Abstract: A hopper door operating mechanism includes an arcuate closing plate mounted on an internal shaft pivotably connected to the frame of the hopper door. An operating crank has one end connected to the internal shaft and the other end pivotably connected to a link arm. The link arm has motors pivotably connected at opposite ends of the link arm. The closing plate can be rotated to open the hopper door in either direction depending on the discharge direction. To open and close the closing plate in a first direction, the first motor is operated to move the link arm and rotate the closing plate while the second motor is maintained in a closed position to retain one end of the link arm as a fulcrum point. To open and close the closing plate in the opposite direction, the second motor is operated to move the link arm while the first motor is maintained in a close position to retain end of the link arm as a fulcrum point.

Abstract: A dual use belly-dumping and end-dumping vehicle includes a frame mounted on wheels for transport and a pivotable hopper carried in the frame. The hopper is provided with angled side walls and end walls defining a top opening and a bottom opening. A pair of hopper bay doors are pivotably connected through a pair of pivot arms to the end walls of the hopper. The hopper bay doors have an inwardly pivoted position at which the hopper bay doors cover the bottom opening and an outwardly pivoted position at which the hopper doors pivot in opposite directions from each other to uncover at least part of the bottom opening. Each door of the pair of bay doors pivots about separated pivot points on the end walls, which pivot points are spaced apart from a center line of the hopper a predetermined distance which is less than one-half of the distance between the center line and each respective side wall.

Abstract: A truck trailer useful for carrying road surfacing material such as gravel, crushed rock, limestone or the like. A feature of the trailer is that it empties to the side of the trailer and directly from the bottom. Doors on the side separately operable facilitate the side dumping.

Abstract: A positioning system for remote operation of hopper doors of a railway car is provided including a radio frequency controller and a hydraulic drive system. The positioning system for each hopper car is supplied with pneumatic power from the locomotive. Pneumatic power is converted to electric power for the controller and hydraulic power for the door drives. The electrical power is a 12 volt DC system provide by a standard battery, which is charged by an alternator driven by an air motor. An air operated hydraulic pump is also connected to the pneumatic power source to supply hydraulic pressure to a valve manifold connected to a series of solenoid operated hydraulic valves. The solenoid operated hydraulic valves are, in turn, connected to hydraulic cylinders which operate doors on railway hopper/ballast or other type cars. The controller includes a receiver for receiving signals from a remote transmitter and operator station.

Abstract: A conventional bottom dump truck includes doors which in a closed position are suspended underneath the bottom opening of the hopper of the trailer. The doors are opened outwardly and upwardly by pivotal action about an upper suspension point of each of the doors. The amount of movement of the door is limited by an abutment member mounted upon a vertical flange on the outside surface of the hopper bottom. The abutment member includes an abutment plate extending outwardly from the flange together with a bracket which has a slot slidable along the length of the flange and locatable at different points along the length of the flange by a pin passing through openings in the bracket and one of a plurality of openings in the flange. An elongate triangular body can be positioned between the doors during operation at minimum spacing so as to increase the angle of the surface of the doors beyond the angle of repose of the material to ensure complete discharge without hang up of the material on the doors.

Abstract: A conventional bottom dump truck includes doors which in a closed position are suspended underneath the bottom opening of the hopper of the trailer. The doors are opened outwardly and upwardly by pivotal action about an upper suspension point of each of the doors. The amount of movement of the door is limited by an abutment member mounted upon a vertical flange on the outside surface of the hopper bottom. The abutment member includes an abutment plate extending outwardly from the flange together with a bracket which has a slot slidable along the length of the flange and locatable at different points along the length of the flange by a pin passing through openings in the bracket and one of a plurality of openings in the flange. The flange can be rotated about an axis longitudinal of the flange to move the abutment member out of the path of the abutment on the door and simultaneously to move a second abutment member into engagement with the door which is positioned at the maximum allowable opening of the door.

