Composite roof for a railway car
First Claim
1. A composite roof for mounting on a railway car to form a portion of an enclosed structure comprising:
- a fiber reinforced composite unit having a core wrapped with a fiber material and the fiber material infused with resin to encapsulate the core between layers of fiber reinforced plastic during molding of the composite roof;
the fiber reinforced composite unit having a perimeter;
the fiber reinforced composite unit having a metal flange co-molded with the core and partially extending from the core at the perimeter; and
the metal flange defining in part means for attaching the composite roof with other components of the enclosed structure.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A composite roof having a core encapsulated in multiple layers of fiber reinforced plastic is provided. The composite roof may be mounted on a conventional railway car during initial manufacture or used to replace a damaged steel roof on a conventional railway car. The layers of fiber reinforced plastic provide non-corrosive and non-leaking exterior and interior surfaces for the composite roof. The core may be formed from various materials which provide improved resistance to heat transfer between the interior and the exterior of an associated railway car. The composite roof may be mounted on an enclosed structure having a pair of end walls, a pair of side walls and a floor. An opening may be formed in each side wall to allow access to the interior of the railway car. A top retainer and guide rail assembly will typically be mounted above each opening to allow installing a door to control access through the respective opening. A strip of fiber reinforced plastic is preferably attached to the top retainer and guide rail assembly to form a composite rain gutter over each opening.
146 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A composite roof for mounting on a railway car to form a portion of an enclosed structure comprising:
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a fiber reinforced composite unit having a core wrapped with a fiber material and the fiber material infused with resin to encapsulate the core between layers of fiber reinforced plastic during molding of the composite roof; the fiber reinforced composite unit having a perimeter; the fiber reinforced composite unit having a metal flange co-molded with the core and partially extending from the core at the perimeter; and the metal flange defining in part means for attaching the composite roof with other components of the enclosed structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A railway car having a generally enclosed structure with a composite roof mounted on the enclosed structure, comprising:
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the enclosed structure defined in part by a pair of opposite side walls with each side wall having top and bottom edges and opposite ends; a pair of opposite end walls with each end wall having top and bottom edges and opposite ends; each end wall extending between and joined to respective ends of each of the side walls; a floor having opposite side edges and ends, the floor extending between and joined to the bottom edges of the side walls and extending between and joined to the bottom edges of the end walls; a composite roof mounted on and attached to the top edges of the end walls and the side walls opposite from the floor; the composite roof having a core wrapped with multiple layers of fiber material and the fiber material infused with resin to encapsulate the core between layers of fiber reinforced plastic during molding of the composite roof; and the composite roof having a perimeter which defines in part means comprising an attachment flange molded into the composite roof for attaching the composite roof with respective top edges of the side walls and the end walls such that the attachment flange remains outside an enclosure defined by the enclosed structure. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A railway car having a generally enclosed structure with a roof mounted thereon, comprising:
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the enclosed structure defined in part by a pair of opposite side walls with each side wall having top and bottom edges and opposite ends; a pair of opposite end walls with each end wall having top and bottom edges and opposite ends; each end wall extending between and joined to respective ends of each of the side walls; a floor having opposite side edges and ends, the floor extending between and joined to the bottom edges of the side walls and extending between and joined to the bottom edges of the end walls; the roof mounted on and attached to the top edges of the end walls and the side walls opposite from the floor; an opening formed intermediate the ends of each side wall to provide access to the enclosed structure for loading and unloading the railway car; atop retainer and guide rail assembly disposed above each opening of the respective side walls; a door slidably disposed within each top retainer and guide assembly having a first position blocking access through the respective opening and a second position allowing access to the interior of the enclosed structure through the respective opening; and a strip of noncorrosive material attached to the top guide retainer and guide rail assembly extending along the length of the respective opening to form a rain gutter. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A railway car having a generally enclosed structure with a composite roof mounted on the enclosed structure, comprising:
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the enclosed structure defined in part by a pair of opposite side walls with each side wall having top and bottom edges and opposite ends; a pair of opposite end walls with each end wall having top and bottom edges and opposite ends; each end wall extending between and joined to respective ends of each of the side walls; a floor having opposite side edges and ends, the floor extending between and joined to the bottom edges of the side walls and extending between and joined to the bottom edges of the end walls; a respective top chord attached to the top edge of each side wall and end wall; a composite roof mounted on and attached to the top chords of the end walls and the side walls opposite from the floor; the composite roof having a core wrapped with multiple layers of fiber material and the fiber material infused with resin to encapsulate the core between layers of fiber reinforced plastic during molding of the composite roof; and the composite roof having a perimeter which defines in part means for attaching the composite roof with respective top chords of the side walls and the end walls.
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23. A railway car having a generally enclosed structure with a composite roof mounted on the enclosed structure, comprising:
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the enclosed structure defined in part by a pair of opposite side walls with each side wall having top and bottom edges and opposite ends; a pair of opposite end walls with each end wall having top and bottom edges and opposite ends; each end wall extending between and joined to respective ends of each of the side walls; a floor having opposite side edges and ends, the floor extending between and joined to the bottom edges of the side walls and extending between and joined to the bottom edges of the end walls; a respective top chord attached to the top edge of each side wall and end wall; a composite roof mounted on and attached to the top chords of the end walls and the side walls opposite from the floor; the composite roof having a core wrapped with multiple layers of fiber material and the fiber material infused with resin to encapsulate the core between layers of fiber reinforced plastic during molding of the composite roof; and the composite roof having a plurality of void spaces formed in the core and the layers of fiber reinforced plastic integrally molded immediately adjacent to each other within each void space to provide respective translucent areas in the fiber reinforced composite unit.
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Specification