Railway car

Abstract

A front end portion 100 is disposed on the front end of a car body. The floor thereof consists of hollow shape members 200 that construct a shock absorber 200. The shock absorber 200 includes an upper shock absorber 200 and a lower shock absorber 200. Annealed hollow shape members are used to form the hollow shape member 210. The hollow shape members 210 have their longitudinal directions disposed along the longitudinal directions of the car body. Plural hollow shape members 210 are arranged next to one another in the width direction, and bonded together by friction stir welding. When the hollow shape members receive impact load, the members 210 deform into an accordion-like shape, absorbing the impact force. At this time, the friction stir welded portions also receive the impact force, but dislike other weld joints, cracks are not created at the friction-stir-weld joints, and the weld joints do not prevent the hollow shape members 210 from deforming into an accordion-like shape.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A railway car characterized in that: 
 a member constituting the floor at an end portion of the car body is a shock absorber;    said shock absorber comprises plural extruded shape members having hollow portions;    said hollow extruded shape members include plural hollow portions arranged along the width direction of the car body;    said hollow extruded shape members are disposed so that the direction of extrusion thereof is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the car body;    said hollow shape members are opposed to the underframe of said car body; and    said shock absorber is disposed as upper and lower layers.    
     
     
         2 . A railway car according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the front ends of said upper and lower layers of shock absorbers are connected to one member.    
     
     
         3 . A railway car according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the shock absorber constituting the lower layer is divided into left and right parts; and    a coupler for connecting cars is disposed between the left and right shock absorbers.    
     
     
         4 . A railway car according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the shock absorber disposed at the front end portion of a leading car is positioned ahead of the seat of a driver's cab.    
     
     
         5 . A railway car according to  claim 4 , wherein 
 driving equipment is mounted above said shock absorber.    
     
     
         6 . A railway car according to  claim 4 , wherein 
 the front and rear ends of said hollow shape members are fixed to one or more pillars supporting a roof structure at said front end portion.    
     
     
         7 . A railway car according to  claim 6 , wherein 
 said pillars fixed to the front end of said hollow shape members are welded to spaces formed by notching said hollow shape members.    
     
     
         8 . A railway car characterized in that: 
 a member constituting the floor at a front end portion of a leading car is a shock absorber;    said shock absorber comprises plural extruded shape members having hollow portions;    said hollow extruded shape members include plural hollow portions arranged along the width direction of the car body;    said hollow extruded shape members are disposed so that the direction of extrusion thereof is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the car body;    said hollow shape members are opposed to the underframe of said car body; and    said shock absorber disposed at the front end portion is positioned ahead of the seat in a driver's cab.    
     
     
         9 . A railway car according to  claim 8 , wherein 
 driving equipment is mounted above said shock absorber.    
     
     
         10 . A railway car characterized in that: 
 a member constituting the floor at an end portion of the car body is a shock absorber;    said shock absorber comprises plural extruded shape members having hollow portions;    said hollow extruded shape members include plural hollow portions arranged along the width direction of the car body;    said hollow extruded shape members are disposed so that the direction of extrusion thereof is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the car body;    said hollow shape members are opposed to the underframe of said car body; and    said underframe comprises side sills, and said end portion does not include hollow shape members having the same size as said side sills disposed on the line of extension of said side sills.    
     
     
         11 . A railway car according to  claim 10 , wherein 
 at said end portion, the plates constituting the width-direction side surfaces of the car body covers the side surfaces of said shock absorber.    
     
     
         12 . A railway car characterized in that: 
 a member constituting the floor at an end portion of the car body is a shock absorber;    said shock absorber comprises plural extruded shape members having hollow portions;    said hollow extruded shape members include plural hollow portions arranged along the width direction of the car body;    said hollow extruded shape members are disposed so that the direction of extrusion thereof is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the car body;    said hollow shape members are opposed to the underframe of said car body; and    a member used in a coupler for connecting the cars together is equipped to the lower surface of said underframe.    
     
     
         13 . A railway car characterized in that: 
 said railway car comprises a car formation in which plural car bodies are connected;    a member constituting the floor at an end portion of each of said car bodies is a shock absorber;    said shock absorber comprises plural extruded shape members having hollow portions;    said hollow extruded shape members include plural hollow portions arranged along the width direction of the car body;    said hollow extruded shape members are disposed so that the direction of extrusion thereof is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the car body;    said hollow shape member is opposed to the underframe of said car body; and    the number of shock absorbers equipped in a car body disposed near the end of said car formation is greater than the number of shock absorbers equipped in a car body disposed near the center of said car formation.    
     
     
         14 . A car formation characterized in that: 
 said car formation comprises plural car bodies being connected;    a member supporting the floor at an end portion of each of said car bodies is a shock absorber; and    the vertical cross-sectional area of the member constituting said shock absorber equipped in a car body disposed near the end of said car formation is greater than the vertical cross-sectional area of the member constituting said shock absorber equipped in a car body disposed near the center of said car formation.    
     
     
         15 . A car formation according to  claim 14 , characterized in that: 
 said shock absorber comprises plural extruded shape members having hollow portions;    said hollow extruded shape members include plural hollow portions arranged along the width direction of the car body;    said hollow extruded shape members are disposed so that the direction of extrusion thereof is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the car body; and    said hollow shape members are opposed to the underframe of said car body.    
     
     
         16 . A railway car characterized in that: 
 said railway car comprises a car formation in which plural car bodies are connected;    a member supporting the floor at an end portion of each of said car bodies is a shock absorber; and    an entrance is formed above said shock absorber.    
     
     
         17 . A railway car according to  claim 16 , characterized in that: 
 said shock absorber comprises plural extruded shape members having hollow portions;    said hollow extruded shape members include plural hollow portions arranged along the width direction of the car body;    said hollow extruded shape members are disposed so that the direction of extrusion thereof is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the car body; and    said hollow shape members are opposed to the underframe of said car body.    
     
     
         18 . A railway car characterized in that: 
 said railway car comprises a car formation wherein plural car bodies are connected;    a member supporting the floor at an end portion of each of said car bodies is a shock absorber; and    a control panel is equipped above said shock absorber.    
     
     
         19 . A railway car according to  claim 18 , wherein 
 a member constituting the floor at an end portion of the car body is a shock absorber;    said shock absorber comprises plural extruded shape members having hollow portions;    said hollow extruded shape members include plural hollow portions arranged along the width direction of the car body;    said hollow extruded shape members are disposed so that the direction of extrusion thereof is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the car body; and    said hollow shape members are opposed to the underframe of said car body;