Abstract: A railroad maintenance device distributes, regulates and reclaims ballast along a railway road bed. The device includes one or more hopper cars for transporting and depositing ballast, a regulating car including a track regulator, a shoulder regulator, and an extensible plow arm for reclaiming ballast deposited at a distance from the shoulder of the road bed. The hopper cars include radio controlled gates for the remote control of ballast depositing operations, and a computer controlled system for optimizing the distribution of ballast according to predetermined parameters. A bucket elevator is located rearwardly of the track regulator for lifting excess ballast from the road bed, and a belt conveyor transports the lifted ballast to a hopper car.

Abstract: A dumping system for a kiln floor having a pnematic cylinder to cause a plurality of rows of tray assemblies to move between a closed postion and an open position. A harmonizing bar assembly is connected to the rows of tray assemblies and acts to synchronize movement of the tray assemblies and locks the tray assemblies in a fully clsoed or open position. The linkage between the pneumatic cylinder and the rows of tray assemblies includes a device to adjust the connection with the shaft supporting the tray assemblies.

Abstract: A conventional bottom dump truck includes doors which in a closed position are suspended underneath the bottom opening of the hopper of the trailer. The doors are opened outwardly and upwardly by pivotal action about an upper suspension point of each of the doors. The amount of movement of the door is limited by an abutment member mounted upon a vertical flange on the outside surface of the hopper bottom. The abutment member includes an abutment plate extending outwardly from the flange together with a bracket which has a slot slidable along the length of the flange and locatable at different points along the length of the flange by a pin passing through openings in the bracket and one of a plurality of openings in the flange.

Abstract: A valve actuating device for a hopper is comprised of two spherical shaped shutters or registers which pivot about common suspension axles. Each of the registers is carried by two pairs of arms located on either side of the bottom of the hopper and is capable of pivoting about two axles mounted respectively on brackets fastened to the bottom on either side of the hopper. The supporting arms of one of the registers are connected respectively to the piston rods of two hydraulic jacks mounted pivotally on the brackets; and the first pair of supporting arms experiencing the action of the hydraulic jacks are connected respectively to the second pair of supporting arms by use of a linkage articulated on the bracket.

Abstract: An improved gate assembly and gate control assembly for operatively controlling the movement of the gate assembly in material discharging equipment is provided wherein the gate assembly comprises a first and second clamshell gate member, a connecting assembly for pivotably connecting the first and second clamshell gate members to the equipment and substantially synchronizing the movement of the first and second clamshell gate members between a closed position, and an open position, a gate moving assembly operably connected to the first and second clamshell gate members for moving the first and second gate members between the closed and the open position, and the gate control assembly operably connected to the gate moving assembly, the gate control assembly selectively activating the gate moving assembly such that the first and second gate clamshell members are moved between the closed position and the open position.

Abstract: Door opening and closing apparatus for actuation of the doors of a bottom dump type vehicle, said apparatus comprising a common linkage mechanism operable by a single power means for simultaneous and synchronized opening of the doors whereby emptying of the contents of the dump body is facilitated. In addition, a transversely extending centrally disposed partition is provided in the dump body for distributing the load of material accumulating in the dump body in a manner for substantially equalizing the load stress on the vehicle.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the operation of dump doors of a wagon or the like, permitting the operator to set a control lever selectively in a closed or open position, with the apparatus effecting the desired selective movement of the doors and returning the control lever to a "Hold" position upon completion of the desired movement. The apparatus includes a cam device responsive to the movement of the doors to the selected position for releasing the control lever and thereby terminating the driving of the doors to the selected position. The apparatus alternatively may provide a single full movement of the doors or a sequential movement, as desired.

Abstract: A bottom dump vehicle has a driver's cab mounted on the front portion of the vehicle and an engine mounted on the rear portion thereof. The vehicle has a front and a rear axle, each of which mounts a plurality of wheels. A drive train extends from the engine to both the front and the rear axles so that all wheels of the vehicle are driven. A load-carrying hopper is mounted on the rear portion of the vehicle to receive loads of earth, for example. The drive train includes a drive shaft that extends lengthwise of the rear portion of the vehicle through a tunnel member located at the bottom of the load-carrying hopper. A pair of dump doors defining at least part of the bottom of the hopper are located on opposite sides of the tunnel member and are mounted so as to be movable away from each other to provide a dump opening in the bottom of the hopper. When the dump doors are in a closed position, they butt against opposite side walls of the tunnel member.