Large plate tilt railroad car
A large plate tilt railroad car including a plate support assembly having a plurality of spaced-apart plate supporters including a plurality of plate holders simultaneously movable from loading positions in which one or more large steel plates can be loaded on the railroad car to transit positions in which one or more large steel plates can be transported using the railroad car.
1 . A large plate tilt railroad car comprising:
a frame;
a deck connected to the frame, the deck having a first end and a second end; and
a plate support assembly connected to the deck, the plate support assembly including:
a drive assembly, and
a plurality of spaced-apart plate supporters including:
first and second plate supporters on the first end of the deck,
third and fourth plate supporters on the second end of the deck, and
a plurality of plate supporters on the deck between: (a) the first and second plate supporters, and (b) the third and fourth plate supporters,
each of the plate supporters including a plate holder operable to move from a plate loading/unloading position to a plate transit position, each plate supporter including a jackscrew coupled to the drive assembly and to the plate holder of the plate supporter,
wherein the plate holders of the plurality of plate supporters are not connected to the plate holders of the first and second plate supporters, and
wherein the plate holders of the plurality of plate supporters are not connected to the plate holders of the second and third plate supporters.
2 . The railroad car of claim 1 , wherein each plate supporter includes a plate holder pivot actuator connecting the jackscrew of the plate supporter to the plate holder of the plate supporter.
3 . The railroad car of claim 2 , wherein each plate supporter includes spaced apart first and second legs connected to the deck, and for each plate supporter, the plate holder pivot actuator of the plate supporter extends between the first and second legs of the plate supporter.
4 . The railroad car of claim 3 , wherein for each plate supporter, the plate holder of the plate supporter is pivotally supported by the first and second legs and by the plate holder pivot actuator of the plate supporter.
5 . The railroad car of claim 1 , wherein each plate supporter includes a plate holder pivot actuator pivotally connected to the jackscrew of the plate supporter and pivotally connected to the plate holder of the plate supporter.
6 . The railroad car of claim 1 , wherein the plate holder of each plate supporter includes an elongated top arm having an upper flat surface and a plate edge holding hand at one end of the top arm.
7 . The railroad car of claim 6 , wherein the plate edge holding hand of each plate holder of each plate supporter is adjustable.
8 . The railroad car of claim 1 , wherein the jackscrew of each plate supporter includes an elongated rotatable threaded rod, a follower threadably moveably mounted on the threaded rod, and a drive coupler connected to the threaded rod and to the drive assembly.
9 . The railroad car of claim 8 , wherein the jackscrew of each plate supporter is configured to prevent pivoting of the plate holder of the plate supporter when the rod of the jackscrew is not being rotated by the drive assembly.
10 . The railroad car of claim 1 , wherein the jackscrew of each plate supporter is configured to prevent pivoting of the plate holder of the plate supporter when the jackscrew is not being actuated by the drive assembly.
11 . A large plate tilt railroad car comprising:
a frame;
a deck connected to the frame; and
a plate support assembly connected to the deck, the plate support assembly including:
a drive assembly including:
a gear reducer,
a first group of first drive shafts coupled to the gear reducer,
a second group of first drive shafts coupled to the gear reducer,
such that rotational forces provided to either first or second groups of first drive shafts from a powered external drive actuator that is not part of the large plate tilt railroad car is transferred through the respective group of first drive shafts to the gear reducer,
a third group of second drive shafts coupled to the gear reducer, and
a fourth group of second drive shafts coupled to the gear reducer; and
a plurality of spaced-apart plate supporters coupled to the drive assembly, each of the spaced-apart plate supporter including a plate holder operable to move from a plate loading/unloading position to a plate transit position via rotational forces provided by one of the third and fourth groups of second drive shafts of the drive assembly.
12 . The large plate tilt railroad car of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of spaced-apart plate supporters each include a jackscrew connected to one of the third group of second drive shafts or one of the fourth group of second drive shafts.
13 . The railroad car of claim 12 , wherein each plate supporter includes a plate holder pivot actuator pivotally connected to the jackscrew of the plate supporter and pivotally connected to the plate holder of the plate supporter.
14 . The railroad car of claim 13 , wherein the jackscrew of each plate supporter includes an elongated rotatable threaded rod, a follower threadably moveably mounted on the threaded rod, and a drive coupler connected to the threaded rod and to one of the third group of second drive shafts or one of the fourth group of second drive shafts.
15 . The railroad car of claim 14 , wherein the follower of each plate supporter includes a plurality of freely rotatable cylindrical follower support members rotatable on the deck, the freely rotatable cylindrical follower support members configured to transfer forces from the plate supporter to the deck.
16 . A large plate tilt railroad car comprising:
a frame;
a deck connected to the frame; and
a plate support assembly connected to the deck, the plate support assembly including:
a drive assembly, and
a plurality of spaced-apart plate supporters that each include a plate holder operable to move from a plate loading/unloading position to a plate transit position,
each plate supporter pivotally supported by a leg, and
each plate supporter including a plate holder pivot actuator including a first pivot member receiver at its top end and a second pivot member receiver at its bottom end, the second pivot member receiver connected by a pivot pin to a follower of a jackscrew supported by the deck, the follower including a plurality of freely rotatable cylindrical follower support members rotatable on the deck, the freely rotatable cylindrical follower support members configured to transfer forces from the plate supporter to the deck.
17 . The large plate tilt railroad car of claim 16 , wherein the cylindrical follower support members engage and rotate on the deck.
18 . The large plate tilt railroad car of claim 16 , wherein each plate supporter includes a track positioned on the deck to limit movement of the freely rotatable cylindrical follower support members of the plate supporter in a direction transverse to the rotational movement of said freely rotatable cylindrical follower support members.
19 . The large plate tilt railroad car of claim 16 , wherein each plate supporter includes tracks, and wherein the freely rotatable cylindrical follower support members of the plate supporter rest and move within upper, lower, and side internal surfaces of the tracks.