Auto rack railroad car end door stabilizer

Abstract

A door stabilizer such as an auto rack car door stabilizer which substantially reduces or eliminates the undesired horizontal or substantially horizontal movement of the door and particularly the movement of the lower end of the door including the guide bracket. This substantially reduces or eliminates the wear on the horizontally disposed bearing member of the lower door tracks on the railroad cars. The door stabilizer generally includes an engaging member connected to a supporting body. The body is adapted to be mounted to the frame of the railroad car adjacent to the door and particularly adjacent to the end guide bracket when the door is in the closed position. The engaging member engages and limits the movement or vibration of the guide bracket thereby reducing or eliminating wear on the bearing member.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:  
     
         1 . In a railroad car having a frame, a door movably connected to the frame, a guide bracket connected to the door, and a door stabilizer, said door stabilizer comprising: 
 a body mountable to the frame adjacent to the position of the guide bracket when the door is in a closed position; and    an engaging member connected to said body, said engaging member engaging the guide bracket when the door is in the closed position to reduce the horizontal movement of the guide bracket during movement of the railroad car.    
     
     
         2 . The door stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a mounting member, and a supporting member integrally connected to and extending transversely from said mounting member.  
     
     
         3 . The door stabilizer of  claim 2 , which includes a support plate extending substantially horizontally from the supporting member.  
     
     
         4 . The door stabilizer of  claim 3 , wherein the support plate includes a central section attached to the supporting member and two angled shoulder sections, each of said shoulder sections extending from said central section.  
     
     
         5 . The door stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the engaging member includes a pad attached to the body.  
     
     
         6 . The door stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the engaging member includes a polymer material.  
     
     
         7 . The door stabilizer of  claim 6 , wherein the polymer material is ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.  
     
     
         8 . The door stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the engaging member includes a roller attached to the body.  
     
     
         9 . The door stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a substantially horizontally disposed curved shape and the engaging member includes a substantially horizontally disposed curved shape.  
     
     
         10 . The door stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a substantially horizontally disposed curved shape and the engaging member includes a substantially horizontally disposed curved shape, and wherein the engaging member substantially encapsulates said body.  
     
     
         11 . The door stabilizer of  claim 10 , wherein engaging member is removable from the body for replacement.  
     
     
         12 . The door stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a substantially horizontally disposed mounting member and a substantially vertically disposed supporting member connected to and extending transversely from said mounting member.  
     
     
         13 . The door stabilizer of  claim 12 , wherein the engaging member includes an engaging roller rotatably connected to said vertically disposed supporting member.  
     
     
         14 . The door stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a substantially C-shaped bracket and the engaging member includes an engaging roller, said engaging roller defining an aperture extending therethrough.  
     
     
         15 . The door stabilizer of  claim 14 , wherein the C-shaped bracket includes a side wall, a top wall connected to and extending transversely from an upper end of the side wall and a bottom wall connected to and extending transversely from a lower end of the side wall.  
     
     
         16 . The door stabilizer of  claim 15 , wherein the top and bottom walls of the C-shaped bracket each define an aperture which are aligned with the aperture defined by the engaging roller.  
     
     
         17 . The door stabilizer of  claim 16 , which includes means for rotatably securing the engaging roller between the top and bottom walls of the C-shaped bracket.  
     
     
         18 . The door stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the body is adjustable relative to the frame.  
     
     
         19 . The door stabilizer of  claim 18 , which includes an adjustment mechanism attached to said body.  
     
     
         20 . The door stabilizer of  claim 19 , wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a biasing adjusting member.  
     
     
         21 . The door stabilizer of  claim 19 , wherein the engaging member moveable relative to the body and the adjustment mechanism is positioned in the body between one end of the body and the engaging member.  
     
     
         22 . The door stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the engaging member is adjustable relative to the body.  
     
     
         23 . The door stabilizer of  claim 22 , which includes an adjustment mechanism attached to said engaging member.  
     
     
         24 . The door stabilizer of  claim 23 , wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a biasing adjusting member.  
     
     
         25 . In a railroad car having a frame, a door movably connected to the frame, and a door stabilizer said door stabilizer comprising: 
 a body a mountable to said frame adjacent to the door when the door is in a closed position; and    an engaging member connected to said body, said engaging member engaging the door when the door is in the closed position to reduce the horizontal movement of said door during movement of the railroad car.    
     
     
         26 . The door stabilizer of  claim 25 , wherein the body includes a mounting member and a supporting member integrally connected to and extending transversely from said mounting member.  
     
     
         27 . The door stabilizer of  claim 26 , which includes a support plate extending substantially horizontally from the supporting member.  
     
     
         28 . The door stabilizer of  claim 27 , wherein the support plate includes a central section attached to the supporting member and two angled shoulder sections, each of said shoulder sections extending from said central section.  
     
     
         29 . The door stabilizer of  claim 25 , wherein the engaging member includes a pad attached to the body.  
     
     
         30 . The door stabilizer of  claim 25 , wherein the engaging member includes a polymer material.  
     
     
         31 . The door stabilizer of  claim 30 , wherein the polymer material is ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.  
     
     
         32 . The door stabilizer of  claim 25 , wherein the engaging member includes a roller attached to the body.  
     
     
         33 . The door stabilizer of  claim 25 , wherein the body includes a substantially horizontally disposed curved shape and the engaging member includes a substantially horizontally disposed curved shape.  
     
     
         34 . The door stabilizer of  claim 25 , wherein the body includes a substantially horizontally disposed curved shape and the engaging member includes a substantially horizontally disposed curved shape, and wherein the engaging member substantially encapsulates said body.  
     
     
         35 . The door stabilizer of  claim 25 , wherein engaging member is removable from the body for replacement.  
     
