US2003287A - Demountable truck body - Google Patents

Description

June 4, 1935. B, F, FH- H 2,003,287

DEMOUN TABLE TRUCK BODY Filed Dec. 5, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet l 0 n E L 1 O 0 C) 0 m. we

June 4,1935, B. F. FITCH DEMOUNTABLE TRUCK BODY 5 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

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DEMOUNTABLE TRUCK BODY Filed Dec. 5, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet. 4

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June 4, 1935. B. F. FITCH DEMOUNTABLE TRUCK BODY Filed Dec. 5, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 gmenl oc PM June 4?. 1935 UNITED STATES 2,003,287 nnuonmunm rauox BODY Benjamin F. Fitch, Greenwich, Conn, alsignor I to Motor Terminals Del, a corporation of Delaware mpany, Wilmington,

Application December 5, 1030, Serial No. 500,180

2 Claim.

This invention relates to a demountable vehicle body suitable for interchangeable use on a highway truck or railway flat car. The primary obiect of the invention is to provide such a body in a form, which, without being unduly heavy. shall be very strong, stiff and able to resist not only such stremes as may come upon it in the normal operation of transferring and transporting a body, gut also provide against distortion from accidental lows.

Another object is to make the construction very tight sO that there will be no danger of the contents being injured from rain or other water conditions. This tight connection is made by a Z-bar door frame in which the doors seat, the inner flange of the z-bar abutting the door in its inner face. Means are also provided at the top of the door to prevent leakage into the body.

The invention comprises means for accomplishing the above objects, as well as various minor improvements contributing to the efliciency of the body, all as hereinafter more fully explained in connection with the drawings.

1n the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of two of my interchangeable demountable bodies mounted on a flat car; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the same bodies and an automobile truck onto which it is being lowered; Fig. 3 is al side elevation of the body itself; Fig. 4 is an end view of the body; Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section of the body in a plane passing through the sup porting hooks, as indicated by the line 5-5 on Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a vertical section, on a larger scale than Figs. 4 or 5, through one end of the'body as indicated by the line 6-5 on Fig. 4, this view showing the door closed; Fig. 6a is a detail, being a fragment of a portion of Fig. 6 with the door open; Fig. 7 is an elevation partly broken away of a vertical portion of the body including and immediately surrounding a pair of doors; Figs. 8 and 9 are details in side elevation, showing the upper and lower hinges for the doors; Fig. 10 is a detail in horizontal section, illustrating the door jamb construction, the plane of this section being indicated by the line ill-l0 on Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a transverse vertical section of the body through opposite side doors, as indicated by the line lili on Fig. 3; Fig. 12 is a detail illustrating the contruction at the free edges ofthe doors, in a plane indicated by the line lZ-iB on Fig. 3; Figs. 13, i4 and 15 are details in horizontal section, the position being indicated by the correspondingly numbered line on Fig. 4; Fig. 16 is a vertical section through the roof, the

plane being indicated by the line il-li on Fig.

5; Fig. 1''! is a detail of a side wall construction,

as indicated by the line |'|--ll on Fig. 3; Fig.

18 is a sectional planof the body-base just above I the floor, in planes indicated by the line l8l8 5 in Fig. 3, the floor being largely broken away; Fig. 19 is a detail of the body through one of the positioning sockets in the floor frame, being a vertical section on the line I9i9 of Fig. 18.

The floor frame of my demountable body is 10 made up of inwardly facing channel beams suitably secured together at the four corners; that is to say, as shown, a pair oi longitudinal side beams l0 and a pair of and beams ll, secured together at the corners by having their webs rivl5 eted to lower portions of upright angle bars 30, which, as hereinafter stated, form the corners of the body walls. Between the side beams ll! of the floor frame are a number of cross beams as I3, it and lb (Fig. 18), which may be I-beams 20 secured by angle clips l6 and rivets to the webs of the side channels l0. Between the cross beams l6 and it I secure, by angle clips and rivets, longitudinal channel beams H which may be braced by intermediate cross beams 18. Likewise the cross beams l3 and I5 may be braced by longitudinal beams l9. Suitable gussets it are provided connecting the cross beams l3, l4 and I5 with the side sills I 0 and with the intermediate longitudinal members l7, thus making a very still so and rigid floor frame, which, at the same time is comparatively light.

