US2682323A - Insulated door for refrigerator cars and the like - Google Patents

Description

June 29, 1954 H. H. HENRlcKs ETAL INSULATED DOOR FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 30, 1950 `5 sheets-sheet 1 V.. s T N \5 EA HH H@ M HC B June 29, 1954 H. H. HENRlcKs ET AL 2,682,323

INSULATED DOOR FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 50. 1950 $58 a3 AT-TY June 29, 1954 H. H. HENRlcKs ET AL INSULATED DooR FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS AND THE L11@ Filed Aug. so, 195o s sheets-sheet 3 v v i l J. vlNvEN-rozsw HAROLD H. HENRlCKS Patented June 29, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE INSULATED DOOR FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS AND THE LIKE of Ohio Application August 30, 1950, Serial No. 182,226

6 Claims.

This invention relates to insulated doors for refrigerator cars and the like and more particularly to sliding doors of this type.

It is an object of this invention to provide doors for refrigerator cars which shall weigh less and cost less than similar doors now manufactured, which shall standardize construction, be better insulated, and save time and cost in the application and replacement of door `sealing means.

A further object is to provide doors for refrigerator cars which shall obtain a reduction in the amount of wood used.

A further object is to provide doors for refrigerator cars wherein the Stiles and rails of the door frame are formed of metallic members.

A further object is to provide doors for refrigerator cars wherein the basic structure of the doors is standardized and variations in depth of door are obtained without modification of the basic structure.

A further object is to provide doors for refrigerator cars carrying marginal sealing means so applied as to insure continuous contact with the door opening and which is capable of quick and easy application and replacement.

A further object is to provide doors for refrigerator cars having a door frame so constructed as to provide a channel for retaining sealing means for the door.

A further object is to provide doors for refrigerator cars so constructed that the insulation for the doors shall not require fastening means.

A further object is to provide doors for refrigerator cars wherein the insulation for the doors shall be self -supporting A further object is to provide doors for refrigerator cars wherein the insulation for the doors shall be of substantially uniform thickness throughout so as to avoid the loss of insulating value which occurs when the insulation is com- .l

pressed.

A further object is to provide doors for refrigerator cars which shall incorporate sealing means around the doors disposed inwardly of the metallic frame for the doors so as to form a barrier to the passage of heat which the frame tends to conduct to the interior of the cars.

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a door embodying the instant invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4--4 of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section similar to Fig. 2 showing another embodiment of the door.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 4 of the door shown in Fig. 5.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the refrigerator car door shown is designated as a whole by the reference numeral I0. The door Ill embodies a metallic panel l I formed preferably of two sheets I2 and I3 which extend from top to bottom of the door and which are jointed together as by means of riveting as shown at I4 along the center of the door as is illustrated more clearly in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The metallic panel II is reinforced by a metallic frame formed of front and rear stiles I5 and IE and upper and lower rails il and I8. The stiles I5 and I6 embody outer outwardly extending flanges I9 and ZEI, which are flanged inwardly as indicated at 2l and 22; inwardly converging webs 23 and 24 and inner inwardly extending anges 25 and 26 which lie in spaced parallel relationship to the metallic panel Il. Adjacent to the anges I9 and 20, the webs 423 and 24 of the stiles for a distance substantially equal to the length of the flanges 2l and 22 lie parallel to the latter flanges and substantially at right angles to the metallic panel as indicated at 2l and 28. These portions of the webs 23 and 24 cooperate with the flanges I9 and 2G and the flanges 2 I and y22 to provide a channelshaped portion within which the door sealing means hereinafter described is safely retained.

The upper and lower rails of the door frame embody outer outwardly extending flanges 2t and 36 flanged inwardly as indicated at 3l and 32; inward-ly extending converging webs 33 and li and inner inwardly extending flanges 35 and 36 which lie in spaced parallel relationship to the metallic panel I I. Adjacent to the metallic panel the webs 33 and 34 are bent as indicated at 3l and .it so as to lie parallel to the flanges 3l and 32 at substantially a right angle to the metallic panel. The portions 37 and 38 thereby cooperate with the flanges 29 and 30 and the flanges SI and 32 to provide channel-shaped portions within which the aforementioned sealing means for the door is safely retained.

