Rail car side screen protector

Abstract

A protector for a railway car interior, such as an autorack car designed to transport automobiles. The protector is installed on and covers the sidewall of a railway car to provide a barrier between the car and the sidewall to prevent damage to automobiles being transported in the rail car. The protector has two bumpers that are connected to a body and are deflectable to provide expanded zones of protection when contacted by an object. The protector may be provided in different lengths to provide a suitable span of coverage of a railway interior structure when the protectors are arranged adjacently, horizontally along a sidewall of the rail car at suitable heights to provide protection. The outwardly projecting bumpers provide a protective barrier between the automobile, such as a door panel, and the railway sidewall or other structure. A railcar configured with protectors also is provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A railcar protector for an interior of a railcar configured to mount to the railcar interior structure, comprising:
 a) a body configured to mount to the railcar interior structure, the body including a wall;   b) at least one bumper having a first end that is attached to the body at a joining location, and a free end;   c) wherein the bumper is arcuately configured; and   d) wherein the bumper is deflectable in an upward or downward vertical direction relative to the body.   
     
     
         2 . The protector of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper comprises a rolled body portion. 
     
     
         3 . The protector of  claim 2 , wherein the rolled body portion is configured to have a rolled condition which is deflectable upon the receipt of a deflecting force, and wherein said deflectable rolled body portion is biased to return to its rolled condition after being deflected, when the deflecting force is removed. 
     
     
         4 . The protector of  claim 2 , wherein a plurality of bumpers are provided, and wherein each bumper comprises a rolled body portion. 
     
     
         5 . The protector of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of bumpers is connected to the body at a joining location. 
     
     
         6 . The protector of  claim 4 , wherein the rolled body portion of each bumper is configured to have a rolled condition which is deflectable upon the receipt of a deflecting force, and wherein each said deflectable rolled body portion is biased to return to its rolled condition after being deflected, when the deflecting force is removed. 
     
     
         7 . The protector of  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of bumpers comprises a first bumper and a second bumper, and wherein said first bumper has a first zone of coverage and wherein said second bumper has a second zone of coverage. 
     
     
         8 . The protector of  claim 7 , wherein said first bumper connects with said body at a first joining location, and wherein said second bumper connects with said body at a second joining location. 
     
     
         9 . The protector of  claim 7 , wherein said first bumper is deflectable in an at least an upward vertical direction relative to the body, and wherein said second bumper is deflectable in at least a downward vertical direction relative to the body. 
     
     
         10 . The protector of  claim 7 , wherein said first bumper is deflectable to roll into itself and wherein said second bumper is deflectable is deflectable to roll into itself. 
     
     
         11 . The protector of  claim 7 , wherein said first bumper is deflectable upward or downward relative to the joining location, and wherein said second bumper is deflectable upward or downward relative to the joining location. 
     
     
         12 . The protector of  claim 7 , wherein said first bumper is deflectable to deflect in one or more of (i) an upward vertical direction relative to the body when the bumper unrolls, (ii) to roll into itself, and (iii) an upward or downward vertical direction relative to the joining location; and wherein said second bumper is deflectable to deflect in one or more of (i) a downward vertical direction relative to the body, (ii) to roll into itself, and (iii) an upward or downward vertical direction relative to the joining location. 
     
     
         13 . The protector of  claim 12 , wherein the first zone of protection is defined by an area that includes the upward vertical displacement of the first bumper, and wherein the second zone of protection is defined by an area that includes the downward vertical displacement of the second bumper. 
     
     
         14 . The protector of  claim 13 , wherein the protector has a zone of protection that spans between the upward vertical displacement of the first bumper and the downward vertical displacement of the second bumper. 
     
     
         15 . The protector of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of bumpers includes the first bumper and a second bumper, wherein said first bumper is configured to pivot about the joining location where first bumper first end attaches to the body, and wherein the second bumper is configured to pivot about the joining location where first bumper first end attaches to the body. 
     
     
         16 . The protector of  claim 1 , wherein each bumper has a front surface that spans horizontally along the protector and is disposed forward of the rear wall. 
     
     
         17 . The protector of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper has a leading portion that comprises a horizontal tangent along the rolled body portion that is furthest from the body wall and defines a forward surface. 
     
     
         18 . The protector of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of bumpers includes a first bumper and a second bumper, wherein the first bumper has a leading portion that comprises a horizontal tangent along the rolled body portion that is furthest from the body wall and defines a first bumper forward surface, and wherein the second bumper has a leading portion that comprises a horizontal tangent along the rolled body portion that is furthest from the body wall and defines a second bumper forward surface. 
     
     
         19 . The protector of  claim 18 , wherein the body wall defines a body wall plane, and wherein each of the first bumper forward surface and second bumper forward surface, is movably deflectable inwardly toward the body wall plane. 
     
     
         20 . A method of producing a protector for a railway vehicle interior, comprising:
 a) forming an extruded body having body with a wall, and a pair of bumpers, each bumper of the bumper pair joining with and extending outwardly from the body wall, and including a first bumper connected to the body wall, and a second bumper connected to the body wall;   b) forming said first bumper into a rolled configuration, and forming the second bumper into a rolled configuration;   c) maintaining the respective rolled configurations of the first bumper and second bumper to produce respective rolled bumpers which when deflected from their respective rolled configurations, are biased to return to their respective rolled configurations.   
     
     
         21 . A railcar configured with one or more levels for transporting automobiles, the rail car comprising:
 a) one or more wheelsets;   b) interior structure comprising a plurality of upstanding posts, sidewalls, a roof, and at least one deck for carrying automobiles;   c) an interior space;   d) wherein the plurality of upstanding posts are located on each lateral side of the interior space, and wherein the sidewalls are located on each lateral side of the interior space; and   e) a plurality of protectors provided on the sidewalls, the protectors comprising a protector having:
 i) a body configured to mount to the railcar interior structure, the body including a wall; 
 ii) at least one first bumper having a first end that is attached to the body at a joining location, and a free end; 
 iii) at least one first bumper having a first end that is attached to the body at a joining location, and a free end; 
 iv) wherein the first and second bumpers are arcuately configured; and 
 v) wherein the first bumper and second bumper are deflectable in an upward or downward vertical direction relative to the body; 
   f) wherein the protector is mounted to the sidewall with said bumpers disposed horizontally so that the first bumper is positioned at a vertical height that is higher than the vertical height of the second bumper; and   g) wherein said bumpers project from the sidewall mounted body into the interior space.   
     
     
         22 . The railcar of  claim 21 , wherein a first arrangement of protectors are provided horizontally along the sidewall at a first vertical position to form a first horizontal zone of protection, and wherein a second arrangement of protectors are provided horizontally along the sidewall at a second vertical position to form a second horizontal zone of protection. 
     
     
         23 . The railcar of  claim 22 , including a plurality of post protectors installed to provide a barrier between the interior space and one or more posts. 
     
     
         24 . The railcar of  claim 21 , wherein said plurality of protectors provided on the sidewalls includes a first plurality of protectors arranged end to end, and a second plurality of protectors arranged end to end.