Bottom discharge hopper structures

• US 4,550,665 A
• Filed: 03/01/1984
• Issued: 11/05/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1977
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rotaque
• Original Assignee: Rotaque
• Inventors: Brouwer, Cornelis
• Primary Examiner(s): Reese, Randolph A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hubbuch, David F.
• Application Number:
  US06/583,494
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 105/241.1, 105/241.2, 105/247, 105/248, 105/249, 105/254, 105/283, 222/457, 222/460, 222/462
• US Class Current: 105/241.2
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 7/30 controlled by means external to cars

Abstract

A hopper car in which the body has vertical end walls and side walls each comprising a sloping lower portion and a vertical upper portion. The two sloping lower portions converge downwardly and their horizontal lower edges define a discharge opening. One of these edges lies in a horizontal plane which is at a different level to the plane containing the other lower edge. The angle of slope of one lower portion is different to the angle of slope of the other lower portion. Additionally, the horizontal plane containing the line of convergence between the one lower portion and its associated upper portion lies in a different horizontal plane to the corresponding line of convergence of the other side wall. An arcuate door carrying a laterally protruding operating arm closes-off the discharge opening.

Claims

1. A bottom discharge hopper rail car comprising a hopper body mounted on a chassis and a door pivotally mounted on the body, the chassis including wheels rotatable about axes extending in the transverse direction of the car, the body having a pair of inclined, downwardly converging side walls spaced apart in said transverse direction of the car, the longitudinally extending lower edges of the side walls defining a discharge opening from the body, the angle of inclination of one side wall with respect to horizontal being different to the angle of inclination of the other side wall with respect to horizontal, and the door being displaceable between a position in which it closes said opening and a position in which it is spaced from said opening to permit discharge of the contents of said body.

2. A hopper rail car according to claim 1, in which said lower edges are offset from one another in a vertical direction.

3. A bottom discharge hopper rail car comprising a hopper body mounted on a chassis, the chassis including wheels rotatable about axes extending in the transverse direction of the car, the body having a pair of inclined downwardly converging side walls spaced apart in said transverse direction of the car, the longitudinally extending lower edges of the side walls being spaced apart horizontally and defining a downward discharge opening from the body, a door pivotally mounted on the body for opening and closing movement about a horizontal axis, the axis about which the door is pivotally mounted being horizontal, above both said edges, and in a vertical plane which lies between said edges, the door being displaceable between a position in which it co-operates with both said edges to close said opening and a position in which it is spaced from both said edges to permit discharge of the contents of said body through said opening, a pair of upright side walls spaced in said transverse direction and each extending upwardly from the longitudinally extending upper edge of a respective one of the converging side walls, the line along which one converging side wall and its associated upright wall meet being offset in the vertical direction with respect to the line along which the other converging side wall and its associated upright wall meet.

4. A hopper structure according to claim 3, in which said lines are horizontal.

5. A hopper structure according to claim 3, in which said lower edges are offset from one another in the vertical direction.

6. A bottom discharge hopper rail car comprising a hopper body mounted on a chassis, the chassis including wheels rotatable about axes extending in the transverse direction of the car, the body having a pair of inclined downwardly converging side walls spaced apart in said transverse direction of the car, the longitudinally extending lower edges of the side walls defining a discharge opening from the body, a door pivotally mounted on the body, the door being displaceable between a position in which it closes said opening and a position in which it is spaced from said opening to permit discharge of the contents of said body, the angle of inclination of one side wall with respect to horizontal being different to the angle of inclination of the other side wall with respect to horizontal, a pair of upright side walls spaced in said transverse direction and each extending upwardly from the longitudinally extending upper edge of a respective one of the converging side walls, the line along which one converging side wall and its associated upright wall meet being offset in the vertical direction with respect to the line along which the other converging side wall and its associated upright wall meet.

7. A hopper structure according to claim 6, in which said lines are horizontal.

8. A hopper structure according to claim 6, in which said lower edges are offset from one another in a vertical direction.