Additional reinforcement is provided for the metallic panel. A substantially channel-shaped member 39 having outturned flanges Lit and 4l secured to the metallic panel as by means of riveting extends horizontally between the stiles i and I6. A channel-shaped member 42 having outturned reinforcing flanges 43 and 44 extends across the joint I4 and between the lower rail I8 and the reinforcing member 39 to which it is secured as by means of riveting. The reinforcing member 42 is secured to the metallic panel by the same means which join the sheets I2 and I3 of the panel together. An angle member 45 extends along the joint I4 between the reinforcing member 39 and the upper rail i1 and is secured to the metallic panel by the same means which join the sheets I2 and I3 of the panel together.

A weather plate 45 provided with spaced indentures 41 is secured to the upper margin of the metallic panel II and extends above the upper edge of the door as is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The metallic panel II, the metallic Stiles I5 and I6 and the metallic rails I1 and I9 provide an effective cavity within which insulating material for the door is disposed. As shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the insulating material is in the form of sheets 58 and 49 which are of such length and height as to lie in engagement with the Stiles and rails. The insulating material is flexible and is of such character as to be self-supporting and to resist settling under vibration. It has been found that insulating sheets made of SAL# density superfine Fiberglas are well adapted as insulation for the door. The length of the sheets of insulation is in excess of the distance between the webs of the Stiles of the door frame so that as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings the sheets are sinuous in cross section as indicated slightly exaggerated at 55 and 5I. Each of the insulating sheets is thereby made more self-sustaining by reason of the column action of the sinuous portions of the sheets. Furthermore, no extraneous fastening means extending through the insulating sheets which would produce compression and loss of insulating quality are required. The insulation which extends from the panel to the inwardly extending flanges 25 and 23 of the stiles and the inwardly extending flanges 35 and 35 of the rails is retained within the door cavity by means of a non-metallic cover 52 spliced as indicated at 53 and lying upon and secured to the inwardly extending anges of the stiles and rails. It has been found that tempered Masonite is best adapted as a cover for the insulation.

Sealing means is provided for the marginal portions of the door. The sealing means is formed of vertical and horizontal sealing strips 54, 55, 55 and 51 which are non-metallic and preferably formed of rubber. Where the sealing strips meet they are mitered and vulcanized together in order to form a unitary sealing means which is received and secured within the channel-shaped portions hereinabove described of the stiles and rails. These channel-shaped portions effectively retain the sealing means and in order to secure the latter within these portions metallic plates and truss-head bolts are utilized.

As illustrated each of the sealing strips is substantially tubular in section and is provided with inturned flanges 58 and 59 spaced from each other. Metallic plates E0, 6I, 52 and G3 are disposed upon the flanges 58 and 59 of the sealing strips. These plates carry nuts as shown at 54, 65, 55 and 61 retained thereon by means of spring caps as indicated at 98, B9, 10 and 1I which extend through rectangular openings formed in 4 the plates so as to be interlocked with the plates. Truss-head bolts such as 12, 13, 14 and 15, extend through the panel, outturned anges of the stiles and rails, between the inturned anges of the sealing strips, and through the plates 60, 6I, 52 and 63 and the nuts 64, 65, 66 and 51. The sealing strips are thereby firmly secured and since the truss-head fbolts are accessible from the outside of the door the sealing strips may readily be replaced when necessary. The fastening means per se for the sealing strips hereinabove described form no part of the instant invention.

