Auto-rack railroad car vehicle restraint apparatus
A vehicle restraint system for an auto-rack railroad car which includes an active chock and an anchor chock configured to co-act to secure a vehicle in the auto-rack railroad car. In various embodiments, each chock has a chock body including a substantially diamond shaped elongated tube which includes four integrally connected elongated walls. In various embodiments, for each chock, various components of that chock extend substantially along longitudinal axis that lie in the same or substantially the same vertical plane as the apex and trough of the substantially diamond shaped elongated tube of the chock body.
1. A vehicle restraint apparatus comprising:
an active wheel chock including:
(a) an active wheel chock body including a substantially diamond shaped elongated first tube which includes four integrally connected elongated walls;
(b) an active wheel chock rail engager mounted to the active wheel chock body;
(c) a wheel harness strap tensioner mounted to the active wheel chock body; and
(d) a wheel harness strap configured to engage a wheel of a vehicle and connected to the wheel harness strap tensioner; and
an anchor wheel chock including:
(a) an anchor wheel chock body including a substantially diamond shaped elongated second tube which includes four integrally connected elongated walls; and
(b) an anchor wheel chock rail engager mounted to the anchor wheel chock body.
2. The vehicle restraint apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the active wheel chock rail engager includes a locking pin extending substantially along a first longitudinal axis extending through the substantially diamond shaped elongated first tube of the active wheel chock body in an area adjacent to a trough of said substantially diamond shaped elongated first tube.
3. The vehicle restraint apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the wheel harness strap tensioner of the active wheel chock includes a torque tube extending substantially along a second longitudinal axis extending through the substantially diamond shaped elongated first tube of the active wheel chock body in an area adjacent to an apex of said substantially diamond shaped elongated first tube.
4. The vehicle restraint apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis extend in a vertical or substantially vertical plane.
5. The vehicle restraint apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first longitudinal axis, the second longitudinal axis, the apex of the substantially diamond shaped elongated first tube of the active wheel chock body, and the trough of the substantially diamond shaped elongated first tube of the active wheel chock body extend in a vertical or substantially vertical plane.
6. The vehicle restraint apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wheel harness strap tensioner of the active wheel chock includes a torque tube extending substantially along a longitudinal axis extending through the substantially diamond shaped elongated first tube of the active wheel chock body in an area adjacent to an apex of said substantially diamond shaped elongated first tube.
7. An active wheel chock of a vehicle restraint apparatus, said active wheel chock comprising:
(a) a chock body including a substantially diamond shaped elongated tube which includes four integrally connected elongated walls;
(b) a rail engager mounted to the chock body;
(c) a wheel harness strap tensioner mounted to the chock body; and
(d) a wheel harness strap configured to engage a wheel of a vehicle and connected to the wheel harness strap tensioner.
8. The active wheel chock of claim 7 , wherein the rail engager includes a locking pin extending substantially along a first longitudinal axis extending through the substantially diamond shaped elongated tube of the chock body in an area adjacent to a trough of said substantially diamond shaped elongated tube.
9. The active wheel chock of claim 8 , wherein the wheel harness strap tensioner includes a torque tube extending substantially along a second longitudinal axis extending through the substantially diamond shaped elongated tube of the chock body in an area adjacent to an apex of said substantially diamond shaped elongated tube.
10. The active wheel chock of claim 9 , wherein the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis extend in a vertical or substantially vertical plane.
11. The active wheel chock of claim 9 , wherein the first longitudinal axis, the second longitudinal axis, the apex of the substantially diamond shaped elongated tube of the chock body, and the trough of the substantially diamond shaped elongated tube of the chock body extend in a vertical or substantially vertical plane.
12. The active wheel chock of claim 7 , wherein the wheel harness strap tensioner includes a torque tube extending substantially along a longitudinal axis extending through the substantially diamond shaped elongated tube of the chock body in an area adjacent to an apex of said substantially diamond shaped elongated tube.
13. An active wheel chock of a vehicle restraint apparatus, said active wheel chock comprising:
(a) a chock body including an elongated tube which includes a plurality of integrally connected elongated walls;
(b) a rail engager mounted to the chock body, said rail engager including a locking pin extending substantially along a first longitudinal axis extending through the elongated tube of the chock body in an area adjacent to a trough of said elongated tube;
(c) a wheel harness strap tensioner mounted to the chock body, said wheel harness strap tensioner including a torque tube extending substantially along a second longitudinal axis extending through the elongated tube of the chock body in an area adjacent to an apex of said elongated tube; and
(d) a wheel harness strap configured to engage a wheel of a vehicle and connected to the wheel harness strap tensioner.
14. The active wheel chock of claim 13 , wherein the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis extend in a vertical or substantially vertical plane.
15. An active wheel chock of a vehicle restraint apparatus, said active wheel chock comprising:
(a) a chock body including an elongated tube which includes a plurality of integrally connected elongated walls;
(b) a rail engager mounted to the chock body;
(c) a wheel harness strap tensioner mounted to the chock body, said wheel harness strap tensioner including a torque tube, a ratchet mechanism connected to the torque tube, and a release lever configured to: (i) releasably engage the ratchet mechanism to prevent undesired rotation of a ratchet wheel by engaging at least one tooth of the ratchet wheel; and (ii) disengage and release the ratchet mechanism when moved downwardly; and
(d) a wheel harness strap configured to engage a wheel of a vehicle and connected to the wheel harness strap tensioner.
16. The active wheel chock of claim 15 , wherein the rail engager includes a locking pin extending substantially along a first longitudinal axis extending through the elongated tube of the chock body in an area adjacent to a trough of said elongated tube.
17. The active wheel chock of claim 16 , wherein the torque tube extends substantially along a second longitudinal axis extending through the elongated tube of the chock body in an area adjacent to an apex of said elongated tube.
18. The active wheel chock of claim 17 , wherein the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis extend in a vertical or substantially vertical plane.
19. The active wheel chock of claim 17 , wherein the first longitudinal axis, the second longitudinal axis, the apex of the elongated tube of the chock body, and the trough of the elongated tube of the chock body extend in a vertical or substantially vertical plane.
20. The active wheel chock of claim 15 , wherein the torque tube extends substantially along a longitudinal axis extending through the elongated tube of the chock body in an area adjacent to an apex of said elongated tube.
21. The vehicle restraint apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the anchor wheel chock includes a wheel harness strap anchor extending from the anchor wheel chock body.