Pneumatic lading divider
United States Patent 1191 Loomis et al.  
 [ 1 PNEUMATIC LADING DIVIDER [75] Inventors: Russell M. Loomis, Palos Heights;  
 Leroy W. Bertram, Wheaton; Gerald R. McLaughlin; Michael D. Gaikowski, both of Chicago, all of III.  
 [73] Assignee: Unarco Industries, Inc., Chicago, Ill.  
 [22] Filed: Jan. 28, 1974 [2]] Appl. No.: 437,310  
 [52] US. Cl. 105/492; 105/376; 214/105 D [5 1] Int. Cl. B61d 45/00 [58] Field of Search 105/369 BA, 369 D, 376;  
 292/24, 34; 280/179 R; 2l4/l0.5 D  
 [ Apr. 15, 1975 [57] ABSTRACT A lading divider for use in a railway car is disclosed for positioning between the opposed end faces of lading stacked in the car, for urging the lading into tightly-packed relation. The divider includes a pair of interconnected, lading-engaging panels which are spring biased toward each other and two inflatable pairs of abutting envelopes positioned between the panels. One of the pairs of envelopes is at an upper position, and the other pair of envelopes is at a lower position. Valve means are connected to the upper envelopes and lower envelopes to permit selective inflation of the upper, lower or both pairs of envelopes. Independent inflation of only the lower pair of envelopes provides selective bracing for partial height loads. Inflation of both pairs of envelopes provides bracing for full height loads.  
 [56] References Cited A latch-type system is provided which includes an UNITED STATES PATENTS actuator means and latch-member means carried on 3,192,879 7/1965 Pier 105/369 BA the divider for Cooperation with latch-member 3,427,997 2/1969 Brown et al. 105/369 BA receiving means on the car walls. The latch system 3,625.544 12/1971 Go n 1 5/376 permits positioning of the divider at pre-selected 3,724,395 4/1973 Enochian 105/369 BA torage positigns so as to prevent movement of and damage to the divider when the car is empty and is Primary ExaminerLloyd L. King b i moved Assistant Examiner-Gene A. Church Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Norman Lettvin 10 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures 1 T 30a /o,- I. f 30 26. ll 4 32 q-- L 1 a2-\ /1, za  
  -q---. 41 I F A PATENTEBAPR 1 SIQYS 3, 77, 393  
 sum 2 OF 4 ml-jmammsms, 3 877 393 sum 3 1159 PNEUMATIC LADING DIVIDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a movable, pneumatic, lading divider for use in lading-carrying vehicles such as railway cars.  
  Inflatable pneumatic cushioning means, for confining lading in shipping vehicles and for absorbing inertia forces developed by shifting lading, has been suggested for many years. Typical cushioning means are disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 3,192,879; 3,177,816; 3,145,853; 2,856,867; and 1,517,100. Securing such pneumatic means to latchcarrying bulkheads that cooperate with latch strips running along the floor and ceiling of the vehicle, such as a railway car, is a known expedient. I-Ieretofore, such bulkhead-pneumatic cushioning systems have been included principally in new railway car constructions because of structural requirements that include the need to secure the bulkhead at a selected position along the length of the car.  
  The use of pneumatic cushioning systems would have more universal application if they could be effectively incorporated in and adapted to function in railway cars that are not originally constructed to include such a system.  
  It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a pneumaticlading divider which is of inexpensive construction and which can be inexpensively adapted for installation in existing railway cars.  
  Railway cars are normally loaded from the center door toward each end so that the loads terminate in the door area at end faces which face one anothere. Depending upon the size of the load, the spacing between the end faces will vary. It is desirable to tightly pack each of the loads against the respective end walls and fill the space between the end faces so that movement of the car will not cause shifting of the lading that would result in damage thereto.  
  It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a lading divider for positioning between the end faces of the lading, which is adjustable to accommodate the difference in spacing between the end faces and tightly pack the lading within the car.  
