Abstract: A non-metallic wear plate assembly for railroad car couplers comprises a wear plate of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene having an upper surface with side edges and a middle portion therebetween, the upper surface of the wear plate sloping downwardly from the side edges to the middle portion, and a number of counter-bored holes in the wear plate with a larger diameter and a smaller diameter with the larger diameter of the counter-bored holes facing up, the wear plate being mounted on a steel filler plate by weld washers which are positioned in the holes and are welded to the filler plate, with optional weld washer plugs being positioned in the holes above the weld washers and flush with the upper surface of the wear plate. A method of using the non-metallic wear plate for railroad car couplers to center a coupler and protect it against wear.

Abstract: A corner protector for protecting the top corners of stacks of lumber from being indented or frayed by tie-down cables in a railroad freight car, comprises a sidewall connected at its top to a top wall at right angles to the sidewall along a fold line so that the sidewall is adapted to contact the side of a stack of lumber and the top wall is adapted to contact the top of the stack of lumber, cable alignment tabs on top of the top wall for aligning the tie down cable, cable retention fingers mounted on the sidewall for capturing and detaining the tie down cable, whereby when the protector is mounted on the corner of a stack of lumber it is protected against being contacted and indented by the tie down cable, the cable is protected against wearing and fraying caused by contacting the corner of the stack of lumber, and the corner protector may be installed without disconnecting the cable by loosening the cable and inserting the protector under the cable and mounting the protector on the top corner of the stack

Abstract: A telescoping bridge plate for auto rack railroad cars for supporting automobiles being driven between railroad cars comprises a top plate with corrugations providing top surfaces separated by grooves, with the top plate having an overlapping end portion and a locking end portion, a bottom plate with corrugations providing top surfaces which seat beneath the top surfaces of the top plate, and grooves which seat beneath the grooves of the top plate, with the bottom plate having an overlapping end portion and a locking end portion, and with the top plate overlapping end portion and the bottom plate overlapping end portion being in sliding overlapping engagement.

Abstract: A bi-directionally openable hatch cover hinge and lock device for hatch covers which close the hatches on top of railroad cars and which are openable from either side of the car, utilizing a minimum number of component parts and including a passive captive device for the hatch cover to prevent loss of the cover if the latches on one side are left open and the hatch is opened from the other side, and also including an integrated one piece yoke top and handle with a pivoted cam lock attached to the handle, the pivoted cam lock being weight biased toward its locked position and being prevented from rotating beyond its weight biased locking condition by a stop pin.

Abstract: A manually operated railroad car handbrake release system in which the release of the handbrake at one end of a car automatically causes release of the brakes at the opposite end of the same car. The system utilizes the standard type handbrake, but has affixed to each of the handbrake units a hydraulic cylinder, with interconnecting hydraulic lines between hydraulic cylinders located at opposite ends of the railcar. Brake releasing actuation at one handbrake unit pressurizes the hydraulic system so that the cylinder affixed to the brake unit at the opposite end of the car is also actuated to operate the release handle and release the brake at that end. When the release handles are actuated and released, return springs disposed about the cylinders piston rods automatically return the release handles and pistons at both ends to their non-actuated positions. The brake release system is operative from either end of the railroad car, and does not include any provision for resetting the brakes.

Abstract: A boot support comprises an elongated one-piece solid plastic member having a shape generally approximating that portion of a human leg between the ankle and knee. The member has a plurality of sets of oppositely facing horizontal grooves located at selected levels measured from the base of the member. The groove sets establish break-off locations for reducing the overall height of the member to accommodate different boot heights.

Abstract: I disclose a process for the production of brominated polyesters. The process is carried out in the presence of toluene to produce a polyester having an acid number less than 100. A toluene/water azeotrope is formed which reduces the loss of a reactive intermediate that otherwise would be lost during the polyesterification.