Railroad car with depressed floor

Abstract

A high cubic capacity railroad boxcar that is provided with a longitudinally extending depressed nailable steel floor section disposed on each side of a longitudinally extending center sill structure, the top surface of the floor sections being at the same elevation as the surface of a plate over the center sill structure, the outside lateral margins of each floor section having a removable inverted filler channel member positioned in a longitudinal runner recess adjacent a car angle member and side sill. Each filler channel member may be replaced with a bulkhead floor track in the form of a slotted runner member or a rack gear member and cooperate with a similar overhead track for receiving, locating and restraining removable bulkheads later added to the car by a lading shipper as may be required.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A railroad car for high cubic capacity interior design including a recessed floor construction and comprising: a pair of .Iadd.generally L-shaped .Iaddend.side sills, .Iadd.each having an upright portion and a horizontal portion .Iaddend.   a center sill structure spaced between the side sills,   said floor construction including a floor structure having a pair of recessed floor units .Iadd.having lateral and outer ends.Iaddend., one on either side of and extending substantially below the top of the center sill structure and .[.inwardly.]. .Iadd.having its outer lateral end supported on the horizontal portion .Iaddend.of a respective side sill, .[.and.].   said floor structure having a longitudinal recess portion .Iadd.with inner and outer sides .Iaddend.between each floor unit and .[.its.]. .Iadd.the upright portion of an .Iaddend.adjacent side sill and a removable filler within said recess portion.  .[.2. The invention according to claim 1, and   each of said floor units having its outer lateral end supported by a respective side sill and having its inner lateral end supported by the   
     
     
        center sill structure..]. 3. A railroad car for high cubic capacity interior design including a recessed floor construction and comprising: a pair of side sills,   a center sill structure spaced between the side sills,   said floor construction including a floor structure having a pair of recessed floor units, one on either side of and extending substantially below the top of the center sill structure and inwardly of a respective side sill, the recessed floor units having top surfaces, .[.and.].   said floor structure including a flat plate means over the center sill structure and connecting with each floor unit and having a top surface generally flush with the top surfaces of the floor units to present a generally smooth horizontal floor .Iadd.,   each car having vertical side walls,   each floor unit having an outer edge spaced inwardly from the respective side wall,   each side sill having an inwardly extending horizontal portion underlapped with respect to the adjacent outer edge of the associated floor unit and defining a recess therewith extending lengthwise of the car,   transversely extending crossmembers connected at one end to the center sill and extending therefrom to beneath respective side sills,   a longitudinally extending channel-shaped side sill reinforcement member beneath each side sill member and connected to the horizontal portion thereof, and   a longitudinal member positioned adjacent to each reinforcement member and spaced inwardly thereof and connected between said horizontal portion of the adjacent side sill and the crossmembers therebeneath and forming a rectangular construction with said crossmembers and said reinforcement   
     
     
        member and the related side sill. .Iaddend. 4. The invention according to claim .[.2.]. .Iadd.3.Iaddend., and each of said floor units having its 
     
     
        outer lateral end supported by the side sill. 5. The invention according to claim 3, and each of said floor units having its outer lateral end supported by a respective side sill and having its inner lateral end 
     
     
        supported by the center sill structure. 6. The invention according to claim 3, and said floor structure having a longitudinal runner recess portion between each floor unit and its adjacent side sill and a removable filler within said recess portion adapted to be removed and replaced by a transversely extending bulkhead track for locating and holding a load divider bulkhead in one of various longitudinal positions within the car. 
     
