Hopper Cars With One Or More Discharge Control Systems
First Claim
1. A railway car having an underframe and at least one hopper for transporting lading, the railway car comprising:
- at least one discharge opening for each hopper and a respective door assembly dispose adjacent to each associated discharge opening;
a common linkage operable to move each associated discharge door between a first, closed position and a second, open position;
the common linkage including a threaded rod;
a power source operable to rotate the threaded rod;
a threaded coupling engaging the threaded rod with other portions of the common linkage; and
the threaded coupling operable to translate rotation of the threaded rod into longitudinal movement of the other portion of the common linkage.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Hopper cars both open and covered and discharge control systems are disclosed. Each hopper car may include at least one hopper and a center sill which defines in part a longitudinal axis of the hopper car. At least one discharge opening may be formed proximate a lower portion of each hopper. A respective door assembly may be pivotally mounted adjacent to each discharge opening to control the flow of lading from the respective discharge opening. Each discharge control system may include a common linkage and associated secondary linkages operable to move associated door assemblies between a first position and a second position. A power source including a motor, an air cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder may be disposed on the railway car to move the common linkage. For other hopper cars a wayside drive system may be releasably engaged with a capstan operable coupled to the common linkage.
105 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A railway car having an underframe and at least one hopper for transporting lading, the railway car comprising:
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at least one discharge opening for each hopper and a respective door assembly dispose adjacent to each associated discharge opening;
a common linkage operable to move each associated discharge door between a first, closed position and a second, open position;
the common linkage including a threaded rod;
a power source operable to rotate the threaded rod;
a threaded coupling engaging the threaded rod with other portions of the common linkage; and
the threaded coupling operable to translate rotation of the threaded rod into longitudinal movement of the other portion of the common linkage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A covered hopper car having an underframe and at least one hopper for transporting lading, the hopper car comprising:
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the underframe including a center sill with a pair of side sills disposed on opposite sides thereof;
the center sill defining in part a longitudinal axis of the railway car;
at least one discharge opening formed proximate a lower portion of each hopper;
a respective door assembly engaged with a portion of the center sill adjacent to each discharge opening;
each door assembly operable to move between a first, closed position and a second, open position relative to the respective discharge opening;
a discharge control system operable to move each door assembly between the respective first position and the respective second position;
a first portion of the discharge control system slidably engaged with the center sill and operable to move generally longitudinally relative to the center sill to move each door assembly between the respective first position and the respective second position;
a threaded bar extending from the first portion of the discharge control system; and
a power source operable to rotate the threaded bar. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A covered hopper car having an underframe and a first hopper and a second hopper for transporting lading, the hopper car comprising:
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the underframe including a center sill with a pair of side sills disposed on opposite sides thereof;
the center sill defining in part a longitudinal axis of the railway car;
a respective pair of discharge openings disposed proximate a lower portion of each hopper;
each discharge opening extending generally parallel with the center sill;
a respective door assembly engaged with a portion of the center sill adjacent to one of the discharge openings of each hopper;
each door assembly operable to move between a first, closed position and a second, open position relative to the respective discharge opening;
a first discharge control system and a second discharge control engaged with the center sill and operable to move respective door assemblies between the associate first, closed position and the second, open position; and
a respective power source for each discharge control system located proximate a central portion of the underframe. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A railway car having an underframe and two hoppers for transporting lading, the railway car comprising:
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the underframe including a center sill which defines in part a longitudinal axis of the railway car;
two discharge openings formed proximate respective lower portions of each hopper;
a respective door assembly engaged with a portion of the center sill adjacent to each discharge openings to control flow of lading from the respective discharge opening;
each door assembly operable for movement between a first, closed position and a second, open position to control flow of lading from the respective discharge opening;
a respective discharge control system operable to move each pair of door assemblies between respective first, closed positions and respective second, open positions;
a first portion of each discharge control system slidably engaged with the center sill and operable to move longitudinally relative to the center sill;
a second portion of each discharge control system have a pair of pivot arms with the pivot arms extending from respective sides the center sill; and
each door assembly operably engaged with at least one pivot arm of the respective discharge control system to move the respective pair of door assemblies between the respective first, closed position and respective second, open position. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A railway car having a pair of sidewalls and a pair of end walls mounted on a railway car underframe with at least one hopper formed between the sidewalls the end walls the railway car comprising:
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the railway car underframe having a generally rectangular configuration defined in part by a center sill and a pair of side sills spaced laterally from each other with the center sill disposed therebetween and extending in a generally longitudinal direction;
a pair of discharge opening formed on opposite sides of the center sill with each discharge opening extending in the generally longitudinal direction relative to the center sill;
a respective door assembly mounted on the center sill adjacent to each discharge opening to control the flow of lading from the hopper;
each door assembly operable for movement between a first, closed position and a second, open position relative to the associated discharge opening;
a discharge control system attached to the center sill and operable to move a primary linkage disposed adjacent to the center sill;
at least one secondary linkage assembly extending from the primary linkage and engaged with each door assembly; and
each secondary linkage assembly operable to move the associated door assembly between the first position and the second position. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification