Open-top rail car covers and open-top rail cars employing the same

Abstract

An open-top rail car cover is defined by a frame having dimensions sufficient to fit an open-top freight car designed in accordance with the Association of American Railroads, a roof and a pair of end walls. A latch disposed about a side of the frame includes a first flange and a second flange that combine to define a means for receiving an engagement member of a rail car. Both the first and second flanges include a at least one first aperture and at least one second aperture designed to receive a means for securing the car cover to the rail car. The first and second apertures have dimensions sufficient to permit movement of the first and second flanges about the means for receiving.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a representation of an open-top rail car cover of the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a representation of the prior art open-top rail car cover of FIG. 1 mounted to an open-top rail car;

FIG. 3 is a representation illustrating the damage experienced by the prior art open-top rail car cover of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a representation of an open-top rail car;

FIG. 5 is a representation of an open-top rail car cover of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a representation of an underside view of the cover of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a representation of another open-top rail car cover of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a representation of a latch of the open-top rail car covers of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9. is a representation of an engagement member of the present disclosure for an open-top rail car;

FIG. 10 is a representation of the latch of FIG. 8 secured to the engagement member of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a representation of the latch of FIG. 8 secured to another engagement member for an open-top rail car.

Claims

1. An open-top rail car cover, comprising: a frame having dimensions sufficient to fit a Class G, Class H or Class L freight car in accordance with the Association of American Railroads;a first material disposed in contact with said frame to form a roof;a second material disposed in contact with said frame to form a pair of end walls disposed opposite each other and attached to said roof; anda latch disposed about a side of said frame comprising a first flange and a second flange that combine to define a means for receiving an engagement member of a rail car, wherein said first flange includes at least one first apertures designed to receive a means for securing, said second flange includes at least one second aperture designed to receive said means for securing, said engagement member includes at least one third aperture designed to receive said means for securing, wherein said at least one first aperture, said at least one second aperture and said at least one third aperture are substantially aligned with each other.

2. The open-top rail car cover of claim 1, wherein said at least one first aperture and said at least one second aperture comprise slots.

3. The open-top rail car cover of claim 1, wherein said roof comprises one or more surface features.

4. The open-top rail car cover of claim 1, wherein said means for receiving comprises a channel.

5. The open-top rail car cover of claim 1, wherein said engagement member is designed to insert within said means for receiving.

6. The open-top rail car cover of claim 1, wherein said means for securing is disposed through said at least one first aperture, said at least one third aperture and said at least one second aperture.

7. The open-top rail car cover of claim 1, wherein said at least one first apertures and said at least one second apertures have dimensions sufficient to permit movement of said first flange and said second flange about said means for securing.

8. The open-top rail car cover of claim 1, wherein said first material and said second material are substantially the same and comprise at least one of the following materials: urethanes, polystyrenes, polyesters and epoxies.

9. The open-top rail car cover of claim 8, wherein said first material and said second material further comprise at least one reinforcing agent selected from the group consisting of ceramic fibers, fibrous glass, glass cloth, glass fabric, glass fiber, calcium silicate, diatomaceous earth, expanded vermiculite, cellulose fibers, woven fabric, non-woven fabric, compacted powder, compacted fiber, mineral fiber, mineral wool, perlite, refractory materials, wood fibers, and poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide fibers.

10. The open-top rail car cover of claim 8, wherein said first material and said second material further comprise at least one additive selected from the group consisting of abrasion resistant materials, sweat resistant materials, chemical resistant materials, blackbody materials, fire resistant materials, fire retardant materials, intumescent materials, water vapor retardant materials, mold resistant materials, mildew resistant materials, solvent resistant materials, caustic resistant materials, freeze-thaw resistant materials, and water resistant materials.

11. The open-top rail car cover of claim 1, further comprising at least one coating disposed upon at least one of the following: said frame, said first material, said second material and said latch, wherein said coating is selected from the group consisting of anti-abrasive coatings, appearance coverings, blackbody coatings, breather coatings, mastic coatings, moisture barrier coatings, and weather barrier coatings.

12. An open-top rail car with cover, comprising: an open-top freight car designed in accordance with the Association of American Railroads;wherein said open-top freight car further comprises an engagement member having at least one third aperture designed to receive a means for securing, said engagement member is capable of engaging a car cover disposed about a top portion of said car,wherein said car cover comprises:a frame;a first material disposed in contact with said frame to form a roof;a second material disposed in contact with said frame to form a pair of end walls disposed opposite each other and attached to said roof; anda latch disposed about a side of said frame comprising a first flange and a second flange that combine to define a means for receiving said engagement member, wherein said first flange includes at least one first aperture designed to receive a means for securing, said second flange includes at least one second aperture designed to receive said means for securing, wherein said at least one first aperture, said at least one second aperture and said at least one third aperture are substantially aligned with each other.

13. The open-top rail car with cover of claim 12, wherein said at least one first aperture and said at least one second aperture comprise slots.

14. The open-top rail car with cover of claim 12, wherein said roof comprises one or more surface features.

15. The open-top rail car with cover of claim 12, wherein said means for receiving comprises a channel.

16. The open-top rail car with cover of claim 12, wherein said engagement member is designed to insert within said means for receiving.

17. The open-top rail car with cover of claim 12, wherein said means for securing is disposed through said at least one first aperture, said at least one third aperture and said at least one second aperture.

18. The open-top rail car with cover of claim 12, wherein said at least one first apertures and said at least one second apertures have dimensions sufficient to permit movement of said first flange and said second flange about said means for securing.

19. The open-top rail car with cover of claim 12, wherein said open-top freight car comprise a freight car selected from the group consisting of Class G, Class H and Class L of the Association of American Railroads.

20. The open-top rail car cover of claim 12, wherein said first material and said second material of said car cover are substantially the same and comprise at least one of the following materials: urethanes, polystyrenes, polyesters and epoxies.

21. The open-top rail car cover of claim 20, wherein said first material and said second material further comprise at least one reinforcing agent selected from the group consisting of ceramic fibers, fibrous glass, glass cloth, glass fabric, glass fiber, calcium silicate, diatomaceous earth, expanded vermiculite, cellulose fibers, woven fabric, non-woven fabric, compacted powder, compacted fiber, mineral fiber, mineral wool, perlite, refractory materials, wood fibers, and poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide fibers.

22. The open-top rail car cover of claim 20, wherein said first material and said second material further comprise at least one additive selected from the group consisting of abrasion resistant materials, sweat resistant materials, chemical resistant materials, blackbody materials, fire resistant materials, fire retardant materials, intumescent materials, water vapor retardant materials, mold resistant materials, mildew resistant materials, solvent resistant materials, caustic resistant materials, freeze-thaw resistant materials, and water resistant materials.

23. The open-top rail car cover of claim 12, wherein said car cover further comprises at least one coating disposed thereon, said at least one coating selected from the group consisting of anti-abrasive coatings, appearance coverings, blackbody coatings, breather coatings, mastic coatings, moisture barrier coatings, and weather barrier coatings.