Temperature controlled railway car

• US 6,575,102 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2002
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trinity Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: TRN Business Trust
• Inventors: Seiter, Joseph A., Barry, Robert J., Kirk, Gary W. Jr., Smith, Stephen W., Beers, Albert A., Hoover, Alex K., Norton, Allen E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Mark T.
• Application Number:
  US10/071,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20020148381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 105/396, 105/423, 105/422, 105/404, 105/409, 105/410, 105/413, 105/355, 220/1.5, 220/592.2, 524/041, 296/180.3, 296/191, 296/197, 296/183, 296/187, 296/188
• US Class Current: 105/423
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 17/005 with bodies characterised by use of plastics materials B61D17/005 takes precedence; bogie frames comprising parts made from fibre einforced matrix material B61F5/523
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 17/045 The sub-units being construction modules modular super-structures for vehicles carrying a large number of passengers B62D31/025
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 17/12 Roofs movable or foldable roofs, covers or tarpaulins B61D39/00
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 27/00 Heating, cooling, ventilating, or air-conditioning heating, cooling or ventilating devices for vehicles in general B60H1/00; devices for moistening air in vehicles B60H3/02; devices for filtering air in vehicles B60H3/06
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 27/0027 for freight cars; Isothermic wagons

Abstract

A composite box structure assembled on and securely attached to a railway car underframe to form a temperature controlled railway car or on insulated boxcar. The composite box structure defined in part by an exterior metal surface, interior side stakes and at least one layer of fiber reinforced plastic attached to the side stakes. Foam insulation may be disposed between the side stakes, the exterior metal surface and the at least one layer of fiber reinforced plastic. The foam insulation provides improved resistance to heat transfer between the interior and the exterior of the composite box structure. An airflow management system may be incorporated into the composite box structure.

Claims

1. An insulated railway boxcar comprising:

a railway car underframe having a floor assembly mounted thereon and attached thereto;

the railway car underframe and the floor assembly each having generally elongated, rectangular configurations;

a pair of side wall assemblies respectively mounted on and attached to opposite sides of the railway car underframe;

a pair of end wall assemblies respectively mounted on and attached to opposite ends of the railway car underframe;

each side wall assembly formed from a plurality of metal sheets, support posts, layers of fiber reinforced plastic and foam insulation;

each end wall assembly formed from a plurality of metal sheets, end beams, layers of fiber reinforced plastic and foam insulation;

exterior surfaces of the metal sheets cooperating with each other to form exterior surfaces of the insulated railway car box;

each support post and each end beam having a first surface and a second surface;

the first surfaces of each support post and each end beam respectively attached to interior surfaces of adjacent metal sheets;

the support posts and end beams spaced from each other to partially define void spaces with respect to the interior surfaces of adjacent metal sheets;

respective isolators attached to the second surface of each support post and each end beam;

the layers of fiber reinforced plastic disposed on the isolators and covering respective void spaces defined in part by the interior surfaces of the adjacent metal sheets and the associated support posts or end beams; and

the foam insulation disposed within each void space and bonded with interior surfaces of adjacent metal sheets, associated support posts or end beams and adjacent portions of respective layers of the fiber reinforced plastic.

2. The insulated railway boxcar of claim 1 further comprising each isolator formed in part from a polyvinyl chloride material.

3. The insulated railway boxcar of claim 1 wherein the layers of fiber reinforced plastic further comprise a ballistic resistant fabric.

4. The insulated railway boxcar of claim 1 further comprising the isolators formed from blocks of insulating material and blocks of foam insulation disposed between adjacent isolators.

5. The insulated railway boxcar of claim 1 further comprising:

a first layer of fiber reinforced plastic respectively disposed on the isolators; and

a second layer of fiber reinforced plastic disposed on the first layer and the isolators.

6. The insulated railway boxcar of claim 5 wherein the second layer of fiber reinforced plastic comprises a generally corrugated cross section which forms multiple airflow paths between the first layer of fiber reinforced plastic and the second layer of fiber reinforced plastic.

7. The insulated railway boxcar of claim 1 wherein each side wall assembly further comprises:

a side sill assembly formed as an integral component thereof;

portions of the side sill assembly attached to the associated metal sheets; and

portions of the side sill assembly bonded with the foam insulation.

8. The insulated railway boxcar of claim 1 further comprising:

the metal sheets formed from the group consisting of steel alloys and aluminum alloys; and

the support posts and end beams formed from the group consisting of steel alloys, aluminum alloys and composite materials.

9. The insulated railway boxcar of claim 1 further comprising insulating foam formed in place by injecting liquid insulating material at joints between the side wall assemblies and the end wall assemblies.

10. A temperature controlled railway car comprising:

a railway car underframe having a floor assembly mounted thereon and attached thereto;

the railway car underframe and the floor assembly having generally elongated, rectangular configurations;

a pair of side wall assemblies mounted on and attached to opposite sides of the railway car underframe;

a pair of end wall assemblies mounted on and attached to opposite ends of the railway car underframe;

a roof assembly attached to the side wall assemblies and the end wall assemblies opposite from the floor assembly;

each side wall assembly formed from a plurality of metal sheets attached to and extending between a respective top chord and a respective side sill assembly formed as integral components of the side wall assembly;

the metal sheets having respective exterior surfaces and interior surfaces;

a plurality of support posts respectively attached to the interior surfaces of the metal sheets;

layers of fiber reinforced plastic disposed on the support posts opposite from the metal sheets; and

foam insulation disposed between and bonded with respective interior surfaces of the metal sheets, portions of the support posts and the layers of fiber reinforced plastic.

