Symmetrical multi-unit railroad car

Abstract

The present invention relates to symmetrical arrangements in multi-unit articulated rail road cars. A multi-unit railroad car has an odd number of railcar units joined end to end by articulated connectors supported by railcar trucks. The railroad car has a transverse centerline. The arrangement of articulated connectors about the transverse centerline is symmetrical.

1 . A multi-unit articulated railroad freight car comprising:
 a plurality of freight car body units joined together by articulated connectors to form said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car;   said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car having a first end and a second end;   said first and second ends each having a respective releasable coupler by which to couple said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car to other railroad cars in interchange service;   said freight car body units including a middle car body unit located midway between said first end and said second end of said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car, there being an equal number of car body units of said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car between (a) said middle car body unit and said first end of said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car; and (b) said middle car body unit and said second end of said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car;   each freight car body unit being joined to a next adjacent neighboring freight car body unit by a respective one of said articulated connectors, there being side-bearing arms of each said freight car body unit mounted laterally to either side of each respective articulated connector;   said articulated connectors being arranged symmetrically along said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car relative to said middle car body unit; and   said side-bearing arms being arranged symmetrically along said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car relative to said middle car body unit.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 1  wherein said middle car body unit has first and second body unit ends, and male articulated connector portions are mounted at each of said first and second body unit ends of said middle car body unit for mating engagement with corresponding female articulated connector portions of each next adjacent car body units of said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 2  wherein each next adjacent car body unit to said middle car body unit has a first car body unit end adjacent to said middle car body unit and a second end distant therefrom, and each said next adjacent car body unit has a male articulated connector portion mounted to said second end thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 2  wherein each next adjacent car body unit to said middle car body unit has a first car body unit end adjacent to said middle car body unit and a second end distant therefrom, and each said next adjacent car body unit has a female articulated connector portion mounted to said second end thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 1  wherein said middle car body unit has first and second freight car body unit ends, and said middle car body unit is the only one of said freight car body units of said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car to have articulated connector portions of the same gender mounted at both ends. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 1  wherein each of said freight car body units has two ends, and every one of said freight car body units having articulated connector portions mounted at both or its respective ends has articulated connector portions of the same gender mounted at both said ends thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 1  wherein said middle car body unit has first and second body unit ends, and female articulated connector portions are mounted at each of said first and second body unit ends of said middle car body unit for mating engagement with corresponding male articulated connector portions of each next adjacent freight car body units of said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 7  wherein each next adjacent car body unit to said middle car body unit has a first car body unit end adjacent to said middle car body unit and a second end distant therefrom, and each said next adjacent car body unit has a male articulated connector portion mounted thereto. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 7  wherein each next adjacent car body unit to said middle car body unit has a first car body unit end adjacent to said middle car body unit and a second end distant therefrom, and each said next adjacent car body unit has a female articulated connector portion mounted thereto. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 1  wherein:
 a first neighboring car body unit is connected to a first car body unit end of said middle car body unit; 
 a second neighboring car body unit is connected to a second car body unit end of said middle car body unit; 
 said middle car body unit has first and second pairs of side-bearing arms extending lengthwise from said first and second ends thereof toward said first and second neighboring car body units respectively; 
 said first neighboring car body unit has a first pair of side-bearing arms extending lengthwise therefrom toward said first car body unit end of said middle car body unit; 
 said second neighboring car body unit has a first pair of side-bearing arms extending lengthwise therefrom toward said second car body unit end of said middle car body unit; 
 said first pair of side-bearing arms of said first end of said middle car body unit and said first pair of said side-bearing arms of said first neighboring car body unit are equally widely laterally spaced; and 
 said second pair of side-bearing arms of said second end of said middle car body unit and said first pair of said side-bearing arms of said second neighboring car body unit are equally laterally widely spaced. 
 
     
     
         11 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 2  wherein:
 a first neighboring car body unit is connected to said first body unit end of said middle car body unit; 
 a second neighboring car body unit is connected to said second car body unit end of said middle car body unit; 
 said middle car body unit has first and second pairs of side-bearing arms extending lengthwise from said first and second ends thereof toward said first and second neighboring car body units respectively; 
 said first neighboring car body unit has a first pair of side-bearing arms extending lengthwise therefrom toward said first car body unit end of said middle car body unit; 
 said second neighboring car body unit has a first pair of side-bearing arms extending lengthwise therefrom toward said second car body unit end of said middle car body unit; and 
 one of (a) and (b) as follows where— 
 (a) said middle car body unit has male articulated connector portions mounted at both ends thereof, 
 said first pair of side-bearing arms of said first end of said middle car body unit are more widely spaced than said first pair of said side-bearing arms of said first neighboring car body unit; and 
 said second pair of side-bearing arms of said second end of said middle car body unit are more widely spaced than said first pair of said side-bearing arms of said second neighboring car body unit; and 
 (b) said middle car body unit has female articulated connector portions mounted at both ends thereof, 
 said first pair of side-bearing arms of said first end of said middle car body unit are less widely spaced laterally than said first pair of said side-bearing arms of said first neighboring car body unit; and 
 said second pair of side-bearing arms of said second end of said middle car body unit are less widely spaced laterally than said first pair of said side-bearing arms of said second neighboring car body unit. 
 
     
     
         12 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 1  wherein:
 one articulated connector of said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car has a male articulated connector portion and a matingly engaged female articulated connector portion; and 
 the pair of side-bearing arms mounted to one car body unit bracketing the male articulated connector portion is more widely laterally spaced than is the pair of side-bearing arms mounted to the next adjacent car body unit bracketing the mating female articulated connector portion thereof. 
 