     
         36 . The door stabilizer of  claim 25 , wherein the body includes a substantially horizontally disposed mounting member and a substantially vertically disposed supporting member connected to and extending transversely from said mounting member.  
     
     
         37 . The door stabilizer of  claim 36 , wherein the engaging member includes an engaging roller rotatably connected to said vertically disposed supporting member.  
     
     
         38 . The door stabilizer of  claim 25 , wherein the body includes a substantially C-shaped bracket and the engaging member includes an engaging roller, said engaging roller defining an aperture extending therethrough.  
     
     
         39 . The door stabilizer of  claim 38 , wherein the C-shaped bracket includes a side wall, a top wall connected to and extending transversely from an upper end of the side wall and a bottom wall connected to and extending transversely from a lower end of the side wall.  
     
     
         40 . The door stabilizer of  claim 39 , wherein the top and bottom walls of the C-shaped bracket each define an aperture which are aligned with the aperture defined by the engaging roller.  
     
     
         41 . The door stabilizer of  claim 40 , which includes means for rotatably securing the engaging roller between the top and bottom walls of the C-shaped bracket.  
     
     
         42 . The door stabilizer of  claim 25 , wherein the body is adjustable relative to the frame.  
     
     
         43 . The door stabilizer of  claim 42 , which includes an adjustment mechanism attached to said body.  
     
     
         44 . The door stabilizer of  claim 42 , wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a biasing adjusting member.  
     
     
         45 . The door stabilizer of  claim 42 , wherein the engaging member moveable relative to the body and the adjustment mechanism is positioned in the body between one end of the body and the engaging member.  
     
     
         46 . The door stabilizer of  claim 25 , wherein the engaging member is adjustable relative to the body.  
     
     
         47 . The door stabilizer of  claim 46 , which includes an adjustment mechanism attached to said engaging member.  
     
     
         48 . The door stabilizer of  claim 47 , wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a biasing adjusting member.  
     
     
         49 . In a railroad car having a frame, a door movably connected to the frame, a door stabilizer mounted to the frame for engaging the door to reduce the horizontal movement of the door during movement of the railroad car, the improvement being in the door stabilizer which comprises: 
 a body mountable to said frame adjacent to the door when the door is in a closed position; and    an engaging member connected to said body, said engaging member engaging the door when the door is in the closed position.    
     
     
         50 . The door stabilizer of  claim 49 , wherein the body includes a mounting member and a supporting member integrally connected to and extending transversely from said mounting member.  
     
     
         51 . The door stabilizer of  claim 50 , which includes a support plate extending substantially horizontally from the supporting member.  
     
     
         52 . The door stabilizer of  claim 51 , wherein the support plate includes a central section attached to the supporting member and two angled shoulder sections, each of said shoulder sections extending from said central section.  
     
     
         53 . The door stabilizer of  claim 49 , wherein the engaging member includes a pad attached to the body.  
     
     
         54 . The door stabilizer of  claim 49 , wherein the engaging member includes a polymer material.  
     
     
         55 . The door stabilizer of  claim 54 , wherein the polymer material is ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.  
     
     
         56 . The door stabilizer of  claim 49 , wherein the engaging member includes a roller attached to the body.  
     
     
         57 . The door stabilizer of  claim 49 , wherein the body includes a substantially horizontally disposed curved shape and the engaging member includes a substantially horizontally disposed curved shape.  
     
     
         58 . The door stabilizer of  claim 49 , wherein the body includes a substantially horizontally disposed curved shape and the engaging member includes a substantially horizontally disposed curved shape, and wherein the engaging member substantially encapsulates said body.  
     
     
         59 . The door stabilizer of  claim 58 , wherein the engaging member is removable from the body for replacement.  
     
     
         60 . The door stabilizer of  claim 49 , wherein the body includes a substantially horizontally disposed mounting member and a substantially vertically disposed supporting member connected to and extending transversely from said mounting member.  
     
     
         61 . The door stabilizer of  claim 60 , wherein the engaging member includes an engaging roller rotatably connected to said vertically disposed supporting member.  
     
     
         62 . The door stabilizer of  claim 49 , wherein the body includes a substantially C-shaped bracket and the engaging member includes an engaging roller, said engaging roller defining an aperture extending therethrough.  
     
     
         63 . The door stabilizer of  claim 62 , wherein the C-shaped bracket includes a side wall, a top wall connected to and extending transversely from an upper end of the side wall and a bottom wall connected to and extending transversely from a lower end of the side wall.  
     
     
         64 . The door stabilizer of  claim 63 , wherein the top and bottom walls of the C-shaped bracket each define an aperture which are aligned with the aperture defined by the engaging roller.  
     
     
         65 . The door stabilizer of  claim 64 , which includes means for rotatably securing the engaging roller between the top and bottom walls of the C-shaped bracket.  
     
     
         66 . The door stabilizer of  claim 49 , wherein the body is adjustable relative to the frame.  
     
     
         67 . The door stabilizer of  claim 66 , which includes an adjustment mechanism attached to said body.  
     
     
         68 . The door stabilizer of  claim 66 , wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a biasing adjusting member.  
     
     
         69 . The door stabilizer of  claim 66 , wherein the engaging member moveable relative to the body and the adjustment mechanism is positioned in the body between one end of the body and the engaging member.  
     
     
         70 . The door stabilizer of  claim 49 , wherein the engaging member is adjustable relative to the body.  
     
     
         71 . The door stabilizer of  claim 70 , which includes an adjustment mechanism attached to said engaging member.  
     
     
         72 . The door stabilizer of  claim 71 , wherein the adjustment mechanism includes a biasing adjusting member.