 2,354,861

loading member having parts by which it is supported by said supporting members, said parts being formed to have rolling contact with said holding portions, and means acting between said parts and said portions for securing said parts against rotation relative to said portions so as to secure said loading member in a desired position of ad justment along said supporting members, said holding portions constituting trackways within which said parts are received for rolling engagement therewith.

' SULO M. NAMPA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Hermann Aug. 1, 1944 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,468,101. April 26,1949.

' SULO M. NAMPA .It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 6, line 63, claim 3, for the wordc0nnecting read connection;

- and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of September, A. D. 1949.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

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