     
         . A railroad car for high cubic capacity interior design including a recessed floor construction and comprising: a pair of side sills,   a center sill structure spaced between the side sills, and   said floor construction including a floor structure having a pair of recessed floor units, one on either side of and extending substantially below the top of the center sill structure and inwardly of a respective side sill,   said floor structure having a longitudinal runner recess portion between each floor unit and its adjacent side sill and a removable filler within said recess portion adapted to be removed and replaced by a transversely extending bulkhead track for locating and holding a load divider bulkhead   
     
     
        in one of various longitudinal positions within the car. 8. A railroad car for high cubic capacity interior design including a recessed floor construction and comprising: a pair of side sills,   a center sill structure spaced between the side sills, and   said floor construction including a floor structure having a pair of recessed floor units, one on either side of and extending substantially below the top of the center sill structure and inwardly of a respective side sill,   said floor structure having a longitudinal runner recess portion between each floor unit and its adjacent side sill and a removable filler within said recess portion adapted to be removed and replaced by a transversely extending bulkhead track for locating and holding a load divider bulkhead in one of various longitudinal positions within the car, and   said floor structure including closure means between a runner recess portion and an adjacent side sill, the top surface of the closure means, the runner recess portion and the side sill lying generally in the same   
     
     
        horizontal plane. 9. A railroad car for high cubic capacity interior design including a recessed floor construction and comprising: a pair of side sills,   a center sill structure spaced between the side sills, and   said floor construction including a floor structure having a pair of recessed floor units, one on either side of and extending substantially below the top of the center sill structure and inwardly of a respective side sill;   said floor structure having a longitudinal runner recess portion between each floor unit and its adjacent side sill and a removable filler within said recess portion adapted to be removed and replaced by a transversely extending bulkhead track for locating and holding a load divider bulkhead in one of various longitudinal positions within the car, and   the removable filler lying generally in the same horizontal plane as its   
     
     
        adjacent floor unit. 10. A railroad car for high cubic capacity interior design including a recessed floor construction and comprising: a pair of side sills,   a center sill structure spaced between the side sills, .[.and.].   said floor construction including a floor structure having a pair of recessed floor units, one on either side of and extending substantially below the top of the center sill structure and inwardly of a respective side sill,   each floor unit being recessingly supported on a side sill and said adjacent center sill structure with the top portion of the center sill structure extending approximately in the same general horizontal plane as the top of the floor unit.Iadd., and   each side sill and having a vertical portion spaced laterally outwardly from an adjacent outer edge portion of the respective floor unit and having a horizontal portion extending under the adjacent outer edge portion, said portions of each side sill and the edge portion of the related floor unit forming a longitudinal recess which is positioned inside of said vertical side walls for accommodating bulkhead mounting structure therein, and a removable inverted U-shaped filler member positioned in each recess providing a top wall having a surface coplanar   
     
     
        with said plane. .Iaddend. 11. A railroad car for high cubic capacity interior design including a recessed floor construction and comprising: a pair of side sills,   a .Iadd.slidable .Iaddend.center sill structure spaced between the side sills, .[.and.].   said floor construction including a floor structure having a pair of recessed floor units, one on either side of and extending substantially below the top of the center sill structure and inwardly of a respective side sill,   a top floor plate on the top of the center sill structure being in the same horizontal plane as the top of each of the floor units.Iadd.,   said floor units having lateral edge portions spaced inwardly from respective sides of the car,   angle member means mounted upon each side sill and connected thereto and defining a longitudinal recess with the adjacent edge portion of the respective floor unit,   a removable filler mounted in each recess in covering relation thereto and having a top wall providing a surface coplanar with said plane and having depending walls closely fitting along the respective sides of the associated recess,   a stationary center sill at each side of said slidable center sill structure,   a longitudinal reinforcement member beneath each side sill and connected thereto, and   floor unit supporting cross-members at each side of the car and extending between and connected to the stationary center sill and reinforcement   
     
     
        member at that side of the car. .Iaddend.12. A railroad car for high cubic capacity interior design including a recessed floor construction and comprising: a pair of side sills,   a center sill structure spaced between the side sills, .[.and.].   said floor construction including a floor structure having a pair of recessed floor units, one on either side of and extending, substantially below the top of the center sill structure and inwardly of a respective side sill,   each of said floor units being supported by a crossmember spaced between a respective side portion of the car and a respective side of the center sill structure.Iadd., and   each floor unit having an outer lateral terminal edge portion spaced inwardly of the respective vertical sidewall of the car, and each side sill having a bottom flange portion extending under the edge portion of the respective floor unit and defining a bulkhead receiving recess, which is positioned inside the respective vertical sidewall of the car and a reinforcement member having a vertical portion connected to the adjacent end of said crossmembers, said bottom flange portion of the side sill and said reinforcement member having an inwardly directed upper portion disposed in reinforcing supporting relation to said side sill bottom   
     