11. The temperature controlled railway car of claim 10 further comprising:

an opening formed in one of the end wall assemblies;

at least a portion of a temperature control unit disposed within the opening formed in the one end wall assembly; and

an airflow path formed by portions of the roof assembly, side wall assemblies, end wall assemblies and floor assembly to direct airflow from the temperature control unit to lading carried within the railway car.

12. The temperature controlled railway car of claim 10, further comprising:

each side wall assembly having an opening formed therein to provide access to the interior of the railway car;

a respective door frame assembly disposed adjacent to the perimeter of each opening to attach a railway car door thereto; and

pultruded strips of glass fiber trim attached to portions of each door frame assembly to minimize heat transfer between the interior and the exterior of the railway car proximate the respective opening in each side wall assembly.

13. The temperature controlled railway car of claim 10 further comprising insulating foam poured in place at respective corner joints between the side wall assemblies and the end wall assemblies to minimize heat transfer between the interior and the exterior of the railway car proximate the corner joints.

14. The temperature controlled railway car of claim 10 further comprising:

a respective joint formed between each side wall assembly and the roof assembly;

each joint extending longitudinally from a first end of the side wall assembly to a second of the side wall assembly;

each joint filled with an insulating foam to minimize heat transfer between the interior and the exterior of the railway car proximate the respective joint; and

a layer of trim molding bonded with the insulating foam.

15. The temperature controlled railway car of claim 14 further comprising at least a portion of the insulating foam at each joint formed in place by injecting liquid insulating foam into the joint after coupling the roof assembly with the respective side wall assembly.

16. A temperature controlled railway boxcar comprising:

a railway car underframe having a generally rectangular configuration defined in part by a plurality of cross bearers, cross ties and longitudinal stringers for mounting the composite box structure thereon;

a pair of substantially rectangular side wall assemblies mounted on and secured with opposite sides of the railway car underframe;

each side wall assembly having a top chord attached to and extending along an upper edge and a side sill assembly attached to and extending along a lower edge;

an opening formed in each side wall assembly to provide access to an interior of the composite box structure for loading and unloading lading;

a pair of substantially rectangular end wall assemblies mounted on and secured with opposite ends of the railway car underframe;

each end wall assembly having a top plate attached to and extending along a upper edge and at least a portion of an end sill assembly attached to and extending along a lower edge;

the end wall assemblies and the side wall assemblies joined with each other at respective corner joints;

a substantially rectangular floor assembly mounted on the railway car underframe;

the floor assembly extending between and joined with portions of the side wall assemblies and portions of end wall assemblies adjacent to the railway car underframe;

a substantially rectangular roof assembly mounted on and attached to the top chord of each side wall assembly and the top plate of each end wall assembly;

each side wall assembly having an exterior metal surface formed by a plurality of metal sheets attached to the respective top chord and side sill assembly;

each end wall assembly having an exterior metal surface formed by a plurality of metal sheets attached to the respective top plate and the portion of the end sill assembly;

each side wall assembly having an interior surface formed by a plurality of layers of fiber reinforced plastic;

each end wall assembly having an interior surface formed by at least one layer of fiber reinforced plastic;

insulating foam respectively disposed between and bonded with the interior surfaces of the metal sheets and the layers of fiber reinforced plastic used to form the respective side wall assemblies; and

insulating foam respectively disposed between and bonded with the interior surfaces of the metal sheets and the layers of fiber reinforced plastic used to form the end wall assemblies.

17. A composite box structure mounted on a railway car underframe comprising:

a pair of opposite substantially rectangular side wall assemblies;

each side wall assembly defined in part by a respective top chord and a respective side sill assembly extending longitudinally from one end of the respective side wall assembly to the other end of the respective side wall assembly;

the top chord and the side sill assembly formed as integral components of each respective side wall assembly;

an opening formed intermediate the ends of each side wall assembly to provide access to the interior of the composite box structure for loading and unloading lading;

a pair of opposite substantially rectangular end wall assemblies;

each end wall assembly having a top plate and a end sill assembly extending between opposite sides of the respective end wall assembly;

a substantially rectangular floor assembly mounted and attached to the railway car under frame;

the floor assembly extending between and joined with lower portions of the side wall assemblies and the end wall assemblies;

the side wall assemblies and the end wall assemblies having a generally smooth exterior surface formed by a plurality of metal sheets;

the metal sheets having respective exterior surfaces and interior surfaces;

support posts attached to the interior surfaces of the metal sheets;

respective isolators attached to each support post opposite from the metal sheets;

at least one layer of ballistic resistant fabric disposed on the isolators opposite from the support posts; and

foam insulation disposed between and bonded with the support posts, adjacent interior surfaces of the metal sheets and the ballistic resistant fabric.