  Sometimes the car is shipped with only a partialheight load which when stacked, covers only a fraction of the full height of the car. Thus, another object of this invention is to provide a lading divider which is suitable for use with both partial and full height loads.  
  When not in use the lading divider must be stored in a fixed position so as to prevent damage to the car or divider resulting from movement of the divider within the car during transit or during switching at a freight yard. It is thus yet another object of this invention to provide securement means for fixedly positioning the divider in the car when the car is being moved without lading therein.  
  At times when the car is being shipped without lading, empty pallets are left in the car. And it is desirable to stack or load the pallets so as to prevent them from shifting within the car. It is a further object of the invention to provide means in association with said lading divider for securely positioning the pallets in a stored position in the car.  
  These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There is provided by virtue of this invention a penumatic lading divider which (I) is relatively inexpensive to install in existing cars; (2) will tightly-pack the lading and fill the space between the end faces; and (3) brace partial height loads. The divider includes: (1) a pair of ladingengaging panels which are mechanically interconnected and spring-biased toward each other; and (2) two pairs of inflatable-envelope means positioned and secured between the panels and aligned in back-toback abutting arrangement. One pair of envelopes is positioned transversely across the upper portion of the divider and the other pair is positioned transversely across the lower portion of the divider.  
  The envelope pairs can be individually inflated or inflated in combination so as to provide for partial or full height bracing. When deflated the envelopes are safely positioned within the upper and lower borders of the divider. Valve means are connected to each pair of envelopes, which in one position permit inflation of only the lower pair of envelopes, and in another position permit inflation of both the upper and lower pairs of envelopes.  
  The divider can be inexpensively mounted in an existing railway car by providing overhead track means adjacent the ceiling and each sidewall for cooperating with carriage means from which each ladingengaging panel is suspended. The carriage means are arranged such that when both panels are moved simultaneously the carriages cooperate to minimize cocking and misalignment.  
  A latch system is provided in association with the divider and the car for securing the divider in a storage position. The latch system can automatically secure the divider to the car and is arranged for manually releasing the divider from such securement.  
 &#34;BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic top plan view of the freightcarrying car showing in solid lines a divider positioned at the first storage position and in broken lines the divider positioned at the second storage position;  
  FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the center portion of a railway car showing the divider in place between the end faces of lading;  
  FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view of one panel of the lading divider and the latching system associated therewith;  
  FIG. 4 is an elevational view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 1 showing one panel and the associated pneumatic and latching systems;  
  FIG. 5 is a perspective diagrammatic view of the latching system; 1  
  FIG. 6 is a horizontal view showing a portion of one panel in section and the latching system mounted to a lower corner of the panel;  
  FIG. 7 is a view taken substantially along line 77 of FIG. 6 showing the panel and latching system in elevation;  
  FIG. 8 is a greatly enlarged perspective view of the center portion of the side edge of the divider showing the spring biasing system for urging the panels toward each other;  
  FIg. 9 is an elevational view ofa selector valve for inflating only the upper envelope pair or both the upper and lower envelope pairs simultaneously; and  
  FIG. is an elevational view of an alternative embodiment of selector valve.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, a lading divider 10 is shown in a railway boxcar 121 which includes end walls 14 and 16 and sidewalls l8 and 20. Longitudinallyextending overhead tracks 22 and 24 along which the divider moves are installed along the sidewalls adjacent the ceiling.  
  The divider 10 includes two spaced lading-engaging panels 26 and 28, each of which are suspended from one of the carriages 30 and 32, that are supported on the overhead tracks 22 and 24. The track 22 is longer than track 24 and each track includes stop means at the end thereof. Each carriage includes a beam portion such as 30a and 32a which spans the car and which has rollers mounted at its ends for cooperation with tracks 22 and 24. Elongated legs such as 30b and 32b are rigidly connected to the beam portions and extend outwardly from the divider. Each leg carries rollers which cooperate with one of the tracks 22 or 24. A bracing structure such as 30c and 32c connects the end of one leg to one of the beams. When the divider is moved as a unit, that is with the envelopes deflated and the panels adjacent one another, the two carriages cooperate to prevent cocking or misalignment of either carriage and thereby facilitate movement of the divider.  
