Patent Application
20250115406
The invention relates to a corner protector for protecting the top corners of cargo, such as stacks of lumber, from being indented or frayed by tie-down cables, and is more particularly concerned with protecting the corners of stacks of lumber or other cargo on railroad freight cars where without the corner protector the corners of the stacks of lumber or other cargo may be indented or frayed by the tie-down cables as the railroad freight car is traveling along the railway.
Lumber tie-down cables are typically found on center beam bulkhead freight cars which are used to transport stacks of pieces of lumber or other cargo. When the tie-down cables are tied down too tightly they cause indentations of the pieces of lumber especially at the top corners of a stack of lumber. If the tie-down cables are not tied down tightly enough, the movement of the freight car causes movement of the tie-down cables and the pieces of lumber to cause fraying of the lumber and of the tie-down cable. Conventional protectors are made of steel and wear on the cables. This is undesirable. A basic lumber protector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 968,455 issued on Aug. 23, 1910 for a “Lumber-Load Protector”, which discloses a vertical plate with a horizontal plate at a right angle and a groove forming flanges that extend around the corner of the device. A closed eye is provided to receive a cable or tie, which requires the cable to be threaded through the eye. U.S. Pat. No. 2,266,181 issued on Dec. 16, 1941 for a “Protective Corner Piece”, discloses a packaging corner piece formed from sheet metal and bent at a right angle. An improvement in a lumber protector is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,548 issued on Mar. 9, 1999, for a “Corner Protector For Protecting The Top Corners Of Stacks Of Lumber” which discloses cable retention fingers provided on a wall of the protector for capturing and detaining a tie-down cable. U.S. Pat. No. 10,967,778, issued on Apr. 6, 2021, for “Edge Protectors for Load Securement” discloses a first retainer with an opposing first ramp and a second retainer with a second opposing ramp, each opposing ramp having a wall that opposes the retainer. U.S. Pat. No. 7,407,353 issued on Aug. 5, 2008 for a “Cargo Securing Strap Chafe Protector” discloses a foldable base with guide walls on opposite peripheral edges of each base section that define a strap-receiving channel that receives a securing strap.
A need exists for a protector that protects the cargo, such as lumber, and is easy to install and remove without damaging the cargo or lumber.
A corner protector for protecting cargo that is transported on a rail car, such as a bulkhead car, that is configured to receive and capture cable, and retain the cable. The protector has fingers on a sidewall surface that engage the cable by capturing the cable and retaining the cable. Embodiments include a plurality of fingers, which include a lower finger that has a sloped surface formed on the back surface of the finger.
According to preferred embodiments, the fingers are configured to extend outwardly from the outer sidewall surface, and have a finger support or mounting portion that connects with the outer sidewall surface, and a finger portion that extends horizontally across the sidewall and elevated above the side wall surface. According to some preferred embodiments, the protector is constructed so that there is no obstruction opposing the fingers.
According to some preferred embodiments, a plurality of fingers are provided, and the finger portions are alternatingly aligned, so that adjacent fingers point in different directions.
According to a preferred embodiment, three cable retention fingers are provided on the sidewall. The cable retention fingers are supported by support bases that connect the finger to the sidewall surface. The retention fingers extend horizontally and, preferably, at a right angle from the outer end of the support bases. Two of the retention fingers are mounted with their fingers pointing in the same direction, and a third retention finger is mounted on the outer side wall portion spaced away from the two directionally aligned fingers. The finger pointed in a direction opposite to the direction of the two directionally aligned fingers forms a space between the aligned fingers and the third retention finger so that the fingers capture and retain the tie-down cable in the space between them.
The protector preferably may be configured with a strengthened region which is at the corner where the sidewall joins with the top wall. This region may provide a force handling structure so that the device may handle loads received from the tensioned cable, or stresses placed on the device during movement of the cargo as the rail car travels along the rails. An area of increased thickness may be provided at the top of the sidewall and on the top wall at the location where it joins with the sidewall.
Embodiments provide a corner protector for protecting the top corners of a stack of cargo, such as lumber or other materials, from indentations and fraying and to protect the tie-down cable from wearing and fraying by otherwise contacting the corner and rubbing against the corner of the cargo, e.g., such as the stack of lumber.
According to some embodiments, a corner protector is provided that may be installed without disconnecting the tie-down cable, but instead may be installed by just loosening the cable, inserting the corner protector under the cable, and then tightening the cable.
According to some embodiments, the corner protector may provide a 1 and ⅛th inch separation between the cable and the lumber stack, which includes optional cable alignment tabs, and has a unique arrangement of cable retention features which allows for installation of the protector without disconnection of the tie-down cable, such as for example, a ⅜th inch diameter tie-down cable.