The various longitudinal and transverse members of the floor frame, within the boundary of the side and end sills, preferably all come to the same height and thus form an efiective support for the interior wooden floor. This fioo'r may readily comprise longitudinal planking members 20 surmounted by transverse members H, as shown in Figs. 18 and 6. This makes a very tight 40 and effective support enabling the body to carry a heavy load on its floor, at the same time the planks, crossing each other and being secured together, tend to rigidify the whole floor frame, preventing any skewing, warping or other distortion thereof.

As heretofore stated the side and end sills of the floor frame are secured at their meeting ends by vertical angle bars 30 which constitute the comers of the body. In other words, these angle bars 30 extend vertically from the floor frame to the eaves of the body and have riveted directly to them, plates 31 for the sides of the body and 32 for the ends of the body. These plates are riveted at their. vertical edges to the angle bars and metal sheets at their lower edges to the webs of the side and end sills of the floor frame. At the eaves, the side plates are riveted to the downward flanges 40 of oblique angle eave plates, the other flanges 4| of which constitute part of the roof.

In the roof, I provide transverse roof bars 48 which are trough-shape members having lateral flanges 48, as shown in Fig. 16. These bars extend beneath the inwardly directed flanges 4| of the eave plates and are riveted to them-see Fig. 5. The roof proper comprises corrugated 50 which rest on the flanges 46 of the roof bars, and also extend over the top of the flanges 4| of the eave plates. Adjacent the center, the corrugated roof is protected by a longitudinal wooden strip 52 bolted to the roof bar flanges 46 by bolts 53 passing intermediately through the corrugated roof, as shown in Fig. 16. A similar construction is employed adjacent the edges of the roof where a protecting strip is bolted in place by bolts passing through the protecting strip, the corrugated roof, the eave plate flange and the flange 46 of the roof bar.

Each side wall of a doorway reaching from the floor frame to the eave plate, while at the ends are doorways of the same height as the sidexdoors, which here extend from the end sills to a region a short distance from the curve of the roof, the space above the end doorways being fllled by end plates 35 (Figs. 4 and 6) which are riveted at their upper ends to transverse angle bars 48 to which are also secured the corrugated roof sheets 50.

The door jambs both at the sides and at the ends are formed by Z-bars, one extreme flange of which is secured to the vertical wall, while the intermediate web extends inwardly at right angles, and beyond the door opening the inner flange extends freely behind the door. The first mentioned or secured flange of the Z-bar is preferably materially greater in extent than the other members, as shown in the case of both the side door frames and the end door frames 6| (Fig. 18). Either door frame is illustrated by Figs. 6 and 10. As there appears, the outside flanges 52 of .the vertical Z-bars are riveted to the side or end sheets, as 32, while the floor portion of the Z-bar flange is riveted to the webs of the side or end sills. as H, and the lintel portion is riveted to the outer face of the eave bar or the end top sheet 35.

The intermediate web 53 of the door frame extends inwardly for a distance corresponding to the thickness of the door, so that the free flange 64 of the Z-bar is adapted to be abutted by the inner face of the door when the outer face is flush with the outer side of the Z-bar flange 62, as shown in Figs. 10 and 13. In other words, the door is set into the door frame provided by the Z-bar boundary.

In order to rigidity the Z-bar boundary in its vertical reaches, preventing it from being inadvertently bowed inwardly, I provide a reinforcing plate 65 (Fig. 10) bearingagainst the inner flange 64 of the main Z-bar, then extending as an oblique! and having its portion 66 lying against the inner face of the sheet. The same rivets hold this inner Z-bar as secure the outer Z-bars. The inner Z-bar acts as a truss to brace the inwardly extending flange of the door frame Z-bar and prevent any distortion thereof due to inadvertent blows.