  The divider panels 26 and 28 are suspended from the respective carriages 30 and 32 by means of hangars such as 34 and 36. Four pneumatic envelopes, or airbags 38, 40, 42 and 44 are mounted between the opposed inner faces of the panels 26 and 28 by springs, such as 46 and 48. The envelopes 38 and 40 are mounted to the panel 28 and the envelopes 42 and 44 are mounted to the panel 26. The envelopes are arranged in a back-to-back relation to form an upper pair 38-42 and a lower pair 40-44 which are vertically spaced from each other and extend transversely substantially across the panels width. All of the envelopes in pair are physically separate but the envelopes within each pair are pneumatically interconnected.  
 Valve System A pair of substantially identical ganged selector valve means 50 and 51 are mounted on the divider panel 26 along each vertical side edge for permitting inflation of the envelopes from either side of the car. The valve means 50 includes an upper valve 52, a lower valve 54 and a T-connection 56 which connects the outlet 54a of the lower valve 54 with the inlet 52b of the upper valve 52. The inlet end 54b of the lower valve is adapted for pneumatic connection with an airline. The outlet end 52a of the upper valve and the center branch 56a of the T-connection are arranged for communication with the upper and lower bag pairs, respectively.  
  The upper valve 52 communicates with the bags 38 and 42 through line 58 which connects at a junction 60 with line 62 that connects to one of the bags of the upper pair. A second line 64 extends from the junction to a second junction 66 where it communicates with line 68 which connects to the other bag of the pair. A line 70 connects the junction 66 with the upper valve for the selector valve member 51. A line 72 extends from the T-member to the junction 74 from which line 76 connects to one of the lower bags. A second line 78 extends from the junction 74 to a second junction 80 from which line 82 extends to the other bag of the lower pair. The line 84 extends from the second junction 80 to the T-member of valve 51.  
  In order to fill both the upper and lower pairs either of the ganged selector valves 50 or 51 can be used. By opening the lower valve and upper valve with handles 52c and 54c respectively, air which enters through the inlet end 54b is communicated via the lines previously described to both the upper and lower envelopes.  
  If only the lower valve member 54 is opened and the upper member 52 is closed then only the bottom pair of envelopes, namely 40 and 44 will be inflated.  
  In an alternative arrangement, as seen in FIG. 10, an inlet is provided at which opens into twci branches 92 and 94. The branch 92 leads to the upper envelope pair and the branch 94 leads to the lower envelope pair. Two valves are provided, the first 96 is positioned between the inlet and the upper envelopes and the second 98 between the inlet and the lower envelope. By opening both valves 96 and 98 both sets of envelopes can be inflated. By opening only valve 96 only the upper pair is inflated and by opening the lower valve 98 only the lower pair is inflated. This alternative arrangement provides for greater flexibility in inflation of the bags of the divider.  
 Spring Biasing System The panels of the divider are normally biased toward each other by spring and pulley systems at each side of the divider within the panel side edges. The system such as 100, generally, includes a cable 102 having each of its ends 102a and 102b anchored to one of the panel edges. Coiled tension springs such as 104 and 106 are each mounted to one of the panels and each spring is secured at one end to the panel and at the other end to a cable engaging roller such as 108 or 1 10 by means of clevises such as 112 and 114. The cable 102 extends from one anchored end 102a, about the tensioning roller 108, about guide roller 116 and exits the panel. The cable 102 then enters panel 28 through aperture 118, extends about guide roller 120, about the tensioning roller and then the end l02b is anchored to the panel 28. The springs coact with the cable so as to pull the cable downwardly thereby shortening its effective length and pulling the panels toward each other while keeping them in contact with the envelopes.  