By reason of the instant invention the portion of the door hereinabove described is standardized for any given length and height of door opening. To complete the door structure wooden nailing strips 16 and 11 are secured to and along the inturned flanges 25 and 2G of the stiles I5 and I6. The nailing strips 16 and 11 are disposed upon the Masonite cover 52 and are fastened in position by means of bolts and nuts such as 18 and 19 which are similar in construction to the bolts 12, 13, 14 and 15 and nuts 84, 55, 55 and 61 utilized in the securement of the sealing strips. Spaced nailing blocks and `8l are similarly secured as by means of bolts 82 upon the cover 52 to the inwardly extending inner flange 35 of the upper rail I1. Additional spaced nailing blocks 83 and 84 and nailing strip 85 which extends along joint I4 are secured upon the cover 52 by similar bolts B6 which extend through the webs 81, 88 and 89 of channel-shaped clips 90, 9| and 92 secured as by means of welding to the horizontal reinforcing member 39. Nailing strip is additionally similarly secured to the flanges 35 and 36 of the rails. An inner lining 93 is fastened as by means of nails to the nailing strips and nailing blocks described hereinabove. The lining 93 normally terminates above the lower edge of the door as indicated at 94. By reason of this construction variations in the depth of the door which depend upon the depth of the wall of the car may be obtained by varying the thickness of the nailing strips and nailing blocks without disturbing the structure of the balance of the door. Moreover, by the employment of the channel-shaped clips 90, 9| and 92, replacement of the lining 93 or of the nailing strips or nailing blocks and replacement of the cover 52 if necessary may be had without disturbing the balance of the door or the insulation for the door.

In order to prevent the passage of heat from the outside of the car into the interior thereof by conduction through the reinforcing frame non-metallic strips 95, 96, 91 and 98 are provided. These strips are preferably formed of canvas folded so as to provide two plies of material and disposed between the inner inwardly extending flanges of the stiles and rails and the non-metallic cover plate 52 where they are secured by means of the bolts 1B, 19 and 82. The folded portions of the canvas strips project outwardly beyond the stiles and rails of the door frame and are adapted when the door is seated within the door opening to contact the door opening.

Where the contact between the sealing means on the door and the door frame occurs in a plane closer to the longitudinal center line of the car, the door illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 may be utilized. The door which is essentially similar in construction to the door hereinabove described differs therefrom by utilizing inturned marginal flanges 99, |00, IOI and |02 on the Ametallic panel which are of greater length than the inturned marginal flanges lil3, |04, |05 and |05 of the previously described door. Also the stiles |01 and |58 and the rails |09 and IIII, which are similar in section to the stiles and rails of the previously described door, are not as deep as the stiles I5 and I6 and rails Il and I8. By this construction of the stiles and rails the sealing strips hereinabove described lie closer to the longitudinal center line of the car.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings the stiles and rails are spaced from the metallic panel and are maintained in such spaced relationship by the continuously extending substantially channel-shaped vertical members III and I I2 and the continuously extending substantially channel-shaped horizontal members IIB and II4. The spacing members III and. IIZ embody webs II 5 and IIS which lie at right angles to the panel, inwardly extending outer ilanges ill and IIB secured to the metallic panel as by means of welding, inwardly extending inner flanges H9 and I2!! secured to the outer outwardly extending flanges of the stiles |07 and |63, and inwardly extending flanges |2I and |22 which are secured as by means of welding to the webs of the stiles. Similarly the horizontal spacing members IIB and |I4 embody webs |23 and |24, inwardly extending outer flanges and IE6, inwardly extending inner flanges I2'I and |28 and inwardly extending flanges |29 and ISI). The marginal flanges 99 and |00 of the metallic panel are secured as by means of welding to the inturned marginal flanges of the stiles III'I and |08 while the inturned marginal flanges IIlI and |02 of the metallic panel are secured as by means of welding to the inturned marginal flanges of the rails |09 and IIU. By virtue of this construction the metallic panel, the outer outturned flanges of the stiles IIl'I and HI8, the inturned flanges 99 and IDI! of the metallic panel and the webs H5 and IIS of the spacing members III and H2 cooperate to form sturdy tubular constructions 3| and |32 at the front and rear margins of the door. Similar tubular constructions |33 and |34 are formed along the upper and lower margins oi' the door as is shown more clearly in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

As in the ilrst described embodiment of the invention the Ihereinabove described structure of the door illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 is basic. rlhe door may be completed by the addition of the nailing strips and blocks and the inner lining previously described, and the desired depth of door obtained by varying the thickness of the nailing strips and blocks without disturbing the basic structure of the door.