     
        flange portion. .Iaddend. 13. The invention according to claim 12, and .[.stringer means being interposed between each floor unit and each crossmember.]. .Iadd.longitudinal angle members comprising an outwardly directed lower flange seated upon said crossmember and a vertical flange having an upper end connected to the underside of said bottom flange 
     
     
        portion. .Iaddend. 14. A railroad car for high cubic capacity interior design including a recessed floor construction and comprising: a pair of side sills,   a center sill structure spaced between the side sills, and   said floor construction including a floor structure having a pair of recessed floor units, one on either side of and extending substantially below the top of the center sill structure and inwardly of a respective side sill,   said floor structure having a longitudinal runner recess portion between each floor unit and its adjacent side sill and a removable filler within said recess portion adapted to be removed and replaced by a transversely extending bulkhead track for locating and holding a load divider bulkhead in one of various longitudinal positions within the car, and   a longitudinal doorway threshold plate having a top surface in the same horizontal plane as the top of the removable filler and laterally   
     
     
        outwardly adjacent thereto. 15. The invention according to claim 14, and 
     
     
        the threshold plate being supported by its respective side sill. 16. The invention according to claim 15, and a load rack retainer on the threshold 
     
     
        plate. 17. A railroad car for high cubic capacity interior design including a recessed floor construction and comprising: a pair of side sills,   a center sill structure spaced between the side sills,   said floor construction including a floor structure having a pair of recessed floor units, one on either side of and extending substantially below the top of the center sill structure and inwardly of a respective side sill, the recessed floor units having top surfaces,   said floor structure including a flat plate means over the center sill structure and connecting with each floor unit and having a top surface generally flush with the top surfaces of the floor units to present a generally smooth horizontal floor,   each of said floor units having its outer lateral end supported by a respective side sill and having its inner lateral end supported by the center sill structure,   said floor structure having a longitudinal runner recess portion between each floor unit and its adjacent side sill and a removable filler within said recess portion adapted to be removed and replaced by a transversely extending bulkhead track for locating and holding a load divider bulkhead in one of various longitudinal positions within the car, and   the removable filler lying generally in the same horizontal plane as its   
     
     
        adjacent floor unit. 18. The invention according to claim 17, and each of said floor units being supported by a crossmember spaced between a respective side portion of the car and a respective side of the center 
     
     
        sill structure. 19. The invention according to claim 18, and stringer means being interposed between each floor unit and each crossmember. .[.20. A railroad car for high cubic capacity interior design including a recessed floor construction and comprising: a pair of side sills,   a center sill structure spaced between the side sills,   said floor construction including a floor structure having a pair of recessed floor units, one on either side of and extending substantially below the top of the center sill structure and inwardly of a respective side sill,   a longitudinal runner recess portion between each side sill and floor unit, and   a load divider bulkhead rack in each recess portion..]. .[.21. The invention according to claim 20, and load divider bulkhead rack means in the ceiling of the car to cooperate with the floor racks..]. .[.22. The invention according to claim 20, and a transverse load divider bulkhead coupling with said racks..]. .Iadd. 23. A railroad car for high cubic capacity interior design including a recessed floor construction and comprising:   a pair of side sills,   a center sill structure spaced between the side sills,   said floor construction including a floor structure having a pair of recessed floor units, one on either side of and extending substantially below the top of the center sill structure and inwardly of a respective side sill,   said floor structure having a longitudinal recess portion between each floor unit and its adjacent side sill and a removable filler within said recess portion, and   said floor units comprising a plurality of substantially contiguous and longitudinally spaced steel planks extending transversely with respect to said car,   a vertically elongated plate extending longitudinally of the car and connected to the ends of the planks and forming an inner side of the recess. .Iaddend.