At the bottom of the door frame, the inward flange 63 of the bottom Z-bar is preferably a distance above the top of the channel beam iii the body is interrupted by the door and or II corresponding to the thickness of the underplanking 20 of the floor, and thus this underplanking extends beneath this z-bar flange 63 and is held in place thereby, while the upper or transverse planking abuts against the upwardly extending extreme flange 64 of the bottom z-bar, all as shown in Fig. 6. Thus, the bottom Z-bars act to brace the floor, and the floor to brace the door jamb.

The doors may be of any suitable construction. I have shown them as consisting of planking 10 surfaced by sheet metal plates 'II and 12 on the inside and outside and over the edges, but other constructions may be employed if desired, as for instance truss plates with edge filler strips. In any event, the door is intended to stand within the recess of the Z-bar door flange with the outer side of the door substantially flush with the outer member of the jamb.

The doors are provided with hinge straps 15 (Figs. 8 and 9) bolted or otherwise secured to them, which have eyes adapted to extend over stationary hinge pintles 11 carried by eyes of straps 18 secured to the outer vertical flanges 62 of the Z-bar door frame. The stationary strap is thus secured to the flange of the door frame and also by the same rivets to the internal brace bar, so that the weight of the door is effectively distributed on the frame.

When the door is closed it ishoused within the inwardly depressed door jamb and thus cannot be raised, but when turned at right angles to the plane of the door jamb, the door may be lifted off the hinge pintles, and set aside if desired. This frequently expedites the loading of the body. When the doors are closed, a suitable batten strap 14 on one door overlaps the meeting edges of the doors, as shown in Fig. 12, to make a tight connection.

Leakage of water or snow to the interior of the body is prevented at the bottom and hinged vertical edges of the doors by reason of the comparatively snug engagement of the door edges with the intermediate Z-bar webs and of the back of the door with the extreme Z-bar flange. To prevent any possible leakage seeping in at the top of the door and passing between the door top and the horizontal web of the door jamb and then working down between the inner faces of depending inner flange of the jamb, I provide a rain shield 80 (Figs. 6, 6a and '7). The rain shield is a shedding plate riveted to the top end plate 35 at the ends of the car, and extends freely outwardly in front of the top Z-bar of the door frame, terminating just above the plane in which the top of the door swings. This shedding plate 80 prevents any water coming down in a vertical or inclined direction, from reaching the top of the door.

To prevent snow or water which may be blown horizontally from reaching the door top, I provide a spring metal weather-strip 55 riveted to the front flange 63 of the top Z-bar and extending beneath the horizontal web 64 of the Z-bar. When the door is open, this weather strip will extend somewhat in an inclined position, as shown in Fig. 6a, but when the door is closed, the strip is bent by the door upwardly in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 6, it thus makes a tight connection at the top of the door.

The weather strip 55 extends clear across the door frame from one vertical side of the jamb to the other. The shedding plate 80 extends across the door frame with the exception that it terminates just short of the opposite sides,

enough so that when the doors are swung out at right angles they will celar the shedding plate and thus may be lifted off. The amount of water or snow which could possibly reach the top edge of the door beyond the shedding plate is necessarily very small, but whatever it is, it is amply taken care of by the weather strip 55.

As my demountable body is adapted to contain many tons of freight, it is important that there be effective cable attaching means whereby the body with its load may be lifted without causing any stresses to the body. To this end I provide vertical straps terminating at their ends in hooks 9|, these straps being riveted throughout their length to the side plates 3|. The side plates are reinforced by inclined strips 93 which extend from the upper end of the side sheet close to the vertical strap diagonally downwardly and outwardly so that they terminate adjacent the end of the body and adjacent the intermediate door frame respectively, as shown in Fig. 3. These reinforcing strips 93 are preferably of trough shape, facing the sheet 3|, with flanges through which the rivets pass, as clearly shown in the cross section of Fig. 17.

