Patents by Inventor Michael James Madden

Michael James Madden has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Longitudinal sliding gate for hopper car
    Patent number: 11084508
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises an underframe and at least one hopper. The hopper is configured to transport a lading material. A longitudinal sliding gate assembly is coupled to the hopper and comprises: a pair of side walls coupled to a pair of end walls forming a discharge opening; a pair of tracks, one coupled to each end wall; a sliding gate slidably coupled to the pair of tracks; and a threaded drive screw coupled to the sliding gate and to the pair of side walls. Rotation of the threaded drive screw in a first direction moves the sliding gate along the tracks to an open position that permits the lading material to discharge, and rotation of the threaded drive screw in an opposite direction moves the sliding gate along the tracks to a closed position that restricts the lading material from discharging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Trinity Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry W. Vande Sande, Aubra D. McKisic, Joseph T. Float, Michael James Madden, Joseph L. Gagliardino
  • Longitudinal Sliding Gate for Hopper Car
    Publication number: 20190202481
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises an underframe and at least one hopper. The hopper is configured to transport a lading material. A longitudinal sliding gate assembly is coupled to the hopper and comprises: a pair of side walls coupled to a pair of end walls forming a discharge opening; a pair of tracks, one coupled to each end wall; a sliding gate slidably coupled to the pair of tracks; and a threaded drive screw coupled to the sliding gate and to the pair of side walls. Rotation of the threaded drive screw in a first direction moves the sliding gate along the tracks to an open position that permits the lading material to discharge, and rotation of the threaded drive screw in an opposite direction moves the sliding gate along the tracks to a closed position that restricts the lading material from discharging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Jerry W. Vande Sande, Aubra D. McKisic, Joseph T. Float, Michael James Madden, Joseph L. Gagliardino