According to some embodiments, the protector may include cable alignment tabs or guides provided on the top wall to facilitate alignment of the cable.
Further, the lightweight design of the corner protector offers greater safety to ground workers should the protector fall from its position.
According to preferred embodiments, the protector is constructed from a polymer material and has a high degree of wear and permanent set resistance, as well as the ability to protect the tie-down cable, such as for example, ⅜th inch diameter tie-down cable, from wear and fraying. According to some embodiments, the material allows for flexibility of the protector, allowing it to be deformed and spring back to original shape.
According to preferred embodiments, the protector is configured with fingers which are connected at a base or support that is supported on the protector wall (preferably the sidewall). Each finger has a space below it, so there is a space between the wall and the finger. According to preferred embodiments, there is no opposing structure in front of the finger space to provide an obstruction for the cable to be received under the finger in the finger space.
According to some embodiments, the protector is configured having top wall and sidewall that form a corner (on the inside wall portions). Cable retention fingers are mounted on the outer sidewall portion for capturing and retaining the cable. According to embodiments, a plurality of cable retention fingers is provided, and some preferred embodiments may be configured having three cable retention fingers. The cable retention fingers are supported by support bases that extend perpendicularly from the outer sidewall. The retention fingers extend horizontally and at a right angle from the outer end of the support bases. According to a preferred embodiment, two of the retention fingers are mounted on the outer sidewall with their fingers pointing in the same direction, and a third retention finger is mounted on the outer sidewall portion spaced away from the two aligned fingers. The finger pointed in a direction opposite to the direction of the two aligned fingers forms a space between the aligned retention fingers and the third retention finger so that the fingers capture and retain the tie-down cable in the space between them.
The fingers are elevated from the outer sidewall surface, and there is an open space formed below and in front of each finger, that is unobstructed. As shown in the illustrations, there is no opposing wall or structure beneath or in front of the finger support, and this configuration provides open access to receive the cable and for the cable to be positioned without obstruction, under the fingers. Camming action of the third finger guides the cable over the third finger from behind the third finger. Preferably, the camming action is achieved by rotating the protector so that the cable which may rest on the substantially planar sidewall outer surface is slid along the sidewall surface for seating underneath each of the first and second fingers, and while the protector is rotated, the cable is cammed over the free end of the third finger so that the cable is locked in place between the alternating arrangement of aligned fingers. According to some embodiments, the third finger may be shorter in length or height, or both, than the respective length and/or height of the other two fingers.
The protector preferably maintains each area below the three fingers and in front of each of the finger supports without an obstruction. The configuration allows the fingers to be vertically disposed from the sidewall to retain and capture the cable thickness. The distance between the sidewall surface to the finger portion may be slightly greater than the cable diameter, allowing the fingers to remain in proximity to the sidewall surface. The space beneath the fingers (relative to the outer sidewall surface on which the fingers and the finger supports are mounted) is maintained for maximum access to provide the cable with suitable room for access to capture (as well as retain the cable).
These and other advantages may be realized with the invention. In addition, features described in some embodiments also may be combined with other embodiments.
Turning now to the drawings, there is shown in
Referring more particularly to
The side wall member 121 has a first or inner side wall surface 133 which is shown facing the cargo 200, and a second or exterior side wall surface 137. The inner side wall surface 133 is vertical.
The top wall 125 preferably is horizontal and is connected to the top portion 123 of the side wall member 131 at a right angle for contacting the top surface of the stack 202 of lumber 203, and the horizontal top wall 125 forms a corner 145 with the inner side wall surface 133.
When the corner protector 110 is mounted on the corner 201 of a stack 202 of lumber 203, the stack of lumber 203 is protected against being contacted and indented or frayed by the tie-down cable 220. Also, the cable 220 is protected against wearing and fraying by any contact with the corner 201 of the stack 202 of lumber 203.
The corner protector 110 may be installed on the corner 201 of a stack 202 of lumber 203 without disconnecting the cable 220 by just loosening the cable 220 and inserting the corner protector 110 under the cable 220 and mounting the corner protector 110 on the top corner 201 of the stack 202 of lumber 203. Then the cable 220 is tightened by turning a device, such as a winch, located at the side of the railroad car with the inner end of the cable 220 having been anchored on the center beam of the car.
As illustrated in
The fingers 151, 152, 153 are elevated from the outer wall surface 137, and there is an open space 151a, 152a, 153a formed below and in front of each respective finger 151, 152, 153. The spaces 151a, 152a, 153a preferably are unobstructed to allow the cable to readily seat underneath the respective finger 151, 152, 153. As shown in the illustrations, in the preferred embodiments depicted, there is no opposing wall or structure beneath or in front of the finger support 161, 162, 163, and thereby open access is provided for receiving the cable 220 and for the cable 220 to be positioned without obstruction, under the fingers 151, 152, 153.