The body I have described is adapted to be supported by four lifting cables at depending from a crane A, Fig. 2. When so supported, the vertical straps 90 and the inclined reinforces 93 distribute the lifting stresses over the entire floor frame.

To position the demountable bodies interchangeably on a fiat car C (Fig. 1) or a truck I) (Fig. 2), I prefer to employ a truck of length suitable for carrying a single body and a car of a length adapted to carry two bodies as illustrated in these figures. I form in the corners of the floor frame of the body suitable sockets, and I provide on the frame of the truck and on the floor of the car, correspondingly positioned upwardly extending positioning cones E which are adapted to enter these sockets and thus not only locate the body, but prevent lateral shifting whether it is on the car or truck. The socket members for the body are shown in Figs. 18 and 19 and will now be described, though this feature is not claimed herein but in my divisional application Ser. No. 649,192, filed December 28, 1932.

Adjacent each corner of the body, I provide a gusset plate I00 which is riveted or otherwise secured to the bottom flangesof the side sills l0 and end sills ll. These gusset plates are intermediately stamped upwardly into hollow cones IOI forming sockets coacting with the correspondingly placed positioning members E on the car or on the truck.

It is only necessary to have the positioning sockets at the four corners of the body, but to prevent any possible dislocation of a. body by bouncing off a corner cone, if a truck wheel should drop into a deep hole, I prefer to provide intermediate positioners as shown at El on the truck (Fig. 2), and to receive these positioners, I provide intermediate sockets in the body base. These intermediate sockets are shown as upwardly extending hollow cones I03 formed in gusset plates I04 secured to the intermediate transverse beam l4 and one or the other of the intermediate longitudinal beams l'l. As shown in Fig. 18 the transverse beam I4 is located somewhat nearer one end of the body than the other end, so that both of these sockets may be on the same side of said beam and still be in the exact transverse center of the bodyj hence the body may be placed either end foremost on the same truck with all of the positioning cones and sockets registering.

It will be understood from the description given, that I have provided a metal container adapted to form a demountable body on a truck readily transferable to a fiat car, this container having steel walls and roof and a wooden floor mounted on suitable steel floor beams, the entire construction being comparatively light and at the same time very strong. It should be noted that the body construction per se as'described herein is claimed in my divisional application N 0. 649,191, filed December 28th, 1932, the present invention being concerned especially with the door frame and water-tight connections. It will be noticed also that the doors, being inset within the inwardly depressed j ambs are protected thereby and not liable to be injured in use by the body being scraped against any projection. Moreover, these doors form a very tight connection with the door jambs, protecting the interior against damage from weather.

I claim:- v

1. A demountable body having a wallwith a doorway, said doorway having an inwardly recessed lintel, a pair of doors secured at their outer edges by lift-off hinges adjacent the vertical sides of the doorway, said doors being adapted to swing into the recess provided by the lintel, a weather shield secured to the body wall above the doorway extending downwardly and outwardly from the body wall, said shield terminating at its ends short of the vertical plane along the inner faces of the door jamb whereby the doors may be lifted off vertically when standing at right angles to the wall, and a weather strip lying within the recessed lintel and contacting the top of the door when closed whereby rain is diverted at the points not protected by the shield.

, 2. In a demountable body for a vehicle, comprising a floor frame, walls and roof, a door frame in a wall of the body, a wooden floor within the body comprising a lower layer of planking resting on the floor frame, an upper layer of planking resting on the lower layer, the edges of the upper layer terminating short of the edges of the lower layer at the door frame, a Z-bar forming the lower member of the door frame, said Z-bar having a vertical flange secured tothe floor frame and extending upwardly across the edge of the lower layer of planking, said Z-bar having an intermediate horizontal web overlying the upper surface of the lower layer of planking, said Z-bar having its other vertical flange abutting the edge of the upper layer of planking, and a vertical door adapted when closed to have its lower end above said Z-bar web and outside of the last-named vertical flange.

BENJAMIN F. FITCH.

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