TANK CAR APPARATUS

摘要

A railroad tank car may have external fittings, such as a bottom opening valve, that protrude from the bottom of the tank car tank. In a derailment the tank car tank may meet the ground. A tank skid plate assembly has an accommodation in which to shelter such fittings. The skid plate assembly has a shell with tapered ramps at either end. It mounts to tank reinforcement structure, such as reinforcing bars. Reinforcements may be mounted in the lee of the shell. Those reinforcements may be mounted to the shell only, without welding connection to the tank car tank. The reinforcements may be, or combine with the shell to define either a bridge or a truss that spans the space between the reinforcement bars. The assembly may have an access passageway, such as for admitting a heating pipe. The assembly may include lateral and longitudinal internal webs for providing crush resistance.

主权项

1. A skid assembly for a railroad tank car tank, the tank car tank having a protruding member extending proud thereof, and load spreading apparatus mounted to the tank car tank adjacent the protruding member, the load spreading apparatus extending axially relative to the tank car tank, said skid assembly comprising:
an external skid shell, said skid shell having an accommodation for the protruding member; said skid shell having a lengthwise extending footprint that mates to the load spreading apparatus; internal reinforcement within said skid shell, said internal reinforcement being mounted to said skid shell, said reinforcement discouraging deformation of said shell; and when said footprint is mated to the load spreading apparatus, said internal reinforcement being mounted independently of the tank car tank.