     
     
         13 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 1  wherein: every articulated connector of said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car has a male articulated connector portion and a matingly engaged female articulated connector portion; and at every such articulated connector the respective pair of side-bearing arms mounted to one car body unit to bracket the male articulated connector portion is more widely laterally spaced than is the pair of side-bearing arms mounted to the next adjacent car body unit bracketing the associated mating female articulated connector portion thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 1  wherein: one articulated connector of said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car has a male articulated connector portion and a matingly engaged female articulated connector portion; and (a) the respective pair of side-bearing arms mounted to one car body unit bracketing the male articulated connector portion, and (b) the pair of side-bearing arms mounted to the next adjacent car body unit bracketing the associated mating female articulated connector portion thereof, are equally widely laterally spaced. 
     
     
         15 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 1  wherein:
 every articulated connector of said multi-unit articulated railroad freight car has a male articulated connector portion and a matingly engaged female articulated connector portion; and at every such articulated connector (a) the respective pair of side-bearing arms mounted to one car body unit to bracket the male articulated connector portion, and (b) the pair of side-bearing arms mounted to the next adjacent car body unit bracketing the associated mating female articulated connector portion thereof, are equally widely laterally spaced. 
 
     
     
         16 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 1  wherein each of said freight car body units is an intermodal well car body unit. 
     
     
         17 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 1  wherein each of said articulated connectors is mounted over a shared truck. 
     
     
         18 . The multi-unit articulated railroad freight car of  claim 1  wherein said railroad freight car has a total of five car body units. 
     
     
         19 . A multi-unit articulated intermodal railroad freight car comprising:
 first, second, third, fourth and fifth rail car body units carried on a plurality of rail car trucks;   the first rail car body unit being joined to the second rail car body unit at a first articulated connection, the second rail car body unit being joined to the third rail car body unit at a second articulated connection, the third rail car body unit being joined to the fourth rail car body unit at a third articulated connection, the fourth rail car body unit being joined to the fifth rail car body unit at a fourth articulated connection;   each articulated connection having a male articulated connector portion mounted to an end of one rail car body unit, and a mating female articulated connector portion mounted to the end of a next adjacent rail car body unit;   there is an arrangement of side-bearing arms associated with each articulated connector;   the first and fifth rail car body units each having an end having a releasable coupler for connection to another railroad car in interchange service;   the first rail car body unit having an end adjacent the second rail car body unit, that first rail car body unit end having one of the male and female articulated connector portions mounted thereto;   the fifth rail car body unit having an end adjacent the fourth rail car body unit, that fifth rail car body unit end having one of the male and female articulated connector portions mounted thereto, the articulated connector portion of the fifth rail car body unit end having the same gender as the articulated connector portion of the first rail car body unit end;   the arrangement of side-bearing arms between (a) the first and second rail car body units, and (b) the fifth and fourth rail car body units, being the same;   the third rail car body unit having a first end adjacent the second rail car body unit and a second end adjacent the fourth rail car body unit, the first and second ends each having one of the male and female articulated connector portions mounted thereto, the articulated connector portion mounted to the first end of the third rail car body unit being of the same gender as the articulated connector portion mounted to the second end thereof; and   the arrangement of side-bearing arms between (a) the third and second rail car body units, and (b) the third and fourth rail car body units, being the same.   
     
     
         20 . The multi-unit articulated intermodal railroad freight car of  claim 19  wherein the articulated connector portion mounted to each end of the third rail car body unit is a female articulated connector portion. 
     
     
         21 . The multi-unit articulated intermodal railroad freight car of  claim 20  wherein the articulated connector portions mounted to the first and fifth rail car body unit ends are said male articulated connector portions. 
     
     
         22 . The multi-unit articulated intermodal railroad freight car of  claim 20  wherein the articulated connector portions mounted to the first and fifth rail car body unit ends are said female articulated connector portions. 
     
     
         23 . The multi-unit articulated intermodal railroad freight car of  claim 19  wherein the articulated connector portion mounted to each end of the third rail car body unit is said male articulated connector portion. 
     
     
         24 . The multi-unit articulated intermodal railroad freight car of  claim 23  wherein the articulated connector portions mounted to the first and fifth rail car body unit ends are said female articulated connector portions. 
     
     
         25 . The multi-unit articulated intermodal railroad freight car of  claim 23  wherein the articulated connector portions mounted to the first and fifth rail car body unit ends are said male articulated connector portions. 
     
     
         26 . The multi-unit articulated intermodal railroad freight car of  claim 19  wherein in each arrangement of side-bearing arms there is a first pair of side-bearing arms mounted to the car body unit to which the male articulated connector portion is mounted, and a second pair of side-bearing arms mounted to the car body unit to which the female articulated connector portion is mounted, and in every such arrangement the lateral spacing of the first and second pairs of side-bearing arms is equal. 
     
     
         27 . The multi-unit articulated intermodal railroad freight car of  claim 19  wherein in each arrangement of side-bearing arms there is a first pair of side-bearing arms mounted to the car body unit to which the male articulated connector portion is mounted, and a second pair of side-bearing arms mounted to the car body unit to which the female articulated connector portion is mounted, and in every such arrangement the lateral spacing of the first pair of side-bearing arms is greater than the lateral spacing of the second pair of side-bearing arms.