 Storage and Latch System The divider can be secured at either one of the two storage positions A or B, wherein the A position is near one end of the car and the B position is near the door. The A position can be spaced at a preselected distance from the wall so as to permit the storage of empty pallets between the end wall 16 and latched divider.  
  The latch system includes four aligned keeper plates such as 122, 124, 126 and 128, mounted on the car at each storage position. Two plates are mounted on each wall, one at a position near the car ceiling and another near the car floor. These are in alignment with the top and bottom edges of the divider. Each of the plates, such as 128, l are substantially identical, (2) are fabricated from an elongated U-shaped member and (3) include: guide ramps at&#39;either end of the plate such as 1280 and 128b, and an elongated latching aperture such as 1280.  
  The active portion of the latch system is mounted on the panel 28 and includes four spring-biased latch pin assemblies 130, 132, 134 and 136, one of which is mounted (1) adjacent each corner of the panel; (2) at the inboard side of the panel; and (3) in horizontal aligned relation with a keeper plate. Each latch-pin assembly is connected by cables 138, 140, 142 and 144 to an operator handle 146 which simultaneously operates all four latch pin assemblies to release the divider from the stored position.  
 Each assembly, such as 136, includes a housing 147 which carries a horizontally disposed guide sleeve 148 at its outer edge and an aligned access aperture 150 at the inner edge. An elongated latch pin 152, which is tapered at its outer end, extends through the aperture 150 and the sleeve 148. A coiled compression spring 154 is fitted about the inner end of the pin 152, engages the inner wall 147a of the housing, and engages a lock pin 156 which extends diametrically through the latch pin 152. The spring 154 thus acts to bias the latch pin 152 in an outward direction. Outward movement of the pin is limited by the lock pin engaging the inner edge of the sleeve 148.  
  The inner end of the pin is provided with an aperture 158 which is connected to a link 160 that connects to the cable 144. The tapered outer end of the pin 152 is adapted to engage the ramps 128a and l28b as the divider is moved into and out of the storage position. In its fully extended position, the latch pin 152 extends into the aperture 1286 so as to lock the divider in relation to the keeper. In its fully retracted position, the pin 152 is pulled out of the lockingengagement with the aperture so that the divider may be moved.  
  The control cable 144 extends from the link 160 to the center of the bulkhead at which there is provided a cable guide such as 162 which is mounted to the bulkhead for the purpose of guiding the cable as it changes direction and extends toward the operator handle.  
  The operator handle 146 is a rectangularly-shaped or stirrupshaped member which is pivotally mounted on the panel by a pair of support plates such as 164 and pivot pin 166. The handle carries four cable-engaging studs 168, 170, 172 and 174 and an end of each cable is connected to one of the cable-engaging studs, with the upper cables connected to the upper studs and the lower cables connected to the lower studs. Thus, cable 142 terminates at stud 168; cable 144 terminates at stud 170; cable 140 terminates at stud 174; and cable 138 terminates at stud 172.  
  The latch system is automatic in the sense that latching can take place automatically by pushing the divider to the keeper plates where the pins retract as they move up the guide ramps and then snap into place in the latch apertures. In the event that the car is moved without latching the divider, movement of the car can cause the divider to move to the keeper plates and automatically latch. Release of the divider is effected by manually operating the latch system with the handle 146.  
  It will be noted that the pivoting action of the handle 146 is not about the center of the handle. The pivot point is offset from the center with the upper portion of the handle being shorter than the lower portion. With this arrangement the handle is prevented from swinging outwardly of the outer face of the panel 26 thereby preventing interference with stored pallets.  
  By virtue of the spring-biasing system, the handle is normally positioned toward a generally vertical orientation. In order to retract the latch pins, the handle is grasped and moved toward the horizontal, which results in all four cables being pulled simultaneously which causes the latch pins to retract. When the handle is released, the biasing action of the springs such as 154, causes the latch pins to move to their extended position and returns the handle toward the vertical position.  