According to preferred embodiments, camming action of the third finger 153 guides the cable 220 over the third finger 153 from behind the third finger 153. According to some preferred embodiments, the third finger 153 may be shorter than the other two fingers, e.g., fingers 151, 152, so that the height of the top of the fingers 151, 152 from the outer wall surface 137 is greater than the top of the finger 153 from the outer wall surface.
The protector 110 preferably maintains each area below the three fingers 151, 152, 153 and in front of each finger support without an obstruction (e.g., the spaces 151a, 152a, 153a). The spaces 151a, 152a, 153a beneath each of the respective the fingers 151, 152, 153 (relative to the outer wall surface 137 on which the fingers 151, 152, 153 and respective finger support bases 161, 162, 163 are mounted) is maintained for maximum access to provide the cable 220 with access to capture (as well as retain the cable 220).
A cable receiving zone is provided between each of the respective finger portions 151, 152, 153 and the outer surface of the sidewall 137. Preferably, the cable receiving zone spans from the respective support base 161, 162, 163 to the lateral edge of the sidewall to which the respective finger points. As illustrated in
The cable retention fingers 151, 152, 153 are provided with support bases 161, 162, 163 extending perpendicularly from the outer sidewall 137, and the retention fingers 151, 152, 153 extend horizontally and at a right angle from the outer end of the respective support bases 161, 162, 163.
The side wall 121 comprises a vertical inner side wall surface 133, and an outer side wall surface portion 137, with the fingers 151, 152, 153 being provided on the outer side wall 137, whereby the cable 220 may be threaded through the fingers 152, 152, 153 on the outer side wall 137.
According to preferred embodiments, the protector 110 may be configured to handle forces and in particular, some embodiments may have a force handling structure. The force handling structure is shown comprising an reinforced portion 157, which is shown configured as a generally L-shaped reinforcing plate. The plate 157 is shown with a first leg or portion 157a provided on the top surface 125a (
The corner protector 110 is made of a durable material that is suitably strong to withstand exposure to weather conditions (including temperature changes and extremes, rain, snow, and the like), as well as stresses of the cable as the railcar and cargo travel long the tracks. According to preferred embodiments, the corner protector 110 may be constructed from suitable materials, such as, for example, synthetic plastic, and more preferably, a thermoplastic such as urethane.
The method of using the corner protector 110 to protect cargo, and in particular the top edges or corners of the cargo, such as for example, the top corners 201 of a stack 202 of lumber 203 or other cargo from indentations, wearing and fraying from a tie-down cable 220, such as in a center beam bulkhead flat railroad freight car 105 (
Preferably, the protectors 110 are provided on each side of the stack 202 so that the cable 220 spans across the stack 202 and is secured by a protector 110 on each opposite corner of the side of the stack 202. The tie-down cable 220 is passed through the retention fingers 151, 152, 153 of the outer sidewall 137. This preferably is accomplished by positioning the cable 220 in the space 170 between the first finger 151 and second finger 152 (as shown in
Alternatively, the cargo protector 110 may be installed by threading the tie-down cable 220 through the retention fingers 151, 152, 153, and then tightening down the tie-down cable 220 to hold the corner protector 110 in place on the top corner of the stack of lumber (or other cargo).
The cargo protector 110 preferably may be installed without disconnecting the cable by loosening the cable, such as the cable 220 and inserting the protector 110 under the cable 220 and mounting the protector 110 on the top corner of the stack of lumber, and then tightening the cable.
According to some embodiments, orienting indicia may be provided on the protector 110 to facilitate placement in a preferred orientation when installing the protector 110 onto cargo. The orienting indicia is shown in an exemplary depiction comprising an arrow 175, which points upward to show the position for installation of the protector 110. Although an arrow 175 is shown other indicia may be provided to show the preferred orientation.
According to some embodiments, the protectors of the invention may be constructed having different heights, lengths and widths, if desired. Protectors may secure cargo, such as, for example, lumber and other materials, including stacked material and unstacked material where protection of the corners or edges is desired. The protectors also may be constructed to conform to appropriate railway association rules or standards, for example, if particular materials or properties for materials are desired or required.
While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, the description is illustrative and is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. For example, although the protector finger 153 is shown having a forward edge 153d that protrudes outward from the finger base 163, according to some alternate embodiments, the finger forward edge 153d may be coextensive with the finger base 163. Preferred embodiments preferably provide the forward edge 153d that protrudes beyond the base 163 to provide a recess or cable receiving space. Various modifications and changes may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described herein and as defined by the appended claims.