The same sealing means as described may be used upon the door shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and secured thereto in the stated manner. As noted herein the strips of which the sealing means is formed are vulcanized together to form a uniu tary sealing means. This is accomplished prior to the application and securement of the sealing means upon the door, and the lengths of the strips of the sealing means are such that it is necessary to stretch these strips to properly apply the sealing means. The tension to which the sealing strips is subjected insures continuous contact between the sealing means and the frame of the door opening.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

We claim:

l. An insulated door for refrigerator and the like cars comprising an outer metallic panel, a marginal reinforcing frame for said panel formed of metallic stiles and rails, said stiles and rails having outer outwardly directed flanges secured to said panel, inwardly extending webs and inner inwardly directed flanges spaced from said panel, insulation lying between said panel and said inner flanges and between said stiles and rails, a non-metallic member extending between and secured to said inner flanges of said stiles and rails, said member retaining said insulation in position, and a non-metallic heat barrier secured between said inner flanges and said meniber and projecting outwardly of said webs of said stiles and rails.

2. An insulated door for refrigerator and the like cars comprising an outer metallic panel, a marginal reinforcing frame for said panel formed of metallic stiles and rails, said stiles and rails having outer outwardly directed flanges secured to said panel, inwardly extending webs and inner inwardly directed flanges spaced from said panel, insulation lying between said panel and said inner flanges and between said stiles and rails, a non-metallic member extending between and secured to said inner flanges of said stiles and rails, said member retaining said insulation in position, said outer flanges of said stiles and rails having inwardly directed flanges cooperating with said outer flanges and the adjacent portions of said webs to provide substantially channel-shaped recesses, and sealing means seated in said recesses.

3. An insulated door for refrigerator and the like cars comprising an outer metallic panel, a marginal reinforcing frame for said panel formed of metallic stiles and rails, said stiles and rails having outer outwardly directed ilanges secured to said panel, inwardly extending webs and inner inwardly directed flanges spaced from said panel, a horizontal reinforcing member extending between the webs of said stiles and secured to the inner face of said panel, spaced clips secured to said reinforcing member, a non-metallic member abutting said clips and extending between and overlapping said inner flanges of said stiles and rails, said member retaining said insulation in position, nailing members abutting said member in juxtaposed position to said clips and said inner flanges of said stiles and upper rail, bolts securing said nailing members to said inner ilanges and said clips and an inner nonmetallic wall secured to said nailing members.

4. An insulated door for refrigerator and the like cars comprising an outer metallic panel, a marginal reinforcing frame for said panel formed of metallic stiles and rails, said stiles and rails having outer outwardly directed flanges, inwardly extending webs and inner inwardly directed flanges, said stiles and rails being spaced inwardly of said panels, metallic members extending continuously between and secured to said panel and said stiles and rails, said stiles and rails and said panel having inwardly directed marginal flanges spaced from said metallic members, and means securing said marginal flanges together, said outer flanges of said stiles and rails, metallic members, panel and marginal panel flanges providing a marginal box section.

5. An insulated door for refrigerator and the like cars comprising an outer metallic panel, a tubular metallic construction extending around the margins of said panel, vertical and horizontal flanges extending inwardly from said tubular construction at an angle to said panel, flanges extending inwardly from said latter flanges in spaced substantially parallel relationship to said panel, insulation disposed between said tubular construction and vertical and horizontal flanges and extending from said panel to said second mentioned inwardly extending flanges, a non-metallic member extending between and secured to said latter flanges to retain said insulation in position, and sealing means seated upon and secured to said tubular construction around said door in inwardly spaced relationship to said panel.

6. An .insulated door for refrigerator and the like cars comprising an outer metallic panel, a channel extending around the margins of said panel and embodying inwardly directed legs, a shoulder provided on one of said legs, a metallic member seated on said shoulder, said member extending to the other of said legs, means securing said member in position so that said member cooperates with said channel to form a tubular construction, vertical and horizontal References Cited in the ille 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,478,400 Rowley et al. Dec. 25, 1923 1,748,942 Barrows Mar. 4, 1930 1,832,903 Holbrook Nov. 24, 1931 1,892,708 Schwarz Jan. 3, 1933 2,153,204 Olson Apr. 4, 1939 2,219,962 Reynolds Oct. 29, 1940 2,264,536 Kuenzli Dec. 2, 1941 2,280,254 Nave Apr. 21, 1942 2,612,659 OConnor Oct, '7, 1952

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