  The other panel 26 carries an upwardly-extending, finger-like member 176 which is adapted to engage the handle when the handle is moved to a horizontal position. This permits both panels to be interlocked for movement of the entire divider. Appropriate access apertures such as 178 are provided in each panel so that an operator can grasp the handle 146 from a position on either side of the divider.  
 Operation In operation, lading is loaded into the car from one end and extends into the doorway area and the divider is then placed against the end face of that lading. Additional lading is placed in the car from the other end to the doorway area and after the car is loaded, the envelopes of the divider are expanded so as to compress and tightly pack the lading. This prevents shifting of the lading in transit which reduces the chance of damage to the lading during shipment. When the car is to be unloaded, the envelopes are deflated by opening the selector valves and the cable system draws the panels together and acts to accelerate the deflation of the envelopes. Once the envelopes are deflated, lading can be removed from one end of the car and the divider then moved .toward that end while the lading is removed from the other end of the car. Next, if the car is to be shipped empty, the divider can be positioned for latching securement within the car whereby either the divider is latched by itself or it acts to secure lading pallets in position. In the event that the operator fails to secure the divider, movement of the car can cause the divider to move to the keeper plates and by virtue of its inertia, automatically latch thereto.  
  It will be appreciated that numerous changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.  
  What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters patent of the United States is:  
  1. In a pneumatic system of the type for protecting lading during transit including an overhead track system adapted for securement in a lading-carrying vehicle having longitudinal sidewalls, a pair of spaced lading-engaging panels each suspended from said track system, and pneumatic means disposed between said pair of panels for selectively forcing said panels apart and against lading within the vehicle; the improvement comprising in combination: expansible tie means holding the pair of panels together in a manner permitting relative movement therebetween to accommodate relative expansion of the pneumatic means but preventing independent separation of the pair of panels within the vehicle; a plurality of storage latch means secured to opposite longitudinal sidewalls of the vehicle; a plurality of outwardly biased latches carried on one of the pair of panels and positioned to latchingly cooperate with the storage latch means on the sidewalls of the vehicle; the storage latch means for each latch including an elongated apertured plate extending longitudinally of the car with latch-engaging inclined ramps at the ends thereof, arranged for cooperation with the outwardly biased latches to effect automatic latching engagement between latches and storage latch means; and a latch release operator carried on said one of the pair of panels for simultaneously releasing all latches from the storage latch means.  
  2. A construction as in claim 1 wherein each panel has aperture means through which manual access may be had to the latch release operator.  
  3. A construction as in claim 1 wherein the latches on the panel are spring-biased pins.  
  4. A construction as in claim 3 wherein the latches are carried on the one panel in an upright plane between the outer faces of the pair of panels, and the latch release operator is connected to the outwardly biased latches by flexible cables.  
  5. In a pneumatic system of the type for protecting lading during transit including an overhead track system adapted for securement in a lading-carrying vehicle having longitudinal sidewalls, a pair of spaced lading-engaging panels each suspended from said track system, and pneumatic means disposed between said pair of panels for selectively forcing said panels apart and against lading within the vehicle; the improvement comprising in combination: expansible tie means holding the pair of panels together in a manner permitting relative movement therebetween to accommodate relative expansion of the pneumatic means but preventing independent separation of the pair of panels within the vehicle; a plurality of storage latch means secured to opposite longitudinal sidewalls of the vehicle; a plurality of outwardly biased latches carried onone of the pair of panels and positioned to latchingly cooperate with the storage latch means on the sidewalls of the vehicle; a latch release operator carried on said one of the pair of panels for simultaneously releasing-all latches from the storage latch means; and each panel being equipped at an upright edge thereof with a springbiased pulley means over which is trained a flexible tie cable that interconnects the two panels adjacent the upper portions thereof to normally bias said panels toward each other.  
