Floor assemblies for insulated railway boxcars

Abstract

Floor assemblies for insulated railway boxcars are shown and disclosed. In some embodiments, the floor assemblies include a plurality of planar floor plates. Additionally, the floor assemblies include a plurality of L-shaped structural members. Each structural member includes a planar stem portion having opposed first and second transverse end portions, and a planar arm portion having opposed third and fourth transverse end portions. The third end portion is formed with the first end portion and the fourth end portion supporting a floor plate of the plurality of planar floor plates. The arm portion is perpendicular to the stem portion. The stem portion includes a plurality of spaced openings. The second end portion of a L-shaped structural member is attached to, or formed with, a first end portion of a stem portion of an adjacent L-shaped structural member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A floor assembly for an insulated railway boxcar, the floor assembly comprising:
 a plurality of planar floor plates; and   a plurality of L-shaped structural members, each structural member includes a planar stem portion having opposed first and second transverse end portions, and a planar arm portion having opposed third and fourth transverse end portions, the third end portion being formed with the first end portion and the fourth end portion supporting a floor plate of the plurality of planar floor plates, the arm portion being perpendicular to the stem portion, the stem portion having a plurality of spaced openings, the second end portion of a L-shaped structural member being attached to, or formed with, a first end portion of a stem portion of an adjacent L-shaped structural member.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the floor plates includes a plurality of spaced apertures. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of longitudinal stringers, wherein the plurality of L-shaped structural members is supported on the plurality of longitudinal stringers such that the plurality of L-shaped structural members is disposed between the plurality of floor plates and the plurality of longitudinal stringers. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising a floor sheet positioned such that the plurality of longitudinal stringers is disposed between the floor sheet and the plurality of L-shaped structural members. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , where the insulated railway boxcar includes an undercarriage having a plurality of spaced cross bearers, each of the cross bearers having parallel upper and lower flanges and a web that connects the upper and lower flanges and that is perpendicular to the upper and lower flanges, wherein the floor sheet is attached to the upper flange of one or more cross bearers of the plurality of cross bearers. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , where the upper flange of each of the cross bearers includes a bottom surface that is adjacent to the web and an upper surface that is spaced from the web relative to the bottom surface, wherein the floor sheet is attached to the bottom surface of one or more cross bearers of the plurality of cross bearers, and wherein the floor sheet and the plurality of longitudinal stringers defines a thermal break space therebetween. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of floor anchor assemblies attached to opposed side assemblies of the insulated railway boxcar. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of floor anchor assemblies includes an elongate anchor base, where each floor plate of the plurality of floor plates includes opposed first and second longitudinal ends, wherein each floor plate of the plurality of floor plates includes an opening in each of the first and second longitudinal ends, the opening being sized to receive a portion of the elongate anchor base. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein one or more L-shaped structural members of the plurality of L-shaped structural members are shorter than adjacent L-shaped structural members of the plurality of L-shaped structural members to define gaps that correspond with the openings of the plurality of floor plates to allow the plurality of L-shaped structural members to receive the portion of the elongate anchor base. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein each floor plate of the plurality of floor plates are attached to elongate anchor bases of the plurality of floor anchor assemblies. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising insulation disposed adjacent to the plurality of structural members. 
     
     
         12 . An insulated railway boxcar, comprising:
 an undercarriage having a plurality of wheeled trucks; and   a cargo-carrying enclosure having the floor assembly of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         13 . A floor assembly for an insulated railway boxcar, the floor assembly comprising:
 a plurality of planar floor plates;   a plurality of structural members supporting the plurality of floor plates;   a plurality of longitudinal stringers, wherein the plurality of structural members is supported on the plurality of longitudinal stringers such that the plurality of structural members is disposed between the plurality of floor plates and the plurality of longitudinal stringers; and   a floor sheet positioned such that the plurality of longitudinal stringers is disposed between the floor sheet and the plurality of L-shaped structural members.   
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , where the insulated railway boxcar includes an undercarriage having a plurality of spaced cross bearers, each of the cross bearers having parallel upper and lower flanges and a web that connects the upper and lower flanges and that is perpendicular to the upper and lower flanges, wherein the upper flange of each of the cross bearers includes a bottom surface that is adjacent to the web and an upper surface that is spaced from the web relative to the bottom surface, wherein the floor sheet is attached to the bottom surface of one or more cross bearers of the plurality of cross bearers, and wherein the floor sheet and the plurality of longitudinal stringers defines a thermal break space therebetween. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein one or more of the plurality of structural members is L-shaped. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein one or more floor plates includes one or more apertures. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of floor anchor assemblies attached to opposed side assemblies of the insulated boxcar. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising insulation disposed between the plurality of floor plates and the plurality of floor sheets. 
     
     
         19 . An insulated railway boxcar, comprising:
 an undercarriage having a plurality of wheeled trucks; and   a cargo-carrying enclosure having the floor assembly of  claim 13 .