  6. In a pneumatic system of the type for protecting lading during transit including an overhead track system adapted for securement in a lading-carrying vehicle having longitudinal sidewalls, a pair of spaced lading-engaging panels each suspended from said track system, and pneumatic means disposed between said pair of panels&#39;for selectively forcing said panels apart and against lading within the vehicle; the improvement comprising in combination: expansible tie means holding the pair of panels together in a manner permitting relative movement therebetween to accommodate relative expansion of the pneumatic means but preventing independent separation of the pair of panels within the vehicle; a plurality of storage latch means secured to opposite longitudinal sidewalls of the vehicle; a plurality of outwardly biased latches carried on one of the pair of panels and positioned to latchingly cooperate with the storage latch means on the sidewalls of the vehicle; a latch release operator carried on said one of the pair of panels for simultaneously releasing all latches from the storage latch means; and the suspension for at least one of the panels includes an anti-cocking frame consisting of an elongated crossbeam that spans the car, an elongated leg rigidly secured to the crossbeam and positioned for movement longitudinally of the track means, and an inclined brace extending between the crossbeam and elongated leg.  
  7. A construction as in claim 1 wherein said pneumatic means include: upper envelope means and lower envelope means; and valve means for individually inflating each of said envelope means and for simultaneously inflating each of said envelope means.  
  8. In a pneumatic system of the type for protecting lading during transit including an overhead track system adapted for securement in a lading-carrying vehicle having longitudinal sidewalls, a pair of spaced lading-engaging panels each suspended from said track system, and pneumatic means disposed between said pair of panels for selectively forcing said pa&#39;nels apart and against lading within the vehicle; the improvement comprising in combination: expansible tie means holding the pair of panels together in a manner permitting relative movement therebetween to accommodate relative expansion of the pneumatic means but preventing independent separation of the pair of panels within the vehicle; a plurality of storage latch means secured to opposite longitudinal sidewalls of the vehicle; a plurality of outwardly biased latches carried on one of the pair of panels and positioned to latchingly cooperate with the storage latch means on the sidewalls of the ve-&#39; hicle; a latch release operator carried on said one of the pair of panels for simultaneously releasing all latches from the storage latch means; and said operator is an elongated handle pivotally mounted to said panel at a pivot point off-center with respect to the length of the handle, thereby forming a long leg and a short leg, said short leg being arranged to swing toward the ladingengaging face of said other panel but not outwardly thereof.  
  9. In a pneumatic system of the type for protecting lading during transit including an overhead track system adapted for securement in a lading-carrying vehicle having longitudinal sidewalls, a pair of spaced lading-engaging panels each suspended from said track system, and pneumatic means disposed between said pair of panels for selectively forcing said panels apart and against lading within the vehicle; the improvement comprising in combination: expansible tie means holding the pair of panels together in a manner permitting reltive movement therebetween to accommodate relative expansion of the pneumatic means but preventing independent separation of the pair of panels within the vehicle; a plurality of storage latch means secured to opposite longitudinal, sidewalls of the vehicle; a plurality of outwardly biased latches carried on one of the pair of panels and positioned to latchingly cooperate with the storage lat ch means on the sidewalls of the vehicle; a latch release operator carried on said one of the pair of panels for simultaneously releasing all latches from the storage latch means; and the expansible tie means including an elongated flexible tie cable tht extends between and interconnects the two panels and is spring-biased so as to normally draw the panels toward each other.  
  10. In a pneumatic system of the type for protecting lading during transit including an overhead track system adapted for securement in a lading-carrying vehicle having longitudinal sidewalls, a pairof sp&#39;aced lading-engaging panels each suspended from said track system, and pneumatic means disposed between said pair of panels for selectively forcing said panels apart with the storage latch means on the sidewalls of the vehicle; a latch release operator carried on said one of the pair of panels for simultaneously releasing all latches from the storage latch means; and means on the other of said panels adapted to be engaged by a member connected to the first panel to provide a means for selectively moving the pair of panels in unison when the latch release operator has been actuated to release all latches.